AR, V&T 7/1/1862 S

Annual Report of the Virginia & Tennessee RR
as of July 1, 1862,
Superintendent's Report
 
General Superintendent's Report
General Superintendent's Office, Virginia & Tennessee Railroad
Lynchburg, July 1st, 1862
 
Robert L. Owens, Esq.
Pres. Va. & Tenn. Railroad Co.
 
Dear Sir,
   I respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the road during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1862:
Earnings
From transportation of passengers   $577,237.17
From transportation of freight   403,599.83
From transportation of express freight   33,797.29
From transportation of mails   36,515.63
From rents of trains and fruit stand   211.39
From rent of houses   681.58
  1,052,042.89
Less over-charge on freight refunded $214.69  
Less passenger fare refunded 30.50
Less deducted for mail pay 581.08 826.27
Total earnings $1,051,216.62
Operating Expenses
Repairs of road bed $71,537.04
Repairs of the superstructure of road 31,602.04
Repairs of iron superstructure of road 42,515.75
Repairs of bridge superstructure 14,448.91
Repairs of masonry 8,824.75
Ballasting 6,370.14
Repairs of section-houses, depots, wood and water stations, engines and car-houses, machine shops, tools and machinery 5,318.88
Repairs of locomotives and tenders 46,346.90
Repairs of freight and cattle cars 24,470.15
Repairs of open and service cars 5,356.35
Repairs of passenger, mail and baggage cars 21,001.12
Passenger train expenses 37,974.14
Freight train expenses 33,193.66
Oil, grease and tallow 12,802.62
Cotton waste 1,150.06
Wood for fuel 35,101.38
Depot expenses 41,016.00
Office expenses 2,837.10
Miscellaneous expenses 748.86
Telegraph expenses 110.55
Law expenses 100.00
Salaries 11,502.77
Stationery 484.95
Taxes 11,303.84
Insurance 2,774.60
Lost and damaged baggage 53.50
Lost and damaged goods 1,179.41
Injuries to persons 99.50
Injuries to property 30.25
New passenger cars 2,453.77
New baggage and mail cars 303.00
473,011.99
Less the following sums to the credit of account as stated for materials sold:
Repairs of road bed                                                     $3,184.14
Repairs of locomotives                                                  3,987.04
Repairs freight and cattle cars                                       1,290.96
Repairs of service cars                                                       10.00
Less this sum to the credit of lost and damaged goods   2,110.04 10,582.18
Total expenses 462,429.81
Leaving a net balance of earnings of $588,786.81
Being 56 per cent. of the gross earnings of the road for the year. The operating expenses amount to 44 per cent. of the gross earnings.
   The average earnings per mile run by passenger, troop and freight trains combined, amount to $2.78, and the earnings per mile of road are $4,923.73, being an increase over the preceding year of 74 cents per mile run by trains, and of $1,233.57 cents per mile of road.
The increase from passengers is $130,326.72
The increase from freight is 118,892.66
The increase from express is 17,765.26
The increase from rents is 4.30
Gross increase $266,988.94
From which deduct decrease in mail pay $4,851.94
And amount of sales of old iron, &c., credited to earnings last year 9,648.98
14,500.92
Leaves the actual net increase of $252,488.02
Being 31 6/10 per cent. There is an increase of expenses as compared with the preceding year of $33,853.64, or 7 9/10 per cent.
   I have not thought it necessary to make any distinction, as is frequently done, under the head of ordinary and extraordinary expenses, but the sum total includes all expenditures for working and repairing the road, repairs and maintenance of machinery, including new passenger cars built, &c., &c., for full details of which, I refer to table marked No. 7.
   The increase of expense of expenses is caused partly by the large increase of business, but more particularly by the extensive repairs to the road, bridges and masonry, rendered necessary by the heavy damages from freshets during the preceding as well as during the year just ended, and the extraordinary high prices of all description of supplies, as well as increased rates of labor.
Tonnage
The number of tons of freight transported westward amount to 22,531
The number of tons of freight transported eastward amount to 44,808
Total tonnage 67,339
Being an increase over the preceding year of 6,749 tons.
   The total movement of freight, or number of tons transported one mile, is 8,263,421, which is 1,712, 844 more than last year.
Passengers
The total number of passengers transported was 197,106
For the preceding year 129,789
Increase for the year 67,317
The number of passengers transported one mile was 25,253,789
For the preceding year 15,377,836
Increase for the year 9,875,953
The number of troops transported on Government account was 103,737
For the preceding year 34,000
Increase for the year 69,737
The number of other passengers transported during the year was 93,369
For the preceding year 95,719
Decrease 2,350
The amount of earnings from passengers, other than those transported on Government account, was $263,995.04
For the previous year 326,477.27
Decrease $62,482.23
The earnings from troops transported on Government account was $313,242.13
For the preceding year 120,502.68
Increase $192,739.45
The number of troops carried one mile on Government account was 15,662102
For the preceding year 6,625,134
Increase 9,636,968
The number of passengers carried eastward, including troops, was 107,015
The number of passengers carried westward, including troops, was 90,091
The total number of passengers and troops carried both ways 197,106
Salt Works Branch
