| Annual Report of the Atlantic & Gulf RR |
| as of February 1, 1863, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Atlantic & Gulf Rail Road Company |
| Savannah, February 1st, 1863 |
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| Major John Screven |
| President |
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| Sir, |
| I herewith submit to your
consideration in as brief a manner as possible, the few remarks I have
to make relative to the condition and operation of the Road for the
year ending January 31st, 1863. The Company having no Rolling Stock of
its own -- its Road being operated by the Savannah, Albany & Gulf
Rail Road Company, is entirely dependent on the latter for the
transportation of such produce as may be received at the respective
stations. |
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The political condition of the country, together with the
closing of the ports of Florida, has thrown upon this Road a large
amount of freight which formerly found an outlet by the way of St.
Marys, Fernandina, Jacksonville, and other Florida ports. This,
together with the large amount of Live Stock, (cattle and hogs) Grain,
Forage and other produce purchased by Government through South Western
Georgia and Florida, has accumulated a much larger amount of
transportation than was expected. The Savannah, Albany & Gulf Rail
Road, comparatively a new route at the time our ports were closed, and
having but a limited supply of rolling stock, the greater portion of
which were platform or open cars, has not been fully prepared for the
transportation of Forage, Salt and other articles more or less liable
to damage from wet and inclement weather. In consequence, a large
amount of such freight has lately accumulated at several Stations for
the want of sufficient and proper means of transportation. Owing to
the ports being closed, and the general scarcity of material, the
Company has been unable to secure rolling stock sufficient to remove
the increased freight as rapidly as was desired, although several
efforts have been made to purchase Engines and Cars sufficient to
perform the work more promptly. These efforts however, have been
fruitless, and not until very recently, have we been able to secure
any assistance whatever. During the early part of the previous month
we succeeded in purchasing two Engines and ten Box Cars from the
Central Rail Road Company. With the aid of these we hope to relieve
the Stations at an early day, provided the rolling stock, which is now
being run very severely, holds out and no unforeseen accident occurs
to deprive us of their service. The rolling stock is not even now
sufficient to perform the work rapidly and promptly, and give the
Engines and Cars the necessary rest. The Company would cheerfully have
built the necessary amount of rolling stock, could they have succeeded
in procuring the materials necessary for building (viz: wheels, axles,
springs &c.,) but could not succeed in doing so. Station Nos. 16,
18, and 19, have been and still are much crowded with freight,
notwithstanding every effort has been and is still being made to
relieve them. In the transportation of freight the preference has
necessarily been given to that belonging to the government, which of
itself has been sufficient to require the service of our entire
rolling stock. In consequence a large amount of private freight has
been detained at Stations longer than was desired. The delays however,
under existing circumstances, could not have been avoided. Every
effort has been made, and will be continued, to remove it at as early
a day as possible.
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The pillars of the Warehouse at Thomasville gave way on
Tuesday the 6th of January, 1863. The building together with its
entire contents (principally Grain) fell to the Ground. The building
was considerably injured. The contents received but little damage and
have all been removed to their places of destination. The building is
now being raised to its original position, and will no doubt be ready
for the reception of freight by the 3rd inst. The accident may in a
measure be attributed to the large amount of freight stored in the
house, though more particularly, to the insufficiency in the size and
number of pillars, and a defect in the masonry and material of which
they were built.
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The iron is wearing as well as can be expected. Some few
bars are beginning to show signs of lamination. A portion of the Iron
on the southwest end of the Road is laid without chairs. I would
recommend that they be procured and placed in the Track at as early a
day as possible. Portions of the superstructure are beginning to
decay, but are being removed as rapidly as is required, 3,939 ties
have been removed and new ones substituted in their place during the
past year. 49,869 feet of bridge timber has been consumed on repairs
of bridges -- a much larger amount will be required during the ensuing
year. Some of the bridges -- viz: the Little Satilla, Great Satilla,
Allabaha, Alapaha, Withlacoochee and others are much longer than
necessary. Portions of them might be filled in with economy and
advantage to the Company, and I would recommend its being done at as
early a day as possible. The Road bed is in better condition than it
was twelve months ago. Nevertheless it is not in the condition I was
much ion hopes of having it, could we have spared rolling stock enough
to have had portions of the Track ballasted and the cuts widened and
cleaned out. This work is much needed, most of the cuts being too
narrow to allow a proper system of drainage. Hoping that the necessary
means may be secured to perform more promptly all the business offered
to the Road
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I am, your, very respectfully,
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G. J. Fulton
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General Superintendent
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