Changing Hands
Ownership and operation positions fluctuated periodically throughout the history of the Western North Carolina Railroad. One President of the company who worked closely with the railroad and its organization was Col. Samuel McDowell Tate. Tate was involved with various aspects of the railroads success beginning in 1861. "In 1874 Tate sold his stock in the Western North Carolina Railroad, resigned all his connections with the railroad, and was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons from Burke County. During this term in the General Assembly he sponsored a bill that would allow the state to assume control of the Western North Carolina Railroad. The bill passed, and Tate was elected as commissioner to reorganize the railroad. He also was the author of a bill providing for convict labor on works of internal improvement, and in 1875 the stockholders of the Western North Carolina Railroad appointed him as the overseer of its convict workforce" (Pruitt, 1996). Changing hands numerous times, the railroad faced financial struggles due to greedy stakeholders, and innovation and expansion thanks to the State of North Carolina and the owners that followed (Blackburn, 1980). The state of North Carolina officially took over the operation of the Western North Carolina Railroad in 1875. The state operated the Western North Carolina Railroad until 1880 when it was sold to a local interest, which immediately resold its share to owners of the Richmond and Danville Railroad.
In 1867 George W. Swepson, a native of N.C., gained political favors from Governor Holden and through his influence was able to attain presidency of the Western North Carolina Railroad. As a banker and an opportunist, he used the WNCRR as well as eastern lines, to funnel money directly into his pockets (Blackburn, 1980).Over $333,000 from the illegal sale of bonds was intrusted to Swepson during this time. Swepson headed the Western Division of the North Carolina Railroad for 2 years starting in 1867, but during his presidency, he failed to complete hardly any work on the roadbeds of the Western Division. In 1869, he resigned as president of the division having only established a grading on the Ducktown and Paint Rock stretches. Thankfully, however, extensive work had been completed on the Eastern Division and in 1869, the freight “Iron Horse” puffed its way along the railways from Morganton to Old Fort (Blackburn, 1980, p 383-390). Although this achievement had been made, the WNCRR had too many financial burdens.
In 1876, the Western North Carolina Railroad was put up for sale and was purchased by the state by Augustus S. Merrimon. Through a quick change of hands, a new ownership gave hope to the citizens of North Carolina once again that the Western North Carolina Railroad would finally be able to stretch across the mountains and into the Tennessee border (Blackburn, 1980). This new period in the 19th century was known as the Reconstruction period. Because the Western North Carolina Railroad was incomplete, construction on the Western Division began and profit was slowly, but surely being made. At this time, convict labor was an inexpensive way of utilizing cheap labor and the state pushed the railroad construction farther west. With new President, James W. Wilson, during the next three years, the mountains of Western North Carolina were finally conquered by “parallel ribbons of steel”(Blackburn, 1980, pg.394).
Alexander Boyd Andrews, a railroad executive and construction engineer piloted the completion of the W.N.C.R.R despite the various challenges and criticism he faced. Taking blame for the bumps along the way, Andrews proceeded with his plans of expansion across the blue ridge. Liquidating outstanding debts caused by further construction, Andrews pressed onward. "Undeterred by criticism, Andrews proceeded vigorously with plans to complete the Western North Carolina's construction. Facing exceptionally difficult terrain and chronic labor shortages, he completed the line to Asheville by October 1880 and to Paint Rock by January 1882. At the same time, through careful lobbying with Jarvis and state treasurer John Milton Worth, two of the state's three W.N.C.R.R. commissioners, he was able to obtain necessary extensions of building deadlines as well as extra contingents of convict laborers" (Steelman, 1979). Alexander Boyd Andrew's most well-known achievement, amongst other construction projects, was the completion of the Western North Carolina Railroad.
