| Annual Report of the New Orleans, Opelousas
& Great Western RR |
| as of January 1, 1863 |
| President's Report |
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| Eleventh Annual Report of the New Orleans,
Opelousas & Great Western Railroad Company |
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Gentlemen,
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| In accordance with the
requirements of the Charter of the Company, the President and
Directors respectfully submit this, the Eleventh Annual Report for
your consideration. |
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Before proceeding with the details of business, it is
thought proper to state that in August last our worthy and esteemed
President William G. Hewes, was removed from among us by death, and
the duties so ably performed by him have necessarily devolved upon
others.
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In making the announcement the Board fell that no eulogy
of theirs can adequately portray his many shining qualities as a man,
or enhance the general high esteem in which his memory will be held by
all who knew him.
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His persevering assiduity in his services to this Company
was well known and appreciated, both by the Stockholders and the
public for over seven years, while he was sacrificing his health and
his personal interest in shaping its destinies to the most hopeful
condition of success.
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At the date of the last Annual Report the affairs of the
Corporation were probably in a better condition than at any previous
time since its organization.
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The eighty miles of finished Road between Algiers and
Berwick Bay was in excellent order and thoroughly equipped with all
the appurtenances required in the operation of a first class Road,
while the earnings, notwithstanding the entire loss of the Texas
business the year previous, were sufficient to maintain it in good
condition and leave a surplus to be used in extending the line.
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The resources of the Company exclusive of the profits
arising from the operations of the Road, were its Bonds, (for which
there was a ready sale,) the balance due and unpaid on Stock
subscriptions which were in course of collection, seven hundred
thousand acres of land, (for which there were numerous application,)
and the anticipated availability of a large portion of the State
subscription, through legislative action. The earnings of the finished
portion of the Road, for the first four months of the year, indicated
no material change in the local business.
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Thirteen hundred and sixty three of the Company Bonds
were sold in all, up to the first of March, when the proceeds
remaining on hand being deemed sufficient to meet the then maturing
obligations, and engagements on contracts for grading, timber &c.,
and there being no immediate prospect of receiving a further supply of
rails, the disposal of them was discontinued leaving six hundred and
thirty seven still on hand.
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| Owing to the excited condition
of public affairs but three hundred and fifty dollars of the balances
due on subscriptions have been collected during the year, and
notwithstanding the numerous applications for land, no sales have been
made. |
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The Capital Stock of the Company being fixed by its
charter, at Six million Dollars, and the subscription of the State
being one fifth the amount, Twelve hundred thousand, payable in
proportion of one fourth the actual receipts from other subscribers,
Six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, in Bonds, have been received
by the Company from the State, leaving a balance still unpaid of Five
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
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By an Act of the Legislature in January last, the
Governor is authorized, whenever proper evidence shall have been
furnished him that five or more consecutive miles of the Roadway have
been graded, upon which no iron shall have been laid, to cause Bonds
to be issued to the Company, to an amount not exceeding Six thousand
dollars per mile, provided the Bonds so issued shall not exceed the
subscription of the State to the Stock of the Company.
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The grading between Berwick Bay and Vermillion being
nearly completed, contracts were entered into early in the year, with
Messrs. Mouton & McGinty, for that between Vermillon and
Opelousas. Considerable progress has been made in the work, and by
reference to the Report of the Chief Engineer, herewith submitted, it
will be seen that the Company have at the present time about eighty
miles of continuous grading completed, which, under the provisions of
the Act will entitle them to Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars,
and still leave Seventy thousand dollars of the State Subscription
unpaid.
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The Statement of the Treasurer gives the total receipts
and expenditures of the Company, from its organization to the 31st
December 1862. The amount of Bills Payable at that date is stated to
have been $193,053.05, which is $360,127.02 less than that of 31st
December 1861, and it is believed the whole of the floating debt might
easily have been extinguished, during the past year, but for the
constant derangement and depreciation of the currency of the country.
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The renewal of the maturing obligations of the Company
has thus far been accomplished at fair and reasonable rates, and the
interest on the Company Bonds, so far as called for, has been paid.
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During the early part of the year the working of the
finished portion of the Road was conducted with its usual regularity.
The Track, Rolling Stock, Depot Buildings, and other appurtenances,
were in the best possible condition.
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The Steamboat Ceres, then in use as a ferry boat, between
the City and Algiers, was docked and put in a thorough state of
repair, and the three Barges recently built by the Company for the
transportation of freight across the River were in perfect order, the
regular business of the Company being continued without any material
change until the 25th of April.
