| From the Charleston Mercury |
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| November 26, 1862 |
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| City Council Proceedings |
| The most interesting portion of the
proceedings of Council, at their regular meeting last evening, was that
which referred to the supply of wood for the city. The Mayor stated
that, in accordance with the resolution passed at the previous regular
meeting, he invited a conference with the several railroad Presidents,
at his office, which they promptly attended. The President of the
{Charleston &} Savannah Road stated that
the entire rolling stock of his road was under military control, both
for transporting soldiers and wood for the gunboats, that unless
relieved, or partially relieved, it was entirely beyond his control to
freight wood for the citizens, otherwise the measure would receive his
hearty concurrence and support. |
| The President of the South Carolina
Railroad entered most cheerfully into the measure, and pledged that the
entire surplus rolling stock of the road, say about twenty-five or
thirty cars, should be specially devoted to the transportation of wood
for the city, and that no wood for salt manufacturers or other parties
would be freighted while wood for the citizens was offered. The cars
thus appropriated by the South Carolina road will convey about four
hundred cords of wood weekly, which the city is to have at the cost at
the wood station on the road, together with a reasonable freight -- or
at about seven or eight dollars a cord. |
| The President of the Northeastern Railroad
regretted that, in consequence of numerous contracts with wood cutters
on the line of his road which he was pledged to fill, he could not
promise much for the city. He thought, however, that one hundred cords a
week might be transported, at the original cost, adding freight. |
| The Mayor further informed Council that
under the pledge of receiving these 500 cords of wood weekly, he had
secured the extensive wood yard of Mr. J. W. Riggs, and asks the advice
of Council as to the manner in which the wood should be distributed. As
the city would dispense of the article at cost, say eight dollars a cord
at most; and as the supply would not be sufficient for the entire
population, he wished Council to devise some means so that as many as
possible might be supplied. He thought it would be wise to allow the
Fuel Society, and the Ladies' Benevolent Society the privilege of having
a certain number of cords weekly. |
| Alderman Gilliland said that the citizens
generally were aware that, under the present circumstances, the Savannah
Railroad could not be expected to do anything in the way of transporting
fire wood; the South Carolina Railroad had acted nobly, as a great
company in a time of great trial ought to do; but he regretted to say,
that the Northeastern Railroad, the road from which the most was
expected, not being overworked, and the city being a very large
stockholder, had done so little. He knew the reason of this, and he was
not afraid to say it. The Superintendent and employees of the
Northeastern road were permitted to speculate in wood (Mr. Gilliland
mentioned names), and these employees could always get their wood to
town without delay, while other regular wood dealers were denied any
such privilege. The result was, the employees of the Northeastern Road
had the exclusive use of the road, and consequently the monopoly of the
market. And if Council had not taken the matter in hand, he believed
they would have run the price of fuel up to fifty dollars a cord. |
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