Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-04-12
LOCAL. MEMS. :
Meeting Of the Stockholders Of the Manassas
Gap Railrt ad Company

Gap Rallrt ad Company.
q The stockholders 4 re assem- bled yesterday
evening at the Mansion House, when the Com
Emittee on Proxies reported that there were
present represented in person and by proxy,
56,Sl8 shares, Icing. large majority OF the
whole stock Of the Company
| & On motion the report was adopted.
Mr. Marshall, President, then read the fol-
loving report, which was, on4motion, adopted :
ALExANDRIA,ssVA. a., April 18th, 1865.
To the Stockholders ct the Manassas Gap
Railroad Company: ~. .,r.f.-f
The President and Directors of the Manas-
sas Gap Railroad Company respectfully submit
this, their report. $ ,T Y
While the reconstruction Of theGovernment,
by which we are enabled to bold, once more, a
meeting Of Stockholders is a subject Of c1ngrat
ulalion, the reconstruction of Manassas, which
has brought US together, Is task OF painful
soicitude and calls for wise and united councils.
In the spring Of 1861, when the sectional
war began, the friends Of Manassas were on
the eve Of realizing theirIlong cherished hope
of completing the road totits terminus at liar.
risonburg The necessary materials were
bought and on hand, and the work was ap-
preaching its close. The success OF its opera.
tons had put beyond doubt that, when com
ple,ed, although local and agricultural in char.
acter, yet the earnings Of the road were ample
to meet expenses of working aud peculiarly
Obligations Of every sort. The Stockholders
are now convened to look at different picture
to look at Manassas laboring un Ter paralysis.
brought upon it by the devastation OF war
AS the amount of losses IS the measure OF
the cost of repairs, which constitutes the bust
ness of the meeting it Is proper tor that and
other reasons that they should be stated with
some detail. .5.5 Z.
In May, 1861, the army o(U 81 landed in
Alexandria, when 1860 tons OF newly import
ed iron rails, lying bondedin the Custom House,
were taken into their possession and carried
off, ..r... ..g.na;.a d Ef..L.i,ss-ara
On the 9th March, 1862, Manassas Junction
was evacuated by Gen. Johnston, with little or
no notice, when in consequence of surprise, our
rolling stock being at work upon the whole
line from Manassas junction to Mount Jack
son, sustained very great loss.
At different times in 1862, General Stonewall
jackson had the bridge superstructure along
the whole line burned, iand the iron rails, lying
upon the track between Strasburg and Pied
mont, distance OF 81 miles, wrenched from
their position and being laid upon piles of cross
ties, afterwards set on fire, were greatly DANA
ged by twisting, and the ties all consumed.
In the autumn of 1864, the War Depart
ment (U S. upon changing the base OF sup
plies for Gen Sheridan army in the Valley,
from Manassas to Harper's Ferry, took up the
rails lying on the track between Manassas juno
ton and Piedmont, u distance of 80 miles, aud
laid 1000 tons on the Winchester and Potomac
Road, using the remaining rails atother points.
These losses, viz 1900 tons of iron rails,
all the bridge superstructure, and nearly one
hundred cars OF all sorts, together with large
amount of cross-ties, cannot be estimated at
less than $500,0O0
Inl962, Mr.. Gold>borough having resigned,
Hugh Rice, esq.,, was appointed General Su
perintendent With his exertions which were
much embarrassed by the movements OF the
army, we succeeded in collecting the scattered
remnant of the rolling stock OF the Company,
and located at Greensboro, n. G., where iD the
fall Oh 1863, we established a repair shop, and
by renting out eng ines and cars, maintained the
expenses of their preservation. All other
gains, except some payments OF coupons and
otker debts, followed the falling fortunes OF the
Confederacy.
Among the great losses of the Company du-
ring the war, we have.to regret the death OF
Edward Green, Treasurer, who was IN the ser
vice OF the Company from the period OF It's
organization, and whose fidelity and efficiency
could not be surpassed. ,.
In the spring of 1865, Greensboro was fora
long time occupied by one or the other army,
and was finally the scene of Gen. Johnstonis
surrender During this difficult period the
property Of the Company was under the care
of Daniel Morgan, Assistant Treasurer, Mr..
Rice having withdrawn upon the lst OF March.
Upon the cessation Of hostilities, the War
II \ f1,a ro1lr 6c
of the State to Gov. Pierpoint, as President OF
the Board of Public Works, and on the 2Sth
June 1865, Edward G. Marshall, President,
was appointed by the Board, its agent, in
charge Of the Manasse Gap Road. &.
Aninventory of the Companys' property at
| Greensboro, at Alexandria, StauntOn and along
the line of the road was made by Mr.Denmead,
which accompanies this report; to which Is
added reports from the Custom House and
Military Superintendent of Railroads u. s.
of companies Rails taken by the War Depart
ment This inventory of Mr., Denmead exhib-
its the fact, that all the engines, nine in number,
that belonged to Ike Company at the opening
of the War, are still in it's possession, though
| much deprecated; only Is cars, however, sur
vved the fortunes of the war. Whole prop
perty in this inventorary is estimated at
$Se, 900.
! The recovery OF these ral!s rom Cne Co'ein-
ment was obviously necessary to theleconstrue-
ton of the road. Application was Immediately
made first to the Military Headquarters, then
to the War Department, and finally to Pres-
dent Johnson-made in several forms, all en-
dorsed and strongly urged by Gov. Perpointt
pressed for long time and with much assidul,
| tty, but with unavailing efort-the settled
practice of the Department being to allow all
property attached to the 1ree-hold, TO remain
with the parties who were SO fortunate as to De
laid upon roads of their own making were Civ
en- up to US by the Department, Of which we
have received some $50 tons-l40 tons recog-
nized as belonging to this company being still
on q road at Fortress Monroe
The rails not returned are laid upon the
Winchester and Potomac and Pennsylvania
=. ..i.,.ss,,ar IN thaSa 1ailS Is .