NA, RRB 11/25A/1863

Proceedings of the Southern Railroad Convention
Macon, Ga., Nov. 25th, 1863
 
   According to call from R. R. Cuyler, Esq., President Georgia Central Railroad, the Convention met at General Passenger Depot, at 10 o'clock, A. M.
   On motion, R. R. Cuyler was appointed Chairman, and Alfred L. Tyler, Secretary. The meeting being called to order, the following Roads were found to be represented:
   Georgia Central R. R. and Branches, 282 miles, R. R. Cuyler, President. Geo. W. Adams, Superintendent
   South-Western R. R., 206 miles, R. R. Cuyler, President. Virgil Powers, Superintendent
   Georgia R. R. and Branches, 233 miles, Geo. Yonge, Sup't.
   Macon & Western R. R., 120 miles, Isaac Scott, President. Alfred L. Tyler, Sup't.
   South Carolina R. R., 242 miles, H. T. Peake, Sup't.
   Atlantic & Gulf R. R., 200 miles, G. J. Fulton, Sup't.
   Charleston & Savannah R. R., 104 miles, H. S. Haines, Superintendent
   Charlotte & South Carolina R. R., 109 miles, Wm. Johnston, President.
   Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio R. R., 45 miles, Wm. Johnston, President.
   Montgomery & West Point R. R., 117 miles, D. H. Cram, Superintendent.
   Alabama & Florida R. R., 112 miles, Sam'l G. Jones, Sup't.
   Alabama & Tennessee River R. R., 135 miles, Wm. Rothrock, Sup't.
   Macon & Brunswick R. R., 38 miles, G. A. Dure, Sup't.
   North Carolina R. R., 223 miles, R. S. Tucker, Director.
   Muscogee R. R., 50 miles, J. L. Mustian, President. W. L. Clark, Sup't.
   Mobile & Girard R. R., 57 miles, B. E. Wells, Sup't.
   Mobile & Great Northern R. R., 72 miles, G. Jordan, Sup't.
   Mobile & Ohio R. R., 530 miles, L. J. Fleming, Sup't.
   Petersburg R. R., (by letter,) 63 miles, C. C. Sanford, Pres.
     Total number of miles represented, 2,938.
   The Chair explained the object of the meeting to be for the purpose of considering the propriety of advancing the present rates paid by the Government for transportation.
   On motion of Mr. Adams, a committee of five was appointed to consult with Major F. W. Sims, Q. M., on the part of the Government and report.
   The chair appointed Messrs. Adams, Peake, Haines, Johnson, Cram.
   The meeting then adjourned till 7:30 P. M., at which time the committee reported the following, which after discussion was adopted:
   The committee to whom was referred the subject of Government Transportation, report the following Rates, as the result of their deliberations, for the action of the Convention:
For Troops
   Where a voucher is given for the transportation of 100 men, or a less number, it shall be paid for at the rates of four cents per man per mile; a voucher for any number over 100 shall be paid for at the rate of two and one-half cents per man per mile. All soldiers on furlough four cents per man per mile.
   Commissioned officers not on furlough, or Government Agents travelling with or without requisitions for transportation, shall be charged full local fare.
For Things
1st Class Powder and fixed ammunition,$1.00 per 100 lbs. per 100 miles.
2nd Class All articles not enumerated in any other class, 50 cents per 100 lbs. per 100 miles.
3rd Class Live stock, $60.00 per car load per 100 miles.
5th Class Camp and Garrison equipage of troops in motion, mounted Guns, Caissons, Forges, Battery Wagons, Ambulances and other Government vehicles, $50.00 per car load per 100 miles.
Any single vehicle (except a four horse wagon) will be charged as half a car load.
6th Class Wood, Coal, Lumber Stone and Bricks, (to be loaded and unloaded by Government,) to be $45.00 per car load per 100 miles.
No train specially ordered for transportation of above articles shall consist of less than twelve cars, and where it is detained by the Government in such service over 10 hours, the usual rates of detention shall be charged.
Rule 1st For all articles carried less than 50 miles, the rates shall be two-thirds that for 100 miles; 50 miles and less than 100 miles, the charge shall be for 100 miles; over 100 miles the rates shall be pro rata per mile by 100 mile rate.
2nd Extra or special trains ordered by proper military authority, to be paid for at the rate of $1.50 per mile for the Locomotive and one car, and for every additional car 20 cents per mile for freight cars, and 30 cents for passenger cars, to be charged one way.
Six head or less of horses, miles, or cattle shall constitute a half car load and be charged as such.
4th Class Hay, Fodder, Shucks and Straw, (compressed in bales,) Bran and mill offal, $50.00 per car load per 100 miles.
Less than a car load of the above articles to be charged as Second Class.
3rd When a military officer, having proper authority, orders a train to be held in readiness for the transportation of troops or things, the proper charge shall be for the Locomotive $50.00 per day, and $5.00 per day for each car, including the services of Conductor, Engineer, Train hands and Firemen while so held, and no charge to be for less than one day.
4th When {line lost in fold tare, but the subject is trains of one road working on a different road} carrying troops or freight of any kind for Government ??? the Road owning the train shall secure as full compensation for such train, one-half of its earnings, to be paid by the Government.
5th The Government should in a????? state by what train, passenger of freight, the transportation is to be performed, and when it is by passenger????? fifty per centum additional to the foregoing rates shall be added.
6th For transportation of the bodies of soldiers that are killed in battle or die in service, each road shall adopt its own rules and rates of charge.
   The committee submit the following motion and recommend its adoption:
   Resolved, That the Rates of Transportation for men and things, and the rules of charge regulating the same, as set forth in this report, be, and the same are hereby adopted, to take effect on the 10th day of December next.
   Mr. Peake offered the following resolutions, which were adopted:
   Whereas, The delay of the Quartermasters Department in making payment of the amount due by them for Transportation has caused serious inconvenience to several Railroad Companies to who m they are in arrears,
   Resolved, That Major F. W. Sims be, and is hereby requested to represent to the Department that as the Railroads in this Confederacy are principally occupied with Government Transportation, it is a matter of importance to them that their bills for this service should be promptly paid. 
   Resolved, That in loading and unloading freight by the Agents of the Government, all detentions of cars for more than 24 hours, be charged at the rate of Five Dollars per day while so detained.
   By Mr. Jones,
   Resolved, That the Commissary and Quartermasters Department be requested to issue such orders as will make the preliminaries to the collection of claims on the part of the Government for loss or damage, conform to the conditions required by the respective Roads from private shippers, and further that the rules and regulations of the different Roads respecting shipments of live stock, and the loading and unloading of certain classes of freight shall be enforced in cases of Government transportation. Adopted.
   Resolved, That the Quartermaster General be requested to appoint a competent officer in the Railroad Bureau to audit and adjust all claims for loss and damage against Railroads. Adopted.
   Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested at once to issue an order exempting from impressment any provisions or materials owned by the Railroad Companies for their own use, as without such exemption it will be impossible for the Roads to comply with the demand for Government Transportation.
   By Mr. Johnson,
   Resolved, That roads less than 50 miles in length shall be allowed to charge three-fourths of the rate per 100 miles. Adopted.
   By Mr. Adams,
   Resolved, That the Secretary have 200 copies of the proceedings of this Convention printed, and send ten copies to each Road represented, and the Quartermaster General's office, by ???. Adopted.
   Mr. Fleming gave notice that the Mobile & Ohio Road did not agree with the rates fixed above.
   No further business offering, the Convention adjourned sine die.
R. R. Cuyler, Ch'm.
Alfred L. Tyler, Secretary

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