AR, VC 10/1/1865 S

Annual Report of the Virginia Central RR
as of October 1, 1865,
Superintendent's Report
 
Superintendent's Report
Office of the Virginia Central Railroad Company
Richmond, October 1, 1865
 
E. Fontaine, Esq., President
 
Sir,
   The following report of the operations of this Road for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1865, is respectfully submitted. For obvious reasons, a separate statement of receipts and expenditures is presented for the six months previous to the 1st of April:

From October 1st, 1864, to April 1st, 1865

Earnings

From passengers 1,216,920.77
   "    freight 640,100.31
   "    express 257,110.86
   "    mail service 3,201.48
   "    other sources 1,870.23
 Total earnings 2,119,203.65
Deduct amounts not collected 1,280,078.13
Total receipts $839,125.52

Expenditures

For conducting transportation 703,623.25
  "   repairs of locomotives and cars 488,583.08
  "         "     "  workshops and tools 16,462.14
  "  maintenance of road and buildings 561,433.31
  "  salaries 22,212.89
  "  insurance 2,627.00
1,794,941.67
Deduct premiums, &c. 456,367.50
1,338,574.17
Deficit $499,448.65
   The deficit was supplied from the surplus earnings of former years.
   *****
   The revenue of the Company was much curtailed by the operations of the armies during the first six months of the year, and the failure to collect from the C. S. Q. M. Department the large proportion of earnings reported above, prevented the payment of many debts due by the Company previous to April in Confederate currency. These debts are now being paid in an equivalent of the present currency, and are a severe tax on our limited resources.
   *****
   After the defeat of the forces under Gen. Early at Waynesboro', the U. S. army destroyed the bridges from Staunton to Keswick -- a distance of 46 miles -- burned the station houses except those in Charlottesville, and damaged the track to some extent on that part of the road. A few cars were also burned. Again, on the march to join the army operating against this city, the army destroyed all the station houses east of Trevilian's, which had hitherto escaped, except the depot at Frederick's Hall and the passenger house at Louisa C. H., which was considerably injured. The bridge over Little river was burned, and that over Southanna destroyed for the fifth time.
   As soon as this army left the line of the road, the repairs were commenced; and on the 1st of April about three miles of track had been repaired, and the trains had passed over the Southanna bridge. The work was then suspended.
   *****

Machinery

   The locomotives are generally in good order. Two belonging to the Company are on the Piedmont railroad, where they were sent in obedience to military authority in June, 1864, but it is expected that they will soon be returned. One locomotive (the E. Fontaine) exploded at Wickham's crossing in November, 1864, and is totally ruined. *****

Cars

   A number of the box and platform cars were destroyed during the military operations of the past year, and twenty box cars are on the Piedmont road. *****

Casualties

   By the explosion of locomotive "E. Fontaine," at Wickham's crossing, November 30, 1864, James Ramsey, engineer, was instantly killed. No other person was injured.
   Mr. Patrick Hunt, while walking on the track in the city of Richmond, was overtaken by the accommodation train, descending to the station without the locomotive (which had just been detached), knocked down, and had his foot so seriously injured that amputation was thought necessary.
   These are the only accidents to persons which I remember during the year.
   *****
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
H. D. Whitcomb
Chief Eng'r and Gen. Sup't of Transportation

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