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Atlanta Ga. March 12th 1863 |
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| Colonel J. F. Gilmer |
| Chief of Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond Va. |
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| Colonel, |
| On my return this morning from the salines
of Clark Co. Ala. I found your letters of the 27th ult. and the 4th
inst. awaiting me, the latter enclosing notice of Requisition No. 10 for
$20,000 to be applied to the Watauga and Holston Bridges. I have no
report from the Holston today, but was assured by Mr. Maxwell previous
to my departure that, without Providential delay, the Holston Bridge
would be in readiness to pass the trains on the 10th inst. |
| The Geo. & Ala. R. R. Co. will be notified
by letter today of the cause for delaying to enter into contract with
it. |
| At an interview with Govr Shorter in
Montgomery he expressed an earnest desire to afford facilities towards
executing the work required for the proposed salt works, but remarked
that the State work were then only in partial operation, owing to the
difficulty in hiring negroes. This fact was apparent on visiting the
works. A large number of negroes have been pressed to work on the
defenses of Mobile, under the authority on sanction of the Govt. The
inference is plain that he did not think it expedient to press laborers
to carry on the salt operations of the state. Strong prejudice has been
engendered among the owners of negroes in Ala. owing to the want of
proper treatment of slaves on the works at Mobile. Many have sickened,
and the mortality has been unusually large for the force employed. For
this I do not vouch, but give it as the general expression whenever I
heard the subject mentioned. The name of Govt. work is a serious
drawback in attempting to hire negroes. I have as yet secured only 30
hands, and this force was only obtained in connection with the contract
for the duplicate bridges in Geo. The owners decline to fix any definite
rate per month for their hands, but will be governed by the rate of hire
current in the section of country where they may be employed. The hire,
and cost of subsistence will not be less than $60 per month. I was
somewhat surprised to find the waters of the Tombigbee about 4 feet
above the foundation of the Engine at the State works on Jacksons Creek.
The bottoms between the works and the river bank proper, a width of 2
1/2 miles was overflowed to an average depth of 7 feet. The error in
location of the State Engine is attributable to the statements of
resident citizens as to high water mark. The location of the Engine and
wells pointed out by Professor Thomassy for the proposed Govt works will
be subject to overflows, but can easily be protected by a levee. |
| The preliminary Engineering has been
executed and mapped. To make an area of 40 acres available will require
more grading therein first assumed, not from any misapprehension as to
the incyualities(?) of the ground, but from a change in Prof. T's
statement of the anas(?) of his main reservoirs at our last interview,
from the statement made when we visited the locality. The Professor
desires to have the wells 9 inches in diameter. The wells at the State
works are 3 1/2 inches in diam. I find no one except Mr. Welton of
Charleston, who has the tools for boring more than 5 inches diam. Prof.
Thomassy was over sanguine as to the availability of Mr. Welton for this
service. Mr. Welton cannot be obtained. |
| The last well commenced by the State has
been abandoned owing to the tendency to cave. The workmen say that this
tendency increases in the direction pointed out by Prof. T. for the
Govt. wells. The tendency to cave obviously increases with the size of
bore. The larger bore must be tubed. When Prof. T. and myself were at
the works, all the testimony and opinions were decidedly that tubing
would not be required below the first hard stratum, say 20 feet. |
| No engine that will suit our purpose, and
is for sale has yet been found. |
| In view of these delays and untoward
circumstances, I must frankly state to you that, the works can hardly be
executed before midsummer. If you wish me to put on the small force and
start the work, please telegraph me to that effect. |
| At Selma I learned from Mr. Goodwin Secy.
Ala. & Ten. River R. R. Co. that the mortgage required by the Hon. Secy.
of War, from that Co. had been executed and forwarded to Richmond. |
| Very Respectfully |
| L. P. Grant |
| Capt. Engrs. P. A. C. S. |
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