| Hd Qrs Dept Ala Miss & E. La. |
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Montgomery Sept 30th 1864 |
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His Excellency Gov T J Walls |
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Gov. of Alabama |
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Sir, |
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The importance of completing the RR between this point and
Union Springs is too obvious to require a statement of its advantages.
The Road passes through a most productive region and is important in a
local point of view. Being of the same guage as the Georgia roads it
would furnish a through connection with the last, and is further removed
from the incursions of the enemy than the West Point road or its Opelika
branch. The Iron has been secured for this important work and all that
is required to insure its speedy completion is the advance of four
hundred and fifty thousand dollars to enable the Company to meet the
current expenditure of construction. The proposition of the Company is
that the Confederate Government must advance this sum and retain three
fourths of the earnings of the road arising from the transportation of
Gov't freight until the advance is cancelled. The inability of the
Department at Richmond to supply the necessary funds to this command
leads me to fear much delay in prosecuting this important enterprise and
I respectfully submit for your consideration the question whether the
State of Alabama could advance the above mentioned sum. |
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The money would be required as the work progressed and the
moment the road commenced running the three fourths of its earning on
Gov't transportation would be reimbursed to the State Treasury. |
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I am assured by practical RR men that the road can be
readily completed within ninety days from this time. |
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With high respect I have the honor to be |
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Your Obt Servt |
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R. Taylor |