| Annual Report of the Seaboard & Roanoke
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| as of February 1, 1862, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| General Superintendent's Report
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| General Superintendent's Office |
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Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad Company
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Portsmouth, Feb. 27, 1862
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To the President and Directors of the Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad
Co.
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Gentlemen,
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In submitting to you my Report of the operations of your
Road for the last fiscal year, I regret that I am unable to present
you with a result as satisfactory as that submitted a year ago. Your
receipts have been considerably diminished. This is due to the total
breaking up of through travel and freights by non-communication from
Norfolk and Portsmouth.
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The receipts of the Road for the year have been as
follows:
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| From passengers |
$89,562.41 |
| " freight |
79,408.41 |
| " C. S.
Mails |
6,000.00 |
| Total from Transportation |
$174,970.82 |
| From Rents, Dividends, Interest, &c. |
14,944.54 |
| Making your gross revenue |
$189,915.36 |
| The operating expenses of the road have been |
92,534.59 |
| Leaving a net balance of |
$97,380.77 |
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It will be seen by this report that the expenditures for
the year has been even much less than that of the year previous. This
has been accomplished only by the most rigid economy practices in each
department of the road. For a classification of this expenditure I
refer you to the Treasurer's report. The number of miles run by your
engines during the year has been but little less than that run
heretofore.
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Upon the breaking out of the war between the Confederate
and United States the Seaboard Road, in common with many of the
railways of the South, found itself cut off from the source upon which
it had been heretofore dependent for supplies of almost every
description. This led me to attempt the production of many articles
from our own resources, and in many respects the attempt has succeeded
in a manner which must be most gratifying to you. I have heretofore
used exclusively New Bedford whale oil as a lubricating material. The
negroes employed by the Company have been fed upon bacon cured in
Cincinnati. The Company has now erected a large smoke house, has
killed and cured its own pork, from the refuse of which an oil has
been prepared answering its purposes most admirably, as will be seen
by the report of the Superintendent of Machinery. The bacon has been
prepared at less cost than that which the Company has heretofore
purchased, and the oil is obtained at so low a rate, and answers its
purpose so admirably, that I do not propose hereafter to use any
other. The engine Norfolk is now running upon chilled tires made by
ourselves, those purchased by me having failed to arrive in
consequence of the blockade. Even the soap used by the Company is now
made in its own shops.
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It has been difficult to obtain railroad iron, and none
has been laid during the past year, but it ids expected that in a
short time suitable rolling mills will be established within the
Confederate States, and then it may safely {be}
said that for all essentials our southern roads have within themselves
the elements of a successful existence.
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I have continued in my endeavors to make cash payments
for all purchases, and in examining the statements of your Treasurer
they will exhibit the real financial condition of the Company, as the
outstanding debts due from my department are too small for
consideration.
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The report of the Master of Transportation exhibits most
fully the classification of his department. On the establishment of
the blockade the Company's through business with the cities of the
United States closed, and their business to a great extent became
purely local. But very little cotton has been brought to Portsmouth
since then, and the Company has not encouraged its transportation,
believing that as this is what is most desirable to the United States
it should not be accumulated at any point in quantity. The Company's
mail pay is reduced to a point of actual cost, and in the
transportation of troops or freight for the government the Seaboard
road has not only exerted itself to afford to it the greatest
facilities for transportation, but at the lowest rates both for
passengers and freight.
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Road
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The Superintendent of Road and Bridges has paid great
attention to his department. the road is well ditched and drained, and
the easy motion of the cars in passing over it is evidence of its
excellent condition.
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Track
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No new track has been laid during the
year. The old rails have, wherever it has been necessary, been
supported on new sills. About 15,000 new sills have been placed in the
road within the year.
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Bridges and Trestle
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As is usual these have undergone the most rigid
examination. No important new work has been engaged in. Weldon Bridge,
of which three spans were reported in my last report as having been
thoroughly overhauled, is now completed, and the remaining spans
covered with new decking.
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Depots
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A new stable has been built at Portsmouth, and a smoke
house at Carrsville; with these exceptions nothing has been done
beyond the usual repairs rendered necessary through age and decay.
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Shops
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The condition of the Shops speaks well for the
supervision of the Superintendent of Machinery.
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Machinery
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The alteration of the valve motion to the Wm. Collins
resulted so satisfactorily that I determined to make similar
alterations to the Virginia. Both of these engines are the most
efficient n the Company's service. 112,544 miles were run by your
engines during the past year.
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Cars
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Two House Cars, ninety-nine {should
be "11"} Platform Cars and a Battery have
been built; all other cars have been well maintained, and at this time
but seven cars are out of order, thus showing that this portion of
your rolling stock is in a very efficient condition.
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Accidents
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But one loss of life occurred on the road during the past
year. A Confederate soldier was asleep upon the track at night and was
run over and killed instantly. I was engaged in running the engine at
the time and could not possibly have avoided the accident. Otherwise
there have been no accidents, or even delays, and even hot boxes have
been an exceedingly rare occurrence.
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In conclusion, it is to be hoped that the United States
may soon be brought to perceive the folly of their attempt at
subjugation of the Confederate States, that peace may be restored, and
with it a return of the road to its legitimate business. In such an
event the prospects of the Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad are of the
most promising character, and under the guidance of the officers and
employees, who during the past year have in general worked to my
entire approbation, it cannot but prove a most successful enterprise.
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John M. Robinson
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Gen'l. Supt.
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