| Annual Report of the Richmond & York
River RR |
| as of October 1, 1864, |
| President's Report |
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| President's Report |
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| Office of Richmond & York River
Railroad Co. |
| Richmond, October 1st, 1864 |
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To the Stockholders
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Gentlemen,
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The President and Directors hereby submit, for your consideration the
Tenth Annual Report of the operations of the Company
and the condition of the road, for the fiscal year ending September 30th,
1864.
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The statements of the Treasurer, which are herewith submitted,
show that the gross receipts for that
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$352,625.53 |
| And the disbursements to the sum of |
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321,556.46 |
| Amount of receipts over disbursements |
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$31,069.07 |
| Earnings |
| From transportation of passengers |
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99,548.08 |
| From transportation of freight |
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124,121.19 |
| From miscellaneous sources |
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9,195.53 |
| Received on account of interest and discount |
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531.31 |
| From charter of steamer West Point to C. S. Navy
Department |
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14,600.00 |
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$247,996.11 |
| Disbursements |
| Paid dividend on capital stock |
31,329.97 |
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| Paid interest on 8 per cent debt |
16,480.00 |
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| Paid officers' salaries -- President, Treasurer,
Directors, &c. |
7,535.50 |
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| Paid on account of equipments |
1,557.37 |
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| Paid on account of contingent and miscellaneous
expenses |
170.70 |
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| Paid insurance on cotton |
2,829.57 |
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| Paid interest and discount |
1,247.03 |
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| Paid taxes to treasury Confederate States |
8,221.27 |
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| Paid city taxes to Richmond City |
334.15 |
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| Paid on account of transportation |
104,197.47 |
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| Paid on account of steamer West Point |
8,669.43 |
182,571.76 |
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Nett earnings |
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65,432.65 |
| To which add balance on hand on the 30th
September, 1863 |
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27,667.27 |
| This sum received on account of capital stocks |
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96.45 |
| Received for sales of slave Maurice |
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2,225.00 |
| Received for sale of real estate |
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200.00 |
| Received from miscellaneous sources |
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1,440.70 |
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And you have the sum of
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$97,053.07 |
| Which has been appropriated as follows, to-wit: |
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| Paid for real estate for depot purposes |
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2,458.00 |
| Invested in 4 per cent. C. S. call certificates |
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17,100.00 |
| Invested in purchase of slaves |
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46,105.00 |
| Paid for construction account for grading depot
lot |
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321.00 |
| Balance on hand Sept'r 30th, 1864 |
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31,069.07 |
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$97,053.07 |
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In the last Annual Report it was stated, the rails from
that part of the track lying from one-half mile beyond the White House
to West Point, had been removed by the Confederate States military
authorities, and that the United States forces, when occupying the
White House in June and July, 1863, tore up and removed about four
miles of the iron on that part of the road extending from Bremley's
crossing to the point east of the Pamunkey river from which the
Confederate States military authorities commenced taking the rail,
removed as before mentioned. During the present year General Grant's
forces, while occupying the line of the road, removed the rails from a
point near Dispatch Station to Bremley's Crossing, and the Confederate
States military authorities, during the months of June and July,
removed all the remaining rails, except from about two and a half
miles at the Richmond terminus. We estimated the quantity taken by the
Confederate States at 25 7/10 miles, or 2,106 tons, and that taken by
the United States at 14 1/2 miles, or 1,200 tons, including sidings.
For that taken by the Confederate States it is believed satisfactory
arrangements have been made for its return as soon as the track can be
safely re-laid. The rail of the first four miles taken by the United
States, we have been informed, was carried to Fortress Monroe, and
that of the last ten and a half miles, and possibly the first four
miles also, was used, as we are informed, by General Grant in the
construction of a road from City Point around the city of Petersburg.
If this information be correct, we may look with certainty for its
re-capture and return to this Company, as soon as Gen'l Grant's forces
shall be driven from their present position.
