| Bowling Green, January 2, 1862 |
| |
| Maj. A. J. Smith, Post Quartermaster,
&c. |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| I will leave Bowling Green
to-morrow, to be absent on indispensable business for a few days. |
| Before going, I take
occasion to represent to you the present demands for transportation
on the roads now in my charge, their capacity, and to make
suggestions as to their future workings, which are respectfully
commended to your careful consideration, and through you, if
necessary, to General Johnston. |
| We have in running order ten
engines, all of which are of limited or ordinary capacity, only four
of which are new and reliable for continuous service. These four are
the property of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad. |
| We have in all, box cars,
120; flat cars, 55; total number of cars, 175. These cars include
all owned by the Louisville & Nashville, Memphis Branch, and
Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Roads. |
| The whole length of road
operated by this machinery, including the road north of Bowling
Green up to Glasgow Junction, is 225 miles. |
| The ordinary quorum of
equipment for such a length of railroad would be, engines, 22; cars,
300. Deficit in engines, 10; deficit in cars, 125. |
| Within ten days we depend on
having three more engines ready for service, but then we will need
seven more. |
| The equipment we have will
afford one train daily northward from Bowling Green, capable of
moving ten car loads of corn, &c.; one freight train daily, each
way, between Nashville and Bowling Green, carrying thirteen cars
each way; one freight train daily between Paris and Bowling Green
with twelve cars; one passenger train each way on the main stem and
Memphis Branch. This is the maximum capacity of the roads. Should
there be any extraordinary demand upon both stems at the same time,
both will require help from other roads. If made on one stem, the
regular business of the other must stop to meet it. |
| The present demand is, as I
now understand, for the army alone, from Paris, 800,000 pounds
{50 car loads}; from
Clarksville, 1,000,000 pounds{62 car loads}; from Nashville, 1,500,000 pounds
{94 car loads}. |
| In addition to the above, at
every station there is a large accumulation of freight, consisting
of hogs, corn, flour, &c. The passenger travel is also large. In
addition to all, troops move in great numbers. In a word, the entire
road is crowded with business to an extent unprecedented in the
history of any branch of it. |
| I suggest that the
superintendent may be allowed to establish a schedule best adapted
for the speedy, safe, and certain final accomplishment of all work,
and that the public shall be notified that this schedule shall
remain undisturbed, save under the requisition of some one officer
of the army, or that a requisition shall be made upon other roads
for the amount of machinery required to meet the business. |
| Should this course be
adopted, the funds now in hands, the earnings of the main stem and
branch, will pay a large proportion of the value of machinery
required, and perhaps the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville
Railroad Company would make an advance sufficient to pay the
balance. This property might -- would largely increase the earnings of
the road, and at the same time meet the difficulties before us. I
know of no remedy better than the last suggested, but without this
the first plan suggested is the only one under which I can promise
to do justice to the army, the stockholders, or myself. |
| Very respectfully, &c., |
| G. B. Fleece |
| Superintendent {of
the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR and Memphis Branch of
Louisville & Nashville RR} |
|