| Gen'l Supt's Office, N&C RR Co |
| Chattanooga 17th Feby, 1863 |
| |
| Col. A. C. Myers |
| Quarter Master General |
| Richmond Va |
| |
|
Dear Sir, |
| I am requested by our Mr Bransford Book
Keeper &c now in Richmond for settlement of Transportation a/cs to write
and give you our reasons for present charge of four cents per mile for
Troops. Which I will do with much pleasure, feeling assured, that you
will appreciate our situation and see the reasonableness of the charge. |
| In 1861 when this Company held its whole
line of road, its condition prosperous, holding its connexions with
Roads at Nashville, and at Stevenson with Memphis & via Memphis &
Charleston Rail Road, when its individual Through and Local
business was very heavy, when the Government business was regarded as
only an increase of our large, individual business, without a
corresponding increase of expenses, and feeling willing and able to add
the Government Transportation to our then heavy outside business at
rates corresponding, with cost of work or operating expenses at that
time, and the prosperous condition of this Company, we charged and
collected from the Government but two (2c) cents per mile for movement
of Troops, and twenty cents per one hundred pounds per one hundred
milers for common Freight during the year 1861, and up to the time (17
Feby 1862) of the evacuation of Nashville, when we commenced falling
back with our Machinery and giving our road to the Enemy, for want of
military protection, running our road from Chattanooga as far as our
lines extended in the direction of Nashville. We continued to retire
with our Machinery, until we were forced across the Tenn R and the
Bridge over that River burnt by the order of our Generals. Instead of a
prosperous business over the line of our road from Nashville to
Chattanooga 151 miles, and Branches to Fayetteville, McMinnville and
Shelbyville in all 225 miles, we found ourselves on the 29th of April
1862, in possession of but 38 miles from Chattanooga to Tennessee River,
with scarcely any business on even that part of the Road. The balance of
our line in possession of the Enemy, our Machinery and other Shops at
Nashville cut off, which added greatly to keeping up our Machinery.
Nashville, our principal market for Rail Road supplies cut off. The
rapid advance of Material Labor & Rail Road supplies generally &c.
Finding it impossible to run the road under the circumstances and charge
the former low rate, our rate for Troops was advanced on the 17t Feby
1862 to four cents per mile, and our Prest, Col V. K. Stevenson in
settling our a/c to 1st Apl 1862 in Richmond in May last explained in
person our reasons as stated above for advancing charges. Which ware
then satisfactory to you and the a/c ware paid. |
| After crossing trains over the Tennessee
River (seven miles around the Island) on Flat Boas, we commenced running
our Road again, west of that River as far as Murfreesboro on Oct 1862.
About the 1st Decr, I wrote you a letter giving our further reasons for
continuing the charge of four cents per mile (which is one cent less
than our regular rate) that for more than seven months most of our road
had been in the hands of the enemy, and that while our business for that
length of time was lost. The liabilities of the Company continued to
accumulate, deterioration and damage to Machinery by being run for
Government on other roads, our Road itself in the hands of an Enemy who
seemed to use it but for its destruction, interest on our large bonded
debt of about seventeen hundred thousand dollars, and sinking fund to
State accumulating against the Company, the great advance in operating
expenses, the items making up which, having advanced with us from 50 to
700 per cent, as compared with 1861 &c, This letter was endorsed by
Major Bransford Transportation QM for Genl Bragg's Army and enclosed to
you by Col O'Bannon Chf Q M for same. I enclose herewith copy of your
letter in reply, marked A. The same reasons exist for the charge
subsequent to 1st Decr, and many more might be stated, such as
destruction of cars by our Troops and by surprise from Enemy and want of
military protection, gret damage to Locomotives as well as cars from
retreats or retiring of Machinery -- once from Nashville, twice from
Chattanooga (by order of Genl Commanding) and once from Murfreesboro and
now only running our Road westward as far as Wartrace only two thirds of
its length &c. But believing the reasons given will be satisfactory, and
having every confidence in your willingness to have justice done, I hope
you give orders to Quarter Master of this District to audit and pay our
charge of four cents per mile in future, for you may rest assured that
we will reduce the rate when justified in so doing. Our regular rate is
5 cents per mile. We have continued to 1st January the low rate of 20c
on Government Freight. |
| I beg to call your attention to
"Resolutions" on page 6. Pamphlet "Proceedings of a Convention of
Presidents and Superintendents of Rail Roads in the Confederate States
held in Augusta Ga Dec 15th 1862" enclosed herewith. |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your Obt Sevt |
| E W Cole |
| Superintendent |
|