AR, V&T 7/1/1863 S
Annual Report of the Virginia & Tennessee RR
as of July 1, 1863,
Superintendent's Report
 
General Superintendent's Report
General Superintendent's Office, Virginia & Tennessee Railroad
Lynchburg, July 1st, 1863
 
Robert L. Owens, Esq.
Pres. Va. & Tenn. Railroad Co.
 
Dear Sir,
   I respectfully submit the following report of the operations of this road for the past fiscal year ending June 30th, 1863:
Earnings
From transportation of passengers   $944,494.58
From transportation of freight   719,557.76
From transportation of express freight   86,282.97
From transportation of mails   30,737.50
From transportation of extra baggage 618.25
From rents of houses, fruit stands, &c.   1,870.78
From hire of engines and cars 865.20
From dividend on telegraph stock   144.00
  $1,784,571.04
Less freight refunded $1,744.33  
Less passenger fare refunded 303.49
Less deduction from mail pay 489.29 2,537.11
Total earnings $1,782,033.93
Operating Expenses
Repairs of road $164,692.82
Repairs of bridges 15,071.70
Repairs of masonry 7,733.93
Repairs of section buildings 1,495.12
Repairs of depots and eater stations 4,908.35
Repairs of engine and car-houses 400.01
Repairs of machine shops 304.28
Repairs of tools and machinery 1,444.22
Repairs of engines 57,081.43
Repairs of freight and cattle cars 28,830.56
Repairs of open cars 2,376.81
Repairs of service cars 3,355.97
Repairs of passenger cars 16,995.47
Repairs of mail and baggage cars 4,344.60
Passenger train expenses 39,748.26
Freight train expenses 57,660.25
Oil, grease and tallow 41,379.97
Cotton waste 939.66
Wood for fuel 134,280.48
Depot expenses 74,150.29
Office expenses 1,524.06
Miscellaneous expenses 940.89
Telegraph expenses 937.17
Salaries 13,551.66
Stationery and printing 4,293.30
Taxes 39,314.35
Insurance 2,811.90
Injuries to persons 145.00
Injuries to property 1,240.75
Advertising account 533.00
Total operating expenses   722,486.26
Leaving a net balance of earnings of $1,059,547.67
Being 59 46/100 per cent. of the gross earnings of the road for the year. The operating expenses amount to 40 54/100 per cent. of the gross earnings.
   The average earnings per mile run by passenger, troop and freight trains combined, amount to $5.46, and the earnings per mile of road are $8,346.13, being an increase over the preceding year of $2.68 per mile run by trains, and of $3,422.40 cents per mile of road.
The increase from passengers is $367,572.17
The increase from freight is 314,213.60
The increase from express is 52,485.68
The increase from rents is 977.81
The increase from rent of cars and engines 865.20
Gross increase $736,114.46
From which deduct decrease in mail pay   6,267.42
Leaves the actual net increase of $729,847.04
Being an increase of 69 43/100 per cent. on the earnings of the previous fiscal year.
   The earnings were derived from the following sources:
From troops transported for the Confederate States $429,033.94
From troops transported for State of Virginia 4,768.73
From other passengers 511,006.67
Total passengers 944,809.34
From freight transported for the Confederate States $247,537.24
From freight transported for State of Virginia 6,846.74
From freight other than government 463,429.45
Total freight 717,813.43
From express freight 86,282.97
From Confederate States mail 30,248.21
From rents of fruit stands and houses 1,870.78
From rent of cars and engines 865.20
Dividend on telegraph stock 144.00
Total earnings $1,782,033.93
   The increase of expenses over the preceding year is $260,056.45 or 36 per cent. For details, see table.
One new locomotive was purchased during the year from the Confederate Government at a cost of $25,194.00
There was paid for the purchase of teams for hauling wood 6,921.24
$32,115.24
   Which is not included in the operating expenses. The teams were bought last fall and would now sell for more than double the amount paid for them at the time they were purchased.
Tonnage
The number of tons of freight transported westward amount to 80,587
The number of tons of freight transported eastward amount to 54,343
Total tonnage 134,921
Being an increase over the preceding year of 67,582 tons.
