| Proceedings of the Southern Railroad Convention |
| Macon, Ga., Nov. 25th, 1863 |
| |
|
According to call from R. R. Cuyler, Esq., President
Georgia Central Railroad, the Convention met at General Passenger Depot,
at 10 o'clock, A. M.
|
| On motion, R. R. Cuyler was appointed
Chairman, and Alfred L. Tyler, Secretary. The meeting being called to
order, the following Roads were found to be represented: |
| Georgia Central R. R. and Branches, 282
miles, R. R. Cuyler, President. Geo. W. Adams, Superintendent |
| South-Western R. R., 206 miles, R. R.
Cuyler, President. Virgil Powers, Superintendent |
| Georgia R. R. and Branches, 233 miles,
Geo. Yonge, Sup't. |
| Macon & Western R. R., 120 miles,
Isaac Scott, President. Alfred L. Tyler, Sup't. |
| South Carolina R. R., 242 miles, H. T.
Peake, Sup't. |
| Atlantic & Gulf R. R., 200 miles, G.
J. Fulton, Sup't. |
| Charleston & Savannah R. R., 104
miles, H. S. Haines, Superintendent |
| Charlotte & South Carolina R. R., 109
miles, Wm. Johnston, President. |
| Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio R. R., 45
miles, Wm. Johnston, President. |
| Montgomery & West Point R. R., 117
miles, D. H. Cram, Superintendent. |
| Alabama & Florida R. R., 112 miles,
Sam'l G. Jones, Sup't. |
| Alabama & Tennessee River R. R., 135
miles, Wm. Rothrock, Sup't. |
| Macon & Brunswick R. R., 38 miles, G.
A. Dure, Sup't. |
| North Carolina R. R., 223 miles, R. S.
Tucker, Director. |
| Muscogee R. R., 50 miles, J. L. Mustian,
President. W. L. Clark, Sup't. |
| Mobile & Girard R. R., 57 miles, B. E.
Wells, Sup't. |
| Mobile & Great Northern R. R., 72
miles, G. Jordan, Sup't. |
| Mobile & Ohio R. R., 530 miles, L. J.
Fleming, Sup't. |
| Petersburg R. R., (by letter,) 63 miles,
C. C. Sanford, Pres. |
| Total number of miles
represented, 2,938. |
| The Chair explained the object of the
meeting to be for the purpose of considering the propriety of
advancing the present rates paid by the Government for transportation. |
| On motion of Mr. Adams, a committee of
five was appointed to consult with Major F. W. Sims, Q. M., on the
part of the Government and report. |
| The chair appointed Messrs. Adams, Peake,
Haines, Johnson, Cram. |
| The meeting then adjourned till 7:30 P.
M., at which time the committee reported the following, which after
discussion was adopted: |
| The committee to whom was referred the
subject of Government Transportation, report the following Rates, as
the result of their deliberations, for the action of the Convention: |
| For Troops |
| Where a voucher is given for the
transportation of 100 men, or a less number, it shall be paid for at
the rates of four cents per man per mile; a voucher for any number
over 100 shall be paid for at the rate of two and one-half cents per
man per mile. All soldiers on furlough four cents per man per mile. |
| Commissioned officers not on furlough, or
Government Agents travelling with or without requisitions for
transportation, shall be charged full local fare. |
| For Things |
| 1st Class |
Powder and fixed ammunition,$1.00
per 100 lbs. per 100 miles. |
| 2nd Class |
All articles not enumerated in any other
class, 50 cents per 100 lbs. per 100 miles. |
| 3rd Class |
Live stock, $60.00 per car load per 100 miles. |
| 5th Class |
Camp and Garrison equipage of troops in motion,
mounted Guns, Caissons, Forges, Battery Wagons, Ambulances and
other Government vehicles, $50.00 per car load per 100 miles. |
|
Any single vehicle (except a four horse wagon)
will be charged as half a car load. |
| 6th Class |
Wood, Coal, Lumber Stone and Bricks, (to be
loaded and unloaded by Government,) to be $45.00 per car load
per 100 miles. |
|
No train specially ordered for transportation of
above articles shall consist of less than twelve cars, and
where it is detained by the Government in such service over 10
hours, the usual rates of detention shall be charged. |
| Rule 1st |
For all articles carried less than 50 miles, the
rates shall be two-thirds that for 100 miles; 50 miles and
less than 100 miles, the charge shall be for 100 miles; over
100 miles the rates shall be pro rata per mile by 100 mile
rate. |
| 2nd |
Extra or special trains ordered by proper
military authority, to be paid for at the rate of $1.50 per