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Since the removal of the rails from the track of our road
we have of course had to discontinue the transportation of passengers
and freight. Only about two and a half miles, which had been left for
military purposes, between the depot and our inner lines of
fortifications, have been used by this company, which was done for the
purpose of grading a portion of our depot lots, and for this purpose
we used only the gravel train consisting of one engine and four or
five cars. All the balance of our rolling stock except the gravel
train, four passenger coaches, and some dozen flats, were sent south
of Petersburg a short time before Gen'l Grant's forces occupied a
point on the line of the Petersburg and Weldon railroad {Petersburg
RR}, and have since been running on the southern roads, mostly
between Wilmington and Weldon, with satisfactory results.
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No detailed report of the condition of the road bed will
be given at this time, because it is deemed unnecessary, as it is now
manifest it cannot be again used during the existing war. It is
thought sufficient to state, generally, that the whole road bed will
require ditching, that the cuts will have to be cleaned out,
embankments filled in, culverts and trestling repaired, depots,
wharves and bridges re-built, and most of the cross-ties will have to
be renewed. The cost of this work, in view of the present condition of
our country, cannot now be estimated, and therefore none is submitted.
It will depend on the cost of material, labor and subsistence at the
time the road shall be under reconstruction.
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It is with deep regret that your Directory have to report
the loss of the steamer West Point, belonging to this Company. On the
afternoon of the 29th of October, 1863, application was made to the
undersigned by the Quartermaster's Department C. S. A. for the use of
the steamer to transport to Chaffin's Bluff a portion of the forces of
the Confederate States. She had then been lying idle for sometime,
with only a watchman and negro man on board, and it being desired that
she should be ready to leave the wharf at an early hour the ensuing
morning, but a short time was allowed in which to obtain the services
of a commander and crew. At length, with the assistance of the
Quartermaster, a captain, fireman and crew were procured, and Capt.
Gifford, late of the steamer Glencove, was placed in charge, with the
crew and firemen above mentioned, taken from one of the gun-boats then
lying in James river, with Mr. Furguson, her engineer, in charge of
the engine. Thus manned, she was ready to leave her wharf at the
appointed hour, before which time it had been raining heavily, and a
very large number of troops rushed on board, and much to my surprise,
in great disorder and confusion, without any one in command to whom to
appeal could be made to restore and preserve order. Under these
circumstances nothing could be done but order the gang boards to be
drawn in and the steamer run out in the stream. This order was taken
to the captain by Mr. John McFarland, master of transportation, but
some delay ensured in executing it, by reason of the continued rush of
soldiers, officers and men, until, it is believed that largely over
one thousand had gotten on board. When the steamer had been gotten in
the stream, and not till then, it was ascertained that Major Henley of
the City Battalion, was the ranking officer on board, and he
immediately assumed command, and in some short time restored
comparatively good order, at least temporarily, and the steamer
proceeded on her trip down the river, to the wharf near Chaffin's
Bluff. When within a few miles of the Bluff, it was reported by Mr.
Furguson, the engineer, that the boat was taking in water very
rapidly, and by the time she had neared the wharf he further reported
that the fires had been extinguished, and she very soon thereafter
sunk, without having gotten fully up to the wharf, the water covering
a small portion of the main deck -- the troops in the meantime being
landed from her forward deck, without any accident whatever.
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Before leaving the wharf at Richmond, it had been
ascertained that the windows both of the forward and after lower
cabins were closed and fastened. When she was raised, they were most
of them found open, and it is believed they were opened by some
portion of the soldiers, who had gone below and engaged in playing
cards. It is reported, that while the steamer was proceeding down the
river a gun was fired from one of these windows, but with what truth I
have not been able to ascertain. From all the circumstances attending
the accident, the undersigned is very confident that the sinking of
the steamer was caused by water taken in at the port holes or windows
in the lower cabin, and that this was occasioned by the disorder of
the troops, preventing the captain keeping her properly trimmed.
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By the courtesy of the Hon'ble James A. Seddon, Secretary
of War, a force of some twenty-five men, some of whom were experienced
wreckers, was detailed from a company of heavy artillery then
stationed at Drewry's Bluff, to aid in raising the steamer, who, with
the assistance of one of the fire engines, procured from the city
council of Richmond, and its commander, Capt. Barnes, and one of the
gun-boats of the C. S. N., under command of Capt. Clarke, succeeded in
raising and placing her safely at her wharf in this city.
