| Annual Report of the Piedmont RR |
| as of January 1, 1864, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Superintendent's Report |
| Superintendent's Office Piedmont Railroad |
| Danville, January 18th, 1864 |
| |
|
Lewis E. Harvie, Esq.
|
|
President
|
| |
|
Dear Sir,
|
|
I received my appointment as Superintendent of Piedmont
Railroad on the 9th September, 1863. At that time the portion of the
track laid on the road was of the five foot gauge, and there was no
transportation over the road except for the supply of materials to the
track-laying forces, and this was done by the trains of the Richmond
& Danville Railroad.
|
|
In the latter part of September the gauge of the road was
changed to 4 ft. 8 1/2 in., and the first Piedmont Railroad train was
put on the road.
|
|
At first that train was employed solely as a material
train to haul iron and sills for tracklayers, but in the month of
October following a passenger car was attached and the passenger
business of the road was commenced. Since then a few passengers have
been carried each way, the number increasing as the track was
extended, and in the latter part of the month of November, having
obtained a few box cars, we were enabled to open the road for freight
transportation.
|
|
During the months of October, November and December,
1863, the earnings of the Transportation Department were as follows:
|
| Earnings of the Road |
| Local Passengers |
|
$3,152.00 |
|
| Connection " |
|
--- |
|
| Inward Local Freight |
|
219.56 |
|
| Outward
" " |
|
637.90 |
|
| Local Intermediate " |
|
25.25 |
|
| Express
" |
|
36.50 |
|
| Inward connection " |
|
449.43 |
|
| Outward
"
" |
|
433.24 |
|
| Intermediate
" " |
|
12.72 |
$4,966.60 |
| Confederate States
Business |
| Passengers |
|
31.35 |
|
| Freight |
|
00.00 |
31.35 |
|
Total |
|
$4,997.95 |
| The expenses of the
Transportation Department for the same time are shown in the
following statement: |
| Total amount of Registered Accounts |
|
|
$57,165.05 |
| Amount due R. & D. R. for wood and other
supplies furnished |
|
|
3,000.00 |
|
|
|
60,165.05 |
| Deduct the Materials on hand |
|
|
27,757.00 |
|
|
|
32,408.05 |
| Of this amount there has been expended for Rolling
Stock and Telegraph Instruments |
|
|
19,566.08 |
| Leaving as chargeable to working of road |
|
|
$12,841.97 |
| The Expenses in detail
are as follows: |
| For Maintenance of
Roadway and Real Estate |
| For Repairs of Road |
|
$1,032.61 |
1,032.61 |
| For Repairs of
Machinery |
| Shop Expenses |
|
54.16 |
|
| Repairs Engines |
|
300.00 |
|
| Repairs of Freight Cars |
|
91.00 |
445.16 |
| For Operating Expenses |
| Oil and Tallow |
|
909.90 |
|
| Cotton Waste |
|
19.30 |
|
| Wood |
|
1,227.90 |
|
| Train Expenses |
|
4,107.55 |
|
| Depot Expenses |
|
1,962.13 |
|
| Office Expenses |
|
637.42 |
8,864.20 |
|
Total |
|
$10,341.97 |
| Add for Supplies furnished by R. & D. R. R., and
not distributed |
|
|
2,500.00 |
|
|
|
12,841.97 |
| For Construction |
| New Freight Cars |
|
17,500.00 |
|
| Laying Track |
|
1,701.08 |
|
| New Engines |
|
50.00 |
|
| New Telegraph Instruments |
|
315.00 |
19,566.08 |
|
|
|
$32,408.05 |
|
|
At least one-half of the amount expended in the working
of the road is properly chargeable to Construction Account, as the
chief object of the only train run on the road was to supply material
to the track-layers. The working of the road for the three months
gives, therefore, the following result:
|
| Receipts |
$4,997.95 |
| Expenses |
6,442.98 |
|
|
The deficiency of receipts, to meet expenses, being $1,445.03.
|
|
This excess of expenses over receipts is partly explained
by the fact that there has been an outlay in fitting out the depots
and supplying tools to the sections, which is very much in excess of
what would have been the expenses of repairs and renewal during the
same period; but it is probable that it is owing principally to too
small an amount of the expenses being charges to construction, and
this would seem to be shown by a comparison of the receipts per mile
run of trains with that of other roads.
