| Annual Report of the Virginia Central RR |
| as of October 1, 1863, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Superintendent's Report |
| Office of the Virginia Central Railroad
Company |
| Richmond, October 1, 1863 |
| |
|
E. Fontaine, Esq., President
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| Sir, |
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The following report of the operations of this Road for the fiscal year ending September
30, 1863, is
respectfully submitted.
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The earnings from all sources are as follows:
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| From passengers |
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$926,407.41 |
| From freight |
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4?8,961.58 |
| From express |
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147,748.42 |
| From mail
service |
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15,661.87 |
| From use of road by the Orange &
Alexandria Railroad Company |
2,799.21 |
| From miscellaneous receipts |
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532.85 |
| From dividends on telegraph stock |
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241.50 |
| From rent
of real estate |
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614.93 |
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$1,522,967.77 |
| The amount expended
for operating the road was as follows: |
| For conducting transportation,
including miscellaneous, legal expenses, &c. |
$294,684.11 |
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| For repairs of locomotives and cars |
|
160,296.46 |
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| For repairs of workshops and tools |
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8,403.78 |
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| For maintenance of way, including repairs of depots and water
stations |
213,521.57 |
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| For salaries |
16,797.50 |
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| For taxes paid Commonwealth |
44,781.19 |
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| For insurance on buildings |
1,668.37 |
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| For repairs on real estate |
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1,545.43 |
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$741,698.41 |
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| Sundries charged to transportation expenses: |
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| Repairs of engines and cars for other roads and
for Confederate States |
$1,838.84 |
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| Construction of new car shops |
11,145.93 |
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12,984.77 |
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754,683.18 |
| Nett earnings |
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$768,284.59 |
| There has been an
increase in the receipts as follows: |
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| From passengers |
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$225,213.46 |
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| From freight |
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175,979.29 |
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| From express |
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103,192.61 |
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| From other sources |
1,424.94 |
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|
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506,810.00 |
| There has been an
increase in expenditures as follows: |
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| For conducting transportation, &c. |
|
167,806.26 |
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| For repairs of locomotives and cars |
|
93,038.21 |
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| For repairs of workshops and tools |
|
5,511.19 |
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| For maintenance of way, &c. |
|
103,914.36 |
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| For salaries |
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3,291.50 |
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| For taxes |
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1,207.95 |
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| For other items charged to transportation expenses |
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8,103.65 |
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382,873.22 |
| Increase in nett revenue over last year |
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$123,936.78 |
| It would be proper to add to the expenditures for
deficiency of wood and cross-ties |
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$100,000.00 |
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The real expenses also include the depreciation in iron
and machinery, the cost of new buildings and bridges to replace those
burned by the enemy, and the cost of other work, which, for want of
materials or labor, has been deferred for the present. I present no
estimate of this amount because it is not in contemplation to do the
work at present prices. I mention to show that the amount of nett
revenue is more apparent than real.
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The amount actually expended and charged to
transportation expenses is nearly 50 per cent. of the receipts.
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The raids of the enemy in May and June interrupted the
running of the trains to some extent and caused a loss in revenue. On
the night of May 1st the enemy came to Louisa Court House, and the
trains east of Gordonsville were stopped until the 8th. The enemy next
came to Hanover Court House on the 26th of June, and besides other
damage, burned the trestle works near that place and that over South
Anna river. The trains which were west of the South Anna river were
run on the track of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac
Railroad Company, between Richmond and Hanover Junction, until July
25th. During these intervals the expenses of the transportation were
not sensibly diminished.
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The most of our cars, after carrying supplies to the
army, have been returned empty. If return loads could have been
furnished, our revenue from transportation of freight would have been
materially increased without much additional expense.
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These interruptions and this tendency of freight in one
direction may be expected to continue, and I do not anticipate a
further increase in revenue without a further advance in the rates of
transportation. On the other hand, the expenditures are increasing
very rapidly.
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Roadway
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The roadway east of Gordonsville has suffered from want
of labor and materials and from the raids of the enemy. The whole road
is deficient in cross-ties. The want of this timber will be severely
felt on that portion of the road which is not naturally good or has
not been ballasted as soon as the winter rains have softened the road
bed. So alarming was the condition of the track on portions of the
road last spring that I had serious apprehensions that it would be
difficult to supply the army during the coming winter if we relied
longer on the contract system for supply of cross-ties. I feel less
apprehensive at this time; for, besides the ties we have received from
contractors a considerable addition has been made to our stock since
the 1st of July by the aid of the Company's force. We have also a
saw-mill engaged in cutting ties, and expect to have another in
operation in a short time, the products of which will, with the number
already secured, enable us to renew the worst portions of the road.
The withdrawal of this force from labor on the road bed has prevented
us from ditching and surfacing the road, as it should have been,
during the dry weather, but the other work was of more importance.
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From the want of this timber and the character of
the road bed, more than from ordinary wear, the iron has suffered to
some extent, and a considerable amount of new iron has been laid.
Sound economy demands that the road should be ballasted as soon as the
necessary labor can be obtained. When this is done, the trains can be
run with more regularity and speed; the repairs of road, and
especially of machinery, will be diminished, and the capacity of the
road increased. Some of the worst portions of the road east of
Gordonsville have been imperfectly ballasted during the year, and this
has enabled us to put in tolerable order some portions which were
nearly impassable for trains. The raids of the enemy in May and June
added materially to the repairs of the road and interrupted the work.
