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Refugee Office E. Ten. & Ga. R Rd Co.
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| Athens Ga. 23d Jany 64 |
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| Maj. F. W. Sims |
| Richmond, Va. |
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| Dear Sir, |
| I have just returned from
Augusta and have placed four trains at the disposal of Capt. Sims and
will try and get up another, but in view of some probability of our
getting back to E. Ten it is all important that we get and keep our
Engines and cars in good order or else we will be of no use to the
government either in E. Ten or elsewhere. This thing we can
accomplish at Augusta but no where else can we get shop room
and other facilities, consequently we can not run our trains except to
and from Augusta and under no circumstances will I agree to run beyond
Atlanta; this is not from any indisposition to go anywhere to aid you
but because of the impossibility of our accomplishing any good with
our trains away from the shop facilities we have at Augusta. |
| My son Charles who is my Supt
has his head quarters at Augusta and I will be there more than half my
time and will endeavor to meet your wishes as near as practicable in
all things. |
| The schedules are so very
badly arranged that it requires twice as much time to make a round
trip between Augusta and Wilmington or Charlotte than is necessary and
leaves only one half the transportation is ??? that might have with
the same stock, but I have a promise of a better arrangement. |
| Yours 18th int. I answer in
confidence but will state only that which is patent to every Rail Road
man. The W&A RRd has only the remains of Braggs army to Supply.
Has only 100 miles to haul the freights, Atlanta to Dalton and
I learn that 50 to 60 car loads per day is all that is required of
them, only 3 trains. That Road went into the war as you are aware with
upwards 60 engines and 7 to 800 cars. Some cars have been lost but
not an Engine and with greater facilities than any other three
Roads in the C. States to keep up the stock and obtain supplies. They
cry out for help and have been sending officers after me for Engines
ever since I got ???. Of course I have sent none nor will I send any
and if Genl Johnston yields to their trickery and impresses ours it
will be a hard day for his army before he ???. If I have work at home
and the E. Ten & Ga. R. Road in full operation I would prefer to
pay $200 per day for Engines and let mine stand idle in the shop --
could make money by that game but whether the facilities to carry the
Government freight is other ??? to a desire to save the state Road
Stock or to further some p?? enterprise I do not pretend to say. I
hear that Gov Brown has notified Mr Walker that Genl Johnstons army
has to be supplied and that the W&A RRd has the work to do at all
hazards. This I imagine will cure the evil. |
| Maj. Cummings came to Augusta
last week and demanded services of my Engines to run for Govt West of
Atlanta. Why is this when I see Macon & Western trains running
East of Augusta and when the Central {of
Georgia} Road (owner of the So Western)
has stock in abundance standing idle. |
| There is something wrong in
Rail Road matters and while I do not pretend to point it out, my duty
is not to prevent the E. Tenn & Ga. to be made he?? of and ???. |
| Let me call your attention to
your copy of your communication to the Q. M. Genl of the 4 inst on the
subject of an allowance of two cents per mile on the hauling of troops
on our return trip to Eat Ten; per that letter you mention our loss of
three Engines. Now if it is intended that this allowances is to be
construed as could be construed into compensation in part or in whole
for the stock destroyed by the Confederates during that trip why of
course I can not receive the allowance. ??? I do not so understand you
but the wording of your letter can be construed into such a meaning
and I want your disclaimer or confirmation before collecting. |
| Tly yours |
| C. Wallace Prest {Campbell
Wallace, President, East Tennessee & Georgia RR} |