mile for the Locomotive and one car, and for every additional
car 20 cents per mile for freight cars, and 30 cents for
passenger cars, to be charged one way. |
|
Six head or less of horses, miles, or cattle
shall constitute a half car load and be charged as such. |
| 4th Class |
Hay, Fodder, Shucks and Straw, (compressed in
bales,) Bran and mill offal, $50.00 per car load per 100
miles. |
|
Less than a car load of the above articles to be
charged as Second Class. |
| 3rd |
When a military officer, having proper
authority, orders a train to be held in readiness for the
transportation of troops or things, the proper charge shall be
for the Locomotive $50.00 per day, and $5.00 per day for each
car, including the services of Conductor, Engineer, Train
hands and Firemen while so held, and no charge to be for less
than one day. |
| 4th |
When {line lost in fold
tare, but the subject is trains of one road working on a
different road} carrying troops
or freight of any kind for Government ??? the Road owning the
train shall secure as full compensation for such train,
one-half of its earnings, to be paid by the Government. |
| 5th |
The Government should in
a????? state by what train, passenger of freight, the
transportation is to be performed, and when it is by
passenger????? fifty per centum additional to the foregoing
rates shall be added. |
| 6th |
For transportation of the
bodies of soldiers that are killed in battle or die in
service, each road shall adopt its own rules and rates of
charge. |
|
| The committee submit the following motion
and recommend its adoption: |
| Resolved, That the Rates of
Transportation for men and things, and the rules of charge regulating
the same, as set forth in this report, be, and the same are hereby
adopted, to take effect on the 10th day of December next. |
| Mr. Peake offered the following
resolutions, which were adopted: |
| Whereas, The delay of the Quartermasters
Department in making payment of the amount due by them for
Transportation has caused serious inconvenience to several Railroad
Companies to who m they are in arrears, |
| Resolved, That Major F. W. Sims be,
and is hereby requested to represent to the Department that as the
Railroads in this Confederacy are principally occupied with Government
Transportation, it is a matter of importance to them that their bills
for this service should be promptly paid. |
| Resolved, That in loading and
unloading freight by the Agents of the Government, all detentions of
cars for more than 24 hours, be charged at the rate of Five Dollars
per day while so detained. |
| By Mr. Jones, |
| Resolved, That the Commissary and
Quartermasters Department be requested to issue such orders as will
make the preliminaries to the collection of claims on the part of the
Government for loss or damage, conform to the conditions required by
the respective Roads from private shippers, and further that the rules
and regulations of the different Roads respecting shipments of live
stock, and the loading and unloading of certain classes of freight
shall be enforced in cases of Government transportation. Adopted. |
| Resolved, That the Quartermaster
General be requested to appoint a competent officer in the Railroad
Bureau to audit and adjust all claims for loss and damage against
Railroads. Adopted. |
| Resolved, That the Secretary of War
be requested at once to issue an order exempting from impressment any
provisions or materials owned by the Railroad Companies for their own
use, as without such exemption it will be impossible for the Roads to
comply with the demand for Government Transportation. |
| By Mr. Johnson, |
| Resolved, That roads less than 50
miles in length shall be allowed to charge three-fourths of the rate
per 100 miles. Adopted. |
| By Mr. Adams, |
| Resolved, That the Secretary have
200 copies of the proceedings of this Convention printed, and send ten
copies to each Road represented, and the Quartermaster General's
office, by ???. Adopted. |
| Mr. Fleming gave notice that the Mobile
& Ohio Road did not agree with the rates fixed above. |
| No further business offering, the
Convention adjourned sine die. |
| R. R. Cuyler, Ch'm. |
| Alfred L. Tyler, Secretary |
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