Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-04
NASHVILLE AND NORTH.
WESTERN RAILROAD.
The Facts and Figures.

The Facts and Figures.
The following correspondence explains
itself:
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 8, 1S69.-E.
w. Cole, President Of the Nashville and
Chattanooga Railroad Company-Dear Sir:
In order to remove erroneous Impressions
that exist as to the management of the
Nashville and Northwestern Railroad by
your company during the last fourteen
months, and obviate some objections that
have been urged against the ratification of
the proposed lease, now pending in the
Legislature, beg to be allowed to trouble
you for a somewhat extended statement of
your management of said road, and the
results thereof, than has yet been fur
nished to the public through the press of
this city.
Your compliance, at your earliest con-
Yenisnce, will very much obige
Yours, very respectfully,
VIM. P CALDWELL.
NASHVILLE AND CHArTAooGA RAILROAD,
PRESIDENTS OFFICE, NASHVILLE, Dec. 8.
1SG9.-Hon. VIM. P Caldwell In
answer to your note of this date it is not
out of place to review the history of the
Nashville and Northwestern Railroad for
the last two years. Passing from the con-
troll of the Nashville and Northwestern
Railroad Company into the hands of the
first Receiver, it was operated for about
five months at loss to the State of some
$50, 900, it was then taken possession of
by the unpaid employees and remained sus-
pended for some two months. 1t was then
turned over to a second Receiver, who
operated it for about one month, and ascer-
tanned that he could not continue its opera
ton without entailing heavy loss upon the
State, which he was unwilling to do. The
track, engines and cars, were all in a most
dilapidated condition, and it was almost
impossible to run train over il with safety.
BY the terms of the lease under which
we took possession of the road it was ex-
pressly stipulated that the Receiver was to
put the track in good running order, which
would have required at that time an imme-
diate expenditure of 100000. This
provision of the lease was never complied
with by the Receiver, and, as the Nash
vile and Chattanooga Railroad Com
pany were operating the road I'M
der a lease that could be terminated
at thirty days notice it was considered in
judiciOus to expend that amount upon a
road held by such uncertain tenure. The
result of this failure upon the part of the
Receiver to put the track in good order
very materially increased the wear and
tear of the machinery used in operating
the road, and increased the ordinary re-
pairs upon the engines at least fifty per
cent over the amount that would have been
required had the track been in good con-
dition.
We received of the Nashville and North
western Railroad twenty locomotives
a single one Of which vas IN first class con-
ditiOn, and only seven in mere running
order. The remaining thirteen entirely
unseTyIceable without rebuilding, and sew
eral Of these scrap-helgs worth only their
value as old iron. Mos Of these engines
remain in the same con l,dou now as at
the time We received them and speak for
themselves As stated above we received
only seven engines in running order, and
there are now eight in actual service upon
the road, which are in better condition
than the seven we received.
We have not only increased the number
but have improved the condition of those
in service. During the past fourteen
months we have expended upon the re-
pairs of engines $50, 299. IS of this amount
- CO. ID W do tA PCLOlCu III l0bu4lNlLA3 lAlCO
engines that were unserviceable at the time
we took charge Of the road, and over
50. 200 expended for six sets of new
tires, leaving the ordinary repairs of
the engines actually in service
upon the road so. 574O3 or y cents per
mile run, which viii compare faborably
with the amount expended upon ordinary
repairs of engines upon any road not in
frst-class condition. The amount expend-
ed upon the repairs of engines was no
source of profit to the Nashville and Chat
tanoOga Railroad Company, as We only
charged the actual amount paid in cash for
the labor and materials, and not one cent
foc the use of tools and shops. From Sep
TENDER l, 1868, to November l, 1869
fourteen months-the receipts of the road
have been IS follows:
From massage. ~i.J1 $50 90