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At this time, as the Federal fleet was approaching the
City, two of the Company’ barges, one in use by the Confederate
Authorities, and the other at the Company’s City landing, were set
on fire by the populace and totally destroyed.
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No freight offering either way, the freight trains were
at once suspended, the passenger trains continuing until the first of
May, when a regiment of United States troops were quartered in the
Algiers Depot, and the Road and its equipments together with the
Steamboat Ceres, and the remaining Barge, were taken formal possession
of by the Commanding Officer.
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On the 3d of May an Order, No. 20, was issued by the
Commanding General requiring the President, Directors and Company to
run the cars over their Road for the purpose of bringing supplies of
food for the City. Every thing however remained in the hands of the
troops, was in use by them and under their entire control until the
eighth, the Commanding Officer at Algiers not having received official
instructions in regard to the matter.
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On the eighth all the property of the Company in charge
of the troops was delivered up, except the Algiers Depot, which was
occupied as quarters for their men, the Steamboat Ceres which was in
use as a Government Transport, and the barge then lying at the Algiers
landing.
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The engineers and other employees of the Company having
refused service while the Road was under the control of the troops,
their places were filled by the Officer in Command by appointing
others, who proved either incompetent or careless, and on the
restoration of the property, it was found that seven of the Locomotive
Engines, were much damaged.
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Freight trains, with passenger cars attached, were run
regularly over the Road from the time the Company took possession,
under the Order of General Butler, until the 26th of May,
when a Company, the Saint Martinsville Rangers, in the service of the
State of Louisiana, and acting under orders of the General Commanding
the Ninth Brigade of Louisiana Militia came to the Bayou Boeuf
Crossing, took possession of the down train, came down to Jefferson
Station, took up a portion of the track and returned to Berwick Bay,
taking with them the rails, and picking up on their way all the
Rolling Stock between that point and Brashear City, together with most
of the freight at the Way Stations and that in transit by the trains,
and burning the draw of the Des Allemands bridge, the permanent bridge
over the Lafourche, and apportion of that over the Boeuf.
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The Rolling Stock at this time, on the west end of the
Road, was three Locomotive Engines and about half the whole number of
passenger and freight cars.
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On the 31st of May the Des Allemand was
crosses by means of a temporary work, and the trains were run
occasionally to Lafourche Crossing until the seventeenth, when they
were discontinued beyond Des Allemand, to which place they were run,
until the 1st of July.
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The western portion of the Road, at times, is said to
have been under the control of the Authorities of the State as far
this way as Des Allemand, from the time of the destruction of the
bridges in May until the latter part of October, during which time
temporary works were constructed over the streams and the trains put
in operation.
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Since the 1st of July, the end of the Road
next the City, together with the equipments and various other kinds of
property belonging to the Company, has been entirely in possession of
the Military Authorities of the United State.
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The Steamboat Ceres, while in use by them as a transport
on the Lake between New Orleans and Ship Island, was blown up and
totally destroyed in October last, and they now have the possession
and use of the barge.
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In the early part of November a Military expedition of
the United States forces started out upon the Road and opened
communications with Berwicks Bay, the Confederates in their retreat
destroying all the Company’s buildings at Boutte, Des Allemand,
Lafourche and Terrebonne Stations, and also completing the destruction
of the bridges over the Des Allemand, Lafourche and Boeuf. At
Brashear, six passenger, two Baggage, thirty four Box, two Stock, and
thirty Platform cars, together with about three thousand feet of
track, were totally destroyed and Two Locomotive Engines more or less
damaged.
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During the summer portions of the side tracks at Brashear
and other places were removed and used, together with a quantity of
timber at Berwick City, in fitting up Gun Boats, by the Confederate
Authorities.
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Evidence of the facts of the appropriation, damage and destruction
of the Company’s property under the orders of the Confederate and
State Officers, and the circumstances attending the same (not
including the barges,) has been obtained and is on file in the Office,
showing an aggregate of $208,775.00.
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Efforts are also being made to obtain compensation from
the United States, for the steamboat Ceres, the Barge, and the use of
the Road and equipments.
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The Road, under Military Authorities of the United States
is said to have been in operation, between Algiers and Berwick’s
Bay, since the 12th of November, temporary bridges having
been constructed by those in charge. The track is also said to be in
fine order and well maintained.
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They have a large force in the Company’s shops, and
from appearances, are putting what Rolling Stock there is left, in
good order.
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A.
B. Seger, Vice President
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President Pro Tem & Superintendent
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New Orleans, 26th, January, 1863
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