The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-02
--1 80 ORLEANS mud 5aeHSOn
= @AN Rnad.

Road Il contains much that would IN }
terest our readers, but as its length pre-
vents its publication entire, we VIII no !
tice the most important points. l nc ie
port Of H. j. Rannsy, former President OF t
the Road, made Dec. 1st 1860 Is referr- :
ed to. From that itappears that at that
time the road had been completed with
single track, together with the necessa-
ry side-tracks, depot buildings and water
stations from New Orleans to Canton
Nississippi-a length of two hundred
and six miles-in substantial and per
manent manner. equal to any road in the
United States, with the exception Of
portion between the city Of New Orleans
and the Pass Manchac, which portion 81
now being filed and raised in such man
ner as to prevent any future delay or
accidents.
On that portion above Canton, known
az the extension, twenty-six miles had
been graded, at cost of two hundred
and twenty thousand dollars (3220, ,OOo')
and an additional section Of fourteen miles
IN the town Of Kosciusko, was under con-
tract. and would have been completed
drripo the wear 1861 another section,
extending south from Aberdeen, Miss,
totbe intersection ofthe Mobile and Ohio
Railroad 0engthnine miles, was under
contract. the graduation of which was
nearly completed and ready for the rails,
which could be laid in season to take OF
the next crop, should the receipts OF the
road have cqualed expectations. In ad-
dition to the work done on the above nine
miles. there had been more or less work
done upon about forty miles Of the line
through Monroe County, above and be-
low Aberdeen, at an expense of about
SS5,500.
The total cost of the road and rolling
stock up to that period had been S7'O38''
S73, and the total indebtedness was S3,-
5S5,335 70, while the net earnings of the
road for the year ending November 30
1850, was S556,712 "a, an amount some
what less than half of the total receipts
When Major Ranney'made his last an
nual report, OH the lst Of January 1862
tba total cxprnditures on the road hat
been sl2,5I3, ,S2O II, and the total liza
bilities amounted to S3,67O,407 OF. /
1863, the Company purchased $50 bale
Of cotton with Confederate securide
then on hand, and 500 of the bales s
purchased were subsequently, burned
Canton. During the years 1863 and c
most of the locomotives and rolling stoc
on the road were entirely destroyed.
On the 1st of May 1865, Maj. Ranne
died, and on the gath of June the Ro'
was handed over to the present Board
Directors. Out of 40 locomotives
passenger cars and $50 freight and 9th
cars there remained but two locomotiv
a passenger aud % of all other ca
Besides there was not dollar of avail
BILE funds in the Treasury. Under t
circumstances We think the manageme
of the Road by the present Directors /
been all that could be expected. Th
have labored well and faithfully for
public and deserve their confidence.
The following extract from Col. Shat
elford's report refers to the present c.
dition of the Road and its principal G
GERS, and will be found interesting.
Such was the general condition of
road, and the amount of rolling stock {
motive power, when it was placed I'M
the control of the present Board of Din
tors, on the gath of June, 1865. Of
financial condition, it need only be s.
there was not dollar of available ful
in its treasury. To rebuild the road /;
restore its shattered finances, was
first work to which the Directors addr'
ed themselves. Workmen were immt
employed to rebuild bridges-comme
ing Immediately north Of Pontchato
Other portions of the road were also
dergoing repairs, and every effort, C
mensurate with their ability, was use
render the road, III its entire length,
for use at the earliest day On the
day of July, the President of the e
pany was directed to go to negotiate v
the Governor for rolling stock, and IN
postal arrangements for the transmits
of mails over the road. Contracts
mail services We're made on the S
terms as with other Southern road:
this time The negotiations for rol
stock aud locomotives resulted in a p1
ise on the part of the Government,
when the stock belonging to it was
the several roads in the South wonld
permitted to purchase, for teeir respC
Companies, amounts according to
length of road. Since then there
been purchased, for this road, five
motives, one hundred and two box
and fifty fiat cars.
A portion of the stock purchase,
Nashville arrived some weeks since,
has been in active use since its arr
The remainder we are looking for d
One locomotive belonging to the Coz
ny, which had been carried into Gee
du ing the war, is being returned, bt
reported as in bad condition.
On the goth day of August, feelin
necessity of opening the road its e
length AT the earliest period, the SER
OF Mr.. Ii. b. Green, ac engineer by
fession, was engaged in the prosecr
of the work. In the short space of
teen days under his direction, the G
two and half miles immediately s
of jackson, was rebuilt, includinga
bridge, thus closing a break that ha,
listed since May, 1868, and opening
road for use from Canton to Brookh;
distance of seventy eight miles.
zeal, energy and ability displayed b.
Green in pushing forward this work
the subsequent interest manifest. d Il
prosperity of the road, is worthy of
nendation. The Company is mucl
debted to Capt. HeatoR, the L
States Chief Quartermaster, at Jac
for the voluntary aid he gave to ass
h., fxvn and a half ilaa