Total Current Expenses.. TOTAL OF ALL EXPENSES.. Net Earnings over Current Expenses. CURRENT EXPENSES-ITEMIZED. Salaries of General Officers....... Salaries of Division Superintendents, Civil Engi Loss and Damage to Persons... Loss and Damage to Stock. Loss and Damage to Freight... Ordinary Repairs-Roadway and Bridges... Ordinary Repairs-Equipment. Other actual Operating Expenses and Repairs.... EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES-ITEMIZED. To be forwarded to Columbia by 15th of each Month. ANNUAL REPORTS. A copy of the following letter accompanied the blank form of Annual Report sent to each of the railroads in the State: SOUTH CAROLINA, OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, COLUMBIA, May 25, 1883. DEAR SIR: Heretofore the Annual Reports which the law requires to be sent to this office have been received, with but few exceptions, so incomplete as to be of little value to the Board or to the Legislature, in arriving at an intelligent understanding of the financial condition, business and operation of the roads furnishing the same. The Commission would therefore earnestly urge upon the managers of all the roads that the form be filled carefully in every particular; indeed, this must be done. The law requires the reports to be returned to the Board by the 31st August. We would thank you to return it as early as practicable after 31st July. Yours respectfully, L. J. WALKER, Acting Chairman Board Railroad Commissioners. Notwithstanding this notice, the reports from most of the roads reached the Commission at a late day and has caused much delay in the preparation of this report. And, further, while a few of the reports sent in are clear and satisfactory, most of them are so incomplete and inaccurate as to be of little service, notwithstanding they have been returned many times for correction. The Commission had hoped to get these reports in such shape as to warrant their being embodied herein, but have been disappointed. Tables as full as can be made from the material before us will be found in this Report. It is the present purpose of the Commission to point out in detail to the railroad authorities, as soon as practicable, the defects and omissions referred to above, and to give notice that hereafter they will be required to conform to the requirements of the law in every particular. COST OF ROADS. The Commission, deeming it important that they should be reliably informed as to the actual cost of the railroads in the State, addressed the following letter to each of the roads: COLUMBIA, S. C., June 30th, 1883. DEAR SIR: I am directed by the Board to respectfully request that you return this paper with answer to the subjoined questions, filled up to the best of your knowledge and belief: Q. 1. What would it cost to build and equip your road at the present time? Answer. Q. 2. What is the cost of your road to the present owners? Answer. The Commission had hoped by this method to obtain the necessary data, by which estimates might be made at the close of the business season of the percentage of income realized by the owners of the roads on their investment. Many of the roads have not answered, and most of the replies that have reached the Commission are vague and valueless. [TABLE No. 3.] OFFICIAL DIRECTORY. ASHEVILLE AND SPARTANBURG RAILROAD COMPANY. Spartanburg, S. C., to Hendersonville, N. C., 50 miles; chartered as Spartanburg and Asheville in 1868. The road, as far as completed, was opened June 1st, 1879; was sold under foreclosure April 4th, 1881, and reorganized under above name. Between the present Northern terminus and Asheville, N. C., (a distance of 20 miles) several miles have been graded and are ready for the superstructure. The property is controlled by the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company. ASHLEY RIVER RAILROAD COMPANY. From Charleston and Savannah Railway to the Northeastern Railroad-4 miles. Opened January, 1878. Operated by the Charleston and Savannah Railway Company. OFFICERS. A. F. Ravenel, President......... Charleston. J. F. O'Mara, Secretary and Treasurer................ Charleston. From Atlanta, Georgia, to Charlotte, N. C., 269 miles, 125 of which is in South Carolina. The entire road was opened September 28th, 1873. On the 26th of March, 1881, was lea ed to the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company. |