| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, May 7th, 1864 |
| |
| Hon James A. Seddon |
| Secy of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to report that I have
visited & carefully examined the Piedmont R. R. in order to
ascertain from personal inspection, its features & condition &
whether the Government could furnish any aid which would materially
hasten the completion of the Road. |
| The Piedmont Road is forty-eight &
three tenths miles in length. The heaviest grade coming North East
sixty feet to the mile. In an opposite direction, that of least
transportation, & therefore no great disadvantage, there is a
grade on temporary track of one hundred & six feet (the
maximum permanent grade being only sixty-eight). The necessity of rock
cutting, combined with the scarcity of blasting powder, lead to the
adoption of the temporary track. The road is completed to a distance
of thirty-one miles from Danville where there is a break, between iron
& iron of four and a half mile, the rest of the road to
Greensboro' being completed. On this break the grading is practically
finished, although there are still cross ties to procure, as well as
stringers for Haw River Bridge. |
| The Road will be opened probably by the
20th inst. or 25th at latest & I do not know of any available
labor at the disposal of the Government, which would materially hasten
the time of completion. The Qr. Mr. Genl. has been called upon for
some assistance in hauling which he has cheerfully promised & the
Eng. Dept. has been able to assist by supplying additional tools
principally axes. |
| I found the Road, thoroughly, well &
intelligently located & constructed in consideration of the times,
and the company's force although not large, energetically &
satisfactorily employed under the immediate & constant personal
direction of the Chief Engineer Capt. E. T. D. Myers of the Engr
Corps. It gives me the most pleasure to be able to make this statement
after personal inspection & from conscientious conviction as there
is & has been much misrepresentation. Few persons but those who
have made the attempt have any conception of the innumerable
difficulties which retard the completion of a great work of internal
improvement in these disjointed times. |
| Very Resp'y &c |
| A. L. Rives |
| Col. &c &c |
|