| Annual Report of the Atlanta & West
Point RR |
| as of July 1, 1862, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Atlanta & West Point Railroad Co |
| Atlanta, July 17, 1862 |
| |
| Hon. John P. King, President |
| |
|
Sir,
|
| The gross earnings of your
Road for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1862, have been, |
| From Passengers |
$104,775.32 |
|
| "
Freight |
138,519.98 |
|
| " Mail |
14,056.25 |
$257,351.55 |
| "
Confederate States Government
Troops |
83,949.75 |
|
| "
Provisions, Munitions of War, &c. |
54,252.43 |
138,202.18 |
| "
State of Georgia Troops, &c. |
|
2,200.23 |
|
Total Earnings |
|
$397,753.96 |
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
|
| For Conducting Transportation |
$45,022.11 |
|
| " Motive Power |
47,395.13 |
|
| " Maintenance of Way |
56,968.78 |
|
|
"
"
" Cars |
7,797.90 |
|
| " Car rent and Expenses |
11,070.15 |
$168,254.07 |
|
Nett Earnings |
|
$229,499.89 |
|
Add Sale of Two Engines |
|
8,000.00 |
|
|
$237,499.89 |
|
|
This statement contains some unusual features, as
compared with the business of former years. The terrible war now
raging between the South and North has its effects upon Railroads, as
upon all else, destroying some sources of income, substituting others,
and, to some extent, changing entirely the policy of our management.
The amount above reported as expenses should be considered as
increased by an estimated addition of at least 20 per cent., to
compensate for deterioration in rolling stock. The scarcity and
high prices of some sorts of supplies, and the absolute want of
others, have rendered it impossible to keep our engines and cars in as
complete a state of efficiency as they were in, a year ago. This
difficulty has been increased also by the rough treatment of cars by
the soldiery, who have, in some instances, damaged a train in one trip
far more than could be paid for with the whole amount of fare
collected.
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|
Whenever the blockade of our ports shall have been
raised, or our people stimulated to the production and manufacture of
supplies, we must look for a heavy expenditure, to recuperate our
stock, now wearing out day by day without the possibility of renewal.
|
|
The business of the past year has consisted mainly of the
transportation of troops, munitions of war and supplies for the Army.
This work has been attended with a great deal of uncertainty and
danger. The necessity for the rapid transmission of large bodies of
troops from one place to another, has compelled the running of many
extra trains without notice upon the Road, and frequent interruptions
of regular schedules; also, much trouble and delay have been caused by
interference on part of officers in command of troops with the
constituted authorities of the Road. Again, we have been obliged to
use the cars of other Roads, and to suffer our own to be carried
beyond reach or control However, this hazardous business has been
performed safely -- save in one instance, where a car, (belonging to
another Road,) loaded with horses, broke down a short distance below
Newnan, causing the destruction of six other cars, and the death of
one man and six horses. The track was in good order.
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|
Allusion has been made to the indiscriminate use of each
others' cars by different Roads. As a consequence of this, ours have
been scattered far and wide. Some, it is known, fell into the hands of
the Federals at Huntsville, Ala., and I have heard of others on the
lower end of the Mobile & Ohio Rail Road. These, of course, are
lost to us for the present, but a messenger is now in search of the
missing ones, and I hope soon to recover most of them.
|
|
With regard to our motive power, its condition may be
perceived by the table herewith. The number of our engines has been
reduced since last report by two. They were sold because they were of
a class and build unlike any of the others, and unsuitable for the
work required of them.
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|
The Road bed and track are in admirable condition, except
where roughness of the latter is caused by worn rails. They have been
watched over by Mr. J. C. Guinn, the Supervisor, with unceasing
vigilance. The Road was injured in several places by the heavy rains
of last winter, and especially at Flat Creek. The storm of 17th of
February last, washed away the culvert over that usually insignificant
stream. It was an arch of sixteen feet span, and, in every previous
trial, had proved amply large. The flood also carried away a portion
of embankment about 70 feet long and 27 feet high, causing a
suspension of our freight traffic, for one week. The creek is now
crossed upon a temporary wooden tressle, which will be made to suffice
until circumstances shall admit the erection of a permanent structure.
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|
I bear willing testimony to the good conduct of our
engine men and conductors, who have, by a careful and strict
observance of the rules, and attention to duties under the most
unusual exigencies, enabled many thousand souls to be transported upon
the Road free from accident or damage of any sort.;
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Respectfully submitted by
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George G. Hull
|
|
Superintendent
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