| From the Richmond Dispatch |
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| February 8, 1862 |
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| The Convention of Railroad officers |
| This Convention, having for
its object the adoption of measures to secure a supply of material for
the railroads of the South, assembled at the Council Chamber in this
city on Wednesday last, and adjourned yesterday, after having
accomplished its object, so far as it was possible, in a satisfactory
manner. |
| Mr. Goodman, of the
Mississippi Central, was President of the meeting, and Mr. Chas. G.
Talcott, of the Richmond & Danville, Secretary. |
| The following railroads were
represented in the Convention, in most instances by their Presidents: |
| Memphis & Charleston |
| Virginia Central |
| Southside Railroad |
| Petersburg Railroad |
| Richmond & Petersburg |
| Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac |
| Virginia & Tennessee |
| {Richmond &} York
River |
| Wilmington & Weldon |
| Orange & Alexandria |
| Richmond & Danville |
| Mississippi Central |
| Southern of Mississippi |
| Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville |
| Washington County, Texas |
| Western North Carolina |
| Greenville & Columbia |
| Manassas Gap |
|
| There were in attendance,
besides, a number of Superintendents and other railroad officers. |
| The plan adopted by the
Convention to carry out the purposes of the Convention, is in
substance as follows: It divides the railroads in the Confederate
States into four districts, on the assumption that it would be
impossible for such a vast number of interests to work together
advantageously. The railroads in Virginia constitute one division;
those East of the Savannah river, and South of Weldon another; those
South of Knoxville, East of Tombigbee, and West of the Savannah river
another; and those West of Chattanooga and the Tombigbee, East of the
Mississippi river, and South of Kentucky, another. |
| A Central Rolling Mill is to
be located in each division, with such machine shops and foundries as
may be necessary; the capital requisite to put these works in
operation to be subscribed and paid by the roads belonging to the
respective divisions. The affairs of the rolling mills are to be
managed by a Board of Directors in each division, consisting of the
Presidents of the roads, and they are to locate the mills to the best
advantage of the roads concerned — to fix the price of material and transportation
— to select and appoint a General Superintendent for the
works, and fix the capital necessary to carry out the and the manner
of paying in the same. Each road and interest to furnish all the old
material they can spare |
| The second part of the plan is
in substance as follows: In the event that the roads constituting
either division should fall or decline to establish mills as above
provided, the roads are pledged, if it shall be found necessary, to
make advances to individuals or associations who will undertake to
establish the same, to the extent and upon the fasts hereinafter
stated: That any person or association who may establish and put in
operation, within eight months of the 1st of January, 1862, a
manufactory of railroad supplies which shall be approved by the
companies, they will contract to purchase of them annually, during the
present war and for a term of three years from the close of the war,
such supplies as they shall manufacture, to the extent of the
requirements of the several companies, for repairs, consumption, and
equipment, for the period named, at a price not greater during the
continuance of the war than fifty per cent. upon the rates current for
articles of like quality on the 1st of July, 1860, and after the close
of the war an advance of not more than thirty per cent. upon the
actual cost of transportation of similar
articles at the time of purchase, exclusive of import duties. In
addition, the companies agree to make loans at six per cent. interest
to individuals who establish such manufactories as may be approved of,
to an extent not less than fifty nor more than seventy-five per cent.
per mile of each of said roads, for a term not to exceed three years.
The amount loaned to each individual to be determined by the roads,
but not to exceed in the aggregate the above limitation. Manufactories
so established to give the preference to roads who have loaned their
capital. |
| The Presidents of companies in
the Convention pledge themselves to call together their Boards, and
secure action upon the foregoing plan. at an early day. |
| Several resolutions were
adopted by the Convention, of which the following is the most
important: |
| Resolved, That in the
opinion of this meeting it is of great importance to the defence of
the Confederacy that every facility should be extended to the
development of the mineral wealth of the Confederate States; and as a
large proportion of this wealth is now owned by alien enemies, an
earnest application be made to the Confederate Congress to pass a law
confiscating and selling the interests in the property so owned by
alien enemies in the various mines of minerals, which will enable
Southern operators to work the same. |
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