| Annual Report of the Atlanta & West
Point RR |
| as of July 1, 1865, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Atlanta & West Point Railroad Co |
| Atlanta, Ga., July 14th, 1865 |
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| Hon. Jno. P. King, President |
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Sir,
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| The regular meeting of
Stockholders in July, 1864, having been prevented by the military
operations then going on around Atlanta, this Report will embrace the
operations of your Road for the two years prior to 1st of this month.
The gross income for that period -- |
| From July 1st, 1863, to July 1st, 1865 |
$2,517,793.06 |
| And expenses for same time were |
1,464,175.46 |
| Leaving a balance of |
$1,058,617.60 |
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in Confederate currency.
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I do not call this net profits for reasons which
will appear in this report. The subdivision of the above amounts for
the two years separately, may be seen by reference to tables
annexed, together with exhibits of the present financial condition of
the Company. The present actual condition of the Road, I shall
endeavor briefly to show, alluding to past events which are patent to
all, no more than is absolutely necessary in their connection with the
subject.
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The amounts of expenses paid have been given in gross,
from the fact that the constant depreciation of the Confederate
currency during the past two years, and the consequent changes and
fluctuations in prices of supplies, render any detailed statement of
items valueless for reference or otherwise in the future.
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Prior to the 25th July, 1864, the Road, though laboring
under great difficulties in obtaining even such necessary articles as
fuel, cross-ties, and oil, and interrupted toward the latter part of
the fiscal year by frequent raids, was still worked with some degree
of regularity. The pressure under which it worked, may be inferred
from the amounts of income exhibited for that period in the
accompanying statements -- a pressure which, combined with the
difficulties above referred to, was very destructive to rolling stock
and track.
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When the bombardment of Atlanta commenced, it became
necessary to remove the machinery and cars of the Road to a place of
safety. They were taken to Augusta, except a small remnant, which was
kept running upon the lower end of the Road during the occupation of
Atlanta; more for local convenience, however, than with any
expectation of profit to the Company. That portion which was removed
was kept in motion upon other roads, and the income of the Company
from July until December, 1864, was drawn mainly from the operations
of these fugitive trains. At the time of the evacuation of Charleston,
the Commander of the Confederate forces seized our trains at Augusta,
and used them in moving troops across the Carolinas. By the
destruction of Railroad tracks and bridges in the route of Gen.
Sherman, they were prevented from returning to Augusta, and must still
remain out of reach until the intervening portions of road shall have
been repaired.
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The destruction of the Company's property during the war,
may be estimated as follows:
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| Depots at Atlanta, Fairburn, Palmetto, LaGrange,
West Point, and bridge at West Point, burnt |
$50,000.00 |
| Fifty-five cars destroyed |
44,000.00 |
| One Locomotive, (taken at Atlanta) |
8,500.00 |
| Iron rails destroyed or taken off |
65,000.00 |
| Water Stations burnt |
4,000.00 |
| To repair Passenger, Baggage and Freight cars
left upon road, broken and much injured |
20,000.00 |
|
$192,500.00 |
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These amounts are calculated of course upon a specie
basis.
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To this might be added various items of wear and tear,
which cannot be nearly estimated in money, but which will be
perceptibly felt in future expenditures for refitting and repairing
the Road. The depots at Newnan, Grantville and Hogansville, are still
standing, also the steam wood and water stations near the 46th and
84th mile posts.
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Of our rolling stock, we have left --
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| Locomotive Engines |
15 |
| Passenger Cars |
5 |
| Baggage " |
4 |
| Box Freight " |
69 |
| Open
" " |
6 |
| Stock "
" |
3 |
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Seven of our engines and forty-nine freight cars are cut
off in South Carolina, as explained above. The rest are on the Road,
some disabled and all in bad order, owing to our having been, since
the burning of Atlanta by the Federal troops, without shops or
appliances for repair, except a small smith shop at Grantville utterly
inadequate to our present wants.
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When Gen. Sherman's army crossed our Road on the march
towards Jonesboro, it destroyed the twelve miles of track from 8th
mile post to McLarin's -- burning the cross-ties and bending, twisting
and breaking the iron. Such of these rails as could be used again,
have been straightened and re-laid, but the track is still very rough,
and new iron will be required for this part of the Road as soon as our
means will admit.
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During the last two years of the war, the unwillingness
of the people to receive Confederate money, rendered it impossible to
keep up an adequate supply of cross-ties for the track, so that this
portion of the superstructure is in wretched condition, and will
require a heavy expenditure to put the track in good order. Until this
is done, trains can run only at slow speed and with continued risk of
accident.
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*****
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Respectfully submitted,
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Geo. G. Hull
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Superintendent
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