| Annual Report of the Alabama & Florida
(of Alabama) RR |
| as of July 1, 1861 |
| Chief Engineer and Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Office Engineer and Superintendent |
| Montgomery, Sept. 2d, 1861 |
| |
| Chas. T. Pollard, President |
| |
| Sir, |
| The total receipts for the
year ending 1st July, 1861, as shown by Table No. 1 have been: |
| From Passengers |
$83,529.95 |
| " Freights |
62,985.16 |
| " Mail Pay |
15,022.73 |
| Total |
$161,537.84 |
| And the expenses for the same period as shown by
Table No. 2, have been, for maintenance of Road, including
labor, subsistence and clothing for hands, and salaries of all
officers connected with Repair Department $29,713.78 |
|
| For maintenance of Rolling Stock, including all
labor on and material for same 39,934.06 |
|
| For operating, including all salaries of agents,
clerks, conductors, wages of train hands, &c. 21,662.19 |
$91,310.03 |
| ---Which deducted from receipts, shows as nett
earnings |
$70,227.81 |
|
| When it is recollected, that
the Road was completed on the third of May, less than two months
before the close of our fiscal year, that up to that time the lower
end had not paid the expenses of operating, that our cotton receipts
in consequence of the short crop, fell off nearly 8,000 bales, that
all troops are transported for the Government at 2 cents per mile, and
all freight at one half our regular charges, (rates, simply intended
to cover actual cost,) that during the entire business season every
branch of industry and enterprise has been paralyzed, that
transportation expenses have received no credit for the transportation
of the iron plates, spikes, a portion of the ties, &c., used in
the construction of the lower 50 miles of the Road, I think you will
feel that the Stockholders have ground for encouragement rather than
despondency. |
| The rapidly approaching
completion of the Mobile & Great Northern Rail Road from Pollard,
its point of junction with our Road, to the Tensaw River; and a
Steamboat Line of 20 miles, connecting us with Mobile, both of which
are now confidently promised by its chief officers within the next
sixty days, must add largely to our receipts, and secure, on the
restoration of peace, and consequent revival of business, the
realization of the just expectations of the projectors of this Road. |
| The Present Condition of the Road |
| With the exception of that
through the prairies is satisfactory. On the last two sections on
which the grading has been but recently completed, the embankments
have settled considerably, as was to have been expected, but on the
balance of the Road below the "Prairie Belt," the track has
stood well, although it was laid rapidly, 16 miles having been laid
during the month of April. When once in thorough condition it will be
kept up with a comparatively small cost, the proportion of curvature
being only 12 per cent., the minimum radius 1,910 feet, and the
maximum grades only 32.6 feet per mile. In consequence of the
excessive rains, little has been accomplished towards getting down the
stringer tract through the prairies, and less towards the ditching and
widening the prairie cuts, but as one extreme usually follows another
it is to be hoped we shall have sufficient seasonable weather to allow
us to put the prairies portion of the Road in complete order before
the winter rains set in. |
| The stringers and ties are
already provided and efficient men with good forces in charge of both
the track laying and ditching gangs, bridges and culverts. |
| The bridges are in good
condition. At Burnt Corn, the Howe Bridge which has been framed for
nearly a year, has not been put up, owing to the difficulty growing
out of our political troubles, of procuring the large iron rods which
form so prominent a feature in that plan of Bridge; but as the
temporary work across that stream will not do to rely upon during the
winter freshets, steps have been taken to procure the bolts and finish
the bridge. |
| The freshets of October,
1860, while it demonstrated the insufficiency of the water way at
several points, showed that at Burnt Corn the grade of the Road was
too low by several feet, and while the injury there was so slight as
not to amount to the detention of a single train, it clearly indicated
the necessity of raising the bridge to provide against other accidents
of the kind, from which we might not have such a fortunate escape. |
| At Murder Creek it will be
necessary a few years hence, to erect a lattice bridge over the main
stream. At the two lower crossings of Mudge's Mill Creek, and at
Sepulga it is contemplated to substitute lattice bridges for those now
used, and arrangements are on foot to that end. The bridges for the
three openings will only be 300 feet, which I estimate can be built at
$12 1/2 per foot. |
| In consequence of the high
price of iron which constitutes such a large item of the cost in a
Howe Bridge, that plan of bridge has been abandoned, and the Town's
Patent Lattice, stiffened by braces, as a substitute for the modern
arch on the Burr plan, adopted in its stead. They can be built for
half the cost of a Howe Bridge, and for short spans answer every
purpose. |
| At Big Swamp where the
trestle was originally 1500 feet long, 800 feet of trestle have been
replaced by embankment, and a substantial brick abutment built at the
