|
Office Mississippi Central Railroad Company
|
| Grenada, March 3d, 1863 |
| |
| Genl A. C. Myers Q. M. Genl. |
| Richmond |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| Assistant Quarter Master Maj L. Mims the
Auditing Officer of the accounts of this Company against the
Government of the Confederate States declines allowing the charges we
have made for the transportation of the troops and Gov't freight in
consequence of an increase of the rates charged prior to 1st November
last. |
| Permit me to state here, that I deny the
right of the Government or of Governmental officers to determine the
rate of our compensation for Government transportation in the absence
of an agreement by us. You will recall that at a Convention of Rail road
Companies held in Montgomery early in the year 1861 it was determined
that Confederate troops & Gov't freights at half local rates
should be transported. |
| Then the local rates of Passengers was
generally four cents per mile & freights from 25c to 40c per
hundred pounds per hundred miles, then too oil could be purchased at
from 80c to $1.00 per gallon for which we have since paid the
Government $8.00 per gallon for an inferior article. Iron and steel
have advanced in price from 300% to 500% for each every article we
consume in the repairs and operations of our road. Our General
expenses have increased more than 300%. Bacon was then worth 10c per
pound, now we pay 50c Lard 10c, now 50c and all other things in
proportion. |
| Subsequent to the Montgomery convention
another was called at Chattanooga by Col Ashe then acting for the
Gov't as Supt of Government transportation. At that Convention it was
determined that 20c per 100 pounds per 100 miles or less should be
charged on Government freights. Col Ashe being present and assenting
on the part of the Government to these rates. They have been thus
charged by and allowed to this Company as far as its accounts have
been audited and paid. |
| In October last I addressed a letter to
the then Secy of War informing him that in consequence of the enormous
increases of our expenditures, originating mainly in the cost of
labor, materials and supplies, I could not continue to transport
Government troops & freights at the price assented to in 1861 and
that after that period self preservation would require me to increase
the rates. To that letter I have no reply. |
| I will remark here that many road in the
Confederate States increased their local rates after the Montgomery
Convention in order to increase the rates against the Gov't. This road
did not follow their example. |
| In July 1862 our local rates for
transportation of freights and passengers was largely increased amid
increasing expenditures, in order if possible to keep our road and its
equipments in repair, but no corresponding increase of rates was made
against the Government. |
| After the appointment of Col W M Wadley to
the office of Military Superintendent of Government Transportation he
called a convention of all the Rail roads in the Confederacy at
Augusta Geo on the 15th Dec last where forty of the roads were
reported to be represented, this company was not represented in that
Convention and is not bound by its acts, although willing to conform to
its determinations as far as practicable and consistent with self
preservation and its desire to meet the requirements of the Government
for transportation. At the Augusta Convention called by Col Wadley in
which he represented the Government it was determined as I am informed
that the future charges made by the rail roads therein represented, as
against the Gov't should be 3c per mile for passengers & 30c per
hundred pounds per hundred miles or less on freight but that all roads
in part within the Federal lines should be permitted to establish such
rates of Tariff as they thought proper. This road being of the last
named class has only ninety out of two hundred & thirty five miles
within the Confederate lines. Soon after the Convention referred to I
had a consultation with the President of the Mobile & Ohio Road,
whose road was similarly situated to this, for the purpose of agreeing
upon uniform rates to be charged the Government, never dreaming the
Auditing officer would reject accounts based upon the assent of Col
Wadley the accredited agent of the Government. It was determined by
Judge Brown and myself that we would from the 1st of Dec. last charge
3c per mile on Government Passengers the price agreed on in the
Augusta Convention and that we would increase our rates of freight
from 30c per hundred pounds per hundred miles or less the price agreed
upon at Augusta, to 35c but upon the Class of freight that the
convention determined to charge 60c per 100 pounds we would charge the
same, and my accounts have been rendered in accordance with this
understanding, and have been rejected by the Auditing officer, Maj L.
Mims, by what authority I know not, nor is it material, it having been
done. |
| The rates of increase of Local Tariff on
this road has been greater than on Government freights and if we still
??? to this ??? of the Montgomery Convention our changes against the
Government would be larger than those ordered in our accounts. As
already stated I deny the right of the Confederate Gov't or any of its
officers to determine what we shall or shall not charge for
transportation, while the Company would sacrifice as much as any
other, and has far more than most of the roads in the Confederacy to
promote the general interest, I am bound to guard and protect the
private interest committed to my charge as far as I am capable of
doing so. Our equipments have been taken in good order, by military
orders from our road, some of it retained for use in other roads for
more than six months, and all of it when returned has been in a dilapidated
and unsafe condition, and a considerable amount of it returned
worthless for want of care in its use, and this has been done without
compensation to this Company. More than a half a million of dollars of
this Company's property has been destroyed by Confederate troops, our
equipment has been worn out or nearly so, in the public service, and
we are unable to repair them for the want of the necessary materials
to do so, and our road track is rapidly depreciating in value and
scarcity from the same or similar causes. For these and other reasons
that could be given I must insist upon the advancement of the rates
charged on the accounts rejected by Maj Mims and that they continue to
be allowed until such time as it may be found necessary or expedient
to change them. If our revenue is not equal to our present expenses
and the future cost of repairs it will be far better for this Company
to discontinue the operation of this road and thus make an effort to
preserve its property for future use. |
| It has been our wish and intention to do
every and all things in our power and by all means we could command to
aid and assist the Government in the prosecution of the existing war.
This we will continue to do, but the tax incident to such efforts must
be borne by the Government and not by the Company alone. |
| I trust you will direct my accounts to be
allowed at the rates charged, and that I receive a specific reply. |
| Yours Respectfully |
| W Goodman Prest |
| |
| {on reverse of letter} |
| Q. M. Genls office |
| Richd March 20 63 |
| Forward to Colo. Wadley at Augusta Geo. Mr Goodwin
having been advised that the Augusta rates have never been accepted,
and states this office, which now is only charged with the payment of
transportation accounts, would continue to pay, at the old established
rates, until it is advised officially through Colonel Wadley of a
change. May not a Company, in the absence of the acceptance of the
Augusta Rates modify the present rates by a notice duly served on the
Government? |
| A. C. Myers |
| Q. M. Genl. |