The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-16

Of the meeting of the stockholders
of the Greenville and Columbia Rail
road Company induces me to call
their attention to the claims of some
Of the officers Of the company, for
extraordinary services rendered dur
ing the last six months, and the most
discouraging circumstances. The
present Superintendent took charge
OF the road just as the business sea-
son set in, with the motive power
and rolling stock almost completely
run down, and very limited supply
Of material on hand. and with o
business increasing with an unprece-
dented rapidity; he has thrown into
market an immense amount of cot
ton, grain and. other freights. with
only seven old engines and about
sixty cars-the most of them old and
requiring repairs after each trip. The
forthcoming report of the President
will show how heavy this business
has been for several months. The
writer wishes he could go into par
ticulars to show. During the month
of February alone, it amounted to
fully $50, ZOO. With constant, sleep
less energy, Mr.. James o. Meredith,
the Superintendent, has made three
old engines to haul more freight than
they were originally built to pull,
and at the same time three constant,
heavy trains were passing over the
road. He has put the road-bed and
track in far better condition than il
has been since the war began. All
this has been accomplished by the
application OF thorough business
knowledge and unremitted labor and
personal attention, which looked
closely after everything pertaining to
the benefit of the road. He found, on
taking charge OF his Office, that there
was not wood enough to run his
trains month. and the credit of the
company so low, that cash was re-
quired to get anything; and was
forced to go to work to establish a
character and credit for the road.
This, together with the most excel
lent President, he has been able to
do, and now he has the whole line
supplied with wood sufficient to run
his trains for some years. and con-
tracts out with parties supplying
both wood and timber for trestles
and track on the most accommodate
ing terms for the company. Piles of
wood, cross-ties and stringers lie
thick along the track, and hands put
ting them in place rapidly, and all
parties satisfied that they will be paid
in the proper time.
The writer does not wish to say
anything to the disparagement of
former officers Of the company, but
it must be admitted by all who OBJ
serve that, that MIR. j. o. Meredith,
tho present Superintendent, has
shown talent rs railroad man not
equalled by many at his age, and
this, too, without any former expe-
rience in the Office. 1t is true, that
as Master Machinist at the shops, he
exhibited great energy and first rate
judgment; still, no one supposed that
this young man, without experience,
could take charge of and carry on SO
extensive q concern, and show him
self 80 entirely and peculiarly adapt
ed to the Office, taking into consider
ton, ut the same time, the bad
condition everything was in at the
time. The writer thinks he deserves
pointed endorsement by stockhold
ers, for the great development of the
dormant resources of the Greenville
and Columbia Railroad, as al encou-
ragement for his course. The public
verdict of "Well done, good and
faithful servants" is surely due the
President and superintendent; and
under their superior management.
this Will soon become a first class
railroad. With a prospect daily
frightening, we hopo to see this, one
of the most important roads in the