| Annual Report of the Macon & Western RR |
| as of December 1, 1862, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Macon & Western Rail Road Company |
| Macon, Ga., December 1st, 1862 |
| |
| Isaac Scott, Esq. |
| |
|
President,
|
| It again becomes my duty to
present to you the following statement of the business of the Company,
for the twelve months ending yesterday, November 30th: |
|
The earnings of your Road for the fiscal year,
terminating yesterday, have been as follows:
|
| For Passengers |
$206,032.70 |
| " Freights |
194,244.07 |
| " Mails |
10,201.75 |
| Total |
410,478.52 |
| And Expenses |
207,041.95 |
| Net Earnings |
$203,436.57 |
| To which add Interest Received |
369.68 |
| Total |
$203,806.25 |
|
|
The business of 1862 as compared with 1861 is:
|
|
Passengers |
|
Freights |
|
Mails |
|
Total |
| 1862 |
$206,032.70 |
|
$194,244.07 |
|
$10,201.75 |
|
$410,478.52 |
|
1861 |
122,238.10 |
|
207,479.20 |
|
10,201.75 |
|
339,919.05 |
| Increase |
$83,794.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
$70,559.47 |
| Decrease |
|
|
$13,245.13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
This increase in the Gross Earnings is due entirely to
Passengers, as is shown in Table 17. The entire number transported
over the Road has been 65,161 against 36,310 last year. Many of these,
however, were soldiers at half rates. The entire increase leaves the
earnings about $6,000.00 in excess of those in 1860.
|
|
The Earnings for November have been swelled by an amount
of $81,400, received from the Government for six months'
Transportation, and the expenses by $14,826.12 expended for
improvements at this point. Deducting these extraordinary expenses,
the percentage is but 44 8/10, which compares favorably with years
past, when the greatly increased prices of labor and material are
considered.
|
|
Motive Power
|
|
Tables 9 and 10 show the number and condition of the
Engines; also, service performed by each and cost of repairs.
|
|
The engine, Victory, built in the repair shops, to
replace the DeKlab, was completed and placed in service in August, and
is considered equal to any machine on the Road, in point of finish and
efficiency.
|
|
The Gov. Crawford was sold in April, to the Macon &
Brunswick R. R., for $3,000.00. The other engines are in as good
condition as the scarcity and even impossibility of obtaining material
for repairs, particularly tyres, will allow.
|
|
Rolling Stock
|
|
The Passenger Cars are in fair condition. One of the
older first class cars has been sold to the Wills Valley R. R., for
$1000 cash, which has been credited to operating expenses. Two new
cars have been framed in the shops, and can be finished this ensuing
year, should the material for upholstering be procured.
|
|
The stock of Freight Cars cannot be accurately
ascertained, as the demands for Government Transportation have
scattered them over the upper Roads, and the number on the Line is
constantly varying -- it is feared many of them have been lost. Their
condition is much inferior to the ordinary standard, and cannot at
present be improved.
|
|
Fifteen Box Cars have been sold to the Navy Department,
for transportation of coal, from the mines, to Savannah, at $500 each,
with the condition that they are to be re-purchased at a relative
value when the necessity for their use ceases.
|
|
Road Repairs
|
|
The unusually wet weather, in the early part of the year,
somewhat injured the condition of the Road-bed and Track, which has,
however, been much improved during the summer, and now is, in every
respect, in good order. The usual renewals of cross-ties and iron have
been made, and the Road-bed well ditched out. A new four-foot brick
culvert has been put in at Barnesville, and the Crawford side track
lengthened to 1,400 feet.
|
|
Repairs Buildings
|
|
The Passenger Car Shed at this place has been completed;
with the requisite side tracks, its capacity is 150x42, sufficient for
six cars; and its cost $3,000. An Iron Foundry 45x34 has also been
built, at an expense of about $1,800, and is nearly ready for use.
This adds much to the convenience of making necessary repairs, and at
the present time may be considered, even, indispensable to keeping the
Road in working order.
|
|
A brick wall, enclosing the Repair Shops, has been built,
the cost of which ($9,000) has been, together with that of some out
buildings, for negro quarters, and storehouses, charged to this head,
as the account "New Shops" was closed in 1856 and the
balance carried to construction.
|
|
Water Stations
|
|
At Crawford's Station a tank house, similar in all
respects to that at Milner, has been built, and a steam engine of
eight horse power placed there. The tank, owing to the difficulty of
obtaining the castings, has not yet been completed, but will be as
soon as the Foundry is put in operation. The amount thus far expended
has been $23,000.00.
|
|
Another Engine has been purchased for Lovejoy's Station,
and charged in the expenses to this heading.
|
|
The amount of fuel on hand is 2293 cords.
|
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Miscellaneous
|
|
As stated, under the head "Repairs Buildings,"
the Repair Shops have been enclosed, and a number of out houses
erected. Among these are three new wooden houses, for quarters,
required for the negroes recently purchased, and a brick Storehouse
for oil, waste, paint, and other combustible materials. An Oil Press,
for manufacturing Lard Oil has been put in operation, and its results
are very satisfactory. A new Screw Cutting Lathe has been added to the
stock of tools, in the machine shop, at a cost of $350.
|
|
The expenses of the coming year must necessarily be
heavily increased. Fuel and cross-ties have already doubled in price,
which will add near $15000 to the expense account. Wages in all
departments have been raised to meet the advance in necessaries of
life, and no reliable estimate can be made. In addition to this the
increased liability to accident, both from the promptness with which
Government requisitions must be met, at the risk of irregularity in
the running of trains, and the inferior condition of the Rolling
Stock, may at any time occasion heavy loss.
|
| General Summary |
| Receipts per mile of Road |
|
$3,991.00 |
| Expenses
"
" |
|
2,010.00 |
| Receipts
" run by Passenger trains |
|
2.18 |
| Expenses
"
"
"
" |
|
1.03 |
| Receipts
"
"
Freight " |
|
2.84 |
| Expenses
"
"
"
" |
|
1.51 |
| Total receipts per mile run |
|
2.44 |
| Total
Expenses
" " |
|
1.23 |
| Percentage of
Receipts |
| For Passengers |
50.2 |
|
| " Freights |
47.3 |
|
| " Mails |
2.5 |
100.0 |
| Percentage of
Expenses |
| Maintenance of Way |
37.5 |
|
|
"
" Rolling Stock and Tools |
21.0 |
|
| Operating Engines and Trains |
30.3 |
|
| Miscellaneous |
11.2 |
100.0 |
|
|
|
|
All of which is respectfully submitted,
|
|
Alfred L. Tyler
|
|
Superintendent
|
|