   The total movement of freight, or number of tons transported one mile was 9,378,888, which is 1,115, 467 more than last year.
   The earnings per mile run by freight trains was $4.37.
   The average amount received per ton of freight transported was $5.32.
   The average daily movement, counting 312 working days for the year, was 436 tons. Average number of car loads daily 53. Total number of car loads, 16,536. The heaviest business was during the months of May and June -- the average daily movement during these two months was 652 tons or 81 car loads. The number of tons of freight per mile of road moved was 632.
   The increase of the different classes of products transported were as follows:
Products of the Forest -- tons 49,174
             "          Manufactures -- tons 18,923
             "          Agriculture -- tons 680
Vegetables -- tons 3,738
Miscellaneous -- tons 6,290
Total increase 78,805
   The following classes have decreased:
Products of Mines -- tons 1,886
          "       Minerals -- tons 4,790
          "       Merchandise -- tons 4,547
Total decrease 11,223
Net increase 67,582
   It will be observed that the largest increase is in products of the Forest, which is owing to the great amount of wood transported for the manufacture of salt. The next greatest increase is in Manufactures, among which salt is classed.
   The tonnage statements do not include the materials, lumber, wood, supplies, &c., hauled for the use of the Company and for repairs of road, bridges, &c., &c., which, for the year, may be estimated at 45,000 tons, nearly all the wood consumed by the engines had to be hauled from ten to eighty miles.
   The weight of passengers and troops transported amounted to 26,000 tons, making the total movement, exclusive of the weight of trains, 205,921 tons.
Passengers
The total number of passengers transported was 311,974
For the preceding year 197,106
Increase for the year 114,868
The number of passengers transported one mile was 27,662,857
For the preceding year 25,253,789
Increase for the year 2,409,068
The number of troops transported on Government account was, for the Confederate States 126,957
For the State of Virginia 3,829
130,786
For the preceding year 103,737
Increase for the year 27,049
The number of other passengers transported was 181,188
For the preceding year 93,369
Increase for the year 87,819
The amount of earnings from passengers, other than those transported on Government account, was $511,006.67
For the previous year 263,995.04
Increase for the year $247,011.63
The earnings from troops transported on Government account was $433,802.67
For the preceding year 313,242.13
Increase for the year 120,560.54
The number of troops carried one mile on Government account was 16,918,624
For the preceding year 15,662,102
Increase for the year 1,256,522
The number of passengers carried eastward, including troops, was 143,880
The number of passengers carried westward, including troops, was 168,004
The total number of passengers and troops carried both ways 311,974
   The average earnings, per mile run by passenger and troop trains for the year was, $6.54.
Salt Works Branch
   The business of the Salt Works Branch is included in the foregoing statements, and is as follows:
Months Wood Cords Miscellaneous tons Salt tons Salt Water tons Total tons
1862  July --- 778 880 --- 1,658
         August 522 770 1,076 96 2,855
         September 830 802 1,826 216 4,080
         October 1,877 691 2,228 196 6,368
         November 2,250 1,247 2,297 576 8,058
         December 1,723 637 2,050 272 5,974
1863  January 3,310 402 1,644 312 7,651
         February 1,975 342 1,417 --- 5,165
         March 2,020 379 1,226 480 6,125
         April 3,016 733 1,717 392 8,904
         May 4,151 693 2,464 376 11,835
         June 4,459 882 4,322 72 14,194
Totals 26,133 8,356 23,177 2,988 82,867
The freight collected on the above due to the Salt Works Branch was $104,956.74
For the Main Stem 191,128.23
Total freight on Main Stem and Branch $296,084.97
Being an increase over the amount due for transportation over the Branch Road for the preceding year of $94,237.58, and an increase of the portion due the Main Stem of $173,173.21, making the total increase from freight, incident to the Branch Road $267,410.79 over the previous year. The increase in tonnage passing over the Branch Road for the year was 72,277 tons. The number of tons of Salt transported, as will be seen by the table, was 23,177 tons or 927,080 bushels, of this quantity, 15,176 or 607,040 bushels were transported eastwardly, and 8,001 tons or 320,040 bushels were transported westwardly. The heavies transportation of Salt was during the months of May and June, and was in consequence of the amount of freight for the Confederate Government from the West being very much diminished by the destruction of the bridges on the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad, thus preventing it from coming forward. Every exertion was used to transport the greatest amount of salt possible, but the large demand for the transportation of supplies for the army, and the movement of troops by the Confederate Government taxed our means of transportation beyond its capacity.
