| Executive Department |
| Milledgeville, Georgia |
| December 3d, 1863 |
| |
| To the General Assembly: |
| |
| As the Western & Atlantic
Railroad is justly relied upon by the people of this State as a source
of considerable revenue, it has become my duty to call the attention
of the General Assembly to the present heavy losses sustained by the
State in the transportation of freights for the Confederate
Government. The rates now allowed by the government are the same that
were agreed upon by the Augusta convention, when all the supplies used
by the Road were worth in the market less than half their present
market value, which rates are much less than half the prices charged
to citizens of this State. I have therefore notified the proper
officer that, in future, the Road will charge one hundred per cent.
upon the rates now paid for the transportation of Confederate freight.
With the heavy increase of expenses, it will not be possible to make
the Road a source of much revenue and charge less. I trust my action
in this regard will meet the approval of the General Assembly. |
| It has become absolutely
necessary that we import some springs for cars and other necessary
material for repairs. Since the General Assembly has convened, part of
these have arrived at a Confederate port, and the cost to the Road
will be over twenty-five times the old prices. |
| It is proper that I mention
the additional fact that the amounts now charged by the Confederate
officers for losses upon the Road amount to very heavy sums. These
officers load their own cars at one end of the Road and frequently
check out their own freights at the other end and charge the Road with
such losses as they may choose to report. Under these circumstances,
if a Confederate Quartermaster should be dishonest, he might
appropriate to his use large amounts of freight and charge it to the
Road as lost on the way. |
| It may be said that the
authorities of the Road should see that they are not imposed upon in
this way. In the present state of things, this is often impossible.
Two or three freight trains arrive together, and the army needs the
supplies and officers are sent with detachments of men to unload all
at one time. Each checks out for himself and makes such report as he
thinks proper, and the officers of the Road can get no other account
than the one rendered by the officers in charge of these detachments.
What they choose to report as lost is charged up against the Road and
withheld upon settlement of freight account. |
| Again, it frequently happens
that the loaded trains have to lie over for a time before the
Confederate officers are ready to receive the freights. While thus
detained, they are often entered by bands of straggling soldiers and
valuable articles taken from them, which the Road is required to pay
for. Our freight cars have again and again been cut to pieces by the
troops being transported in them over the Road, which often leaves
freight in them exposed, after all possible energy has been exercised
in making repairs. This causes much loss, not only of public but of
private freights, for which the Road is held liable. |
| To relieve the Road from
these heavy losses, I propose that the Confederate officers be
permitted to load and unload their own cars, under the inspection of
officers of the Road, at the place of shipment, and that the
government be permitted to send a guard upon each freight train, free
of charge for transporting the guards, and that the Road shall not be
liable for any losses which occur after the freights are placed upon
the cars. I should be happy to know that the course which I propose to
adopt in the above mentioned particulars meet the approval of the
General Assembly. |
| I again beg to call your
attention to the imperative necessity which exists for a change of the
law which authorizes an increase of fifty per cent. only upon the
salaries and pay of officers and employees of the Road over the rates
which existed when they were paid upon the gold basis. The officers
and employees can not live at these rates, and I shall be unable to
work the Road much longer if I am not permitted to increase their pay.
They have to perform great labor and take heavy responsibilities, and
I think it right that the freights be increased, and that they be paid
reasonable compensation. |
| Joseph E. Brown |
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