| Annual Report of the New Orleans, Opelousas
& Great Western RR |
| as of January 1, 1862 |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Depot, N. O. O. & G. W. R. R. Co. |
| Algiers, 31st December, 1861 |
|
|
| William G. Hewes, Esq. |
|
President
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|
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|
This, the Tenth Annual Report of the operations of this
Road is respectfully submitted for your consideration.
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In presenting the same, it is no small gratification to
me, to be able to say: that the labors of the officers and employees,
during the past year, have been eminently successful in point of
safety, economy and dispatch.
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|
No material damage to the property of the Company has
been sustained from accidents, nor has the slightest injury occurred
to either passengers or employees.
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The work jupon the track has been fully equal to the wear
and decay, and the whole is at present in fine order.
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|
The engines, passengers and freight cars of all kinds are
also in good order, the repairs, at all times, having been fully equal
to their depreciation from use.
|
| At times, during a portion of
the season, the rolling stock is hardly sufficient for the
transportation of the down freight as fast as it offers, though no
serious delays have yet occurred. |
|
The station buildings and platforms are all in a good
state of preservation, with the exception of the depot at Brashear
City, which requires a new roof.
|
| It was demonstrated in the
last Annual Report, that the wear of rails, was within a fraction of
one per cent. per annum, and therefore six thousand dollars are added
to the cost of maintenance of way for renewal of rails during the past
year, though no new ones have been used. All those which have been
removed have been replaced by cutting and repairing a portion of those
previously taken out and accounted for. |
| It was also shown in the same
report, that the decay and renewal of cross-ties was at the rate of
about seven per cent. per annum, and therefore ten thousand dollars of
the cost during the year is put to maintenance of way. |
| The following expenses have
been incurred during the year, the whole being condensed from the
monthly returns of officers and foremen on file in the office: |
| Expenses of Operating Trains &
Maintenance of Way |
| Passenger Trains, As Follows |
1860 |
1861 |
| Salaries of Agents, Conductors &c. |
$11,181.53 |
$9,942.87 |
| Portion of labor at way stations |
3,313.30 |
3,176.92 |
| Salaries of Engineers and Firemen |
7,614.76 |
5,668.01 |
| Labor, repairing engines |
2,316.21 |
571.05 |
| Materials for same |
927.30 |
220.92 |
| Labor, repairing cars |
3,845.59 |
1,930.25 |
| Materials for same |
2,326.98 |
1,166.54 |
| Sundry expenses in operating trains |
5,267.73 |
10,652.00 |
| Portion of labor, Co.'s shop |
364.31 |
350.08 |
|
$37,157.71 |
$33,678.64 |
| Freight Trains, As Follows |
1860 |
1861 |
| Salaries of Ag'ts & Clerks at Algiers |
$8,201.20 |
$7,178.25 |
| Conductors and Train Hands |
12,592.94 |
8,959.21 |
| Portion of Station Agents' Pay Roll |
29,027.31 |
25,706.42 |
| Salaries of Engineers and Firemen |
17,109.59 |
14,192.66 |
| Labor, repairing engines |
4,406.27 |
3,887.04 |
| Materials for same |
3,004.30 |
1,571.50 |
| Labor, repairing cars |
3,599.38 |
3,646.84 |
| Materials for same |
3,114.80 |
2,743.09 |
| Portion of labor in shop |
1,134.73 |
1,241.05 |
| Sundries expended in operating trains |
12,221.37 |
17,066.16 |
| Salaries of Master Machinist and Clerk |
2,561.00 |
2,700.00 |
| Labor at wood and water stations |
6,134.15 |
5,550.81 |
|
$103,107.10 |
$94,443.03 |
| Ferriage |
1860 |
1861 |
| Pay Rolls of Steamboat |
$7,008.66 |
$6,100.26 |
|
"
" Barges |
31,165.50 |
25,849.67 |
| Cost of fuel for Steamboat |
4,681.51 |
4,862.87 |
| Sundries expended |
1,600.04 |
813.36 |
| Repairs in Co.'s shops |
1,224.41 |
424.14 |
|
$45,680.42 |
$38,050.30 |
| Maintenance of Way |
1860 |
1861 |
| Adjusting track |
$26,026.28 |
$27,829.47 |
| Shaping road bed |
5,887.71 |
3,939.79 |
| Weeding
" " |
8,462.44 |
8,424.51 |
| Inspecting and watching |
3,839.13 |
3,737.40 |
| Sundry repairs |
2,443.15 |
2,584.60 |
| Tools, materials and stores |
3,389.68 |
2,189.08 |
| Repairs of hand cars |
685.29 |
