Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-09-21
REPORT OF GEo.. r: LEWIS.
OrricE NJ. c. h LOUISVILLE r. n. l
~ Ciarksyille. Sent, IL, 1906.

M lKEfOkT OF GEO. t. LEWIS.
!. orricr NJ. c. & LOUISVILLE R.R.lot
~ Ciarksville, Sept. IL, 1896. J. u
To Ills Ercellenwi Vim. G. Brownloip, Knor-
VlLe, Tenn y-s-- - r.... Ia s-.f.s III
You did me the honor to appoint me Re-
ceiyer Of the Memphis, GAINESVILLE and Lou,
isville Railroad, in July, 1865. ,5o5 .e, Ia. y,
made several efforts to raise means to
put the road in running order, but did not
succeed until applied to ,your sir, for aid,
and through you to the State Legislature,
An appropriation of FIVE hundred thousand
dollars in bonds Of the State was made.
Competent engineers were appointed to go
over the entire line of the road from the
State Line Of Kentucky, to Paris, Tennnes-
|see-eghty- three miles, ..,rs,,..., ........
Their reports stated that no part Of the
road was in condition to pass trains safely,
thirteen miles in length, and the trestle work
on that required extensive repairs. From
GAINESVILLE West not mile of the road was
in order, and nearly the whole line of the
| road, seventy miles, was covered with weeds,
briers and bushes Cuts were partly filled
up, embankments washed more or less,
wooden culverts aud cattle guards decayed,
and the trestle, over ten thousand lineal feet,
in many sections either destroyed, removed
by high water, or requiring heavy and ex-
pensive repairs: and in addition FIVE hun
bred cross ties were needed to the mile OF
road, and FIVE bridges necessary to rebuild
before trains could pass over the road. t
The repairs of the road was commenced in
February last, under many disadvantages.
In the first place 1t was impossible to
draw labor from roads in operation to this
one, without Increasing the pay MS an in
ducemeut. Consequently, was compelled
to pay day laborers, foremen and mechanics
about twenty-five per cent. above usual
rates.
There were so many breaks in the road
from the destruction Of bridges and trestles,
material sliding into cuts, culterts destroyed
and embankments washed partly away, that
il was impossible 10 use a locomotive on any
part of the road consequently, the material
in the cuts, abont fifty thousand cubic yards,
had to be moved by horse power on small
truck cars, and the cross ties necessary for
immediate repairs had to be distributed in
the same SLOW, tedious and expensive man.
ner
However, the work is done--trestle all
rebuilt or thoroughly repaired the bridges
over the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers,
across Wells, and Crooked and Gices Greek
have all been erected new, and Of good ma
terial, the necessary quantity of cross ties
put in, and the roa opsned for traffic on the
thirteenth day Of August last, when four
passenger trains passed over it on time, max
ing direct connection by rail for the first
time, between Louisville and Memphis.
The bridges cost in bonds Two hundred
and thirty thousand dollars, and two hundred
and twenty thousand dollars in bonds were
pledged as collateral security for the loan of
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, pay
able in three years, with interest at the rate
of six per cent. per annum.
/ have expended for machinery engine,
Boiler, lathes, 6c..................$ 1000 90
Railroad iron and spikes. 10000 90
Seats for three passenger coaches 1000 90
Stationery, blanks, books, tickets
&c Observation-Disclosures. 1900 90
Fees on State Bonds .............. 1000 90
Repairs on engine bought Of U.
S Observation-Disclosures. 1850 90
Machine shop covered with iron,
96x60 feet 2 stories high,
frame bought of U. S.)....... 1000 90
Eating house and Offices, mot
finished. Observation-Disclosures. $500 90
Hand and truck cars......"..... 5000 90
si9,350 90
In short time hope to have the ac-
counts all properly arranged, so as to show
in detail the expenditures have made.
am pleased to state, sir, that the pros
pect for business over this road is decidedly
good.
The receipts Of the road for the first eight
cen days, from l3tR to 3lst August, averaged
over four hundred dollars per day ! feel
confident, sir, that the income of this road
will ere lnnp be sufficient To nay current