AR, A&G 1/1/1864 S

Annual Report of the Atlantic & Gulf RR
as of January 1, 1864,
Superintendent's Report
 
Superintendent's Office
Atlantic & Gulf R. R.
Savannah, January 1st, 1864
 
Major John Screven
President
 
Sir,
   I herewith submit to your consideration my Report of the operations of the Road for the last eight months, (two-thirds of a year,) commencing on the 1st of May and ending on the 31st day of December, 1863. 
   The earnings of the Road during that time have been as follows:
For Freight West by Regular Freight Train $54,981.67
   "        "         "     "  Passenger             " 3,031.37
   "        "         "     "  Express                 " 7,550.17

Total Freight West

65,563.21
For Passage West 128,769.05
   "   Freight and Passage West $194,332.26
   "         "     East by Regular Freight Train 280,542.94
   "          "       "        Passenger             " 8,335.14
   "           "       "       Express                 " 15,035.87

Total Freight East

303,913.95
For Passage East 118,891.52
   "   Freight and Passage East 422,805.47
   "         "       "         "        " and West 617,137.73
   "   Mails 12,969.12
Gross Earnings 630,106.85
     "    Expenses 347,666.85
Nett Earnings for eight months $282,440.00
   A new period having been fixed for the termination of the fiscal year of the consolidated companies, namely, the 31st of December -- this Report embraces the earnings and expenditures of but eight months, or two-thirds of a year.
   The earnings for passage during the eight corresponding months of the last year were $179,188.76, against $247,660.57 for the present year, an increase of $68,471.81. The earnings for Freight during the same time last year were $124,180.61, against $369,477.16 for the same months this year, an increase of $245,296.55. The earnings for Freight and Passage last year were $303,370.37, against $617,137.73 this year, an increase of 313,767.36. The earnings for Mails were $7,575.17 against $12,969.12, an increase of $5,393.95. The total earnings for the eight corresponding months last year were $310,945.54, against $630,106.85 this year, an increase of $319,161.31, a fraction over 100 per cent. The earnings would have been much larger had the crops of the past year been sent forward as rapidly as they were last season. Large quantities of grain were kept housed -- the owners in some instances refusing to dispose of it, and in others declining to fix their price.
   The expenditures for the last eight months, or two-thirds of a year, have been as follows:
Transportation Expenses -- Including the Wages of Salaried Officers, Agents and Clerks at Savannah, Way Stations and Thomasville Depot, Conductors, Train Hands, Laborers at Savannah Depot and Way Stations, and clothes for them $51,205.73
Incidental Expenses -- Including Advertising, Postage, Doctor's Bills, Medicines, Casualties, and all other contingent expenses, not enumerated under either of the other heads $11,783.63
Repairs of Road -- Including Wages of Supervisor, Overseers and Negroes on Repairs -- cost of Provisions, Clothes, Ties, Spikes, Tools, Repair Cars, R. R. Shanties, and all other material necessary for repairs of Road $70,239.10
Repairs of Bridges -- Including Wages of Supervisor, Bridge Builders, Negroes engaged on Repairs of Bridges, cost of Provisions, clothing, Tools, Repair Cars, Spikes, Lumber and all other material and labor necessary for Repairs of Bridges $39,230.33
Maintenance of Cars -- Including Wages of Master Carpenters, Employees in Carpenter Shops, cost of Oil, Tallow, Waste, Wheels, Axles, Castings, Lumber, and all other material required for operating, building and repairing Cars $81,820.04
Maintenance of Motive Power -- Including Wages of Master Machinists, Blacksmiths, Machinists, Engineers, Firemen, Laborers in Machine and Blacksmith Shops, cost of Oil, Tallow, Waste, Pack Yarn, Tools, Wheels, Axles, Castings, Fuel, Water and all other material required for operating and repairing Engines $75,786.60
Stock Killed 10,931.75
Freight lost and damaged 3,026.99
Printing and Stationery 3,642.68
Total Expenditures $347,666.85
Total Earnings 630,106.85
Nett Earnings $282,440.00
   The increased expense for the months of November and December is owing to a large quantity of Meat, Corn, Shoes, &c., having been purchased for the ensuing year.
   The expenditures for the last eight months have been $347,666.85 against $136,867.86 for the corresponding months of last year, an increase of $210,798.99. The increase is to be attributed to the rapid advance in wages and the increased cost of all Rail Road material and supplies. It has been impossible to procure a sufficient quantity of some of the most essential articles to enable us to operate the Road successfully, viz: Locomotives, Engines, Engine Tires, Copper Flues, Wheels, Axles, Car Springs and numerous other articles indispensible for repairs. Coal for Blacksmith purposes is becoming very scarce. The insufficiency of this article will no doubt ere long prove a source of great inconvenience not only to Rail Roads, but to the entire mechanical interest of the country, if some means are not adopted by which it may be supplied. Rail Road supplies of all kinds have advanced from one thousand to fifteen hundred per cent. and are still advancing.
   The Stations on the line of Road, as a general thing, have been less crowded than they were last year, and Freight with the exception of Cotton, has been removed nearly as fast as it was offered. Cotton, in some instances, on account of provisions and Government supplies having the preference in transportation, has been required to remain longer at Stations than was desirable, not having means at our command sufficient to accommodate all interests. 9,644 bales of Cotton have passed over the Road during the last eight months, against 7,753 for the corresponding months last year, an increase of 2,211 bales. The increase would no doubt have been larger but for the reasons above cited -- (viz: the want of sufficient transportation) -- which prevented our offering any encouragement to shippers of Cotton. For further particulars relative to the business of the Road you are respectfully referred to table No. 3, showing a condensed statement of the number and amount of the principal articles transported over the Road.
   The Rolling Stock, both Engines and Cars, during the past year have performed good service and have been severely taxed. In several instances, they have suffered for the material necessary for keeping them in thorough order. They have, however, with few exceptions, performed their work regularly and successfully, and with but few accidents. The majority of the accidents and detentions which have occurred, have been of a trifling character, generally occasioned by some slight defect in machinery, or from a wheel breaking or working loose on its axle.
   We are indebted to the Central and the Charleston & Savannah Rail Roads, which have, in one or two instances, rendered us assistance when we have been much pressed with Live Stock, by sending a Stock Train to aid us in removing the Stock. Frequent efforts have been made during the year, to procure additional Rolling Stock, either by purchase or hire, principally from those Rail Roads in the hands of the enemy, which have been fortunate enough to save a portion of their engines and cars. All efforts, however, proved fruitless until recently, when two engines and sixty cars were hired from the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road. On the 23d of October last a contract was closed with Mr. Ross, Superintendent of the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, for cars at the rate of $2.50 per day each and for two Locomotive Engines, the Stone Wall and the R. M. Patten, at the rate of $20 per day each, all of which have been received, except seven cars, which are on the Road between this place and Montgomery. The Engine, Stone Wall, and 53 cars are now in successful operation on the Road. The Patten is in the shop undergoing some repairs. Since that time three Passenger Coaches have been engaged at $8.50 per day each. Only one of them however has been received as yet, owing to the impossibility of procuring transportation over the Montgomery & West Point Rail Road. The Track of this Rail Road being narrower than that of the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, the Passenger Coaches of the latter will not pass their Tanks, Platforms, &c., until they have been removed. Mr. Cram, Superintendent, has very kindly offered to do all in his power to facilitate the transportation of the cars. Arrangements have been made with Major F. W. Sims, acting Agent for the Government, for two more Engines (the John Childs and the Limestone,) on the same terms; both Engines have been received and are now in successful operation on the Road. These Engines and Cars were delivered in Montgomery, Alabama, but owing as already stated, to the track of the Montgomery & West Point Rail Road being of narrower guage than the track of the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, the Cars and Engines had to be removed from Montgomery to West Point, on trucks, built for the purpose, rendering it not only a slow but tedious and expensive operation. All of the Engines and a large number of the Cars required repairs to put them in safe condition for transporting Freight; all of which has been done, and the Cars, with the exception of the seven above mentioned, are in running order.
   The Rolling Stock of the Company consist of
16 Locomotive Engines
9 Passenger Coaches
6 Baggage and Mail Cars
3 Express Cars
84 Box Freight Cars
98 Platform Freight Cars
19 Stock Cars
1 Provision Car
36 Repair Cars
4 Crank Cars

