|
{From the minutes of the
Directors' Meeting of the Alabama & Mississippi Rivers RR, March 16, 1864} |
| |
| Office Ala & Miss Rivers RRd Co |
| Demopolis March 16th 1864 |
| |
| At a meeting of the Board of the Directors
held this day |
| Present W. P. Bocock Prest and Directors
J. L. Price J W Lapsley Chas Walker H S Knox & H. W. Reese. |
| ***** |
| A Contract entered into by H. P. Bocock
President on behalf of the Company with Maj Minor Meriwether on behalf
of the Confederate States was submitted by the President in the words
following |
| "These articles of agreement entered into
26 February 1864 between Minor Meriwether Major Engineers P. A. C. S. by
authority of the Secretary of War on behalf of the Confederate States of
America of the first part and the Alabama & Mississippi Rivers Rail Road
Company by their President of the second part -- Witnesseth that the
Confederate States will build a Rail Road bridge not exceeding five
hundred and Eighty feet in length over the Tombigbee River at or near
McDowells Landing, upon the plan proposed by the 2nd party or upon such
plan, materials and workmanship as may be agreed upon by the Engineer of
the 2nd party and Major Meriwether. |
| The Confederate States will reimburse
itself by retaining one half of the amount each month that may be due
the party of the 2nd part for Government transportation after the
completion of the bridge until the bridge is paid for or destroyed by
the hazards of war. If it is destroyed by the hazards of war before it
is paid for all further liability on the part of the party of the 2nd
part shall cease and at the close of the war if the bridge has not been
damaged by the hazards of war and the cost has not been wholly
reimbursed to the Confederate States the balance to be paid by the party
of the 2nd part shall be determined by disinterested arbitrators in the
following manner viz |
| They shall estimate as accurately as
possible the cost of erecting at that time a similar bridge at the same
place, then as the original cost is to the cost then estimated, so shall
the portion of the original cost remaining unpaid at the close of the
war be to the balance, which the party of the 2nd part shall pay to the
Confederate States; and to facilitate this appraisement an accurate
record shall be kept of the labor and materials expended in constructing
the bridge and of the plans upon which it was built, the parties each to
select a skilful and experienced Railway engineer as arbitrator and they
a third if they do not agree. |
| This contract is made upon the condition
that the party of the 2nd part proceed at once to put an efficient force
to grading, bridging and laying track, so as to connect the road from
Demopolis and from the west with the ends of the bridge simultaneously
with its completion, and should the party of the 2nd part fail to make
the construction by that time then they shall pay to the Confederate
States interest on the total cost of the bridge at the rate of eight per
cent. per annum till such connection is made; which condition the party
of the 2nd part hereby obligate themselves to execute faithfully &
promptly. |
| Minor Meriwether Maj Eng P. A. C. S. |
| W. P. Bocock Prest Ala & Miss RRRd Co" |
| On Motion of Mr Price, Resolved that the
said contract and the execution thereof be and the same is hereby
approved and confirmed by the board. |
| On Motion of Mr Lapsley the following was
unanimously adopted |
| Whereas the President of this Company has
been informed by Capt. J. C. Graham A.Q.M. at Selma, who has heretofore
audited and paid the claims of this Company against the Government for
transportation, that he has been instructed by Major Thos M. LeBaron Q.M.
at Mobile, to notify the Company that their claims will hereafter be
audited and paid by him. |
| Resolved, that the President be and he is
hereby instructed to lay this subject before the proper officer at
Richmond and represent to him the great inconvenience and detriment to
the Company which must occur if they be required to make their monthly
settlements at a post so distant as Mobile from their place of business
{some 200 miles away}, and that he
respectfully urge upon the proper department at Richmond, the importance
to the Company of having their accounts audited and settled by some
authorised officer in this vicinity, and request a revocation of the
order of Maj LeBaron. |