| Annual Report of the Wills Valley RR |
| as of May 1, 1866, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Office, Wills Valley
Railroad Co. |
| Chattanooga, April 30, 1866 |
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| Sir, |
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I herewith submit a general statement of my management of
the interests of the Will Valley Railroad Company, embracing a period
of near three years.
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Upon the advance of the federal army, in August, 1863,
operations upon our own road were discontinued by military order. Up
to this date, monthly statements had been made by me, and all funds in
my possession deposited with Mr. J. C. Warner, secretary and
treasurer.
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This sudden and unexpected evacuation of our road caused
us to lose much valuable property upon the line of the road, such as
hand cars, tools, spikes, clamps, wood, cross-ties, &c.
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On the 30th of August, all unemployed surplus rolling
stock was, by Major McMickin, (General Bragg's chief quartermaster,)
ordered to the rear. Our entire rolling stock at this time consisted
of two locomotives, one second class car, one box car, and two flat
cars; one engine, V. C. Larmore, was in Atlanta, undergoing repairs in
Georgia railroad shop.
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At your suggestion and through your influence I obtained
employment for our stock upon the Macon & Brunswick railroad -- a
new road, (forty miles finished,) of easy grades, far in the rear, out
of danger, at remunerative prices. Owing to the depreciation of
confederate currency, our expenses were enormous; to operate somewhere
became a necessity.
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Our stock remained on the Macon & Brunswick railroad
about fifteen months. Settlements were made and the funds disposed of
by me, as per the following exhibit marked A. (I can produce items and
vouchers if desired.
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This exhibit shows my entire receipts and disbursements
from the time of leaving here in 1863 until the surrender in April,
1865. The $830 to balance receipts and credits was cash advanced by me
in paying engineer, fireman, and incidental expenses while the train
was under military impressment. The operatives had to have some money
to live. I tried repeatedly, and as often failed, to draw money from
Major Hottle, quartermaster in charge of work.
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In November, 1864, Macon was threatened. Our stock, now
employed upon Macon & Brunswick railroad, was impressed by the
military to aid in the evacuation of the city. The depository and
valuable assets of the government were loaded in our cars, and run
down Southwestern railroad to Americus; thence back to Macon. Atlanta
having been evacuated by General Sherman, our stock was ordered, via
Fort Valley, Columbus, Opelika, Alabama, and West Point, to Palmetto,
a station on Atlanta & West Point railroad, and used as a
construction train, rebuilding this road to Atlanta, a distance of
twenty-five miles; in the same capacity used in rebuilding the Georgia
railroad, from Atlanta to Lithonia, a distance of twenty-four miles;
in constant use from November, 1864, until after the surrender in
April, 1865, by military impressment, for which service we were due,
at the time of the surrender, about $36,000, of which I never received
one cent, except, as you are aware, upon the verbal statement to Judge
King, president of the Atlanta & West Point and Georgia railroads,
of the services we had with our stock performed in rebuilding these
roads, he very kindly released us from paying a debt of eleven
thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine dollars ($11,789) due Georgia
railroad, on repairs of engine Larmore, and building your new
passenger car; which debt we were legally bound to pay.
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After due consultation with you in November, 1864, I sold
engine V. C. Larmore to Judge Cochran, president Macon & Brunswick
railroad, for seventy-five thousand dollars, ($75,000,) payable in
cotton, (then in warehouse in Macon,) at one dollar per pound -- the
market price at that time in Macon for cotton. This engine had just
received a thorough overhauling at a cost of twenty thousand dollars,
($20,000;) but owing to her peculiar construction she did not suit the
wants of our road -- high wheel, small cylinder, and small fire-box,
she had but little power; and, in this oak country, it is difficult to
prepare fuel that would burn and make plenty of steam. She has ere
this proved to be all I represented in the sale -- "a good
passenger engine upon a level road in a pine country." She cost
in 1861 seven thousand dollars ($7,000) in bonds of the company; an
outrageous price. I would, if I had had the power, have returned her
to Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad Company, instead of our bonds.
We owned her over three years, and I am certain all put together she
never did you three month's service. So much for the painted scrap
heap that left here in May, 1863. I think you have cause to
congratulate yourself and the company upon this most fortunate sale.
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*****
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Pacific, old and nearly worn out when purchased for
$4,000 confederate currency in 1862, has been in constant use ever
since -- at the time was not considered worth an overhauling. *****
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I shall ever remain your obedient servant,
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A. M. Johnson, Superintendent
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