| Annual Report of the Wilmington &
Manchester RR |
| as of October 1, 1865, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Report of the Superintendent |
| Office Gen'l Sup't Wilmington & Man. R. R.
Co. |
| Wilmington, N. C., October 1, 1865 |
| |
| O. G. Parsley, President |
| I herewith respectfully
submit my third annual report of the operations of the road, for the
fiscal year ending September 30th, 1865. I do not deem it necessary to
go at length into the statistics of the year's business as was
customary, owing to the valueless character of the currency the Company
received for the work done by it during the greater portion of the year.
***** As you are doubtless aware, up to February, 18th, the business of
the road was exceedingly heavy. The work was done at a serious cost to
the Company, as matters resulted, leaving us in a very crippled
condition. In February, upon the fall of Wilmington, the rolling stock
was removed to Sumter, S. C., and the road was operated as low down as
Whiteville until in March, when the bridges were burnt. After this,
trains were run between Pee Dee and Wateree Junction until April 9th,
when General Potter advanced from Charleston and destroyed the shops and
much of the rolling stock. ***** The loss to the Company by General
Potter's raid was very sever. The entire repair department of the
Company was burnt and nearly all the cars and engines. The hardships and
suffering of some of the officers and employees of the Company at this
time were very severe. After the surrender, steps were taken to repair
and refit some of the machinery and tools, and this work has been
progressed with ever since. |
| In the Roadway Department,
the Road-Bed, Trestles and Bridges, are in good order, though we will
need this year a considerable number of cross-ties and trestle timber.
The iron is in a very worn condition. I attribute this nearly entirely
to the absence of chairs on the road. ***** |
| Respectfully submitted, |
|
Henry M. Drane |
|
General Superintendent |
|