| Annual Report of the South Side RR |
| as of October 1, 1861, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Report
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| General Superintendent's Office |
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November 1st, 1861
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T. H. Campbell, Esq.
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President S. S. R. R. Co.
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Sir,
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I submit to you my report of the business and other
operations of the railroad, for the twelve months ending September
30th, 1861.
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The receipts and expenses of transportation were as
follows:
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| Receipts |
| Freight |
$179,012.60 |
| Passengers |
166,511.58 |
| Mail |
12,900.00 |
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$358,424.18 |
| Expenses |
| General management |
$34,546.93 |
| Maintenance of way |
71,671.80 |
| Running expenses |
94,014.17 |
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$200,242.90 |
| The net income was |
$158,181.28 |
| There was also
expended, during the year, on construction account: |
| In finishing wharves at City Point |
$1,673.34 |
| In finishing houses on the road |
510.93 |
| In finishing new carpenters shop |
4,670.67 |
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$6,854.94 |
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A comparison of the gross receipts of transportation with
those of the previous year shows a falling off of $46,989.58.
Comparing the receipts in detail, there was a falling off in the
freight on the City Point branch of $13,133.38m, and of $53,339.11 on
the main road, making a total of $66,472.49, and a falling off in the
mail pay of $3,550, while there was an increase in the passenger
receipts of $23,032.91. All the falling off in the freight receipts
was in the first nine months of the year. In the last three months
this business has increased, and it is at present heavier than it has
been for some years. The increase in the passenger business has also
been in the last three months, and it bids fair to keep pace with the
freight business.
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It is proper to state, that about 40 per cent of our
monthly receipts is from the transportation of troops and army stores.
These we carry at half of our local rates of transportation. If the
war should last twelve months, and our receipts be no greater than
they were for the previous year, the amount we shall contribute to the
government in the shape of transportation, will be upwards of
$150,000. As the other railroads in the Confederacy are doing the
same, the fact is worthy of notice; for while every body knows the
immense importance the railroads are to the government in the rapid
transportation of troops and supplies, very few persons are aware of
the vast amount of money they save it by the reduction of their rates.
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A comparison of the expenses shows a diminution of
$18,830.34. The actual amount expended, according to the Treasurer's
account, was greater than the previous year, but his account includes
the payments for the purchase of the large stock of railroad iron,
sills, wood and other materials still on hand, and of course it must
be reduced by the difference between the value of these and other
stores and those on hand the first of the year.
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We purchased towards the end of the twelve months, 250
tons of new rails, of which we laid 50 tons up to the 30th of
September. The rest we are now laying, having been delayed in
procuring the necessary chairs. We laid during the year 53,947 new
sills. The large quantity of sills and the new iron we are now laying
will materially improve the track.
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In undertaking to repair the Farmville bridge last year,
I found the timber so indifferent, that I had to commence rebuilding
it. I have one span framed and ready to raise, and shall keep a force
on it until the other two spans are rebuilt also. It is greatly to be
regretted, that the bridges on the road were originally constructed of
inferior timber and left exposed to the weather. If they had been
built of good heart yellow pine, and properly protected, they would
have given no trouble for many years. In the condition they are now,
they will be a source of considerable expense to the company until
they are all rebuilt.
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I contemplated reconstructing the wagon bridge at
Lynchburg last year, but owing to the falling off of the local
business, I only made the repairs absolutely needed. The rebuilding of
it cannot be postponed much longer.
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We have finished our new carpenters' shop, but we have
not yet procured any machinery for it. We shall have to begin building
freight cars soon, to keep up our stock of cars, which has depreciated
somewhat in the last twelve months. We have kept our passenger cars in
very good order during the year, having rebuilt two of them and built
a new baggage and post office car.
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Our engines keep in very good order. Out of twenty
engines, we have at present only one undergoing extensive repairs, and
three requiring ordinary repairs. All the rest are running, or in
running order. Their being in such good condition, speaks favorably
for the management of our master machinist, Mr. Bradley, particularly
when it is known that materials for repairs are not only scarce, but
good workmen are also scarce. And it is proper to state also that our
engines, since the war commenced, have had a good deal of severe
service to perform. We have kept all that was necessary, constantly
ready, either waiting fired up, or running night and day in the
service of the government. As soon as we commenced transporting
troops, I found that this was the only way to do this and our other
business properly. By keeping trains always ready for the soldiers, I
was not only enabled to carry them with despatch, but our other trains
also were run with their accustomed regularity.
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In regard to accidents, we had only one person injured
during the year. This was one of the section hands, who fell off a
material train while in motion and was killed. Notwithstanding we
carried a very large number of soldiers, and had to run the trains in
a most irregular manner, yet the business was done without injury to
any one of them. The credit for this and for the promptness with which
the troops were carried, is altogether due to the care and attention
of our Lynchburg agent, Mr. Grigg, in arranging and despatching the
trains, and to the constant vigilance and caution of the conductors
and engineers who manned them.
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The res of the agents and employees have generally
attended to their business faithfully during the year, and the various
operations of the road have been conducted in a satisfactory manner.
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Respectfully submitted,
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H. D. Bird
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Gen. Sup't.
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