NP, SR 12/13A/1862

From the Savannah Republican
 
December 13, 1862
 
Report of the President and Directors of the Central Railroad and Banking Co. of Georgia to the Stockholders
 
   The Report of the General Superintendent, George W. Adams, for the year ending 30th ultimo, is herewith submitted:
The earnings of the Road have been $1,310,021.42
The ordinary current expense has been $456,848.31  
The extraordinary expense has been 20,532.48
The rent of the Augusta & Savannah Railroad has been 42,583.33 519,964.12
Showing net amount earnings to be $790,057.30

The cash paid into Bank from the Railroad for the year amounts to

$1,289,415.09
The payments made at Bank for R. R. for the year amount to 508,611.07
   Showing net for road $780,804.02
The expense, as shown by Superintendent, is $519,964.12  
The same as shown above at Bank 508,611.07
   The difference $11,353.05

Is explained thus:

   
Whole amount of extraordinary expenses 20,532.48  
Taken from Road earnings, Dec. 2, 1862 9,179.43
Taken from appropriation for Depot building, 3d June, 1862 11,353.05 $20,532.48
3d June, 1862, appropriation stood $59,849.73
Reduced as above 11,353.05
It now stands, as per balance sheet $48,496.68
The amount received during the year from Bank operations has been $267,031.33
Paid Bank expenses and interest 20,554.26
Showing net for Bank $246,477.07
Showing net for Road and Bank $1,027,281.09
   And the sum of $1,027,381.09 has been disposed of, as follows, to-wit:
Dividend June, 1962, 10 per ct. $466,680.00
        "     Dec., 1862, 6     "    " 280,008.00
Appropriated for Road 212,195.85
Carried to reserve fund 68,397.24 $1,027,281.09
   From the above statement it will be readily seen that the Banking operations authorized the declaration of an extra dividend of 5 per cent. by the Board in June last.
   In the last annual report, the Board, whilst avoiding the expression of an opinion as to the then future profits of the Road, took occasion to say that the expenses of the Company would, until the renewal of business, be more reduced. Accordingly, soon after the report, a considerable reduction was made in salaries and wages. It was soon found, however, that the operations of the Company could not be carried on with such reduction, and, therefore, the former pay was restored. During the months of December, January,, February and March last, there was a very great falling off in the receipts of the Road, as will be clearly seen on reference to Table No. 3, appended to the Superintendent's Report. The Company found it necessary, in common with all the other Railroads throughout the Confederate States, to put up the rates of freight. Railroad supplies and all the necessaries of life, ran up so rapidly to such extravagant and unheard of prices, that this increase in rates of freight was a matter of necessity, and it became a matter of common justice to the operatives of the Company, as soon as the earnings of the Company warranted, to increase salaries and wages. The Board took pleasure in making an increase on wages and salaries, beginning on the first of November last, an increase which will amount during the current year, to about forty thousand dollars.
   Beginning with the month of April last, the receipts of the Road, as will be seen by Table No. 3, increased rapidly. The great increase, however, has been in the passenger traffic. The receipts from that source during the year just closed, have amounted to $699,247.64, against $294,740.10, for the preceding year. The general reduction of expense during the past year, is shown in the Superintendent's Report. The current expense of the year was $456,848.31, upon earnings of $1,310,021.42. The reduction grew out of two facts -- first, the increase of travel, which does not cost as much as the carriage of freight; and, second, that, by reason of the utter impossibility, during the war, of obtaining the necessary supplies, the Railroad has not been furnished and kept up as it would have been under ordinary circumstances. The Board is happy to know that no railroad in the country has been preserved than the Central. But if the war continues much longer the Road and its machinery and rolling stock will run down. Looking this difficulty in the face, the Board has appropriated, from the earnings of the past six months, the sum of $212,195.85, towards placing the Road and its outfit in as good condition they were eighteen months ago. The sum standing at the credit of appropriation for depot buildings, viz: $48,496.68, is ample for the purpose. It will, as far as necessary, be applied as soon as the state of the country will justify the expenditure. The restoration of the Road and its equipment is the most important subject which can engage the attention of the Board, and the stockholders may rest assured that the work will be begun and prosecuted at the very first moment in which supplies -- even at extravagant prices -- be obtained. The appropriation for this purpose -- $212,195.85 -- large as it may appear, will not be sufficient to accomplish the purpose intended; but the Board contemplates, at the stated periods for dividends, to add to it, not doubting its ability to do so to the necessary extent, without depriving the stockholders of any part of their accustomed semi-annual dividend of five per centum.
   In the last annual report it was said:
   "In the item, "Stocks in other Companies," contained in the Cashier's Statement, there is included the sum of $360,935.62, being the amount invested by the Company in Steam Ship Operations. We have advices of the winding up of the Companies in which the investments were made, and of the remittance to England, on our account, of sums which, with the premium, we are likely to receive on Sterling Bills, will more than cover the aforesaid sum of $360,935.62. The realization of this large amount of money comes at an opportune moment, and will much facilitate the operations of the Banking Department."
   Only part of the above has been received, namely: the sum of $75,173.77 from the Atlantic Screw Steamship Company. The affairs of the New York and Savannah Steamship Company, and of the ships Mississippi and Star of the South have not been closed. It has been found impossible to procure any written statement from Mr. Mitchell, the President, nevertheless, this Company has been informed, and does not doubt, that the entire fund, for the safety of all concerned, was long ago remitted to London and placed in safe banker's hands, (probably at a very low rate of interest,) at the credit of the President, to await the return of peace, when distribution is to be made among the stockholders. If we could realize our share at the present time, so high is the rate of sterling exchange, the accounts on our books would be much more than paid. When the day of realization shall come, the rate of sterling may not be so high as to make the accounts good, but no considerable loss is looked for in any event. The other investments of the Company, set forth in the Cashier's Statement, are worth, at this day, from three to four hundred thousand dollars more than they stand at on the books, allowing ten thousand dollars to cover all the items which may prove of no value.
   The Company subscribed the sum of $1,000 to the sufferers by fire in Charleston, and $100 per month, afterwards, during the war, for the benefit of the families of soldiers. It also subscribe $5,000 towards the gunboat, and, recently, has presented 1,000 yards of cloth to the committee charged with furnishing clothes to the army in Virginia. Such expenditures, being out of the usual course, are now mentioned, in the expectation that they, as well as any further amounts which the Board may think proper to give, during the course of the war, will meet the approbation of the stockholders.
   In the month of March last, the Company agreed with the Augusta & Savannah Railroad, to lease, during charter, the last mentioned road, and to pay as rent for the same, the sum of seventy-three thousand dollars per annum, payable semi-annually. Possession of the road and its machinery and outfit was given to this Company on the first day of May last. In the Superintendent's Table No. 3, will be found a statement of the receipts from the road,. The Board does not doubt making over the annual rent of this work, but it was not with a view to such profit that the Board agreed to rent it. The Augusta & Savannah Railroad is intimately connected with the upper portion of the Central Road, whilst it also gives to Savannah a line of direct connection with Augusta. In view of the railroad now being built from Warrenton by way of Sparta and Milledgeville to Macon, the possession of the line from Millen to Augusta seemed to be indispensable to the interest of this Company. As this Company was willing to forego all efforts to build a railroad from the Central Road by way of Sparta to Union Point, and to see established and maintained a fair and reasonable rate of freight between Macon and Augusta, it hoped, and had reason to believe, that the Directors of the Warrenton Company would stop their work at Sparta, but the Warrenton Company determined to carry their road to Macon, and place it under contract. That road is intended to control the business between Macon and Augusta, against the interest of the line from Macon by way of Millen to Augusta, and this Board is of the opinion that, with the possession and control of the Augusta & Savannah Railroad, and with the connection and interests now existing between the Central and South-Western Companies, any competition of the Warrenton line may be successfully met and counteracted. It is the desire and aim of this Company to furnish for the people of Augusta, a safe, speedy and sure communication with Macon, as well as well as with Savannah, on reasonable and just terms as to the transportation of freight or passengers.
   There has been very little cotton carried over the road during the past year. Such as has been carried, was cotton from Macon to Augusta, and from Savannah to Augusta. There are, at this time, but few bales in Savannah.
Respectfully submitted
R. R. Cuyler
President
 