484.73 |
| Road-Master and Switchmen |
3,100.20 |
3,100.20 |
| Bridge Tenders |
2,493.75 |
2,642.42 |
| Renewal of rails |
6,000.00 |
6,000.00 |
|
" "
ties |
10,000.00 |
10,000.00 |
|
$72,327.63 |
$70,932.20 |
| Recapitulation |
1860 |
1861 |
| Passenger trains |
$37,157.71 |
33,678.64 |
| Freight trains |
103,107.10 |
94,443.03 |
| Ferriage |
45,680.42 |
38,050.30 |
| Maintenance of way |
72,327.63 |
70,932.20 |
| Total Operating Expenses and
Maintenance of Way |
$258,272.86 |
$237,104.17 |
|
| During the year 1860
expenditures were made in the Superintendent's Department, in addition
to the foregoing: for Steamboats, Barges, Depots, Buildings, New Cars,
Construction, &c., to the Amount of $215,908.82, making a total of
$474,181.68. This year the outlays in addition to current expenses
(including cost of Telegraph Line,) have been $43,755.41, making a
total of $280,859.58, say $193,322.10 less than previous year. |
| The cost of operating the
Trains and Maintenance of Way has been but $21,168.69 less than that
of 1860. The reduction owing to the improved condition of the road and
its equipment, would have been much greater, but for an increase in
the prices of almost all kinds of material and stores. |
| Sundries Transported |
1860 |
1861 |
| Hogsheads of Sugar |
25,148 |
33,470 |
| Barrels of Sugar |
626 |
647 |
|
" "
Molasses |
45,728 |
78,414 |
| Half "
" " |
4,288 |
7,156 |
| Bales of Cotton |
15,237 |
8,621 |
|
" " Moss and Wool |
3,761 |
1,270 |
| Sacks of Potatoes and Onions |
3,042 |
4,300 |
| Horses and Mules |
361 |
265 |
| Beeves |
14,651 |
25,678 |
| Calves |
16,419 |
18,244 |
| Sheep and Hogs |
1,613 |
4,906 |
| Sacks Oysters |
4,408 |
437 |
| Hides |
12,401 |
6,480 |
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|
| Miles Run by Trains |
1860 |
1861 |
| Passenger |
71,750 |
67,816 |
| Freight |
108,454 |
101,212 |
| Ballasting |
13,040 |
1,493 |
|
193,244 |
170,521 |
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|
|
| Passengers Carried |
1860 |
1861 |
| Local Passengers |
44,679 |
55,043 |
| Through Passengers |
28,783 |
7,600 |
|
73,462 |
62,643 |
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| Inventory and Valuation of Rolling Stock |
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|
| 8 First Class Locomotives, each |
$8,500 |
$68,000 |
| 3 Second
"
"
" |
7,000 |
21,000 |
| 1
Switching
" |
6,500 |
6,500 |
| 8 First Class Passenger Cars " |
2,450 |
19,600 |
| 6 Second
"
"
" " |
1,500 |
9,000 |
| 5
Baggage
" |
1,200 |
6,000 |
| 2
Express
" |
1,000 |
2,000 |
| 95 Freight
Box
" |
800 |
76,000 |
| 76
"
Platform
" |
700 |
53,200 |
| 38
"
Stock
" |
750 |
28,500 |
|
|
$289,600 |
| Gross Earnings |
1860 |
1861 |
| From Local Passengers |
$115,601.69 |
$105,140.96 |
| "
Texas |
54,724.25 |
15,777.60 |
| " Mail
Service |
16,000.00 |
13,712.80 |
| "
Express |
5,471.27 |
5,665.74 |
| "
Outward Local Freight |
90,888.35 |
54,488.46 |
| "
Inward
" " |
125,547.82 |
179,985.33 |
| "
Texas
" " |
73,688.49 |
27,012.77 |
|
$481,921.77 |
$401,783.66 |
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| It will be seen, that the
Gross Earnings are $80,138.21 less than those last year. This arises
solely from the interruption of the Texas Steamers, by the blockade,
that part of our business having fallen off $85,622.37, while the
local earnings have increased $5,484.16. |
| Five thousand, three hundred and twenty-one
troops have been transported at less than our regular rates |
$12,335.75 |
| Twelve hundred and forty, from various causes,
have passed free, whose fare would have amounted to |
4,964.00 |
| Freights at half rates for Government have
amounted to |
468.79 |
| And that carried free, for the Free Market and
other charitable institutions to |
531.83 |
|
$18,300.37 |
|
Note: February 13th, 1862 |
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| 1. The gross earnings for 1861, were |
$401,783.00 |
| The operating expenses (excluding ferriage, but
including maintenance of war |
199,054.00 |
| Nett railroad earnings |
$202,729.00 |
| Or about 50 1/2 per cent. on gross earnings |
|
| The ferriage expenses, amounting to |
38,050.00 |
| reduce the gain to |
$164,679.00 |
| or about 41 per cent. on the gross earnings |
|
| 2. The number of Bonds sold to this
date is 1165, and the floating debt is being rapidly reduced. |
| 3. Contracts are now being made for
completion of the roadbed to Opelousas, within the present
year. |
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