| Annual Report of the Western North Carolina
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| as of July 1, 1862, |
| Chief Engineer's Report |
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| Chief Engineer's Report |
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| Chief Engineer's Office |
| Western North Carolina Rail Road |
| Salisbury, N. C., Aug. 26, 1862 |
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| To the President and Directors of the
Western North Carolina Railroad |
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| Gentlemen, |
| As your Board will meet on
the 27th instant, I avail myself of this occasion to lay before you a
simple statement of the past year's operations. But it is known to you
that but little has been done in the way of construction. |
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War, this terrible war, has so diverted the attention of
all classes, that but few seemed inclined to enter upon such peaceful
avocations as the prosecution of our Internal Improvements to
completion.
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The last Annual Meeting of Stockholders found the work of
construction virtually suspended, although a few of our contractors,
West of Morganton, continued to work on their own responsibility,
thereby shewing their faith. The death of the lamented Col. Fisher
prevented the completion of his contract, his Administrators not
feeling themselves authorised to continue it; and the delay,
consequent upon it, prevented the Company from having such control of
the work as a sense of justice to all the parties interested
warranted, tended still further to retard it. Since your Board have
authorised the President and myself to re-let the unfinished portion,
we have been diligent in seeking an offer which we would consider
favorable, and such as would meet your approbation. Such an one having
been presented and acted upon at your last meeting, we again look
forward to its completion to Morganton, provided we can secure about
three miles of Iron more than we now have.
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Since the last meeting of Stockholders, we have built
nearly to completion a good and substantial Freight House at
Morganton. The condition of the Road, as far as completed, is good,
but is being improved as the heavy embankments settle and are filled
up and are otherwise properly ditched and drained. Some of the wooden
bridges will have to be repaired, but for which we are now making
provision; we shall also want some new cross ties during the ensuing
year. The rolling stock is in very fair condition, but we are taxing
our ingenuity, to the utmost, for material to keep it in proper
repair. In addition to the rolling stock of last year, we have two new
passenger coaches, nearly ready for use, of our own manufacture,
exclusively Southern, which we are not ashamed to compare with those
of Northern manufacture; and we hope soon to present you a new
Locomotive as a further evidence that we are independent. Car wheels,
driving-wheel tyres and spring steel, are such indispensable articles
as give us most trouble to get; though we may soon be able to remedy
the former, we must, for some time to come, rely upon running the
Blockade for the latter. For those Stockholders who have subscribed
stock in the second section, or West of Morganton, and who have worked
out a large amount of stock, which, to them, is comparatively
valueless, I respectfully submit that the Company be authorised to ask
such Legislation a the circumstances of the case demands.
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In regard to the transportation on the Road, I must
repeat what may be known to many of you. We have done all that we have
been allowed to do, though not as much as we could have done, nor at
prices as remunerative as I think we should have had, the greater part
of it being Confederate Freight at reduced prices. For several months
during the past year, we lost the transportation of much freight on
the Road in consequence of the N. C. Rail Road failing to supply
transportation from Salisbury, and preserving an obstinate persistence
in refusing to let our Trains pass over their Road to aid them.
Latterly, better councils have prevailed, and for the last few months
we have not only been carrying our freight on our own Road, but have
sent off many trains through to Charlotte, Goldsboro', Weldon,
Petersburg, and sometimes to Richmond, with Troops, Quarter Master and
Commissary Stores.
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I deem it my duty to state that during the past year a
Convention of the Representatives of many of the Southern Rail Roads,
held in Montgomery, adopted patriotic resolutions in regard to the
transportation of Troops and supplies for the Army at very reduced
rates; but I respectfully submit that the rates thus agreed upon, are
not, and should not be, applicable to this Road, because it is
isolated and not a link, at present, in any of the great through lines
to the army, consequently, the amount of transportation is not equally
commensurate with the cost of transportation on other Roads.
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Whilst we are engaged in this War for Liberty and
Independence, it may be regarded by many as impracticable or
inexpedient to prosecute this work further towards completion; yet, I
cannot refrain from calling to the attention of this Company the great
importance of an unyielding, unrelenting perseverance in all and every
effort to consummate the object we have in view, to wit, its ultimate
connection with Western Roads. Its completion at any time would have
been an achievement alike creditable to the State and Country, and its
importance commensurate with its cost.
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But as the country now is engaged in war to save us from
degradation and extermination, its completion would be incalculable to
the success and preservation of that Liberty for which we have pledged
"our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honors."
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Take a map of the Southern Confederacy, of which I submit
one shewing the location of this Road, as well as the connections with
other Roads in the Confederacy, and what do we fine? Gentlemen, we
find a Central line of Road running East and West through the heart of
that Confederacy, uniting the cities and town of the great Western
waters with the best harbors for shipping on the coast of the
Atlantic, and this too by the most direct route through a country
loyal to the South, and comparatively safer from the inroads of the
enemy than any other route now in use. And here let me say, that if
this Road was completed, it would be, today, the great through line on
which the Country and the Government would rely for transportation of
Troops and those supplies so necessary for the use of the Army and the
Country.
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In a former communication to you, I refered to the
possibility of the location of the Capital of the Confederacy within
your borders. In that opinion I have been sustained by men eminent for
their judgment and foresight, and instead of a possibility, I am led
to the conclusion that the probabilities are so strong as to require
only the united efforts of our own people to secure to the State the
proud distinction of having within her borders the Capitol of that
Government, destined, under the providence of God, to be that asylum
where Liberty and Independence dwell in unison to exalt humanity.
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In conclusion, I must congratulate the Company upon the
success of the Road, on part of which, we have been running nearly
five years, almost without accident, a result of which few Companies
can boast. For the employees of the Road, generally, I respectfully
ask your favorable consideration.
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I am, Gentlemen, very respectfully
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Your obedient servant
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James C. Turner
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Engineer and Sup't. W. N. C. R. R.
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