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Genl. A. S. Johnson
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Com. of the W. Division of the Army of the Conf. States
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Sir,
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| The undersigned, principal
officers and agents of the Tenn & Alabama, Central Southern &
Tenn & Ala Central Rail Road Companies, known and operated as the
"Nashville & Decatur Railroad Line", would respectfully
represent to you that they have diligently used every exertion within
their power to aid and assist in transporting the Military Stores and
Soldiers over their Road, nearly in every instance giving a preference
to Government Service to the exclusion of the transportation and
travel of citizens much to the detriment of the citizens offering
produce for shipment as also to the stockholders owning the respective
roads. The undersigned would further respectfully represent, that at
different times under Military Authority, Locomotives and rolling
stock, have been taken off from our roads, much to the inconvenience
and detriment of the road, as well as to the public service and
transported to other roads and most of it is scattered, we know not
where, and such as has been found, is in a damaged condition. |
| We would also represent, that
more recently, the bridges have been burned, upon the Tenn & Ala
Railroad (which extends from Nashville to Columbia) passing through
the most fertile and productive portion of Middle Tennessee and said
Road as a medium of commerce, being literally destroyed, to the
inhabitants as well as to the stockholders, yielding as it did to that
Road, from Five to Eight hundred dollars net per day, without leaving
with the agents of the Road any evidence by whose authority the
damage has been done, or what indemnity they have for thus being
injured. Owing to the recent disasters that have befallen our Army and
the inevitable confusion that would necessarily follow, we are
compelled to make many allowances, but we would respectfully ask that
some system be adopted by which injury done citizens be ascertained
and that a mode of reparation be established because in some instances
the support of families, whose income is derived from investments in
Railroads, is destroyed, therefore we pray that some plan of
remuneration be suggested and adopted, by which we can give assurance
and satisfaction to those whom we have the honor to represent. |
| Very respectfully |
| Yr obt Serts. |
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John S. Claybrook |
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Presdt of Tenn & Alabama R. R. Co. |
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Tho Martin |
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Pres Central Southern R R Co |
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Jas W Sloss |
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Prest Ten & Ala Central RR Co |
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{Date is the date received and
is marked on the back of the letter} |
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