Owners and Operators
Dr. A. M. Powell 1860 - 1865
-- Caldwell - Sept. 1866
George W. Swepson 1867
Samuel McDowell Tate Oct. 1866 - 1868
(Eastern Div.) Dr. J. J. Mott 1869 -
W. W. Rollins* 1875 - 1877
(Western Div.) George W. Swepson Oct. 1868 - Oct. 1869
Milton S. Littlefield Oct. 1869 - March 1870
William W. Rollins* 1875 - 1877 (combined RR)
James W. Wilson 1877 - 1879+
Alexander Boyd Andrews 1881 - 1886+
Superintendent & Chief Engineer James C. Turner 1861 - 1863
James W. Wilson 1863 - 1868
W. A. Eliason 1868 - April 1871
James W. Wilson Oct. 1875 -
Secretary & Treasurer
R. F. Simonton 1861 - 1865 George Phifer Erwin 1877
(Blackburn, 1980)
In 1867 George W. Swepson, a native of N.C., gained political favors from Governor Holden and through his influence was able to attain presidency of the Western North Carolina Railroad. As a banker and an opportunist, he used the WNCRR as well as eastern lines, to funnel money directly into his pockets (Blackburn, 1980).Over $333,000 from the illegal sale of bonds was intrusted to Swepson during this time. Swepson headed the Western Division of the North Carolina Railroad for 2 years starting in 1867, but during his presidency, he failed to complete hardly any work on the roadbeds of the Western Division. In 1869, he resigned as president of the division having only established a grading on the Ducktown and Paint Rock stretches. Thankfully, however, extensive work had been completed on the Eastern Division and in 1869, the freight “Iron Horse” puffed its way along the railways from Morganton to Old Fort (Blackburn, 1980, p 383-390). Although this achievement had been made, the WNCRR had too many financial burdens.
In 1876, the Western North Carolina Railroad was put up for sale and was purchased by the state by Augustus S. Merrimon. Through a quick change of hands, a new ownership gave hope to the citizens of North Carolina once again that the Western North Carolina Railroad would finally be able to stretch across the mountains and into the Tennessee border (Blackburn, 1980). This new period in the 19th century was known as the Reconstruction period. Because the Western North Carolina Railroad was incomplete, construction on the Western Division began and profit was slowly, but surely being made. At this time, convict labor was an inexpensive way of utilizing cheap labor and the state pushed the railroad construction farther west. With new President, James W. Wilson, during the next three years, the mountains of Western North Carolina were finally conquered by “parallel ribbons of steel”(Blackburn, 1980, pg.394).
Alexander Boyd Andrews, a railroad executive and construction engineer piloted the completion of the W.N.C.R.R despite the various challenges and criticism he faced. Taking blame for the bumps along the way, Andrews proceeded with his plans of expansion across the blue ridge. Liquidating outstanding debts caused by further construction, Andrews pressed onward. "Undeterred by criticism, Andrews proceeded vigorously with plans to complete the Western North Carolina's construction. Facing exceptionally difficult terrain and chronic labor shortages, he completed the line to Asheville by October 1880 and to Paint Rock by January 1882. At the same time, through careful lobbying with Jarvis and state treasurer John Milton Worth, two of the state's three W.N.C.R.R. commissioners, he was able to obtain necessary extensions of building deadlines as well as extra contingents of convict laborers" (Steelman, 1979). Alexander Boyd Andrew's most well-known achievement, amongst other construction projects, was the completion of the Western North Carolina Railroad.
Owners and Operators
Dr. A. M. Powell 1860 - 1865
-- Caldwell - Sept. 1866
George W. Swepson 1867
Samuel McDowell Tate Oct. 1866 - 1868
(Eastern Div.) Dr. J. J. Mott 1869 -
W. W. Rollins* 1875 - 1877
(Western Div.) George W. Swepson Oct. 1868 - Oct. 1869
Milton S. Littlefield Oct. 1869 - March 1870
William W. Rollins* 1875 - 1877 (combined RR)
James W. Wilson 1877 - 1879+
Alexander Boyd Andrews 1881 - 1886+
Superintendent & Chief Engineer James C. Turner 1861 - 1863
James W. Wilson 1863 - 1868
W. A. Eliason 1868 - April 1871
James W. Wilson Oct. 1875 -
Secretary & Treasurer
R. F. Simonton 1861 - 1865 George Phifer Erwin 1877
(Blackburn, 1980)