| 1st |
There are now five Locomotives here,
three of which are in tolerable running order, the fourth one is
now under repairs and will be out in course of ten days in good
order; the fifth one needs a new set of Tyres; in other respects
is in good order. There are four wrecks of Locomotives in
Fernandina which have been robbed of nearly all their work
during the war. I have only seen them once since the war and did
not then give them a very particular examination. I think
two of them could be rebuilt here but could not with my present
knowledge of their condition make an estimate of the cost of
putting them in running order. |
|
There are 12 Box Cars mostly in good condition
some of them need new wheels; there are 9 Platform cars all
recently rebuilt and in good running order. There are two
passenger cars in running order but need new wheels and some
repairs in the way of upholstery &c. A number of cars were
destroyed by fire during the war. The wheels of such cars have
mostly been made use of in replacing worn out wheels under the
cars now in use. The rolling stock now in running order is
employed in running a regular train from Gainesville to Baldwin
and back three times a week and a regular train from Gainesville
to Cedar Keys and back twice a week. Special trains are also run
when occasion requires. One engine has been mostly employed
since the surrender moving materials for repairs. |
| 2d |
The "How Truss" connected
with the "Draw Bridge" was burned early in the war.
The space spanned by it can be crossed on pile trestle without
detriment to the channel. The Draw was used for a picket station
and a cannon placed on the top framing. About the close of the
war the whole thing fell and the Draw is destroyed. I propose to
cross on pile trestle which could be built in a few weeks at a
cost of 500 or 600 Dollars. The Draw which will require some
time to build can be built while the trains are running and when
completed the piles can be pulled out and the channel left
clear. |
| 3d |
The wharf at Cedar Keys was burned
early in the war. Several gaps in the trestle work were also
burned. The gaps are nearly all rebuilt and the trestle repaired
to within 300 feet of Way Key. This 300 feet is now being
rebuilt and will soon be ready for the passage of trains on to
Way Key. There being no wharf out to the channel freights are
now transferred from the trains standing on the trestle, to
Barges which convey them to vessels lying in the harbor. |
|
The cost of rebuilding the wharf at Cedar Key will
depend much on the plan which may be adopted. I would propose
for the present a temporary wharf built on piles to the channel
which could be built for 1800 or 2000 Dollars. This would answer
all purposes till the piles are ruined by the worm. In the mean
time a plan could be adopted and executed for a substantial
structure which would resist the action of the worm. I propose a
temporary structure for the present as it can be quickly and
cheaply built. |
| 4th |
The track is now in running order
from Baldwin to within a short distance of Cedar Key say 107
miles. From Baldwin to Gainesville the track has been kept in
tolerable condition during the war. From Gainesville to Cedar
Keys on account of the impossibility of procuring laborers the
track became in bad condition by the decay of a large number of
the crossties. Just prior to and since the close of the war a
large number of new ties have been put in this part of the track
and it is safe for the passage of trains. Hands are now at work
all the way from Baldwin to Cedar Keys putting in new ties. Most
of the culverts and trestles on this part of the line have been
rebuilt within the past year. Some five or six small culverts
are yet to be rebuilt. |
|
Between Baldwin and Amelia River
there is possibly fifteen or twenty culverts that will require
rebuilding. One carpenter and five or six laborers will build
any one of them in two days. The trestle at Boggy river twenty
miles from Fernandina will require some repairs. The "How
Truss" which formerly spanned the river has been burned.
Before it was burned piles were driven across the stream and
trestle work built upon them. The piles are uninjured and
trestle work can be rebuilt upon them. The timber and labor to
rebuild the trestle across the stream and to repairs the trestle
across the swamp will probably cost about 500 Dollars. |
|
At Loftin River the "How
Truss" was also burned. This stream may also be crossed on
piles. The trestle connected with it will need some repairs. The
whole cost of which will probably be about 1000 Dollars. |
| 5th |
Somewhere about twenty three miles of
the main track was forcibly taken up by the late socalled
Confederate military authorities beginning near the 18 mile
point from Fernandina and ending near the 41st mile point
including the siding at Callahan Station and St. Marys Station.