   The business of the Salt Works Branch is included in the foregoing statements, and is as follows:
8,690 tons of salt transported $8,690.00
315 tons of plaster transported 126.00
1,585 tons other freight transported 1,903.16
Upon the above-mentioned freight there was collected on the main stem 17,955.02
Making the sum total collected on freight of all descriptions to and from the Salt Works $28,674.18
Being an increase over the amount collected for the preceding year of $5,078.45.
   The increase in the number of tons of salt transported was 4,285 tons. Decrease in the number of tons of plaster transported 2,147.
   Decrease in other freight 4,088 tons.
   Net decrease 2,079 tons.
The Road
   As you are aware, the road was greatly damaged by the heavy rains and deep snows of the preceding year, a large number of bridges having been swept away and others seriously damaged, and large portions of heavy embankment washed out and a number of heavy slides had occurred.
   The repairs, in most of these cases, were of a temporary character so as to admit of the passage of the trains, but from the extent of the damage the available force of the company was not sufficient to complete the repairs in a permanent manner during that year. This has been done to as great an extent as possible during the past year, but the heavy rains in the month of February last caused nearly as great an amount of damage as had occurred during the preceding year, consequently the amount of repairs during the past year has been excessively heavy, and the expenses of this department correspondingly increased.
   Five hundred tons of new iron has been paid for during the year, amounting to $23,825.30, and is included in the expenses for the year.
   My predecessor, E. H. Gill, Esq'r., estimated in his report for the preceding year that the road would require, during the past year, 90,000 new cross ties. This estimate, from the condition of the road, I have no doubt, was correct, but in consequence of the withdrawal of a large portion of the population from the line of our road for the army, the contracts made with the company for cross ties have, in very few instances, been complied with, and it has been impossible to procure the desired number. 65,754 is the number reported by the Resident Engineer as having been used in the ordinary repairs of the track, leaving a deficiency for the year of 25,000. We shall require, therefore, not less than 130,000, during the year just commenced. In the present state of the country, there can only be procured by the purchase of the timber in the woods and putting a sufficient force of slaves to work, to get them, and purchasing teams to haul them to the road. 18,640 are reported as being used in cribbing washed places.
   The cost of repairs of road, including repairs of bridges, masonry, and track damaged by freshets, and amounts paid for new iron, is $172,114.49 or $805.68 per mile, or 42 cents per mile run by all engines.
   The greatly increased prices paid for provisions, shoes and clothes for the negroes employed upon the road, has added very much to the expense of this department.
   For full details and particulars relative to the road, I refer you to the full and comprehensive report of J. H. Buford, Esq'r., Resident Engineer.
Buildings
   For number and condition see Resident Engineer's report. The repairs of buildings of all kinds, including shops and engine-houses, amount to $5,318.88 or 1 3/10 cents per mile run by trains.
Locomotive Engines
   Twenty-six of the engines are in good running order. Eight are under repair, and five that require extensive repairs, the material for which cannot, at present be procured, are laid up.
   The number of miles run by the engines are as follows:
With passenger trains 156,681
With freight and troop trains 220,987
With wood, material and gravel trains 32,075
Total number of miles 409,743
   The cost of repairs of the engines per mile run for the year is 10 24/100 cents.
   The machine shops are under the direction of Mr. R. H. Anderson, assisted at the Central shops by Mr. W. B. Ransom. John T. Whitlock is Master Blacksmith at Lynchburg. For further information relative to engines, I refer you to tables marked No. 6, 7 and 8.
Cars
   The company now have 19 first class, 9 second class, and 14 mail and baggage cars, in running order; and 294 freight and cattle cars, and 74 platform and gondola cars, 13 caboose cars, and the usual supply of dirt, pole and hand cars on the road.
   The mileage of passenger cars amounted to 812,583 miles, and of mail and baggage cars 279, 432 miles -- making total mileage of passage and baggage cars 1,092,015.
   The repairs of passenger, mail and baggage cars amounted to $21,001.12 or 1 89/100 cents per mile.
   The mileage of freight, open and service cars amounted to 1,476,089; the cost of repairs to $28,525.54 or 1 93/100 cents per mile run of cars.
   The repairs of cars and buildings are under the direction of Mr. T. V. Strange, Master Carpenter.
Wood
   The obtaining a sufficient supply of wood for fuel, for the locomotives, is, becoming a matter of very serious consideration.
The consumption of wood upon the road for the past year was 24,402
For the preceding year was 21,693
Total for the two years 46,095
Received past year 15,091
Received the preceding year 17,821
Total received in two years 32,912
Deficiency in amount received during the two years 13,183
