| Brunswick Oct 16th 1861 |
| |
| To His Excellency |
| Governor Joseph E. Brown |
| |
| Governor, |
| Your letter of the 7th inst
informing me that you would take charge of the B. & F. R. R. {Brunswick
& Florida RR} as a military necessity was received
yesterday. |
| On the night of the 26th ulto:,
Ad: Gen: Wayne arrived here, and instructed me to put the road in safe
running order for the purpose of removing iron, and carrying troops
&c. On the 27th ulto Mr Fulton {Superintendent,
Savannah, Albany & Gulf RR} arrived here with 40 platform
cars, Locomotives and men to take away the Rail Road iron. Also with
Locomotive and Passenger train to run daily, and to carry troops
&c. Heavy rains, and insufficient repairs, had placed the road in
so bad a condition that it appears a miracle that no serious accident
occurred. I was compelled to assemble as heavy a force as I
could obtain here, to get up the road as soon as possible, and to
repair bridges &c. also to lengthen the side tracks here, and at
Waynesville to accommodate the large number of cars sent here by the
S. A. & G. R. R. {Savannah, Albany &
Gulf RR} The rapid running of heavy iron trains over the road,
soon rendered its condition more unsafe than I had ever known it. Hard
work, with a good force, gradually increased to 50 hands, is now
beginning to tell on the road and bridge, and I am in hopes in a few
weeks to have the track in good running order, provided I can get
cross ties enough to replace those which are rotten. There has been no
permanent work planned or thought of; but it is absolutely necessary
to make the road safe, and it will require a good force, for a
short time, after which the extra hands can be discharged, and only as
many retained as may be required for ordinary repairs. Your Excellency
may rest assured that economy will be the order of the day on this
road, and that no useless expenditures will be made. |
| I accept the post to which you
have assigned me, and will do the best I can under the circumstances.
The business of the road has been very heavy since the 26th ulto, and
we have been doing this business without accident or delay, but
without the proper facilities for such an increased business. |
| The equipment of our road
consists of one locomotive partially repaired, running at
night without a head light, and requiring at once a new set of
truck wheels, one Locomotive which is so far repaired that it
can be used for drilling the cars, but is not fit to run with a train,
4 worn out platform cars, 2 box cars requiring repair, 1
2d class Passenger car with flat wheels, and one blacksmith shop. We
have no blacksmith or carpenter to do the necessary repairs required
from day to day on the motive power and rolling stock. To make the
road available as a military necessity, cars sufficient to move troops
and military stores, with a spare Engine should be stationed at this
place. We have now one Engine which hauls the material train, viz the
telegraph poles, cross ties, and timber for repairs of bridges, and
also relieves our Locomotive, when it is laid up for repairs, by
running the Passenger train. Also 4 box cars, and 14 Platform cars,
should an attack be made by the enemy while both Engines are up the
road, we would have no means of removing the inhabitants military
stores, or troops. |
| If the S. A. & G. R. R.
Co: charge $100 per diem for a locomotive and 16 cars, as Mr Fulton
informed me would be done, our road would soon be eaten up. But I am
in hopes that no charge will be made which is not customary on other
connecting roads in Georgia, and I also hope to see your Excellencies
Locomotives and cars on the road, when, with our present business I do
not see why the road will not pay its own expenses. |
| We have no one here who can
fill the post of Station Agent, who is at all acquainted with the
business. If it is possible, we would prefer an Agent of your own
selection. We have no blanks, and the price for printing in Savannah,
far exceeds that in Milledgeville. I would most respectfully suggest,
that blanks be printed for this road, identical with those of the
State road, and that all account, reports &c should be presented
to you in the same form. This to me is a great inducement for having
some one here of your own selection from the State Road {Western
& Atlantic RR}. |
| I have the honor to |
| Your Excellencies |
| Obedient Servant |
| Charles L. Schlatter |
| Superintendent |
| B. & F. R. R. Co. |
|