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Georgia Rail Road
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Augusta Mch 5/64
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| Maj. F. W. Sims Qr. M. |
| Richmond Va |
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| Sir, |
| This Road has made a practice of keeping
up a large stock of fuel & cross ties, say 8 months supply and
sometimes 12 mos. The necessity for this arose from the great scarcity
of wood on our line. A good or bad planting season affecting the
supply nearly 50% according to prices of provisions. |
| We consume 25000 cords of wood and use
80000 ties per annum. By the enclosed circular you will perceive the
difficulties of our situation. The supply has been furnished by small
farmers. If provisions were low they would buy, and give their time to
cutting wood and ties. If provisions were high they were induced to
make provisions and thereby cut off the supply of fuel and ties. These
men have been sent to the army, their oxen sold, and it is necessary
to look for a different class of men for such supply. |
| When the war commenced we had 28000 cords
wood and 8 mos supply of ties. We have now no ties and fuel only for
six weeks, and not 1/5 of the daily consumption is now being
furnished. In two months our trains must stop or be limited to the
supply of wood to be obtained and inability to remove decayed cross
ties, destruction of Rolling Stock. |
| To avoid this alternative I made contracts
with hands who could and would be willing to furnish supplies. I
commenced by limiting the contracts to such as could furnish as many
as 3 hands and afterward raised it to 5 hands and corresponding hands.
The paper I gave to the parties was on form enclosed, but most of the
men have been saret to camiss. Again, we require sawed lumber and
cannot obtain it as the owners of mills are detailed to work for Govt. |
| Govt Freight cannot be moved as it should
be for want of lumber to repair cars. |
| We should have details for two men to saw
lumber and could possibly procure fuel and ties by having details for
Fifty men and selecting such men as have greatest ability to furnish
the supplies. To get wood and ties we are compelled to select from
those who have timber lands & negroes to heanet and may be induced
to cut so as to prevent going into the army. I must put this matter in
your hands. There is no time to lose. If we get much behind we cannot
recover in time to prevent much mischief. |
| Very Respy |
| Geo. Yonge |
| Supt. |
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| {Attached circular letter
mentioned above} |
| Georgia Rail Road |
| Augusta, October 17th, 1863 |
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| To ___________________ |
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| Sir: |
| There are one
hundred miles of our Road which furnish no fuel or timber, and this
section, "the centre of our Road," has to be supplied from
thirty to forty miles off each end of Road. We are in danger of
running short of wood to keep our Trains in motion. No other Road is
so unfortunately situated; to supply the centre of our Road, we have
to employ two extra Engines; labor and fuel is scarce, and the
employment of the labor on our line in cutting wood for other parties
deprives us of as much fuel as the labor so employed produces for
other parties. |
| There are two other
Roads running into Atlanta, and two into Augusta, whose lines are
better supplied with fuel, and by their employing extra Trains, as is
done by this Road, the supply of wood might be made ample. This Road
should not be called upon to supply any fuel, yet I believe we have
furnished three-fourths of it. |
| I have stated these
facts, to urge the importance of your looking to other lines for a
supply of fuel, and although our necessities compel me to urge that no
fuel should be drawn from the line of this Road, yet if you will
furnish me with an estimate of amount required, I will agree that
one-third of it should be drawn from our line. |
| The above course is
necessary in dealing with agents in charge of Government Works. |
| The public is
notified that the Road will not transport fuel off its line for
private use, which is suitable for consumption by engines. |
| Very Respectfully, |
| Geo. Yonge |
| Supt. |