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Hillsboro, Octo 23d 1863 |
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| Maj. F. W. Sims |
| Rail Road Bureau |
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Richmond |
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Dear Major, |
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Your letter of the 19th inst., reached me, via Goldsboro,
this morning. Dr. Hawkins {President, Raleigh &
Gaston RR} states in a letter to me of the 16th ins. that he
would come here on the 17th inst. having the iron removed taken from 5
to 8 cars pr day. After the dislocation I concluded not to send our
trains to aid in its transportation as they were at that time, & are
now, engaged in hauling Govt freight from Weldon & other. As I have no
authority to secure transportation beyond Gaston I did not write Col.
Sanford {Superintendent, Petersburg RR} on
the subject. However, I did a few weeks ago offer to aid him when in my
power, and as I have heard nothing from him I suppose he can work his
own trains take the rails from Gaston as soon as they are delivered at
that place. In reference to Capt Meyers despatch I will see Mr Webb
Presdt Nr Co R Road {North Carolina RR} in
the morning & Dr Hawkins on Monday next & endeavour to make the
necessary arrangements to send the rails to Greensboro without delay. I
fear Dr Hawkins will not consent for his cars to go through & the rails
will have to be transferred to Nr Ca cars at Raleigh. I will however
make every effort to avoid the delay & expense. We have now three or
four cars on the Nr Ca Road that left our Road last winter, hence the
serious objection to exchanging cars. By the way Dr Hawkins informs me
the rails are to be transported as private freight. One Locomotive was
too small to run on the Nr Ca Road but if they were of different size
one could be sent run for half rates. I will exert myself to get the
iron forward as demanded. |
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I have been kept up here longer than I contemplated when I
left Goldsboro, attending to some good business. Our friend Maj Pierce
is perplexed in consequence of the detention of some wood he purchased
on the Nr Ca R Road for the Hospital at Raleigh. It appears during the
summer he contracted for 2000 cords fire wood to be delivered on the
line of the above mentioned Road. It has been delivered according to
contract but the Nr Ca Road declines to deliver it unless he will give
one half of the wood for transporting the other half. He refuses & very
properly to enter into any such bargin or agreement & desires me to have
the wood transported at once as it is now required or a portion of it,
at the Hospital. Not wishing to trouble you or the Govt, if it could be
avoided I have referred the matter & perhaps we may arrange it without
further assistance from the Governor. |
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I will on my return to Goldsboro take up all the charges
against Col Fremont which are getting to be quite numerous & expect
after giving him a hearing, I think on all these complaints there is
really more smoke than fire. I am ??? however it is natural to infer
when there is much smoke there must be some fire therefore it is now due
to Col Fremont as well as the Govt & the great cause in which we all
have so much at stake that there should be an investigation. |
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I shall visit Richmond the first opportunity. |
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Very truly yours |
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John D. Whitford |
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