| Governor Joseph Emerson Brown, Georgia |
| Executive Department |
| Milledgeville, Georgia |
| [October] 31, 1864 |
| |
| Senators and Representatives, |
| ***** |
|
WESTERN AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD |
| As will be seen by the report of the
superintendent of the Western and Atlantic Railroad the net earnings
of the road have been $1,117,522.48 for the fiscal year. |
| In addition to this, about half a million
of dollars have been made to this date, by the use of the rolling
stock since the road was given up to the enemy, by the purchase of
cotton mostly in localities threatened by the enemy, which was carried
to points of greater safety, and sold for a profit. The sales had not
been made, nor had that sum been realized at the date of the
superintendent's report. Part of the cotton now stored will soon be
sold, and the money paid into the treasury, and accounted for in the
next report of the superintendent. |
| When we had rolling stock which could be
spared from government transportation, I thought this a legitimate
business. When the road was taken possession of b y the enemy, and our
engines and cars sent to the interior of the state, I found it
necessary to keep the most of the employees of the road with the
stock, that we might have them at command in case we recovered the
road. As they were generally dependent upon their wages for the
support of their families, it was necessary to keep them upon such pay
as would accomplish this object. |
| The loss of our engines and cars has been
heavy. The raid under General [George] Stoneman destroyed at Gordon,
and near Griswoldville, seventeen passenger cars, and thirty freight
cars, and seriously injured four engines. At the evacuation of
Atlanta, three of our engines and eighteen cars, which were in the
employment of the government transporting ordnance and commissary
stores, were destroyed by order of General [John Bell] Hood to prevent
their falling into the hands of the enemy. The families of part of the
employees, who have been driven our without shelter, have been
permitted to occupy a portion of the freight cars. The balance of the
rolling stock, when not engaged carrying cotton, has been used on
other roads to carry government freights for the supply of the a. |
| The Confederate government owes the road
as will be seen by the superintendent's report, the sum of
$975,774.60. I have made every effort in my power to collect this, but
have not been successful. I trust the government will not much longer
delay payment, which has been withheld from time to time under various
pretexts. |
| ***** |
| Joseph E. Brown |
|