Total number, 260

   Fifty-four of the above Cars are owned or controlled by the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, viz: 1 Passenger Coach, thirty-one Freight Box Cars, sixteen Platform Cars and six Stock Cars -- the remaining two hundred and six Cars are the property of this Company. Seven Box Cars have been turned out of shop at Thomasville since my last report, and two more will be placed on the Road in the course of a few days. The shop at Thomasville is still engaged in building Cars. The work progresses slowly; however, and is frequently thrown back for the want of material. For further particulars relative to the condition of the Rolling Stock you are respectfully referred to tables Nos. 7 and 8.
   The Road bed is in as good condition as it was at my last Report. Several Bridges on the Eastern section of the Road have been filled in. The embankments are of a superior character. The embankments through the Altamaha swamps and low lands are quite extensive and will no doubt withstand any ordinary pressure of water. The Bridges, generally, are in very good order; such as are not in complete condition are being repaired and put in order as rapidly as possible. The Lattice Bridge over the Altamaha has been extended 118 feet, at a cost of $6,945.00. 424,308 feet of lumber have been consumed on Bridges during the past eight months.12,089 Ties have been placed on the track and many more are needed. It has been found impossible to procure Ties as rapidly as they were required. Bids for proposals have been solicited and large prices offered, as an inducement, but notwithstanding this not over one fourth of what are needed have been contracted for. It has also been impossible to procure a sufficient quantity of lumber for repairs of Bridges. For further particulars relative to material used in repairs of Bridges and Road, you are respectfully referred to Table No. 6.
G. J. Fulton
Superintendent

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