Somewhere about half a mile was also taken by the same parties
from near Harts Road Station altogether about twenty four miles.
This iron was transported to Live Oak Station on the P. & G.
R. R. {Pensacola & Georgia RR} twenty
five miles west of Lake City and laid from that point on the
Georgia Connection Rail Road to near the Georgia State line
about 21 miles. The bal of the Iron so taken was used by order
of "Brig. Genl Voydes" Commanding Dist of
Florida" in rebuilding the Road from Baldwin to
Jacksonville. The Iron from Fernandina to the Draw Bridge was
taken up by the U. S. military authorities and transported to
Hilton Head where I understand it still remains. |
|
The President of the Company resorted to every
means to prevent the removal of the Iron by the Confederate
military authorities and although the attempt to remove it was
made during the first year of the war he succeeded in preventing
them till near the close of the w2ar when they took it up by
overriding the civil authorities by force of arms. They however
stipulated with Mr. Yulee after they had removed the Iron to
replace it on the Florida Rail Road as soon as the military
necessity for its use on the Live Oak connection should cease. |
|
Shortly after the
"surrender" I started with a train and force, by
direction of Mr. Yulee, to bring back the Iron but was prevented
from proceeding by the U. S. military authorities. They having a
garrison of troops at Thomasville Geo. could not at that time
resupply them by any other Railroad route. |
|
On or about the first of July last
application was made to Brig. Genl Newton then Commanding Dist
of Florida for permission to remove this Iron and replace it on
the Fla Railroad. This was refused on the ground that it was
necessary to supply the troops at Thomasville Ga. |
|
The necessity for supplying the
Thomasville troops having passed away by other routes being
opened, application was then made to Maj Genl Foster Commanding
Dist. of Florida for permission to remove the Iron from the Live
Oak Road. After a good deal of delay an order was granted giving
the Fla Rl Rd Co. permission to remove the Iron. I proceeded to
the Live Oak Road with train of cars laborers &c &
commenced taking up the Iron. Before getting off the first load
an officer arrived on the ground with an order from Genl Foster
to stop the taking up of any Iron or the removal of any from the
Live Oak connection. I returned to Tallahassee and found the
order to sto[p the removal of the Iron was issued at the
instance of some of the officers of the Pen. & G. R. R.
After hearing all the facts in the case Genl. Foster issued an
order fully recognizing the right & title of the Fla. R. R.
Co. in said Iron and giving them permission to remove the same;
but upon application of Mr. S. Simkon acting President of the P.
& G. R. R. which alleged that Mr. Houstoun was Presdt of P.
& G. R. R. was absent on an errand to purchase Iron to
replace that belonging to the Florida Rl Rd he desired that
action might be delayed till Mr. Houstouns return or for the
space of ten days & if at the expiration of that time no
satisfactory arrangement was made for the exchange of Iron The
Florida Railroad Co. were fully authorized to remove their Iron
from the Live Oak Road. The ten days will expire on the 10th of
this month at which time I expect to commence the removal of the
Iron and lay it down on the Florida Railroad where it belongs. |
|
The cost of relaying the track will be about as
follows. |
|
| 1000 new crossties per mile |
$200.00 |
| Bedding the same ready for the Iron |
100.00 |
| Putting down the Iron |
50.00 |
| Cost pr mile |
$350.00 |
| For 24 miles the cost will be3
about
$8,400 |
|
| The cost of taking up the Iron will be about
$50 pr mile; for 21 miles 1,050 |
|
|
$9,450 |
|
|
| 6th |
The freight Depot at Fernandina, the
one at Baldwin and the one at Cedar Keys were the only ones
destroyed during the war. Similar buildings could be erected for
about $1000 each. |