Petersburg, March 23, 1865 (Received 2pm)
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| General J. O. Breckinridge |
| Secretary |
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| I have sent to Lieut. Col. F. W. Sims, Chief
of the Railroad Bureau, the following telegram, a copy of which I
send you that you may see and reflect on the facts set forth before
any action is taken:
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| "I am fully persuaded that with different
managements more can be done than is proposed by this change.
Indeed, I think that the Government will gain nothing, and it may
result in positive injury to this company. I desire not to offer any
captious opposition, but to let the plain statement of facts as set
forth speak. The superintendent of this road says that with foreign
trains daily on the road in addition to our own he can, and will,
move promptly with freight offering, and then let any surplus
machinery on other roads go to points where most needed and more
suited for the work. The plan indicated will also necessitate the
loading and unloading everything at places where there are no
facilities for the business; scales, warehouses, etc., having been
burned by raiders. The arrangement also enhances the cost of
transportation."
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| Lem. Peebles |
| President South Side Railroad |
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| ***** |
| Petersburg, March 23, 1865 |
| (Received 2.10pm) |
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| Hon. Secretary of War |
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| My telegram from Richmond did not get to the
country directors in time to hold a meeting to day, so I cannot have
a board until tomorrow. In meantime, Mr. Grigg telegraphed me from
Lynchburg that Colonel Owen telegraphed him that he will take
possession of that end of this road from Lynchburg to Burkeville on
Monday next, by order of War Department. I hope that when such a
step is taken that I will be informed of it officially and that no
such action will take place until this company can be heard through
its directory. I think the thing a high-handed measure, anyhow, and
calculated to result in no good for either the Government or this
company. If arbitrary power is to be exercised it certainly should
be in the least obnoxious form, and if the power exists to take a
roadbed it must also to take rolling-stock, and the most arbitrary
part of it, and inconsistent, is to require this company to carry
its light engines from its own road on a road with heavy grades
where they can do but little and put on it engines from another road
built expressly to surmount heavy grades with a full train on a road
built with light material and for light engines, beset with bridges
which will be materially injured by the continued running of heavy
engines over them, and also taking from this company the power to
control the speed of the trains, seems to me most contradictory.
These are my views and I do not think that the facts set forth can
be controverted.
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| Lem. Peebles |
| President South Side Railroad |
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| [Indorsement] |
| War Department |
| March 25, 1865 |
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| Quartermaster-General |
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| For consideration. |
| The Secretary of War desires to see you to-day
in regard to within telegrams. Please return them.
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| By order, etc. |
| Saml. W. Melton |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
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