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As soon as arrangements could be made, and material
procured, a competent force was placed on board the steamer to repair
the damage occasioned by her sinking, and put her in complete order
for future use, as I expected to charter her to the War Department to
be used in transporting exchanged prisoners. The work was progressing
satisfactorily with the small force which we had at our command, when,
on the morning of the 24th day of February, 1864, she was again found
in a sinking condition, having nearly filled with water to her main or
lower decks, and was taken in tow by a gun-boat and carried out into
the stream near the mouth of the ship-lock of the James River and
Kanawha canal, where she very soon settled down to her main deck.
Immediate application was again made to the Hon'ble Secretary of War
for another detail of men to assist in raising her, -- it being
impossible to obtain a competent force except through the War or Navy
Departments. This request was immediately complied with, and Capt.
John Lewis, an old and experienced wrecker, with some twenty competent
men were detailed for the purpose. Capt. Lewis, with his men, reported
in a few days, and proceeded at once to procure the necessary material
and appliances required for raising the boat. But before the work
could be accomplished, a heavy freshet occurred in James river, the
heaviest for many years, and swept the boat from her then position,
further into and across the stream on a sand bar, where she remained
for two or three days, every precaution being taken in the meantime by
Captain Lewis to secure her from further accident, by the use of all
the chains, cables and ropes that could be obtained, but all proved
unavailing, for the force of the current in the river continuing to
increase, she was turned bottom upwards, and thus became an entire
wreck.
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It now only remained to take her hull to pieces and take
out the engine and other portions of the wreck, for future use or
sale. This Captain Lewis was preparing to do, when he and his men were
transferred from the War to the Navy Department, and ordered to report
at once at Plymouth, N. C. We were thus deprived of the only means at
our command to accomplish the object. It was then thought best to sell
the boat and fixtures as then lying in James river, and a sale was
accordingly ordered and advertised, but, very few bidders appearing,
she was not offered. Another effort was then made to raise the wreck,
and while this was being done, a sale of it was effected to one
Nathaniel S. Carpenter, of North Carolina, and the work of removing
the material at once abandoned. Mr. Carpenter failing to comply with
his contract to pay the amount of purchase money, say $31,000, a suit
has been instituted against him in the circuit court of the city of
Richmond, and it is believed that a sufficiency of his property has
been attached to answer the purposes of the suite.
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The cause of the last sinking of the steamer remained a
profound mystery until the last effort was made to get up the wreck,
when it was discovered that one of the large copper pipes used in
conducting the water from the river to the boiler had been nearly
severed by an axe, or some like sharp instrument, and piece several
inches in length and breadth cut entirely out, thus admitting the
water to the hold of the vessel. This was evidently done by design,
and the work of some one who, from experience, personal knowledge and
opportunity, had been bribed for the occasion.
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The cost of raising the steamer, after she was first
sunk, and damages sustained, amount to the sum of $4,822.75; for which
the Confederate States are justly liable. Application has accordingly
been made to have the claim audited, and it was referred to Major
Morris for a report. He has prepared one, I learn, adverse to the
claim, but upon further proofs, which will be laid before him,
am confident he will report favorably, and that the claim will
ultimately be paid.
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In the present unsettled condition of our country, the
Directors think it imprudent to make any suggestions to the
stockholders, or to ask their instructions touching the future
management of the company's affairs; but promise that they will use
their best exertions to promote its interest, and take such action as
they may deem advisable, and the continually shifting scenes in the
affairs of our government may seem to demand.
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John McFarland, Esq., late the able Superintendent of
Transportation on your road, resigned his position on the 30th day of
March, 1864, and George S. Netherland, Esq., then Assistant
Superintendent on the Virginia Central Railroad, was offered the
position, which he accepted, and has filled with great credit to
himself and satisfaction to the Directory. His statements, which are
herewith submitted, will place before you in detail the condition of
that department, which it is hoped will be satisfactory.
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Annexed you have a list of the agents and employees of
this company, to whom the writer tenders his thanks for the diligent
and satisfactory manner in which they have discharged their respective
duties.
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The increased cost of house rent, provisions, clothing,
and other necessities, have rendered a further very considerable
increase of the salaries of the officers and employees of the company
necessary.
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Respectfully submitted, on behalf of the Board of
Directors.
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Alex. Dudley
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President
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