| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond June 25, 1863 |
| |
| P. V. Daniel Esqr |
| Prest of R. F. & P. R. R. Co. {President,
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR} |
| Richmond, Va. |
| |
| H. D. Bird Esqr |
| Supt of S. S. R. R. Co. {Superintendent,
South Side RR} |
| Petersburg, Va. |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to reply as follows to
your various communications on the subject of claims raised against
the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Rail Road Company{/South
Side Rail Road Company} by reason of deficiencies in delivery
of Government freights, and in regard to the proper mode of receipting
for articles of freight to be transported on your Road. |
| Your Company must, when practicable,
receipt for freight by the weight, piece, or package, as the case may
be, weighing or counting accordingly. When the necessity for immediate
transportation prevents your Company from weighing or counting, it
must receipt according to the weight or count of the shipping officer,
stating in the receipt the impracticability of weighing or counting
for itself -- it being understood that upon a settlement of accounts
it will be allowed upon the affidavit of its officer in charge of the
freight, for deficiencies resulting from a reasonable difference in
scales, from wastage, shrinkage, handling, by reason of transporting
on cars broken and rendered insecure by Troops, when required to use
such cars, or from other conditions imposed by Government authorities. |
| For deficiencies traceable to other causes
and for spoliations by your Agents and employees, you will be held
responsible. Due diligence and reasonable precautions against loss or
damage by other persons than your agents and employees will also be
required of you. |
| You will not be held accountable for the
proper difference between gross and nett weights. |
| A. C. Myers, Q. M. Genl. |
|