   Leaving on hand, on the 30th of June, 1862, 9,276 cords, or only a little more than four months supply. There is now due on outstanding contracts 27,465 cords, and 11,925 cords to be delivered during the present year, on contracts made last year, and 3,000 cords due next year -- making the total quantity under contract 42,390 cords. In consequence of the withdrawal from the line of the road, by State draft and the Conscription act, of nearly all those formerly occupied in getting wood for the company, it is not probable that more than 10,000 cords, at the highest estimate, will be delivered during the present year on existing or new contracts, which, assuming the consumption to be the same as last year, will leave a deficiency of some 14,000 cords. Every effort has been made to secure a sufficient supply by contract, by offering increased prices not only to those disposed to make new contracts, but by offering to increase the prices agreed upon under old contracts, but without the desired result. The only recourse left, as in the case of cross-ties, is to purchase the wood standing in the woods and employ a sufficient force of slave labor to cut and haul it on the company's account. Some wood has already been purchased and as large a force as can be spared from the repairs of the road will be detailed to cut the wood. Endeavors have been made to hire additional force for this purpose exclusively, but in consequence of most of the railroad companies in the State being desirous of obtaining hands for the same purpose, we have not been able to get the additional labor, and it is not now likely that it can be procured before the usual time for hiring slave labor, viz: the 1st of January next.
Accidents to Persons
   July 17th, 1861 -- A freight car in down freight train ran over a break-block near the trestle work, west of Big Spring, and, with two others, was thrown from the track and a brakeman, named Abraham Pleasants, (a free negro) had one of his legs broken. He died shortly afterwards.
   On the 1st of September, 1861, a down troop train (Sowers, conductor; Price, engineer) left Bristol at 7:30 P. M., followed by another troop train, (W. A. Horton, conductor; J. O. Thurman, engineer) which left Bristol at 8 P. M. When about half a mile from Abingdon five cars, in the leading train, broke loose and ran rapidly down the grade and were run into by the engine of the following train, and badly broken. One of the soldiers was killed and twelve were wounded -- one of which died from his wounds on the following day.
   From all the information that could be obtained it appears that the trains were at least two miles apart when the cars broke loose from the leading train, and as they stopped in the bridge at the foot of the grade, the engineer of the train following did not see them in time to stop his train.
   January 18th, 1862 -- The Eastern bound mail train ran into a slide about one mile west of Marion, by which the engine was thrown off the track and badly broken. The train was detained at the place where the accident occurred until the next day, (the 19th) when a freight engine having been procured it started forward at abut 5 o'clock, P. M. At 6:30, P. M., when about two miles east of Mount Airy, it came into collision with an extra engine going westward, sent from Central Depot for the purpose of taking the place of the disabled engine of the mail train, in pursuance3 of a telegraphic dispatch directed to be sent on Saturday night the 18th, and so dated by the Resident Engineer, James H. Buford, which message, owing to the telegraph office being closed before the arrival of the messenger by whom it was sent to Glade Spring, the nearest telegraph station, was not sent until the next day (Sunday the 19th), and consequently was misunderstood by the Foreman of the shops at Central Depot. The Conductor of the mail train and the Engineer of the engine attached to it were not appraised that the extra engine was coming. It was one of those cases of misunderstanding that will sometimes occur under such circumstances, when all concerned are actuated by the best intentions.
   A soldier, by the name of Freeman, who was on the platform of the baggage car next to the engine, had both legs broken. He was taken to Wytheville and the bones set, and became convalescent and in a fair way of recovery, but by some imprudence not proper for a person in his debilitated condition, afterwards died.
   Feb'ry 9th, 1862 -- A soldier, by the name of Beckwith, from Arkansas, in attempting to get on the train after it had started in the Lynchburg Depot, fell between the cars and the platform and was so badly injured that he died almost immediately,
Materials, Supplies, &c., &c.
   The difficulty of obtaining the requisite materials for the repairs of engines, cars, &c., is becoming greater every day, and the prices greatly increased. Fortunately, the company secured, at an early period of the difficulties between the North and South, a large supply of many important articles, but in some instances these are nearly consumed, and in others entirely so. What limited supplies that can now be procured for the above purposes, are from double to eight and ten times the price at which they could be purchased for before the war.
   The increased price of labor, provisions, cross-ties, lumber, iron, spikes and all articles necessary for the repairs of the road, wood for fuel, oil, &c., must necessarily greatly increase the future cost of operating and repairing the road. In view of this I would respectfully and earnestly recommend an increase of the freight tariff as well as the rates of passenger fare. This has been done on all the connecting roads in this and the Adjoining States, and I believe generally throughout the Confederate States, while the freight and passenger rates on this road, up to the present time, have remained the same as previous to the war.

