| {From the minutes of the
Directors' Meeting of the Virginia Central RR,
November 6, 1862} |
| |
| Richmond Novr 6th 1862 |
| At a meeting of the Board of Directors
of the Virginia Central Rail Road Company, present |
| |
E Fontaine |
President |
| |
N B Hill |
Directors |
| |
J Baylor |
|
| |
J R Woods |
|
| |
Wm Overton |
|
|
| ***** |
| November 7th |
| Present same as yesterday |
| In accordance with the order of the
Board made on yesterday the Supt of Transportation made the
following report, viz |
| Va Central Rail Road |
| Superintendent's Office |
| Richmond Va Novr 7th 1862 |
| Col E Fontaine |
| President |
| I respectfully submit the following in
response to the resolution of inquiry adopted the 6th by the Board
of Directors relative to the capacity of this Road to transport Wood
for the City of Richmond |
| I assume that the City requires 50,000
cords and that Road would be expected to furnish 10,000 cords. This
amount of wood can not be purchased within less than 50 miles of
Richmond for our experience shows that we cannot purchase more than
one third of the amount on the first 27 miles in ordinary times and
not enough at present for our own wants |
| We have 13 Platform Cars which could be
used to haul wood for others than ourselves, provided they could be
spared from general transportation, which cannot be done without
injury to the public interest. Giving the trains which haul the wood
the preference over all other trains I suppose we could make a trip
each way, accidents excepted. At 5 cords to the car, then, we could
deliver 65 cords per day and 390 cords a week. It would require 6
months of constant work without accidents to deliver the 10,000
cords. But this assumes that we can spare the cars. We cannot
spare one of them. The Government needs more of these cars than we
can possibly furnish. They are wanted to transport lumber for
building Hospitals and other equally necessary objects. They are
wanted for Guns and Waggons, Ambulances heavy Machinery and numerous
other purposes. The Government have at this time a large number of
guns at Staunton and Gordonsville intended for the Barreries near
Richmond. We are transporting them as rapidly as we can but some
have been lying there for four weeks. We have waited more than that
length of time for slate for our new shops because we could not
spare the Cars to bring them to Richmond. |
| I do not think it necessary to say more
to convince you that it is impracticable for us to transport wood
for the City of Richmond. I shall be satisfied if we can buy or cut
and haul enough to supply the wants of the Road. |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your Obt Servant |
| H D Whitcomb |
| Genl Supt |