| From the Wilmington Journal |
| |
| November 17, 1862 |
| |
| Wilmington & Weldon Railroad Company |
| Chief Engineer & Superintendent |
| Wilmington, N. C., Nov. 14th, 1862 |
| |
| Editors of the Journal, Wilmington |
| |
| Gentlemen, |
| It is due in justice to the
undersigned as the officer charged with the working department of this
Road, that a few words of explanation should be given to the public in
reference to the supply of corn and other articles of food requiring
transportation, during the past few months on this Road. |
| It might be sufficient to point to the
very large amount (more than $900.000) received by the Company as the
earnings of the Transportation Department, to show that we have not
been idle. But holding as I do, that we owe an important duty to the community,
as well as the Government, it has been my instructions --
(however humble I may be) -- to all operatives in the transportation
of supplies, to afford every possible facility for the
transportation of food, to Wilmington and other points from the
country, and to return other necessary supplies to the country. |
| And while this in a great measure has been
successfully accomplished, yet in a few cases, (too many,) the great
demand for Government transportation has put to great inconvenience
many of our oldest and best patrons. The supply of corn and wheat has
occasionally been very short here in consequence, the inability
of the transportation department to do more than it has done. |
| With means of transportation provided for
a state of profound peace, and unable during the war to increase
the rolling stock, and hardly able to maintain what we had in good
order, the Road has done a vast amount of work beyond that of any
former year since its existence, as shown by the income. The
transportation of 100,000 troops over it during the year, with freight
proportionably large, shows for itself. These facts are here alluded
to as evidence that if we have not satisfied all our patrons, we have
done something to entitle us to be classed with those who have not
been idle or indifferent to the wants of our people. |
| In the matter of a supply of provisions to
our afflicted fellow-citizens during the terrible epidemic through
which they have just passed, I beg on behalf of the operatives of this
Road to call your attention to the notice in your paper during the
last part of September, and until the paper was suspended, to show
that we did do what we could to relieve their necessities, both as to transporting
as well as to collecting supplies. |
| The undersigned requested all agents of
the Company to obtain such supplies of fresh provisions as they could,
either for money or as donations, and forward them to Wilmington. A
considerable amount of articles needed were thus obtained and sent
forward by mail trains. These facts are here enumerated not for the
purpose of claiming any credit for those who were doing a
Christian duty, but to, allow that they were not unmindful
of their suffering fellow-citizens who were wrestling with a fearful
disease. |
| The facts stated above are for those who desire
to know them. |
| S. L. Fremont |
| Eng. & Supt. |
|