| Feby 13th 1865 |
| |
| H. Rice Esq |
|
Chf Eng. & Genl Supt {Manassas Gap RR}
|
| Greensboro N. C. |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| Your several favors in regard to three men
being re?? to the Orange & Alexandria road are ??? ??? ??? you
certainly make out a very strong case of injustice, but it is your
very in??ance and desire to get redress with your ????? Prest to the "law's
delay" that creates much of your trouble. Listen to me. You
complain that the South Side Co. takes your hands. I say to you give
me their names and they shall be returned, but No! You wont do it.
Well, you take some of the Orange road hands. Mr Vandergrift gets the
Conscript bureau to return them. You fight the law and it gets the
better of you. Then you go off in a rage because the law is not just,
but do you always get justice when you go to law. I am not surprised
that you should be angry when these men will be taken from you, but I
am surprised to hear you talk about giving up for it. Why I have seen
you when your prospects were a thousand times worse than now and yet
you faced the music like a man and with that energy and determination
which marks your character, gallantly fought your way through. I did
not think there were ad??ed circumstances enough in all human nations to
discourage you, and I dont think so now. You think now you wont try to
carry your business on any longer, but I know better. By the time this
reaches you you will be devising a way to get on. Your indomitable
will to do anything you desire will carry you through this as it has
through other things much worse. I sent you a boiler maker today,
Mc??ra by name, I hope he will be a good ??? to you and you can surely
keep him for no one else can claim. Time ?ifle ??th and goes to any
other shop report it to me and I will have him returned. Your two are
covered through today on their way to Lynchburg. I dont think they
will ever work for the Orange or on engines, and they threaten to tell
Vandergrift so. It seems to me to be bad policy to have men that dont
want to stay, they never give a day's work and are always grumbling
and making other hands dissatisfied. |
| I cannot tell you how much I regret this
trouble. I had built great hopes on your shops and thought I saw the
day ahead when transportation through Greensboro would be an easy job.
I hope so still for I have you one seat going to quit "dryso"
without another struggle. |
| The rates were raised to commence on the
10th Jany but I think there will be some exceptions in favor of the
Piedmont road. I have had your letter on the subject under advisement. |
| Hoping to see you soon and find still
disposed to work on. |
| I remain very truly |
| F W Sims |
| Lt Col & Q. M. |
|