|
|
The total mileage of the trains for the three months was
4,423 miles, assuming one-half or 2,212 miles as chargeable to
transportation, the receipts per mile would be only $2.26, that of the
Richmond & Danville being over $4 per mile. The expenses of the
train were 2.92 per mile run or a little more than the average expense
per mile run on the Richmond & Danville Road for the fiscal year
ending Oct. 1st, 1863.
|
|
The trains are running to Reidsville, 24.1 miles, but as
yet only 15 miles of track have been turned over to the Transportation
Department, the remaining portion not being entirely completed.
|
|
Rolling Stock
|
|
There are at present six Engines on the Piedmont
Railroad, as shown in the following Table:
|
| No |
Name |
Name of Makers |
Dimensions of Cylinders |
Diameter of Drivers |
No. of Drivers |
Weight
Tons |
Condition |
| 1 |
Lee |
Denmeade & Sons |
18x24 |
4.0 |
6 |
35 |
In good order |
| 2 |
Atlas |
Lawrence Mach. Shop |
16x20 |
4.6 |
4 |
24 |
In good order |
| 3 |
Pettigrew |
Hinckly & Co. |
15x20 |
4.5 |
4 |
21 |
In shop -- nearly ready |
| 4 |
Black Dwarf |
English Engine |
10 1/2x16 |
3.6 |
4 |
12 |
In shop -- running order |
| 5 |
Amelia |
Anderson & Co. |
12 1/2x20 |
5.0 |
4 |
20 |
In shop -- to be rebuilt |
| 6 |
Roanoke |
Norris & Sons |
11 1/2x22 |
4.0 |
4 |
18 |
Run'g order, but needs rep'rs |
|
|
No. 1 was placed on road September, 1863
|
|
No. 2 was placed on road October, 1863
|
|
Of the above engines, Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 6 were obtained
from the Government, and Nos. 2 and 5 from the Richmond & Danville
Railroad. If these engines were all of a heavy class, they would, I
think, suffice for the business of the road for some time to come;
but, unfortunately, three of them are so light that they will not be
of much service except as shifting and gravel train engines, and we
will require two or three heavy engines in addition to those we
already have.
|
|
There are belonging to the Company
|
| 1 |
First Class Coach |
| 2 |
Second
" " |
| 5 |
Box Cars |
| 20 |
Flat " |
|
|
All of these were supplied by the Richmond & Danville
Railroad Company, except 6 flats obtained from the Government. In the
shops of the Richmond & Danville Railroad there is a good deal of
material for the construction of cars for this road and some cars
nearly completed, and it is hoped that by the time the road is
completed to Greensborough, a sufficient number of cars will have been
obtained to enable the Company to transport all the passengers and
freight that may offer.
|
|
The total expense, for Rolling Stock, thus far has been
as follows:
|
| Paid for Engines "Lee" and "Pettigrew" |
|
$12,000.00 |
| "
" 5 Box Cars |
|
15,000.00 |
| "
" 1 Flat " |
|
2,500.00 |
| "
" Steam gauge for new Engine |
|
50.00 |
|
|
29,550.00 |
| Due the Government for Engine "Black
Dwarf" |
$8,000.00 |
|
| Due the R. & D. R. R. for Engines
"Atlas" and "Amelia" |
35,000.00 |
|
| Due the R. & D. R. R. for 13 flats |
32,500.00 |
|
| Due the R. & D. R. R. for 2 Coaches |
8,000.00 |
83,500.00 |
|
Total |
|
$118,550.00 |
|
|
The engine Roanoke, six flats, and some materials from
the Roanoke Valley Railroad, have been turned over to the Company by
the Government, but as their value has not yet been fixed, I cannot
state how much is due on them.
|
|
In addition to the above amount of $29,550.00 paid for
Engines and Cars, $10,272 has been paid for new wheels and axles to be
used in the construction of new cars.
|
|
I have not deemed it necessary in my report to mention
particularly the condition of the roadway and buildings, as so much of
the former as has been turned over to me, being perfectly new, is in
excellent order, and the buildings not having as yet been entirely
completed, the progress of their construction is reported by the Chief
Engineer.
|
|
Very respectfully,
|
|
Your obedient servant
|
|
Chas. G. Talcott
|
|
Supt.
|
|