UF, F 11/4/1865

Florida Railroad Office
Gainesville Nov. 4th 1865
 
Edw. N. Dickerson Esq
Vice Presdt & Executive Officer
Fla. R. R. Co.
New York
 
Dr Sir,
   On my return today from Tallahassee I found your communication of the 17th ulto. In reply thereto I have to State,
1st    There are now five Locomotives here, three of which are in tolerable running order, the fourth one is now under repairs and will be out in course of ten days in good order; the fifth one needs a new set of Tyres; in other respects is in good order. There are four wrecks of Locomotives in Fernandina which have been robbed of nearly all their work during the war. I have only seen them once since the war and did not then give them a very particular examination. I think two of them could be rebuilt here but could not with my present knowledge of their condition make an estimate of the cost of putting them in running order.
There are 12 Box Cars mostly in good condition some of them need new wheels; there are 9 Platform cars all recently rebuilt and in good running order. There are two passenger cars in running order but need new wheels and some repairs in the way of upholstery &c. A number of cars were destroyed by fire during the war. The wheels of such cars have mostly been made use of in replacing worn out wheels under the cars now in use. The rolling stock now in running order is employed in running a regular train from Gainesville to Baldwin and back three times a week and a regular train from Gainesville to Cedar Keys and back twice a week. Special trains are also run when occasion requires. One engine has been mostly employed since the surrender moving materials for repairs.
2d    The "How Truss" connected with the "Draw Bridge" was burned early in the war. The space spanned by it can be crossed on pile trestle without detriment to the channel. The Draw was used for a picket station and a cannon placed on the top framing. About the close of the war the whole thing fell and the Draw is destroyed. I propose to cross on pile trestle which could be built in a few weeks at a cost of 500 or 600 Dollars. The Draw which will require some time to build can be built while the trains are running and when completed the piles can be pulled out and the channel left clear.
3d    The wharf at Cedar Keys was burned early in the war. Several gaps in the trestle work were also burned. The gaps are nearly all rebuilt and the trestle repaired to within 300 feet of Way Key. This 300 feet is now being rebuilt and will soon be ready for the passage of trains on to Way Key. There being no wharf out to the channel freights are now transferred from the trains standing on the trestle, to Barges which convey them to vessels lying in the harbor.
The cost of rebuilding the wharf at Cedar Key will depend much on the plan which may be adopted. I would propose for the present a temporary wharf built on piles to the channel which could be built for 1800 or 2000 Dollars. This would answer all purposes till the piles are ruined by the worm. In the mean time a plan could be adopted and executed for a substantial structure which would resist the action of the worm. I propose a temporary structure for the present as it can be quickly and cheaply built.
4th    The track is now in running order from Baldwin to within a short distance of Cedar Key say 107 miles. From Baldwin to Gainesville the track has been kept in tolerable condition during the war. From Gainesville to Cedar Keys on account of the impossibility of procuring laborers the track became in bad condition by the decay of a large number of the crossties. Just prior to and since the close of the war a large number of new ties have been put in this part of the track and it is safe for the passage of trains. Hands are now at work all the way from Baldwin to Cedar Keys putting in new ties. Most of the culverts and trestles on this part of the line have been rebuilt within the past year. Some five or six small culverts are yet to be rebuilt.
   Between Baldwin and Amelia River there is possibly fifteen or twenty culverts that will require rebuilding. One carpenter and five or six laborers will build any one of them in two days. The trestle at Boggy river twenty miles from Fernandina will require some repairs. The "How Truss" which formerly spanned the river has been burned. Before it was burned piles were driven across the stream and trestle work built upon them. The piles are uninjured and trestle work can be rebuilt upon them. The timber and labor to rebuild the trestle across the stream and to repairs the trestle across the swamp will probably cost about 500 Dollars.
   At Loftin River the "How Truss" was also burned. This stream may also be crossed on piles. The trestle connected with it will need some repairs. The whole cost of which will probably be about 1000 Dollars.
