| Demopolis, Ala May 15/63 |
| |
| A. C. Myers |
| Qr. Master Genl. |
| Richmond |
| |
| Sir, |
| In reply to your letter of date April
25/63, asking additional information in relation to the ruling price
of railroad iron during the year 1862. Will give you the date, price
& valuation of iron seized or purchased and placed on the Ala
& Miss R RR {Alabama & Mississippi
Rivers Railroad} since I have been
president of that company. |
| You will please bear in mind the price of
railroad iron has been steadily advancing since our ports have been
blockaded. |
| Lot No. |
1. |
Purchased in Mobile, April 1861, exclusive of duty |
38.50 |
per ton |
| " |
2. |
Purchased in Charleston, August 3d 1861 |
43.50 |
" |
| " |
3. |
Seized by Captain Gaines from the Cahaba, Marion
& Greensboro RR Co, May 20/62 |
|
|
| " |
4. |
Purchased by Col. Tate of Montgomery and Eufaula
RR Co., July 12h 1862 |
70.00 |
" |
| " |
5. |
Seized by Col. Tate of the Ala & Florida RR
Co, July 12/62 valued |
80.00 |
" |
| " |
6. |
Purchased by Col. Tate from the Cahaba, Marion
& Greensboro RR Co., Sept 10/62 |
80.00 |
" |
|
| Lot |
1, 2, & 3 |
Was new iron |
| " |
4 |
Was new iron -- part had been laid on tracks but
not used for business |
| " |
5 |
Had been laid on track and used for heavy
ordinance and other business between Montgomery & Pensacola
until the latter place was evacuated by the Confederate troops |
| " |
6 |
Was laid on tracks and used principally for a
freight passenger business |
| " |
2 & 4 |
I think the most valuable iron on our road |
|
| Col. Tate valued the Ala & Florida RR
iron seized and placed on our road at 80 per ton and ??? on willing to
acquiesce in that valuation but if the matter is not considered
settled between our company and the Government by the payment of
$106,208.75 to Qr Master Calhoun at Montgomery they we shall insist on
a valuation of what new and equally good iron was purchased on the
same day the Ala & Flor was seized viz 70 per ton -- on 12 July
1862. |
| The Cahaba, Marion & Greensboro RR Co
advertised about fourteen miles of their iron for sale at public
auction and as I hear limited their iron to 80 per ton, but failed to
get a purchaser. Subsequently, Col. Tate gave their price and
purchased on 10h of September 1862 Lot No. 6. We are willing to pay
for Lot No. 3, seized by Captain Gains on 20h May 1862. What Col. Tate
paid the same company for Lot No. 6 on the 10h September following ???
spikes belonging to the Cahaba, Marion & Greensboro Railroad
Company as their iron is not included in Col. Tate's account, having
been seized and used before he took military possession of the road. |
| The value of the above mentioned iron must
be fixed by the government and the Ala & Miss R RR Co. I promise
on ??? to pay whatever that may be. |
| It will be recollected the price of iron
has steadily advanced since the war commenced. I purchased iron rails
in 1861 at $36.50 per ton. Col. Tate purchased iron rails on 12th July
1862 at $70, and the G. M. & G. iron was seized on the 20 May near
two months before the purchase and received $70 per ton, and on the
10h Sept. 1862, Col. Tate purchased from the same G. M. & G. RR Co
1000 tons at $80 per ton, which had previously been offered at public
auction with a minimum of 80 per ton without obtaining a purchaser.
This sale at $80 per ton you will perceive was near four months
subsequent to the seizure by Captain Gaines. |
| In view of the above mentioned facts, I
think it unreasonable the Ala & Miss R RR Co should be required to
pay more than iron rails sold for near two months after the iron was
seizes. The price of iron now is no ??? to ??? of its value twelve
months past. |
| Should you find any difficulty in
arranging the price of the Florida iron, Col. Tate requests you will
postpone final action until he reaches Richmond when he will explain
all matters satisfactorily to the government. |
| ????? |
| Very Truly Yours |
| G. G. Griffin {President, Alabama
& Mississippi Rivers RR} |