Inventory and Estimated Value of the Rolling Stock, Machinery, Shop and Road Tools, July 1st, 1862

39 locomotive engines $274,000.00
19 first class passenger cars 36,000.00
9 second class passenger cars 13,500.00
14 mail and baggage cars 14,000.00
291 box and cattle cars 170,000.00
75 platform cars 28,000.00
Hand, pole and dirt cars 7,500.00
Machinery and tools, Lynchburg shops 14,000.00
Machinery and tools, Central shops 8,000.00
Tools on the road 2,000.00
$567,000.00
Materials on hand
Lumber at Lynchburg $1,638.00
Wrought iron and steel 12,000.00
Iron castings for engines and cars 6,000.00
Brass castings, copper, &c. 4,500.00
Engine and car wheels 2,000.00
Engine wheel tyres 4,500.00
Stock in store-house 26,000.00
Oil, tallow and waste 5,000.00
9,276 cords of wood 20,000.00
New iron rails 5,000.00
Old iron rails 20,000.00
Spikes and chairs 2,500.00
Cross-ties 3,500.00
Lumber on the Road 1,200.00
Provisions 3,000.00
$116,838.00
   For a list of the officers and employees, I refer you to table marked No. 58.
   I take pleasure in acknowledging the cooperation of the officers and employees in conducting the business of the Company -- their duties have been arduous, but have been performed with cheerfulness and alacrity.
Respectfully submitted,
T. Dodamead, Gen'l Supt.

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