Liberty, Va., March 18, 1864
| |
| Hon. J. A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War Confederate States of America |
| |
| Sir, |
| There can be little doubt but that the want of
organized transportation and the inability of the railroads to
effect the domestic commerce of the country enters largely into the
problem of market price, and must to that extent affect the
operation of the new currency arc. The obstacles to internal
commerce are: |
| First. The incomplete condition of certain railroad
extensions and connections such as those of the Danville {Piedmont
Railroad} and {Virginia}
Central, in Virginia; the connection by rail to Richmond, Petersburg
from Yorkville {S. C.},
across to Augusta, etc. |
| Second. The deficiency of
rolling-stock, especially of locomotives. The several roads now
running in Virginia have not one-fourth, in some cases not
one-eighth, of the motive power proper for their regular trade. The {Virginia}
Central road reported only eight
locomotives in working order {for a
road of 195 miles}. The ratio of
engines to length of road run would give the road fifty or sixty.
The Virginia & Tennessee road is short of motive power, and the
South Side road in every respect inadequate to its business. The
rails of all these roads are reported in bad condition, varying of
course with grades and tonnage, but all requiring repair. The
reduction of train speed has its effect upon the internal
intercourse of the country. |
| Third. The refusal of roads on
the same gauge to allow the freight-cars of other roads to run over
their rail, thereby involving unnecessary transshipments, and
throwing the through freights into the hands of an express company,
heretofore unlimited in its extractions. These are, in my opinion,
the main causes of the great difference in prices between the
different portions of the Confederacy and between the metropolis and
the interior. |
| During the last session of the
Virginia Legislature it became my duty, as chairman of the Committee
on Roads and Interior Navigation (I state this to authenticate the
condition and defects of the Virginia roads), to examine into the
subject of internal transportation, and to recommend measures for
its improvement. The lower House passed a bill requiring roads to
pass the freight-cars of other roads of the same gauge over their own
road. Railroads were required to establish an express department.
These provisions were lost in the Senate. Express companies were
placed under stringent regulations. They are now restricted to
double the freight allowed the road. A bill was also reported making
a State subscription
to a joint-stock locomotive factory and rolling-mill. It was
regarded favorably, but not reached. The remedies proposed are: |
| First. The military possession
of the roads so far as to insure through freights and close
connections. |
| Second. The organization of
locomotive factories with a detail of skilled workmen, and the
importation or manufacture of boiler plates, tubular boilers,
chilled wheels, chilled tire, etc., the manufacture of freight-cars,
the erection of rolling-mills, whenever necessary for the repair of
extensive lines of roads. I am aware this plan involves labor and
responsibility, but it is submitted in the belief that it will
effect much to facilitate the military operations and the internal
commerce of the country. It will indirectly operate upon the
currency, for if the supplies continue irregular or deficient the
Government will be driven to a reissue of currency. You will please
excuse this communication, dictated by an interest in the public
welfare. |
| Respectfully, yours, |
| Wm. M. Burwell |
| |
| [First indorsement] |
| March 28, 1864 |
| Quartermaster-General |
| These suggestions are worthy of
attentive consideration. |
| J. A. S. |
| |
| [Second indorsement] |
| Quartermaster-General's Office |
| March 29, 1864 |
| Respectfully forwarded to
Lieutenant-Colonel Sims. By order of the Quartermaster-General. |
| W. F. Alexander |
| Major and Assistant to the
Quartermaster-General |
| |
| [Third indorsement] |
| Quartermaster-General's Office |
| April 9, 1864 |
| Respectfully returned to the
Secretary of War, whose attention is invited to the inclosed report
of Lieutenant-Colonel Sims. |
| A. R. Lawton |
| Quartermaster-General |
| |
| [Inclosure] |
| C. S. Quartermaster's Dept.,
Railroad Bureau |
| Richmond, April 1, 1864 |
| |
| Brig. Gen. A. R. Lawton |
| Quartermaster-General,
Richmond, Va. |
| General: I have the honor to
return herewith a communication from Hon. W. M. Burwell, and submit
for your consideration the following reply: |
| First. It is well known to all
who have investigated the matter that everything possible has been
