|
Statement of the length & other particulars in relation to the
Southern {(of Mississippi)}
Rail Road, prepared in obedience to the order of Genl Beauregard by M.
Emanuel, Vice President of the Company.
|
| {Although there is no date on
this document, it is the one submitted by the President of the company
on March 29, 1862.} |
| In compliance with the request made by R.
B. Hurt Esq Mil. Supt Roads by Command of Genl Beauregard to
communicate to him without delay, the length of the Southern Railroad
the number of Locomotives & their capacity, the number of
Passenger, Baggage, Box & Flat cars. The number & length of
sidings & their location. The Points at which the road crosses the
principle water courses & country roads, also the points of
connections with other Railroads. The points at which the turn tables
are located, &c I make the following report. |
|
The length of the Southern Railroad is 140 miles,
commencing at Vicksburg and terminating at Meridian its point of
intersection with the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and junction with
the NE & SW Alabama RR which commences at Meridian & the track
laid ten or twelve miles towards Reagan, a point 25 miles from
Meridian.
|
| The Company has in operation 4 Passenger
locomotives of 18 or 20 tons, 9 Freight Engines of 22 tons, & 3
inferior Engines for road work. |
| There are 7 Passenger, & four Baggage
Cars in regular use, 50 Box & 26 Flats do, & we have others of
each description not considered reliable for full service. |
| There are 17 sidings varying from 500 to
2000 feet in length, & are located as follows -- at Vicksburg,
Bovina, Edwards, Midway, Bolton, Clinton , Jackson, Brandon,
Pelahatchie, Morton, Forest, Lake, Newton, Hickory, Chunky, Tunnel
Hill, Meridian. |
| There are six turn tables located as
follows, one at Vicksburg, Jackson, Brandon, Morton, Lake and
Meridian. The stations & distances are shown on the printed time
table enclosed. |
| The Southern Railroad crosses &
connects with the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern RR, at
Jackson Miss. & connects with the Mobile & Ohio RR at Meridian
Miss, its terminal point, which place is also the starting point of
the N. E. & S. W. Alabama RR designed to extend from Meridian to
Chattanooga via Tuscaloosa; the road bed of which is now prepared for
the iron to Reagan 25 miles East of Meridian, at which place a
junction will be formed with the Ala & Miss Rivers R Road running
west from Selma via Demopolis in the direction of Meridian, upon which
road a very considerable force is now at work, with every prospect of
its completion in a few months; the Govt having indicated an intention
of putting it through as rapidly as possible. At Vicksburg the
Southern RR connects with the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Texas RR
finished 75 miles. |
| The points at which the Southern RR
crosses water courses of any note are as follows, |
| Between Bovina & Edwards Station, the
road crosses Big Black river 12 miles from Vicksburg, this bridge is
the most substantial & costly of any other on the line of the
road, to which is attached about 500 feet of high trestle work,
running from the east end of the bridge, over Big Black bottom. |
| Between Edwards & Bolton's the track
crosses Bakers Creek twice, inconsiderable when not swollen by heavy
rains. |
| At Jackson the track crosses Pearl River
on a trestle bridge of considerable length. Between Brandon &
Pelahatchie the track crosses Pelahatchie Creek. |
| Between Newton & Hickory it crosses
Pottochitta Creek twice. |
| Between Hickory & Chunky station it
crosses Chunky river once. |
| Between Chunky station & Tunnel Hill
it crosses Chunky river twice. |
| Between Tunnel Hill & Meridian it
crosses Tallahatta creek, Corn creek & Octibbee creek. |
| The Road crossings & Bridges over the
rail road are as follows: Between Vicksburg & Bovines there are
two public roads & four bridges over deep cuts. Between Bovina
& Edwards two Road crossings & two bridges over cuts. |
| Between Edwards & Bolton's 1 Road
crossing |
| Between Bolton's & Clinton 3 Road
crossings |
| Between Clinton & Jackson 4 Road
crossings |
| Between Jackson & Brandon
2 do do |
| Between Brandon & Pelahatchie 3 roads
& 1 bridge |
|
" Pelahatchie & Morton 3 road
crossings |
|
" Morton {&}
Forest
3
" " |
|
" Forest &
Lake
1
" " |
|
" Lake &
Newton
2
" " |
|
" Newton &
Hickory 1
" " |
| At Hickory the old road passes, which was
cut out by Genl Jackson, when he marched his army to New Orleans. |
| Between Hickory & Chunky station 2
road crossings |
|
" Chunky station & Tunnel Hill
3 crossings |
|
" Tunnel Hill & Meridian 2 road
crossings |