The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-06-07
Hsa Mse COUNTY 2e.x Richmond, Wayne County Indiana

and over the W nHeHater alley lanai at Cam-
bridge City, and re o,aced them with substantial
,restle bridges, which fromtheir cheapness yet
strong character it was thought the best econ
omv to construct.
We have also replaced decaying tmbers in very
many of our eulyerts and cattle guards, and pot
into our road-bed several thousand cross
ties and we shall have to put in during the en-
suing year much larger number of new cross
ties, to add to the goodness of our road and the
safety Of our trains.
Our iron rails have worn exceedingly we'll,
scarcely equaled by any other rails in the country.
For the first time since our line has been in
operation we have had during the year about
fifteen tons Of our rails rerolied at cost Of
twenty-five dollars per ton, and shall probably
have need to have larger quantity re rolled this
year.
We can heartily Lear testimony to the general
faithfuness Of our employees and their vigilance
and in guarding our interests. But in q
single instance the chief Of company of bridge
carpenters employed onthe bridge over West
river at Cambridge City, on the 18th day of
November, 1859, had taken up rail on the
western span of the bridge, for the purpose of
making some repairs without having placed any
flags or given any notice either way, of the
obstruction caused by the work, as it was his to
duty have done by printed instructions placed
in his hands by the Superintendent. An extra
freight train coming from the west, ran past the
station without receiving any notice in time to
stop the train and ran into the bridge preciptat-
ing the engine, tender and thirteen freight ears
into the bridge and river. And it is painful to
say, that the conductor, A. j. Smith,
severely injured that he died in few hours. and
John Green, brakeman, and Larkin Newby,
drover and most worthy citizen, were instantly
killed. Jacob s. Elliott, another drover and
very upright man, had his leg badly crushed be-
tween the knee and foot, and was otherwise
considerably injured. His Ieg has however been
saved and he BIDS fair to recover entirely from
his injuries.
Il Is due from TO say that in the death Of
A. j. Smith, We have LOST one of our most valued
officers; honest and faithful! vigilaat, ne his
death il the discharge Of his duty, trying to
brake up and stop the tram. The engineer
jumped from the train and received but little
injury. The pecun;ary loss to US by the disaster
will be between $1,000 and $4,000. This
is the first serious accident that has ever occur
red to any of our trains in more than six years,
since the line has been in operation.
Oar relations with connecting lines have
been amicable, and in genral eharact erized by
courtesy sel desire cultivate closer bus
mess relations.
We row have all the competing lines in oper-
~
earnings. considering the scarcity Of fieshtS and
money in our country, have held up very
WELL and with the more abundant ffeights from
the crops of last year and the large pecuniary
returns we feel hopeful that earnings for
the present year will be materially increased.
Notwithstanding the extreme poorness OF
business for over one-half Of the past year, our
earnings from all sources show small increase
over the previous year-S3A, 58O,58, asains
S342, $50 Is for 1S56-and what is much more
gratifying, the proportions of earnings from local
business shows steady increase over those for
through business, clearly demonstrating that the
strength of our line mainly lies in our local traffic,
and that that traffic is developing and strength
ening year by year. and that while our through
business has undoubtedly reached its minimum.
our local business of ITSELF by its increase, must
add largely in the future to our aggregate earn
ings. In saying this much, however, we do not
wish to BE- understood as admitting that we do
not expect our through business to increase
On the contrary, with the advancing prosperity
of the country we confidently think that ou'
through business must mutually increase.
The building of Railways in the west has been
in advance of the urgent needs Of the country
But the country is surely advancing in improve
ments and wealth, and will in short period o
time reach the point at which all prudently con
structed lines will be needed and will be re-
munerative on a fair cost Of construction. Ths
past year, poor as it was with the extraordinar,
expenses incurred in changing the gauge of ou
line, and Of the rolling stock, and damages oc
casioned bv the accident we have before named
has yielded to US, in neat earnings, sum that
would more than pay SIX per cent. on all liabili
ties, including stock boTds, and uafunded debts
By order Of the Board,
JOHN 5. NEWMAN, PRESIDENT.
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