Comparative Statement of the Business of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad for the fiscal years ending 1861, 1862 and 1863.
1861 1862 1863
Number of troops transported 34,000 103,737 130,786
Total number of passengers transported 124,789 197,106 311,974
Freight transported -- in tons 69,590 67,333 134,921
Earnings per mile run by freight, passenger and troop trains combined  $ 2.04 2.78 5.46
Earnings per mile run by passenger and troop trains  $ 1.82 3.08 6.54
Earnings per mile run by freight trains  $ 1.96 1.82 4.37
Earnings per mile of road  $ 3,690.16 4,923.73 8,346.13
Miles run by passenger and troop trains 215,268 156,081 162,106
Miles run by freight trains 145,080 220,987 164,124
Miles run by other trains, engines, switching cars &c. 44,694 32,075 50,257
Miles run by all engines 435,042 409,743 376,487
Earnings from passengers  $ 446,979.95 577,206.67 943,191.09
Earnings from express  $ 16,032.03 33,797.29 86,282.97
Earnings from transportation of mail  $ 49,786.49 35,934.55 30,248.21
Earnings from freight  $ 284,592.48 193,385.14 717,813.43
Other sources  $ 19,537.65 892.97 3,498.23
Total earnings  $ 798,928.60 1,051,216.62 1,782,033.93
Operating expenses  $ 399,414.66 462,429.81 722,486.26
Net earnings  $ 399,513.94 588,786.81 1,059,547.67
Roadway
   The condition of the road-bed and track has been improved to a considerable extent during the year, although great difficulty has been experienced in getting the necessary materials and labor; by the judicious use of what we have obtained, we have been enabled to keep up the road under heavy business and to make some improvement.
Cross-Ties
   During the year 40,479 cross-ties have been put into the track, and there is now on hand 5,101. We have bound it impossible, notwithstanding every exertion has been used, to get the number of cross-ties desired during the year; the most judicious use has been made of those obtained, however.
Sidings
   Additional side tracks have been put in at Blue Ridge Station, at 95 mile post; Glade Spring; Emory and Henry College, and on the Salt Works Branch, equal to about one mile of additional track.
Turn Tables
   New turn tables have been put in at Glade Spring and Saltville, which were important to facilitate the operation on the Salt Works Branch.
Bridges
   The bridges have been kept in good repair, a considerable quantity of bridge timber has been got out of the woods by the force employed in repairs of bridges; it was found impossible to procure it by contract, consequently we were compelled to purchase the timber in the woods and cut and get it to the road with our own hands.
Wood and Water Stations
   Some additions have been made to our water stations, a new one, self-supplying, has been put up near 193 mile post; also, a new one, the pumps worked by water wheel, on the Salt Works Branch; a new tank has been put up at the summit on the Salt Works Branch, and an additional tank has been put up at Atkins, and a water wheel has been put to work the pumps at the tank 6 miles east of Bristol; the supply of logs, where necessary, at the different stations, have been renewed.
Buildings
   The depot buildings have been kept in as good repair as possible, in connection with the difficulties incident to a state of war; a new passenger house and ticket office is nearly completed at Glade Spring; a platform for the accommodation of passengers, 400 feet long, has been put at the same place.
   The cost of maintenance of way was as follows:
For repairs of road-bed and track, including watchmen at tunnels and bridges, wages paid all mechanics and laborers, including negro hire, cross-ties, chairs, spikes, castings, tools, &c. $164,692.82
Repairs of bridges 15,071.70
Repairs of masonry 7,733.95
Total for road and building $187,498.47
Repairs of Buildings
Depots and water stations $4,908.35
Engine and car-houses 400.00
Section-houses 1,495.12
Machine shops 304.28 7,107.75
For repairs of service and hand cars used in repairs 3,355.97
Total maintenance of way $197,962.19
Being 52 50/100 cents per mile run by all engines.
