| Annual Report of the Savannah, Albany &
Gulf RR |
| as of May 1, 1863, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Report
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| Superintendent's Office |
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Savannah, Albany & Gulf R. R.
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Savannah, April 30th, 1863
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Major John Screven
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Sir,
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I herewith submit to your consideration my Report for the
year ending 30th April, 1863, from which it will be seen that the
gross earnings have been $518,171.12 or 109 1/18 per cent over that of
the year previous.
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| Earnings for the
Year Ending April 30th, 1863 |
| For Freight W., by Freight Trains |
$45,276.14 |
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" Pass. Trains |
17,768.61 |
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| Total Freight West |
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$63,044.75 |
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| " Passage West |
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143,158.33 |
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" and Freight West |
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$206,203.08 |
| For Freight East by Freight Train |
$166,997.52 |
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Pass. " |
15,312.70 |
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| Total Freight East |
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$182,310.22 |
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| For Passage East |
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120,874.76 |
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| For Passage and Freight East |
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303,184.98 |
| For Passage and Freight East and West |
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$509,388.06 |
| For Mails |
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8,733.06 |
| Gross Earnings |
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$518,171.12 |
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The earnings for Passage have been $264,033.09, for Mails
$8,783.06, for Freight $245,354.97, showing a total of $518,171.12
during the year. 80,245 Passengers, exclusive of those furnished with
Transportation by Government, have passed over the Road. The earnings
for Passage have been $65,023.23 for transportation of Troops, and
$199,009.86 for local or regular passengers, showing a total of
$264,033.09, against $160,319.13 for the year previous, an increase of
$103,319.96, or 64 1/3 per cent.
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The Expenditures for operating the Road have been as
follows:
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| Transportation Expenses -- Including the
Wages of Salaried Officers, Clerks at Savannah Depot and Way
Stations. Agents on line of Road, and at Thomasville,
Conductors, Train Hands, Laborers at Savannah Depot and Way
Stations, and subsistence for them |
$42,942.03 |
| Incidental Expenses -- Including
Advertising, Postage, Doctor's Bills, Medicines. Casualties
and all other contingent expenses not enumerated under either
of the other heads |
9,568.03 |
| Repairs of Road -- Including Wages of
Supervisor, Overseers and Negroes, cost of Provisions,
Clothing, Ties, Spikes, Tools, Repairs of Cars, Shanties and
all Materials necessary on repairs of Road |
57,660.77 |
| Repairs of Bridges -- Including Wages of
Supervisors, Bridge Builders and Negroes, cost of Provisions,
Clothing, Tools, Repairs of Cars, Shanties, spikes, lumber and
other material required on Repairs of Bridges |
33,178.39 |
| Maintenance of Cars -- Including wages of
Master Carpenter, employees in Carpenter Shop, cost of oil,
tallow, waste, castings, lumber and all other material
required for maintaining, repairing and building Cars |
35,274.50 |
| Maintenance of Motive Power -- Including
wages of Master Mechanic, Blacksmiths, Machinists, Engineers,
Firemen and Laborers in Machine and Blacksmith shops, Cost of
oils, tallow, waste, packing yarns, castings, fuel, water, and
all material and labor required on repairs of Engines |
66,211.84 |
| Stock Killed |
5,373.60 |
| Freight lost and damaged |
1,547.38 |
| Printing and Stationery |
3,924.54 |
| Total Expenses |
$252,680.56 |
| Total Earnings |
518,171.12 |
| Nett Earnings |
265,490.56 |
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The increase in the receipts for Passage may be
attributed mainly to the large number of Soldiers with their families
and friends passing to and fro over the line. The pro rata for passage
received for Passengers would have been much larger but for the number
of Soldiers passing over the Road at reduced rates.
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The earnings from Freight have been $245,354.97 against
$78,543.99 for the year previous, an increase of $166,810.98 or 212
7/20 per cent.
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The receipts from Freight would have been much greater,
were we provided with Rolling Stock sufficient to move produce as
rapidly as it could have been offered. To perform the service of the
Road with ordinary facility and promptness, our Rolling Stock, both
Locomotive Engines and Cars, should be at least double in amount.