Many of the hands were carried off or deserted. In these respects the
road has probably suffered more than other roads in Virginia still in
operation.
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The enemy succeeded in damaging the Chickahominy bridge,
destroying the trestles near Hanover Court House and over South Anna
river, and in burning the station buildings at Hanover Court House and
Tolersville. Several water stations were considerably injured and the
track was torn up in many places.
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The track west of Gordonsville, and especially west of
Charlottesville, is in good condition. This is partly owing to the
limited amount of business on that portion of the road, but more to
the superior character of the road bed.
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The effect of the passage of heavy trains over the
Rivanna bridge has become more apparent, and, as the guard bridges are
decaying rapidly, it is important to remove the iron work and replace
it with a wooden bridge. The iron truss can be used at Little river,
where two spans of fifty feet are needed, and for which it is
abundantly strong. The necessary alterations to fit the bridge to the
masonry will not be difficult or costly.
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For several reasons it has been thought advisable to
rebuild the Cow pasture bridge. This work is in a forward state and
may be ready by the 1st of January next. It was found necessary to
repair and add to the masonry, and this part of the work is now
behindhand mainly for want of labor.
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The Wilson's Creek bridge has been rebuilt in a very
substantial manner. The work of these two bridges has been under the
charge of the principal assistant engineer, Mr. S. A. Richardson. The
amount already expended is $16,543.60.
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The trestle over the South Anna river is a substantial
structure and well protected against ordinary floods. It is not
advisable to rebuild the bridge during the war.
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The repairs of the Cowpasture and Wilson's Creek bridges,
and of other damages done by the enemy, have been charged to repairs
of road, and notice of this should be taken in comparing the amounts
expended in this and previous years. In addition to this, a
considerable amount of wood has been cut by the hands employed to work
on the road, which should have been credited to repairs of road, and
charged to train expenses. Six ox teams and twelve horses, with the
necessary fixtures, have been purchased to haul wood and ties and
charged to this department. The large increase in prices of
provisions, clothing, materials and labor, has added materially to the
expenses of this as well as other departments.
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The number of cross-ties cut by the Company's hands since
the first of July is 13,158; amount delivered by contractors during
the same time 4,458. The whole number put in the road during the year
is .
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Station buildings and fixtures
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A new freight house has been built at Beaver Dam and
needs only the floor and joiners work to complete it; a new water
station has been completed; a passenger house and another water
station at this point will make the arrangements very convenient. New
buildings are required at Hanover Court House and Tolersville to
replace those burned by the enemy. Passenger houses are needed at
several points, but owing to the scarcity of labor and materials it
cannot be expected that the Company should construct them at present.
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Machinery
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Two locomotives have been purchased from the Confederate
authorities at a cost of $50,000. The whole number belonging to the
Company is twenty-nine. Four of these are too light to be of much
service, and are so much out of repair as to be out of use. Five
others are too light for freighting purposes or the mail service, but
are used on lighter trains and as extras. Two of the remaining engines
are suitable only as assistant engines on the temporary track at
Millboro'. There are seventeen locomotives in running order, and, but
for the want of good tires, the most of them would be in excellent
condition. Two others are in good order with this exception, but for
want of them are out of use. It has been found necessary to forge
tires at the Company's shop, and since we have received the necessary
details from the army good progress has been made in supplying this
want, and it is expected that all the locomotives will be provided
with them in a short time.
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For the greater part of the year this department has been
under the charge of Mr. W. G. Freeman, and much credit is due to him
for the condition of the machinery. I regret that a painful and
serious accident has deprived us of his services for some time past.
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Cars
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Five box and seven gondola cars have been purchased from
the Confederate authorities at a cost of $18,000, and four were burned
by the enemy at Hanover Court House.
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The cars are generally in running order, but a larger
number of new wheels and axles are needed than we have been able to
purchase. Seven box and two platform cars have been built during the
year to replace those burned by the enemy or unfit for further
service.
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The stock of cars is larger than was reported last year;
it was found that several had not been renumbered, and therefore not
counted.
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The department has been under the charge of Mr. J. B.
Chiles, and the management is creditable to him.
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The stock of cars is as follows
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16 |
passenger cars |
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4 |
mail and servants' cars |
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4 |
baggage cars |
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100 |
box freight cars |
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34 |
platform cars |
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2 |
gondola cars |
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10 |
stock cars |
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4 |
hay cars |
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8 |
conductor's cars |
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22 |
four-wheel sand and gravel cars |
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Workshops
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A new carpenters' work shop has been completed and adds
to the facilities for building and repairing cars. A large part of the
work and much of the material expended in its construction is included
in transportation expenses.
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The unfinished work west of Jackson's river depot
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From the report of Mr. S. A. Richardson, who has recently
examined the road bed between Jackson's river and Covington, I am
enabled to state that it is in excellent condition, having suffered
but little from slides or other causes. The superstructure of the
Jackson's river bridge is the only thing needed to complete this
section, when it will be ready for the track.
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Full details of expenses, mileage, tonnage, &c., will be found in
the following tables.
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In conclusion I commend to your favorable notice the officers and
employees under my supervision. With few exception, they have
faithfully performed the duties of their several stations. I
especially mention the services of Mr. G. S. Netherland, who has
rendered me valuable assistance in the discharge of my duties.
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All of which is respectfully submitted.
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Your obedient servant,
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H. D. Whitcomb
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General Superintendent of Transportation
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