| January 13 1865 |
| |
| To the President
of the Piedmont R Road |
| |
| Sir, |
| The inadequacy of the transportation over
your road to the wants of the Govt. is a source of anxiety and alarm and
the time has arrived where some change must be made with the hope that
greater efficiency and security will result therefrom; such
arrangements can be made with the North Carolina Railroad Company
whose relations towards your road is such as to enable it to arrange
both with ease and to concentrate on what is the great throughfare.
Such machinery as may be necessary, and what is of still more
importance secure through transit of freight and passengers to
Danville. Such an arrangement is demanded by the public and is of
vital importance to the army. |
| I am ready to enter into negotiations with
you on the part of the government for the lease of your road during
the continuation of the war and I trust in consideration of the
interests at stake that you will meet me in the liberal spirit which
suggests the proposition. |
| Asking that you take steps to give me an
early reply |
| I am sir |
| Very respectfully |
| Your obdt Sert |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lt Col & QM |