| Confederate States Q. M. D. |
| Office Superintendent RRd Transp |
| Richmond Decr 10th 1864 |
| |
| Genl A. R. Lawton |
| Q. M. G. |
| |
| General, |
| In the case of the "John Williams"
locomotive engine, ordered impressed by Hon Secy of War the parties
desire to introduce certain statements made by C. A. Mee Supt.
Knoxville & Kentucky Railroad Co, Ro. L. Owens President Va. & Tenn
RRd Co. and Messrs B H Bigham and A. E. Cox agents of Georgia which I
have the honor to enclose, and with them all the papers accumulated in
this transaction in order that the whole matter may be before you. |
| Great stress is laid upon the
necessities of Georgia and I was at some pains to learn from Judge B.
H. Bigham how much salt was produced in Virginia for that State. He
informed me that there were two firms from Georgia engaged in the
manufacture of salt. One of which he was a member and another, Seago &
Co by name. His works had produced this year about 22,000 bu and the
works of Seago & Co about 55,000 bu, in all about 77,000 bu. |
| The State of Georgia has upon the N&T
RRd an engine called the "Texas" and eight cars, and they make a round
trip in six days, which allows abundant time for ordinary repairs and
do no work on Sunday. A car load is 300 bu making for each train 2,400
bu. Forty nine weeks of the year have gone and at the rate of hauling
above described there should have been transported 117,600 bu. There
were two months, about, that no hauling was done on the V&T RRd
because of the damage by raiders. The work of these two months should
be deducted, say 8 weeks at 2,400 bu per week = 19,200 bu, leaving
still 98,400 bu as the work that should have been done by the "Texas." |
| But Judge Bingham says the "Texas" was
sent here to haul for Seago & Co and he has not had any of her work.
Now Seago & Co produced according to Judge Bigham's statement but
5,000 bu per month or 55,000 bu thus far this year while the capacity
of the "Texas" {document torn in crease}
98,000 bu. The salt makers were driven away from their works by the
enemy, but my calculation allows full time for all. |
| If Georgia's need is so great it might
be pertinent to enquire what Georgia's train has been doing. |
| Judge Bingham informs me that there are
now accumulated at Saltville some 20,000 bu salt for Georgia. How can
this occur when the "Texas" and her train can carry away every month
more than both the Georgia firms can manufacture? |
| I am quite satisfied that the matter is
somewhat exaggerated, but it appears that all action of the
Confederate States will be brought to naught as the "Williams" was put
in use to haul salt while this question was being discussed and has
returned in a damaged condition to Lynchburg. I have ordered an
examination & if she is in working order that she be sent to
Petersburg. |
| Very respy |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lt Col. & Q. M. |
|