Unfortunately too, our Stock of Cars, consisting principally of
Platform Cars, is not adapted to the transportation of Grain and
other perishable Freights offered to the Road in amounts unexpectedly
large. The consequence has been a constant overcrowding of our Station
Houses and delays which worked the most serious inconvenience, both to
shippers and to the Company. Frequent efforts were made to increase
our Rolling Stock by purchasing additional Locomotive Engines and
Cars, but it was not until December last that we succeeded in
purchasing from the Central Rail Road Co., two Locomotive Engines at a
cost of $13,000.00, and ten Box Cars at a cost of $1200.50 each, with
the aid of which we have removed Grain and other Produce nearly if not
quite as fast as it was offered. The Ware Houses at several of the
Stations and at Thomasville, are filled with Cotton awaiting
transportation, which we unfortunately have not the means of
furnishing at present, our Rolling Stock being regularly and fully
engaged in moving provisions and Government supplies.
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The business of the last season has been one of an
unexpected character. Owing to the unfortunate condition of the
country, an unusually large grain and provision Crop was planted
throughout South West Georgia and Florida, a large portion of which,
if not the entire disposable crop, has been forced to pass over this
Road on account of the ports of Florida being closed. If you will but
consider the disparity in the weight of Grain and Cotton, together
with the inconvenience and labor of transporting the former, you will
readily perceive the disadvantages under which we have labored. Rail
Road Cars are estimated to carry but a given weight with safety, it
matters not whether they are loaded with Grain, Cotton or other
produce. Eight tons, or 16,000 lbs., is considered one full car load,
and is all that a car is expected to carry with safety. Allowing then,
that Grain is cultivated in the place of Cotton, and that one acre of
ordinary good land will produce one half bale or 200 lbs. of cotton,
the same land when planted in corn will produce twelve bushels or 672
lbs. of corn, about 250 lbs fodder and about 300 lbs. of peas, making
1,222 lbs. when planted in grain, against 200 lbs. when planted in
Cotton. The grain weighing six times as much as the Cotton, requires a
great deal more labor and a much larger number of cars to remove it,
with the same dispatch with which Cotton could have been removed.
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The expenditures for the year have been $252,680.56
against $187,400.95, an increase of $65,279.61 or 34 5/6 per cent,
over that of the year pervious. The excessive high price of all
supplies necessary for the successful operation of the Road, many of
which could not be had at any price, together with the increased wages
of operatives, have swelled the expenditures to a much larger figure
than it would have been under ordinary circumstances. It has also been
deemed advisable to lay in a supply of provisions and such other indispensable
articles of subsistence as could be secured. One year's supply of
Shoes, Corn, Bacon, and other provisions have been purchased at
reasonable prices -- also a large quantity of Lard to be manufactured
into oil. It having been found exceedingly difficult to procure oil, I
have deemed it expedient to establish an Oil Press and manufacture
what oil we may require, so far at least, as the necessary material
for so doing can be secured. The want of the necessary tools and
machines for performing and expediting the work necessary for the
construction of Cars, has become a source of serious inconvenience and
has been much felt by this Company. With a view therefore of
increasing the number of our Cars and offering additional facilities
for their construction, a steam Machine Shop, containing Lathes,
Planing Machine, Drill Press, Boring Machine, and a few other tools
very useful in such work, has been purchased at Thomasville for the
sum of $8000, and will be put in operation as soon as the necessary
lumber required for Car building (which is now under contract) can be
secured. Attached to the Machine Shop is a Grist Mill, also in running
order.
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The Rolling Stock is not in as good condition as it was
at my last report, owing to the scarcity of the necessary materials
for repairing and renewing it. Eight Freight Cars, attached to an
irregular train which was thrown from the track in November last, were
destroyed or so badly injured as to render them unfit for repairs. An
old negro man, acting in the capacity of Train Hand, was so seriously
injured as to die from the effects shortly thereafter. The accident
occurred on the trestle over Forrest Pond, about 49 miles west of
Savannah, and was occasioned by the heating of one of the journals
which burnt the track in two -- disarranging the running gear and
throwing the car from the track. There have been several other
accidents of a less serious nature.
