AR, S&R 2/1/1861 S

Annual Report of the Seaboard & Roanoke RR
as of February 1, 1861,
Superintendent's Report
 
Superintendent's Report
 
General Superintendent's Office
Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad Co.
Portsmouth, Feb. 1861
 
To the President and Directors of the S. & R. Railroad Co.
 
Gentlemen,
   I respectfully submit to you my report of the operations of your road, for the year ending with January 31st, 1861.
The receipts of your road for the year have been as follows:
From Passengers $94,505.17
    "    Freights 152,950.41
    "    U. S. Mail 8,000.00
     Total from Transportation $255,455.58
Dividends, Wharfage, Interest, Rents, &c. 25,426.52
   Making your Gross Revenue $280,882.10
   The operating expenses of the road have been as follows:
Officers salaries $6,708.89
Office expenses 682.29
Depot expenses 25,439.05
Road and Bridge repairs 33,415.49
Train expenses 25,115.55
Repairs of Engines and Cars 14,814.57
Horses 1,125.99
Stock killed 536.75
Merchandise lost 259.92
Taxes 2,756.07
Insurance 550.22
Contingent and travelling expenses 828.60
     Total $112,233.39
Deduct from this amount for more material on hand than on Feb. 1st, 1860 221.09
$112,012.30
Deduct for excess of bills of previous years, paid and charged to the current expenses of this year, beyond those outstanding Feb. 1st, 1861 $7,497.23
Leaving as operating expenses for the year $104,515.07
being a little over 37 per cent of your gross revenue, and 40 per cent of your receipts for transportation.
   It will thus be seen, that the expenditure for the year has been considerably lessened, whilst the receipts from transportation have increased $24,919.11, and from other sources $15,516.89, making a nett result for your operations of 55,314.27 better than for the previous year.
   The actual cost of operating the road is less than is above exhibited, but as there has been no account kept for construction or increase of stock, all such items have been charged directly to the operating expenses.
   Although it will appear, from my report of new construction carried on during the year, that your road and equipment have been gradually improving, there is nevertheless, a constant, but scarcely appreciable depreciation taking place in the rails, and although it will be ill advised to replace these, except when actually needed, an allowance should always be made in view of the cost of their renewal.
   I should judge, that upon your road, with its present traffic, a relay equal to four miles each year would be necessary to preserve it in good condition. The cost of re-rolling rails has been found not to exceed $2,064.55 per mile, inclusive of freight. Ninety-five hundredths of a mile of iron has been laid during the past year. A balance of 3 5/100 miles, at a cost of $6,286.87, should be considered in examining the cost of operating your road.
   It has been my endeavor during the past year, so far as was practicable, to make cash payments for purchases, believing that by so doing, materials would be obtained upon the best terms. At the end of the fiscal year, there is estimated as outstanding only about $473.
   It will be seen by reference to the statement of the Master of Transportation, that there has been a slight increase in travel. This has been in through passengers. In freights the principal increase has been in through up freights and in cotton. There has been an increase of 8432 bales of cotton carried over the road. The most marked falling off has been in flour, naval stores and staves.
   About the 8th day of last June, your steamer, the "Philadelphia," was received by the Potomac Steamboat Company, to whom she had been chartered for ice service, and preparations were at once made to place her upon the proposed line to Seaford. By an arrangement with the Baltimore Steam Packet Company, the "Philadelphia" was transferred to and the line opened by them. Although the business of this line has not been so large as was anticipated for it, its operations have given promise that it will become not only remunerative in itself, but add largely to the business of the road.

Road

   Your road has been maintained in a good condition throughout the year. During the wet winter months, portions of it had become rough and uneven, particularly in the Dismal Swamp, and certain cuttings through pipe-clay soil; but in most of these cases, gravel and sand have been laid under the sills to the depth of about ten inches. This, with good drainage, has afforded an effectual remedy. The purchase of the Meherrin gravel bank, the only one on the line of the road, has already proved of much value. A regular system of gravelling has been introduced, and about three miles of the road bed have been gravelled during the year. It may be safely said, that the first element to successful railway economy, is the maintenance of a good road way, and nowhere is it more directly shown, than in the diminished cost of repairs to machinery and cars.

