The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-10
was held at Columbia, and the reports then
presented sho,T the condition Of the company's


was held at Columbia, and the reports then
presented show the condition Of the company's
affairs.
The earnings of the road amounted to
50, 800, ,OO2.95, in Confederate currency. and the
net earnings we're nearly s2,0O0,0O0. This re-
suit was due not only to the heavy movements
of troops, but to the advances made in the
rates charged for freight and passengers.
But, while business was increased and rates
we're advanced, the currency was depreciatlng
in value, and every description Of labor was
appreciating N price. Clerical services had
advanced one hundred per cent, mechanical
labor had advanced two hundred per cent,
general labor one hundred and fifty per cent,
and wheels, a1les, tires, nails, cotton, car
trimmings, &c., no less two thousand per cent.
Still the boar6 only consented to advance these
rates of passage when it was inevitably neces-
sary. The South Carolina Railroad was the
last railroad in the South to put in force a
higher scale Of charges, for the directors "en-
tertained the earnest hope and anxious wish
Of being able to pass through the war without
adding in any degree to the burdens Of the
country"
The deterioration in machinery and rails was
at the end OF 1868, particularly noticeable. 1t
was almost impossible to supervise properly
cars and engines which we're incessantly on the
road, and the removal Of the machine shops OF
the company 70 Columbia but made the diff
Guilty greater. Therefore it was assumed that,
of the locomotives reported in the preceding
years, not on half were in service at the end
OF 1868, and of that one half but few were in
good order. Still everything WAS done that
could be done; the speed Of trains was reduced
10 fifteen miles an hour, and further reduc-
ton WAS cont templated.
OF the road itself the accounts were not
cheering. The Charleston division, sixty-two
miles, from Charleston to Branchville, was in
better order than the other divisions we're, but
it was rapidly giving way, and required at
least six miles Of new rails. The Hamburg
division, seventy-fve miles, from Brsnchville
to Augusta, WAS insecure, and from ten to
twelve miles OF rails required immediate re-
moval. The Columbia division, si1ty-eight
miles, from Branchvllle to Columbia, was in an
even worse condition. Twelve miles OF new
rails we're at once required to enable the trains
to run with safety, but the structures were in
eood condition, and the road-bed thoroughly
ditohed. The Camden division was in fair
condition, but it required very general repairs.
The machine shops OF the company could not
remain in Charleston, snd in 1852 the building
OF new shops was began at Columbia. Tools
and implem ants were removed from Charles
ron; andin December 1862, the repairing and
finishing shops were nearly completed. In
July, 1868, now and additional works were COM
menced, and the building operations wero
steadily continued. Sixty-one thousand dvl-
lars had been expended up to January, 1854, and
it was estimated that it would take one hundred
and twenty-three thousand dollars additional
to complete the works.
The meeting Of February 9th and 10th, 1854,
was the lasa held before the close Of the war.
The next meeting was held in 1856.
HrTHE CLOSE OF THE wAB.
The conditions OF the road before and during
the war has now been shown. II remains to be
seen what was its condition when the war came
order all The locomotives, cars, and moVeable
property Of the company, then in Charleston
were Withdrawn, and after sundry wandernRs
finally located on the Camden Branch. On the
goth April the most Of this property was en-
tirely destroyed by an expedition commanded
by General Potter. On the approach OF Sher
man to Columbia, all the property OF the com
pany at that place vas Withdrawn to the Char
lotte Road, where it remained principally o.
Chester. But the loss Of rolling stock on tht
Camden Branch was not all. At Columbia al
the shops md tools forming the most complete
establishment of this kind IN the South wer'
DESTROYED. On this line Of road all the woodel
structures, culverts, station houses, and tank
we're burned, and the rails, torn up from tn
road, we're twisted into all manner OF fantastic
shapes.
On the 18th June the road was turned owe
TO tho directors, and the South Carolina Rail
road WAS once more under civil control.
The company was without one dollar OF avail
able funds, and, virtually, without credit. Onl.
eighty miles Of the road were in working con
dition. Fails however, under military orders
: we're taksn from the Camden branch and use'
for repairing The line to Columbe. This wa
the beginning, and within six months after
wards there we're in operation one hundre
and fifty eight miles Of road in place OF tn
eighty miles which were turned over to tn
company
The following statement shows tho propert
lost by tho road In 1885:
Machine shops at Columbia ........:... $500
, Freight ind other depots at Columbia >. >.
In;mr1 r. road 541. .86
Nen-oos emanc,pated. d........ 190, 81
EoySr h,,rdIad cars DESTROYED. ...... 188,0s
+ fn,,,rv tr, cars. 49,7C
44D!u-y ", and oss of locomotives. -. 174 2a
Materials and machinery. ............. Sbo'ot
= s1,629 II
r Besides this there was loss Of sS,6l2 OOo
> stocks, bonds ani debts Of the Confederat
States end transient credits tot'
i loss to the company Of more than four mi