Statement of the condition of the Central Railroad Banking Co. of Georgia, and Branches, on Tuesday, December 2, 1862, after declaration of semi-annual dividend.
 
Railroad and all its appurtenances     $4,320,850.00
Notes and bills discounted and bills receivable   $615,276.95  
Due to other Banks and Companies out of the city   23,689.18  
Real Estate   33,000.86  
Specie, coin $152,781.18    
Bank notes 88,401.40    
Confederate Treasury notes 881,825.00    
State Georgia Treasury notes 278,200.00 1,401,??7.58 2?79,014.57
Stocks of other Companies   $1,039,414.36  
Bonds of other Companies   104,?25.20 1,143,639.56
Seven per ct. Bonds ($71,000), and eight per cent. Certificates of the Confederate States ($330,000)   $40,000.00  
Bonds of the State of Georgia, seven per cent.   400,000.00 801,000.00
Negroes belonging to Company's road     ??,763.00
      $8,403,807.13
       
Railroad Capital     $4,366,800.00
Bank Capital   $300,000.00  
Circulation   571,340.50  
Due to Treasurer State of Georgia   174,878.37  
Unclaimed Dividends   126,232.80  
Dividend No. 39, declared this day   280,803.00  
Individual Deposits   896,939.84  
Suspense Account   4,458.20  
Resulting Balance with Agencies   42,730.67  
Due to Banks in this city   66,310.29 2,462,888.67
Bonds of this Company past due and not yet presented     21,66700
Appropriated for Depot buildings     48,496.68
Bills payable     135,000.00
Reserved Fund     1,156,768.93
Appropriation for renewal of Stock of Railroad     212,195.35
      $8,403,807.13
 
Stocks of Other Companies Held by This Company
Star of the South (propeller) held at cost $24,971.36
Philadelphia Steamers ($15,000) held at Augusta & Savannah Railroad, held at par 210,500.00
Eatonton Branch Railroad Stock held at par 24,100.00
Montgomery & West Point Railroad Stock ($36,700), held at 24,000.00
Mobile & Girard Railroad Stock (6,100), held at 1,000.00
Thomasville and Barnesville Railroad Stock ($2,500), held at 1,000.00
Milledgeville Hotel Co., held at par 2,300.00
Steamship Mississippi, held at cost 75,010.49
Savannah & New York Steamers ($234,690), held at 1?0,780.00
South-western Railroad Stock, held at par 487,377.51
Upson County Railroad, held at par 3,375.00
  $1,039,414.35
   
Bonds of Other Companies Held by This Company
Mobile & Girard Railroad Bonds, held at par $10,500.00
Muscogee Railroad Bonds, held at par 16,000.00
Columbus City Bonds ($15,000), held at 13,500.00
Montgomery & West Point Railroad Bonds ($5,500) held at 5,800.00
Florida Railroad Bonds ($8,000) held at 5,600.00
Pensacola & Georgia Railroad Bonds ($34,000), held at cost 25,203.58
City of Macon Bonds, held at par 2,000.00
North Carolina Bonds, held at cost 26,118.62
  $104,225.20
George A. Cuyler, Cashier
{Many numbers are illegible on the original}

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