   The repairs of road and bridges, buildings, water stations, &c., are under the charge of Mr. T. V. Strange, principal road master, assisted by Mr. W. J. Sowers, on the Eastern division, extending from Central Depot to Lynchburg, and Mr. A. Wayland, on the Western division, extending from Central Depot to Bristol, including the Salt Works Branch.
Locomotive Engines
   The Company's list of locomotives comprises 40 engines, of this number, however, 9 are laid aside as useless, either from being worn out or in consequence of defective construction originally, which leaves actually only 31; of this number, 7 are of a small size and only suitable for hauling material and ditching trains, switching cars, &c., leaving 24 for the passenger and freight business of the road. From the difficulty of procuring the requisite mechanics and materials for repairs, and the severe duty required of the engines, together with accidents, the average number of engines, including those used on material and wood trains, switching, &c., that have been kept in running order during the year, has been from 20 to 22; the total number of miles run by all engines was 376,487; the cost of repairs to engines was $57,081.43, or an average of 15 20/100 cents per mile run. The machine shops are under the charge of Mr. R. H. Anderson. For particulars in regard to condition, performance, &c., I refer you to tables, No. 6, 7 and 8.
Cars
   The Company have 19 first class, and 10 second class passenger cars, and 14 mail and baggage cars, and            freight and stock cars, and             platform cars,           caboose cars, and the necessary supply of dirt, pole and crank cars, on the road.
   The mileage of passenger cars amounted to 810,407 miles, and mail and baggage cars 296,824 miles, making the total mileage of passenger and baggage cars 1,107,231.
   The repairs of passenger, mail and baggage cars amounted to $21,340.07 or 1 92/100 cents per mile run by cars, or 14 24/100 cents per mile run by trains.
The mileage of box freight, was, with troops 128,607
Was, with freight 1,546,362 1,674,969
Mileage of open cars with freight 100,390
Total mileage of box and open cars 1,775,359
Cost of repairs, $31,207.37 or 1 76/100 cents per mile run by cars, or 14 62/100 cents per mile run by trains.
   The repairs of service cars, crank, pole and hand cars, used on repairs of road amounted to $3,355.97. The repairs of cars are under the direction of Mr. Joseph W. Berry, Master of Car repairs.
Accidents, &c.
   When the large amount of transportation done, and the difficulty of keeping the road and machinery in order is taken into consideration, the operations have been conducted with remarkable exemption from accident; such as have occurred have been of a character unavoidably incident to the movement of so large a business, and have not been of the class that could have been prevented by foresight, or caused by carelessness; in only two instances have passengers been injured, and in both cases, had they been inside the cars, where they should have been, no personal injury would have occurred.
Accidents to Persons
   August 10th, 1862 -- The engine of mail train going west ran off the track near Forest Depot, by which the passenger cars were forced together crushing the platforms. Three soldiers who were on the platforms at the time were injured, viz: James Lambert, of Richmond, a member of the Caskie Rangers, who died a short time after being brought back to Lynchburg; Thos. J. Spradlin and G. A. Vanenger of Bedford county. Mr. Spradlin had one of his legs severed from his body, and I believe afterwards died. Mr. Vanenger, it was thought at the time would recover; they were taken to the hospital in Lynchburg, and I have never learned whether they survived their injuries or not.
   August 19th, 1862 -- A small boy by the name of John Seay, was ran over in Lynchburg by the Switching Engine, and had both thighs broken, no blame could be attached to the man in charge of the engine, as the boy was hanging on to the back part of the tender without his knowledge, and fell or jumped off, and the engine moving backward at the time, passed over him before he could be seen.
   December 2d, 1862 -- Two passenger cars ran off the track between Mount Airy and Wythville, in mail train, coming East and a colored brakeman by the name of James Finney, had his leg broken, of which injury he died.