5th    Somewhere about twenty three miles of the main track was forcibly taken up by the late socalled Confederate military authorities beginning near the 18 mile point from Fernandina and ending near the 41st mile point including the siding at Callahan Station and St. Marys Station. Somewhere about half a mile was also taken by the same parties from near Harts Road Station altogether about twenty four miles. This iron was transported to Live Oak Station on the P. & G. R. R. {Pensacola & Georgia RR} twenty five miles west of Lake City and laid from that point on the Georgia Connection Rail Road to near the Georgia State line about 21 miles. The bal of the Iron so taken was used by order of "Brig. Genl Voydes" Commanding Dist of Florida" in rebuilding the Road from Baldwin to Jacksonville. The Iron from Fernandina to the Draw Bridge was taken up by the U. S. military authorities and transported to Hilton Head where I understand it still remains.
The President of the Company resorted to every means to prevent the removal of the Iron by the Confederate military authorities and although the attempt to remove it was made during the first year of the war he succeeded in preventing them till near the close of the w2ar when they took it up by overriding the civil authorities by force of arms. They however stipulated with Mr. Yulee after they had removed the Iron to replace it on the Florida Rail Road as soon as the military necessity for its use on the Live Oak connection should cease.
   Shortly after the "surrender" I started with a train and force, by direction of Mr. Yulee, to bring back the Iron but was prevented from proceeding by the U. S. military authorities. They having a garrison of troops at Thomasville Geo. could not at that time resupply them by any other Railroad route.
   On or about the first of July last application was made to Brig. Genl Newton then Commanding Dist of Florida for permission to remove this Iron and replace it on the Fla Railroad. This was refused on the ground that it was necessary to supply the troops at Thomasville Ga.
   The necessity for supplying the Thomasville troops having passed away by other routes being opened, application was then made to Maj Genl Foster Commanding Dist. of Florida for permission to remove the Iron from the Live Oak Road. After a good deal of delay an order was granted giving the Fla Rl Rd Co. permission to remove the Iron. I proceeded to the Live Oak Road with train of cars laborers &c & commenced taking up the Iron. Before getting off the first load an officer arrived on the ground with an order from Genl Foster to stop the taking up of any Iron or the removal of any from the Live Oak connection. I returned to Tallahassee and found the order to sto[p the removal of the Iron was issued at the instance of some of the officers of the Pen. & G. R. R. After hearing all the facts in the case Genl. Foster issued an order fully recognizing the right & title of the Fla. R. R. Co. in said Iron and giving them permission to remove the same; but upon application of Mr. S. Simkon acting President of the P. & G. R. R. which alleged that Mr. Houstoun was Presdt of P. & G. R. R. was absent on an errand to purchase Iron to replace that belonging to the Florida Rl Rd he desired that action might be delayed till Mr. Houstouns return or for the space of ten days & if at the expiration of that time no satisfactory arrangement was made for the exchange of Iron The Florida Railroad Co. were fully authorized to remove their Iron from the Live Oak Road. The ten days will expire on the 10th of this month at which time I expect to commence the removal of the Iron and lay it down on the Florida Railroad where it belongs.
The cost of relaying the track will be about as follows.
1000 new crossties per mile $200.00
Bedding the same ready for the Iron 100.00
Putting down the Iron 50.00
     Cost pr mile $350.00
For 24 miles the cost will be3 about                                                  $8,400
The cost of taking up the Iron will be about $50 pr mile; for 21 miles  1,050

$9,450

6th    The freight Depot at Fernandina, the one at Baldwin and the one at Cedar Keys were the only ones destroyed during the war. Similar buildings could be erected for about $1000 each.
   This estimate contemplates putting the track in such condition as to allow trains to pass over it safely and to do the work in the most expeditious manner. Further repairs will be necessary, which can be made while the track is being use.
Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Svt.
R. D. Meader
Engr & Supt

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