NP, SR 9/9/1862

From the Savannah Republican
 
September 9, 1862
 
Railroad Convention
[From the Columbia South Carolinan, Sept. 4]
 
   The Convention of Presidents and Superintendents of Railroads in the Confederate States assembled in the City Hall, yesterday morning, at 9 o'clock.
   The following roads were represented, having an aggregate length of 3,528 miles of complete road:
   Alabama -- Montgomery & West Point Railroad -- Charles T. Pollard, President; Daniel H. Cram, Superintendent. Alabama & Florida Railroad -- Chas. T. Pollard, President; Samuel G. Jones, Superintendent. Mobile & Girard Railroad -- B. E. Wells, Superintendent, Mobile & Ohio Railroad -- L. J. Fleming, Superintendent.
   Virginia -- Petersburg Railroad -- C. O. Sanford, Superintendent.
   Florida -- Pensacola & Georgia Railroad -- E. Houstoun, President.
   South Carolina -- South Carolina Railroad -- John Caldwell, President; H. T. Peake, Superintendent. Charleston & Savannah Railroad -- W. J. Magrath, President; D. D. Maseif, Vice President. Greenville & Columbia Railroad -- Thos. C. Perrin, President; E. F. Raworth, Superintendent. Charlotte & South Carolina Railroad -- Wm. Johnston, President. Cheraw & Darlington Railroad -- Allan Macfarlan, President. Spartanburg & Union Railroad -- Thos. H. Jeter, President. North-eastern Railroad -- S. S. Solomons, Superintendent.
   North Carolina -- North Carolina Railroad -- Thos. Webb, President; T. J. Sumner, Superintendent. Wilmington, Charlotte & Rutherford Railroad -- H. W. Guyton, President. Wilmington & Manchester Railroad -- Thos. D. Walker, President. Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio Railroad -- Wm. Johnston, President. Raleigh & Gaston Railroad -- C. O. Sanford, as proxy.
   Georgia -- Georgia Central Railroad -- R. R. Cuyler, President; Geo. W. Adams, Superintendent; J. M. Selkirk, Agent. Southwestern Railroad -- R. R. Cuyler, President; Virgil Powers, Superintendent. Muscogee Railroad -- J. L. Mustain; Wm. L. Clark, Superintendent. Macon & Western Railroad -- Alfred L. Tyler, Superintendent. Macon & Brunswick Railroad -- E. A. Cochrane, President. Georgia Railroad -- George Yonge, Superintendent. Western & Atlantic Railroad -- J. S. Rowland, Superintendent.
   The Convention was organized by the choice of Mr. John Caldwell, as President, Messrs. Samuel C. Jones and Alfred L. Tyler as Secretaries.
   Committees were appointed to report on transportation, supplies and schedules.
   The Committee on Transportation made a report, which was adopted, recommending that the transportation of troops, soldiers on furlough and discharged soldiers, be two cents per mile on main lines, and three cents on side lines. Commissioned officers on furlough to pay full fare. On freight, the rate offered by Government was adopted, viz: 1st class, 65 cents per 100 lbs. per 100 miles; 2d class, 20 cents; 3d class, $20 per car load; 4t class, $15 per car load. If carried on passenger trains, the rate to be increased 50 per cent. Each road to adopt and publish its own regulations in relation to the carriage of dead bodies.
   The Committee on Supplies made a report, recommending that two establishments for the rolling of rail road iron and the manufacture of supplies be erected, one near the iron and coal region of Alabama and the other upon Deep river in North Carolina. The companies in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia to join in the erection of the works on Deep river, and the companies in the other States to join, as far as possible, in the erection of the other. And as the Government has taken into its possession all the coal, iron, brass, copper, tin, tools, &c., and also the mechanical skill of the country, that application be made in the name of the Convention to the Government, requesting that such articles may be supplied at cost to any company that may truly need them.
   The following was adopted:
   That owing to difficulties and delays of settlements, for the present, through tickets should not be sold on either direction beyond Augusta, Savannah or Charleston; and it is recommended that the through tickets be arranged on the basis of the local rates of each road, and that a standing committee be appointed to prepare such tickets as soon as the rates over all the lines can be ascertained.
   The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
   Resolved unanimously by this Convention, That our best endeavors for the future, as in the past, shall be given to the Confederate government in the transportation of the troops and government property, and hereby respectfully request the President of the Confederacy to issue an order, that officers of the government shall not interfere with the loading or running of trains, as our experience has been that such interference has hithertofore resulted both in detriment to the government and to the road.
   Resolved further, That Dr. Lewis, representing the Government in this Convention, is requested to bring the above resolution to the notice of President Davis and to solicit his prompt action in the premises.
   Resolved, That in making schedules in future, time shall be given, at suitable watering places, for soldiers and other passengers to obtain water and that it shall be the duty of conductors to have it announced to the passengers on all the trains, upon arriving at those places, that the train will stop -- minutes for the purpose of obtaining water.
   Resolved, That the rates reported and adopted this day do g into operation on the 1st proximo.
   Resolutions of thanks to the City Council and to the Chairman were adopted after which the Convention adjourned.

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