Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-11-19
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.


Report OF the General Superintendent.
We publish this morning the following
extracts from Col. Fremont's report:
ROADWAY AND WAREHOUSES;.
The road bed has been much improved
this year as it was last, by the new system
of ditching and ballasting authorized by
yourself.
We have put in HOO tons of new, or re-
rolled rails, and cut off or welded up the
ends of 1000 tons of old rails and repaired
the track until it is at this time az good as
it has been at any time i'll the last ten
years.
With the addition OF FIVE 5000 hundred
tons of new rail This fall, and fifteen 15O0)
hundred tons during the next summer, we
may expect very good and safe track for
the year.
Cross-ties are now supplied in sufficient
quantities at thirty (30) cents each.
My estimates for new rails will not be
considered large by railroad managers,
when I say that the old rails now in the
track have been there since 1850, and have
borne the heavy transportation of four
years war In addition to its regular bust
ness before and since that time.
I consider one thousand tons of new
rails Cfor the main stem) annually, to be q
fair estimate of the quantity required to
supply the regular depreciation and main
tain good track, and they must DO of the
best quality.
[ will here remark that the rails we have
received from the Abbott Rolling Mills at
Baltimore, seem 10 be of very good
quality, better than any we have had since
I no nd tO "a
on this road.
New warehouses have been constructed
at "North East" and "Duplin Road
this year, and thorough repairs made at
all other stations-especialiy at Faisons,
Wilson and Joyner's-all except two have
been repainted and whitewashed the re-
naming ones will soon be completed.
| Very little outlay next year will be re-
quired for buildings of any kind on the
line of the road, and I am pleased to in
form you as I now do, that think our ex-
traordinary expenses can and should now
cease
| The Company's business is now better
accommodated with warehouses, station
houses, and freight cars, than it has ever
been since have had the honor to serve
it-say within fifteen years.
With due economy and fair business
j
to make dividends latter its close) to the
Stockholders, who have waited long and
patiently for them.
NEW BRIDGES.
The new bridges commenced last year
over the North East and Neuse Rivers,
have been completed and paid for this
year.
The bridge at "Quanky" Greek, at Hall
fay has hoon
arches put in and made permanently good
Timber has been sawed and masonry
commenced for a new bridge over 'Tar
River" near Rocky Mount
DO not propose to do more next year
to the remaining bridges than to complete
the Tar River bridge; only two more small
ones remain to be rebuilt to complete the
repair of damages caused by the war.
Our trestles are all in excellent order.
MACHINERY.
The machinery has been kept in good
order and is in good condition for the win
ter's work.
We have purchased no new engines this
year, and 1 do not think it will be necessa-
ry to do SO for the next year.
We have rebuilt two of our old engines,
the 'Goldsboro' and Tarboro'," and
are now engaged on two others, "Indus-
try and "Job Terry" the latter to be
made fret-class freight engine, and the
former will be used for material train,
which will give one CIR more engines to the
passenger service by relieving the Orange
from material train duty.
We have recovered the last engine from
the Roanoke river, the ''GuilfOrd," and it
may be repaired for second-class engine.
We have one hundred and eighty-six
(lS6) box cars and seventy-four ca fiat
cars, with thirty new ones to be completed
in one month, and twenty gravel cars.
The culture of grapes and fruit general
ly will require some specially constructed
cars, OR cars with softer springs and great
er ventilation for their transportation than
our ordinary freight cars.
have plan for arranging our present
cars for this purpose, in order to save; the
cost of new ones, for the season these ar
ticles are ready fer market our other ton
mage is usually very light.
Our passenger equipment needs some
addition-four new coaches ore in course
of construction for this purpose. and with
a few baggage and mail cars will make our
equipment for passengers ample. We. have
nine first Class, seven second class, six
third class cars, and six mail and baggage
cars.
We have fifteen first class engines and
five more second and third class in good
order.
TRANSPORTATION.
There has been small decrease in the
amount received from way or local travel,
while the number of persons carried has
increased as compared with the preceding
year-due to a reduction in fares by the
sale of return" tickets, inducing more
travel, but it has not yet produced an in
crease of receipts, as it will undoubtedly
do as soon as the people along the line be-
come accustomed to the fact that they can
go to their market town and return for
one fare instead of two. Eight thousand
more persons have travelled short distan-
ces, or have been on the trains, with
IF Loco kbo,o Gs0 OA0 - .ooo:.oLo