done to complete the Danville connection, and but for the difficulty
in getting rails it would have been further toward completion. The
connection from Columbia to Augusta is one of extreme importance and
should be fostered in every way by the Government. Immense trouble
will be encountered, but the reward will be great. It will shorten
the distance between those two points from 143 miles to about 80
miles, saving 63 miles and giving a line not subject to
interruptions by the enemy. It should be finished in twelve months,
but it would require extraordinary exertions and every facility that
Government could give. It cannot be urged too strongly, and I trust
the matter will not drop with this report. |
| Second. The deficiency of
rolling-stock is great and without remedy until the policy of the
Government changes in regard to keeping mechanics in the Army, to
which must be added another difficulty quite as serious, i.e., the
supply of iron. The deficiency of locomotives is not so serious if
those in the country could be thoroughly repaired. This takes
mechanics and materials, which are not in the Confederacy. I am
confident that with 100 mechanics and a supply of block tin, cooper,
cast-steel, etc., distributed through the various shops in Virginia,
that the effective motive power of the State would be in six months
increased one-half. It was with the idea of placing this machinery
in good order that I applied for the detail of one mechanic for
every ten miles of railroad in operation in the Confederacy, but so
impracticable was considered my suggestion that no reply was made to
it. |
| Third. It is almost an
impossibility for those who have no practical experience to
understand how any difficulty can arise from interchanging cars, and
yet it is most fruitful of destruction to property. Cars never get
the proper attention when from under the owner's eye, and with the
present scarcity it is the true policy to husband them with care.
The experience of the world is against it, and if the time ever
comes when it is pursued you may rely upon all improvement in, or
certainty of, transportation is destroyed. In peace times competing
lines sometimes interchanged cars, but it was always with the
expectation that many would be destroyed. Can we afford to lose any?
Certainly not. Then we must manage those we have so as to avoid it,
and that can only be done by keeping them constantly under the eye
of the owner. The establishment of a locomotive factory is very
desirable, but here arises the same question of men and material,
with the additional one of obtaining complicated machinery; but
these are not insurmountable obstacles, nor do they need
legislation. If the mechanics can be had the balance will be
forthcoming. If mechanics are not to be had for repairing
locomotives, where is the force coming from to construct them? That
the railroads should come under military control I am becoming every
day more satisfied. There seems to be a desire to work for the
road's interest rather than sacrifice all convenience for the
country's cause. For instance, it is clear to anybody that the two
roads from Richmond to Weldon {the
Richmond & Petersburg Railroad and the Petersburg Railroad} should
be worked as one corporation, and yet all the advantages to the
Government and the public cannot bring it about. If the Virginia
Legislature really wish to make the railroads serve the Confederate
States, let it amalgamate these two roads. This is a matter about
which there can be no doubt, and nothing but self-interest will
oppose it. Greater harmony would doubtless produce better results,
but this I fear can never be obtained until a Government officer
manages every road. The present incumbents might still retain their
positions, but should be directly amenable to Government, and made
to feel that the interests of Government were paramount to every
other consideration. This question will press more heavily than
heretofore from the extent of demand which require greater
exertions, and its consideration should not be postponed. The sum of
all that is proposed in this communication is men and iron. With
these we can make boiler plate, wheels, tires, cars, rails, etc.
There is nothing impossible in it. Indeed, it is easy of
accomplishment, and if Government will only offer the details, works
corresponding in extent with the demand will soon be started; but
before I could conscientiously recommend this plan I should like to
see all the present motive power and cars in working condition, and
until this is done it is worse than folly to attempt more extensive
projects. |
| I remain, general, very
respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lieutenant-Colonel and
Quartermaster |
|