| Demopolis March 13/63 |
| |
| Hon. F. S. Lyon |
| Richmond |
| |
| Dear Sir |
| The president of the Ala & Florida
Rail Road is making efforts (as I understand) to induce the government
to pay him an exorbitant price for iron belonging to that road which
may be used on the NE. & SW. {Northeast
& Southwest Alabama RR} and Ala & Miss R RR {Alabama
& Mississippi Rivers RR} Railroads. |
| I have taken the liberty of troubling you
with the enclosed copy of Col. Tate's account of iron purchased and
seized to complete the Selma & Meridian railroad under authority
of Genl. Bragg. |
| From this account you will see Col. Tate
purchased from the Montgomery & Eufaula RR co. on the 12th day of
July 1862 iron rails at $70 per ton. Chairs the best perhaps on the
road at 8 cents per pound on the same day he seized the Ala. &
Florida iron -- which had been used and taken up and deposited at
Pollard by the military authorities. He has allowed as per account for
rails $80 per ton and two cents per pound for wrought chairs. |
| I see no reason why we should pay ten more
per ton for iron no better than the Eufaula iron and two cents per
pound for chairs not as good as the Eufaula chairs. We are not however
disposed to contend for a dep price that col. Tate has placed on the
Ala & Florida iron but will protest against paying a higher price
and think the correct price should be $70. The price at which iron was
purchased on the same day the Florida iron was seized. |
| As the 20th of May 1862, Captain Gas??
Special agent of the government, seized 299.8 tons of iron rails --
with fish bars both you will see by the foregoing statement -- iron
was purchased so late as 10th September 1862 at 80 dollars per ton. |
| My knowledge of sales of railroad iron is
not very extensive -- but it is my opinion -- the prices given by
purchase on a valuation were the selling price are a full value at the
time the purchase and seizures were made. |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your obdt Servant |
| G. G. Griffin Prest. |
| Ala & Miss R RR Co |
| |
| A. C. Myers |
| Qr Master Genl. |
| Richmond |
| |
| {at the bottom of the page}
If you desire proof of the above statement I can furnish it when
desired |
| G. G. Griffin |