| Engineer Bureau |
| November 21st 1863 |
| |
| Col. C. F. M. Garnett, Com &C |
| |
| Colonel, |
| Your letters of the 16th & 19th insts
relating, the 1st to the Florida & Georgia connection, and the 2d
to the removal of iron from the Alabama & Florida RR Co {of
Florida} have been
received and laid before the Hon Secretary of War. |
| Mr. Seddon desires you to write to Maj.
John Screven, Prest of the Savannah, Albany & Gulf RR, impressing
upon him that the Govt relied upon {him?} to
construct the connection between Lawton and Live Oak and was under the
impression that he had given assurances of his willingness to enter
upon the undertaking. Mr. Seddon desires further that you should make
the following offer to Major Screven which may prove acceptable. The
Government to furnish the iron and Major S's Company to lay the track
and run the road upon the following conditions viz: that it (the
Company) will devote fifty (50) per cent yearly of its gross earnings
on the connection, so long as the war may last, to purchasing the iron
furnished by the Govt and at the rates paid for it by the Govt. At the
termination of the War all the iron thus paid for by the Company will
of course belong to it, but the remainder will belong to the
Government and may be removed unless the Company desires then to
purchase it from the Govt. |
| If the foregoing
proposition is not accepted by Major Screven, please write him to make
to you a clear statement of the terms which would prove acceptable. |
| Your recommendations
contained in letter of 19th inst. that 5 miles of the Ala & Fla RR
be allowed to remain in place is approved by the Hon Secretary of War. |
| Very Respy Your Obt Servt |
| A. L. Rives |
| Lt Col & Actg Chf of Bureau |