Richmond, April 22, 1863
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| Hon. J. A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
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| Sir, |
| I have the honor to present you
herewith a report adopted by the representatives of railroads, and a
copy of certain resolutions by them passed at a meeting yesterday.
The report of resolutions embody the views entertained on the
subjects which you presented for consideration.
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| I have the honor to be, your obedient servant
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| R. R. Cuyler {President,
Central (of Georgia) RR and South Western RR} |
| Chairman |
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| [Inclosure No. 1] |
| The committee whose duty it was made to
consider the communication of the Secretary of War with the
accompanying report and to report at 4 p.m. of this day what action
shall be taken, beg leave to report that the representatives of the
railroad companies now assembled at Richmond upon the invitation of
the Honorable Secretary of War, are deeply impressed with the
necessity of adopting such measures as will on the one hand secure
for Government speedy and safe transportation of troops, munitions
of war, and supplies by the railroads of the Confederacy, and on the
other hand the proper maintenance of the railroad tracks, motive
power, and machinery owned by the railroad companies.
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| For the purpose of securing and
accomplishing these great interests, which are or ought to be so
intimately connected, the committee respectfully recommend the
adoption of the following measures: |
| First. That there should be established under
the order of the Secretary of War, or under the authority of an act
of Congress, a bureau attached to the Department of War to be called
the railroad bureau, and to be placed in charge of Col. William M.
Wadley, assistant adjutant-general, with four or more assistants,
said assistants to be located at central convenient points in
different sections of the country. That it be made the duty of such
bureau, through its chief and assistants, to superintend all
Government transportation, but not to have the control or direction
of the motive power or cars by which such transportation is made; to
agree with each railroad company in the Confederacy upon rates of
passage for troops, and for rates of freight for the establishment
of such schedules as may be found necessary and proper for the
speedy transportation of army, navy, and other Government supplies;
to make arrangements for the comfortable accommodation of sick and
wounded officers and soldiers, and generally to protect and preserve
the interest of the Confederacy in the premises, and to audit all
claims arising under such contracts. That all orders or requests for
Government transportation of every kind shall be made under such
rules and regulations as may be established by the railroad bureau.
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| Second. That until such arrangements and
agreements be made by the railroad bureau with the railroad
companies, those companies shall be paid the rates of passage and
freight established at the railroad meeting held at Augusta, Ga., on
the 15th day of December last (except when special contracts have
been made), and that the companies shall, as they have always
hitherto done, give precedence to Government transportation over
that of individuals.
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| Third. That the several railroad companies be
supplied through the railroad bureau with all such tools and
materials as the Government can, consistently with the wants of the
Army and Navy, from time to time furnish at fair prices to be agreed
on, and also with such iron rails as may at any time come into
possession of Government, by impressment or otherwise, from
railroads deemed unimportant, or comparatively unimportant, for
Government transportation.
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| The committee believe that a considerable
portion of the supply necessary to maintain the important railroads
of the country could be secured at once by the exercise of a spirit
of liberality on the part of the Government -- a liberality
imperiously demanded by the pressing wants of those companies. There
is a rolling[-mill] at Atlanta, Ga., which was established by
pecuniary aid given by railroad companies of Georgia, and which
never would have been established without such aid, engaged
exclusively on Government work. That establishment, as well as all
or nearly all the other iron-works in the country, have been during
the war engaged by the Government, and thus the railroads have been
deprived of every means of supply. Let the Government forego further
work at the Atlanta rolling-mill entirely and concert measures for
having the Tredegar rolling machinery in thorough working order to
re-roll all rails presented and great relief will be given.
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| The committee believe that the Government
should give substantial encouragement to the building up of
furnaces, forges, iron-works, machine-shops, and car factories by
individuals or by railroad or other incorporated companies. Such
works founded on private capital cannot be imported until the
Government shall (in addition to assurances already given by the
Mining Bureau when applied to) publicly pledge its faith that none
of them shall ever be impressed or taken for Government use. If such
pledge be given, there is no doubt that private enterprise and
capital would in a short space of time build up establishments of
the kind most needed by the railroads. The railroad companies do not
seek any pecuniary aid from Government. They ask only that the
Government will afford them such facilities as can be granted
without any hazard or loss. As supplies of tools, steel, and many
other articles cannot be procured without resorting to the English
manufactories, it becomes necessary for the railroad companies to
place money or establish credits in England. The companies being
generally willing to risk the blockade in order to procure supplies
cannot in the present condition of exchange so place money or
establish credits without the aid of Government. The committee would
therefore respectfully recommend that whenever any railroad
companies or association of companies shall purchase cotton and
pledge the same to the Government, that an arrangement be made for
their benefit of a character similar to the late loan procured on
cotton in Europe by the Government. The operations of the Government
have, from the very necessity of the case, interfered with the
operations of the railroad companies. Many mechanics absolutely
necessary toward keeping up railroad works are now in the Army.
Without these workmen the railroads, even with supplies of iron,
cannot get along. The number of such men cannot exceed, if it shall
reach, 1,000. The committee would therefore earnestly recommend the
detail of such mechanics as may be found absolutely necessary be
made to railroad companies without delay.
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| [Inclosure No. 2] |
| Resolved, That in order to increase the
present efficiency and capacity of the railroads in their existing
condition for the military transportation of the Confederate States,
the following measures are respectfully recommended to the War
Department:
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| First. That on all canals, rivers, and other
lines of water transportation as large a number as practicable of
boats and vessels of any kind be speedily constructed and used for
transporting military supplies, so as to relieve the railroads of
the overwhelming amount of freights now thrown upon them, and leave
them available for transportation of what cannot be carried by water
because of its locality or the urgency with which it is needed.
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| Second. That [at] all points which are
suitable for the storage and distribution of supplies on the lines
of railroads or water transportation adequate store-houses or
shelters, if only of canvas, be erected and guarded for the storage
and distribution, as they may be needed at various points, of
supplies, which otherwise will inevitably detain many cars from
active service.
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| Third. That for the increase and improvement
of military transportation on railroads the Government should as
early as practicable import from Europe artisans, machinists, and
miners in number not less than 500 to supply the mines,
rolling-mills, and machine-shops needed by the Government and
railroads.
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| Fourth. That more stringent and efficient army
regulations and orders be made and rigidly enforced preventing
effectually interference by military officers with the movements of
trains and operations of railroads and with the obedience of
railroad officers and agents to the orders of their superiors.
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