   March 20th, 1863 -- A colored brakeman, by the name of Emanuel, the property of E. B. Wallace, fell from the top of a freight train between Wythville and Mount Airy, and had his foot mashed, -- he died of the injury.
   April 10th, 1863 -- Troop train, Oglesby conductor, ran off the track, one mile west of Goode's Crossing, the following named exchanged prisoners were injured, they were all on top of the cars, and there is every reason to believe none of them would have been injured if they had been inside of the cars: J. Woelper, co. C, 13th La., injury of the hip; W. Lorremore, co. G, 10th S. C., contused wound of the leg; F. W. Roberts, 55th Tenn. cavalry, contused wound of the leg; C. Easters, co. I, 3d Confederate Regiment, wound of arm; T. B. Barlow, co. F, 4th Ky., contused wound of ribs; S. Maberry, co. C, 4th Ky, contused wound of ribs; J. A. Williams, co. A, 41st Ala., fractured arm; W. Gilliam, co. K, 31st Tenn., fractured rib; J. Forsyth, co. C, 9th Tenn., contused wound of head; H. P. Gray, co. A, 31st Ala., fractured wound of rib; J. C. Bruce, co. B, 1st Tenn., fractured skull and thigh, died a short time after being admitted in hospital.
   April 13th 1863 -- Troop train, Cline, engineer, Haymaker, conductor, ran into yhe rear end of troop train, Hoffman, conductor, while standing at Dublin, the jar occasioned by the collision knocked a brakeman, by the name of Fred. Watkins, the property of J. A. Watkins, from the front train, his neck was dislocated by the fall, and instant death ensued; the night was dark, and the man killed had been left on the train to give notice to the following trains.
   April 14th, 1863 -- A negro brakeman named Pompey, property of John M. Wallace, fell from a freight train and broke his arm, he has nearly recovered from the injury.
   June 6th 1863 -- A negro belonging to J. Caldwell, employed on the Material train, fell between the cars and was killed.

Estimated value of the Rolling Stock, Machinery, Shop and Road Tools
Locomotive engines $274,000.00
Passenger cars 49,500.00
Mail and baggage cars 14,000.00
Box, stock and platform cars 198,000.00
Hand, pole and dirt cars 7,500.00
Machinery and tools, Lynchburg shops 14,000.00
Machinery and tools, Central shops 8,000.00
Tools on the road 2,000.00
$567,000.00
Materials on hand
Lumber at Lynchburg $1,940.00
Wrought iron and steel 15,000.00
Iron castings for engines and cars 15,000.00
Brass castings, copper, &c. 7,600.00
Engine and car wheels 11,300.00
Engine wheel tyres 5,000.00
Engine, car and tender axles 3,500.00
Extra work for engines 1,000.00
5,000 bushels coal 6,250.00
Stock in store-house 60,000.00
Oil, tallow and waste 27,895.00
6,661 cords wood 53,288.00
New iron rails 5,000.00
Old iron rails 20,000.00
Spikes and chairs 5,000.00
Frogs, switches, bridge and other road castings 4,000.00
Cross-ties 5,000.00
Lumber on road 6,000.00
Provisions, viz: 4,923 bushels corn 29,538.00
                "         31,600 lbs bacon 31,600.00
$313,391.00
   The stock of materials, provisions, supplies, &c., on hand, exceeds that at the end of the previous fiscal year, $197,073.00; it will be observed that the stock of provisions for negroes is large, viz: $61, 138.00, against $3,000.00 at the same period last year. Oil, tallow and grease, $27,895.00, against $5,000.00 last year.
   The duties of all connected with the operating of the road, have been arduous in the extreme, and it gives me pleasure to testify to the cheerfulness and zeal with which all the subordinate officers and employees have discharged their respective duties. As will be seen by the previous details, the transportation upon the road has been more than doubled since the commencement of the war, and when the fact that no additions have been made to the rolling stock, and the various difficulties incident to the operating of the road in the present state of the country are taken in consideration, I think it will be admitted that the rolling stock of the Company has been worked judiciously; full details of the various operations will be found in the respective tables.
Respectfully submitted,
T. Dodamead, Gen'l Supt.

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