southern end to protect if from the action of the current in high
water; the material for the abutment at the north end are delivered,
and will be put up as soon as the weather becomes settled. |
| In the neighborhood of
Evergreen neither stone nor brick was to be had during the gradation,
and the urgent public necessity for the speedy completion of the Road
this spring, only allowed time to "pen up" the openings, so
as to secure the passage of the trains, and keep the Road in safe
working order until material for building culverts could be
transported over the finished Road. |
| A brick culvert has been
completed under the largest of these openings, and a second one under
the next deepest nearly finished, one or two small ones still
remaining to be done. A contract has been made on favorable terms for
the earth work and the contractor is progressing satisfactorily. |
| In the original construction
of the Road through the prairies, many of the culverts were built of
wood in consequence of the entire absence of suitable building
material, and as many of them will require renewal during the coming
year, it is proposed in every instance to rebuild with brick. This
work has not yet been commenced, nor will it be until absolutely
necessary. |
| Depot Buildings and Water Stations |
| Depots have been erected at
Garland, Evergreen, Sparta and Brewton; that at Evergreen, which is
midway between Montgomery and Pensacola, is of brick, is very neatly
and substantially built, and reflects credit on the contractor, Young
M. Rabb. It is 70 x 32, with platform six feet wide in front and rear,
with projecting eve, with office for Agent and reception room for
passengers. The Depots at Garland, Sparta and Brewton are wooden
buildings of same size and plan, and are the last that we shall
require with the exception of one at Pollard, which has not yet been
erected because the point of connection with the Roads to Pensacola
and Mobile has not been definitely settled; as soon as that matter is
arranged, it will be necessary to build a depot 40 x 100, and a
passenger shed 200 x 60 feet, which it is proposed to erect on the
joint act of the Roads interested. |
| Of the six regular Water
Stations, three are self-supplying, so that we shall only have to pay
for pumping at only three points on the Road. All the new stations are
supplied with round Juniper Tanks, manufactured at the Perdido Mills,
Florida, at 3 cents per gallon; for durability, lightness and
tightness they are superior to any thank with which I am acquainted. |
| The Wind Mill which we
erected as an experiment at Fort Deposit, for the purpose of pumping,
has proved a failure, on account of the insufficiency and irregularity
of the wind. Near the coast where the daily alternation of land and
sea breeze would always during the 24 hours, afford a sufficient wind
to work the mill, its success is beyond doubt. |
| Outfit |
| We have 11 Engines; for their
condition and performance I refer you to the Report of W. A. Graham,
Master Mechanic, Table No. 5. The machinery in his department has been
admirably kept up, and at a reasonable cost, and I should feel
dissatisfied with myself if I did not in this connection express the
high appreciation I entertain of Mr. Graham, both as a mechanic and a
man. |
| We have 4 Passenger, 2
Baggage, 21 Box, 41 Platform, 2 Stock and 10 Gravel Cars, and 1 Crank
Car; in addition to these we have 9 other Cars, (4 Box and 5 Flats,)
ready to mount on the wheels. We ought, in anticipation of the opening
of the Road to Mobile, increase our Box by at least 10, and to add 2
Passenger and 2 Baggage Cars to our present stock. |
| The Road being completed, or
nearly so, an enquiry into its actual as compared with its estimated
cost naturally arises. |
| In the Report on the
preliminary surveys, submitted January 1st, 1854, the cost from
Montgomery to State line, 115 3/4 miles, is set down at $2,162,732.44,
exclusive of Engine House and Machine Shop at Montgomery, and outfit
of Engines and Cars. |
| Road account on our books now
foots up $1,871,426.30, to which add to cover cost of finishing
ridges, substituting brick for wood culverts, filling any trestle
where experience may show it prudent to lessen water way and
perfecting the Road bed $91,306.05, and you have $1,962,732.44, which
deducted from estimated cost will leave a balance of $200,000, a
result, which I trust will be gratifying to the Stockholders, and
serve to some extent at least to dispel the too prevalent impression
of the unreliability of Engineers' estimates of the cost of Public
Works, which has affected injuriously alike the reputation of the profession,
and meritorious public enterprises. |
| In concluding my Report, I
could not omit the expression of my approbation of the general good
conduct and efficiency of the employees on the Road, and my
indebtedness to my Engineer Corps for the hearty co-operation I have
received at their hands, and especially would I acknowledge my
obligation to Wm. P. Garland, my Principal Assistant Engineer, who, to
a superior knowledge of his profession, added an untiring energy and
devotion to the interests of the Company whenever and wherever he
could serve them. |
| Respectfully submitted, |
| Sam'l G. Jones |
| Chief Engineer and Superintendent |
|