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The Rolling Stock of the Road consists of
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| Thirteen Locomotive Engines |
| Eight First Class Passenger Coaches |
| Four Mail or Second Class Cars |
| Three Express Cars |
| Fifty Freight Box Cars |
| Eighty Three Freight Platform Cars |
| Ten Platform Stock Cars |
| Thirty Two Platform Repair Cars |
| Four Crank Cars |
| A total of 194 Cars |
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Three of the First Class Passenger Coaches were built for
Mail, Baggage, and Second Class Cars, and were originally used as
such, until within a few months, when owing to the increased travel
and the want of sufficient accommodation, it was deemed proper to
convert them into regular Passenger Coaches, by removing the Mail and
Baggage apartments and substituting seats in their places. It also
became necessary on account of the large number of Live Stock that was
offered for transportation, to convert several of the Platform Cars
into Stock Cars. We propose increasing the number of Stock Cars still
further preparatory to next fall's business. I am also in hope of
being better prepared to remove the next crop, provided the necessary
iron work and castings for building Cars can be secured. The lumber
for forty Cars have been ordered, and the work will be commenced as
soon as the lumber can be obtained. The shop recently purchased will
be brought into service, and cars built and placed on the Road, as
rapidly as the running gear can be secured. The Engines have been
severely taxed and require over-hauling -- the tires of some are much
worn and need renewing, but this cannot be done at present on account
of the impossibility of procuring new tires. The Engines, however,
with but few exceptions, have performed their trips regularly and
successfully. Nevertheless we cannot with any safety rely upon our
present Rolling Stock to perform the large business that will be
offered so soon as the ports are opened. I would therefore
respectfully recommend, that some steps be taken to procure Locomotive
Engines from abroad, say ten or twelve, to be ready for shipment as
soon as the blockade is raised. For further particulars, relative to
the condition of the Engines and Cars you are referred to tables No. 8
and 9.
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9,205 Bales of Cotton have passed over the Road during
the year. The number would have been much larger but for the causes
above stated, viz: scarcity of Rolling Stock and such as we had being
fully engaged removing provisions and Government produce. For the
fuller detail of the principal articles transported over the Road you
are respectfully referred to Table No. 6.
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The Road bed is in about the same condition as it was at
my last Report. I then proposed and designed as soon as the necessary
Rolling Stock could be spared, to ballast certain portions of the
Track and widen the cuts and embankments -- work which is much needed
-- but owing to the heavy pressure of business I have not been able to
spare the Rolling Stock necessary for the prosecution of the work. The
renewal of ties has been continued, though not to the extent I
anticipated or desired, owning to certain Contractors failing to
deliver their ties according to contract and the difficulty of making
new contracts. 14,96 {transcribed as printed}
Ties have been removed and replace by new ones, The Iron in many
places is showing signs of lamination, and will need renewing ere
long. Portions of the Track on the Western end of the Road is laid
without chairs, and I would recommend that they be procured and placed
in the Track as soon as possible. The Bridges are in far better
condition than they were at my last Report. A large portion of those
on the first Fifty miles West of Savannah have been rebuilt and are in
good condition. Portions of the embankment over the great Ogeechee
Swamp and Rice Fields continue to settle and will no doubt do so for
some time, until it shall have forced its way through the swamp mud
and found a clay or gravel foundation. The settling renders the Track
uneven and unsightly in some places. It is however, closely watched,
is perfectly safe by passing slowly over it, and is filled in whenever
required. Some of the Bridges on the Western end of the Line have
required overhauling and are now in very good order. The entire upper
portion of the Great Ogeechee Trestle except the Draw Bridge has been
rebuilt during the past year. That over the Little Ogeechee was
renewed last year. Preparations are now being made to drive additional
Piles and rebuild the lower portion and Draw Bridges of the two
Ogeechees. During the year, portions of the Trestle Bridges over the
Altamaha Swamp, Back Swamp, and Forest Pond, have been filled in. For
further particulars relative to the work, you are referred to the
Engineer's Report. I propose extending the Lattice over the Altamaha
River, to the first abutment East of the River, about 100 feet. The
contract has been let to Mr. A. Reppard. The Bridge is now framed,
ready to be raised, and will be completed about the middle or latter
part of July.
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Yours, Very Respectfully,
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G. J. Fulton
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General Superintendent
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