| Western North Carolina Rail Road Company |
| Salisbury N. C. March 7th 1864 |
| |
| F. W. Sims Lt. Col & QM |
| |
| My Dear Sir, |
| In reply to yours of the 5th I give this
information in regard to our road which you desired. |
| We have five engines all in fair condition
except one and it will be out in ten days, the others not in the best
order, for the want of flues which I could not obtain and consequently
had to stop with bolts their places. |
| Two engines are required for passenger
trains each day, as by the enclosed time tables. One constantly
employed as a yard train and for repairs. Another for freight and the
5th runs on the N. C. Road with Govt supplies. |
| We have 46 Box Cars, most of them in good order,
three not in condition one being rapidly repaired by a sufficient
number of ??? functions. The number in good order is ample for
any business our customers can do. To each train we run 2 passenger
one baggage and from 4 to 6 freight cars ??? this as capacity
engines. |
| We have eight flat cars and am making
others. In a short time 2 engines will I fear be in the shop for the
want of tires -- Chilled ??? ??? not so good, when made of suitable
??? will answer all purposes and I would most respectfully say first
that the Govt. get up Chills of all sizes and go to casting at once --
for chilled cost so much that smaller corporations, that do not need
more than two sets of trains, can't afford to undertake it themselves. |
| As for material if I could put down paper
for flues and about 500 lbs each of brass & steel I could work
through for a long time and expect very confidently some other
supplies from vessan or down of our State vessels. |
| If you could ??? for me two good
machinists I will have hands sufficient to keep every thing up. |
| Very Respy |
| Yr Obt Servt |
| Jas. W. Wilson |
| Eng & Supt |
| WNCRR {Western North
Carolina RR} |