Track

   The increased wear upon the track is scarcely appreciable. Nearly a mile of new iron has been laid, with a wrought iron chair of a new pattern, purchased with the iron of the Phoenix Iron Company. A curve has been placed, leading from High street to Water street, thus dispensing, to a great extent, with the turn-table at the foot of High street, and effecting a considerable reduction of labor at that point. Three short sidings have been added at the shops, at the 74 mile post and at Weldon. Upwards of 20,000 sills have been laid within the year. This is rather more than the average that will be hereafter needed.

Bridges and Trestle Work

   The bridges and trestle work have undergone constant examination, and wherever decay was noticed, new timber has been substituted.
   At Nottoway the caps and stringers have been entirely renewed. At Meherrin a new bridge has been built, and on the flats the trestle work has been thoroughly over hauled. Eight hundred and twenty-five lineal feet, containing 16000 cubit yards of earth embankment have been added, in lieu of trestle work, at this point. Stone culverts and embankment have replaced the short trestles near the 22d, 35th, 57th, 72d and 74th mile posts. The stone for these culverts was purchased at Port Deposit, Md., and is of excellent quality.
   Three spans of Weldon Bridge have been placed in thorough repair and well covered with new decking. Repairs are at this time progressing with the two remaining spans and with the trestle work. This most important bridge will soon be in a condition to need but little repair for some years.

Depots

   Your depots have needed but little attention. A new car shed, with iron roof, and with ample capacity for the passenger and baggage equipment, has been erected near the shops. A neat cottage is in progress of erection at Weldon Bridge, for the use of the Bridge Tender. A small car house has been built at Weldon, and also a blacksmith and carpenter shop, to supply the wants of the Raleigh & Gaston Rail Road Company, and ourselves at that point, at our joint expense.

Shops

   The shops are as last year, with the exception of the purchase of a new lathe, as recommended by your committee. Its cost was $2,100.

Machinery

   The engines have been maintained in an efficient condition. The alterations of valve motion, &c., to the Wm. Collins, were completed last Spring and have resulted most satisfactorily. She has been running since then with great regularity, and, with the passenger train, has proved the most economical and efficient engine in the Company's service. A small engine, weighing one and a half tons, has been built to be used by the Road Master in examining the Road. I would call your attention to the statement of the Superintendent of Machinery; it will be perceived from it, that 121,306 miles were run by your engines during the year, at an average cost of 2.98 cents per mile run.

Cars

   Since the last report, three box cars and one passenger and baggage car have been built at the Company's shop, and added to the equipment of the road. Two mail and passenger cars, one baggage car, then box cars, and five flats have been rebuilt, and one car, 39 feet long, for the material train, in nearly completed. One baggage car has been broken up. All the cars have been repaired, where repairs were needed, and all are at this time in excellent condition, with the exception of three box cars and eight flats, which require extensive repairs, and in some cases rebuilding. Your equipment is ample to accommodate the present business of the road.

Accidents

   Three losses of life occurred on the road in the past year. A white fireman and a free negro, in the employ of the Company, and a free negro woman were run over through their own carelessness, and killed. An irregular freight train was delayed through the breakage of a crank axle to the engine "Virginia." With this exception, no train has been for a moment delayed by the slightest accident to machinery or cars.

Free Passes

   Applications for free passes are frequent and often annoying. Endeavor has been made to diminish this evil, of which so many road justly complain.
   In conclusion I would add, that with rare exceptions, the duties of the officers and men in your employ, have been performed satisfactorily. I feel especially indebted to the assistance of your Masters of Transportation, Road and Machinery, through whose earnest co-operation I have been enabled to present to you so favorable a report.
John M. Robinson
General Superintendent

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