| Office Va. Central Railroad Co. |
| October 29th 1861 |
| |
| Maj. W. S. Ashe |
| Q. M. C. S. A. |
| |
| Sir, |
| I desire that the rate of
compensation for the special train for the sick should be fixed before
we commence the service. |
| This transportation could have
been done with our regular trains at an inconsiderable increase in our
expenses, and I doubt not the willingness of the Government to
compensate us fully and fairly. |
| The ambulance cars which were
ordered by the Q. M. Gen. now belong to this company. They are to be
used for the most part on the Orange & Alexandria R. R. as more of
the sick are taken to the hospitals on that road than to Richmond and
Charlottesville, which are the only hospitals on this Road to be
supplied b y this train. I think it right then that the Government
should own the cats, and should purchase them at a fair valuation. |
| The ordinary passenger cars on
this road seat fifty persons, this at two cents per mile would be at
Government rates one dollar per mile run for each car. As the
Government have the right, and ordinarily the means of filling each
seat, the above price will be no more than fair for the use of the
train. |
| As the Government will own the
ambulance cars it may be objected that the company should not receive
the full rates on those cars. But it must be remembered that we shall
have the repairs, the cleaning, washing &c. to do, and this extra
work added to our increase expenses for running this train will more
than pay for the interest on the cost and depreciation of these carts. |
| My proposition therefore is to
run this train for one dollar per car per mile -- to keep the cars in
repair except against accident on other roads, to do the necessary
cleaning & washing, and to carry free the Officer in charge &
the Surgeon & nurses detailed to attend upon the sick. In addition
the Government is to purchase the cars at a fair valuation. |
| Very Respectfully |
| H. D. Whitcomb |
| Genl. Sup't |
| |
| The cost of each car will
depend upon the judgment of an umpire. A new car would cost about
$2200. The {These?} are old and have seen
a great deal of service. I suppose from $1200 to $1500 would be a fair
valuation. |
| The no. of miles is as follows
-- Richmond to Gordonsville 76. Gordonsville to Manassas 62.
Gordonsville to Charlottesville 21. Manassas to Warrenton 32 (I
think). |
| The price for two cars & a car
for baggage for which there is no charge would be, from
Manassas to Richmond per trip |
$552 |
| From |
Manassas |
to |
Charlottesville |
one car |
and back per trip |
166 |
| " |
" |
" |
Warrenton |
" |
" |
66 |
| Or per week two trips |
to |
Richmond |
2 cars |
|
$1104 |
| Per week one trip |
" |
Charlottesville |
1 car |
|
166 |
|
" |
" |
Warrenton |
" |
|
64 |
|
Total Cost per Week |
$1328 |
|
| I have no authority to act for
the O. & A. R. R. {Orange & Alexandria
RR} Co. in this matter. I believe however they have been
allowed these rates or the capacity of a further car at two cents per
passenger per mile ??d, and would probably assent to this agreement. I
will only add that I should much prefer not to run the train, even at
the above rates. |
| H. D. W. |