Western & Atlantic Railroad

Related Western & Atlantic RR

Construction Issues
The twelve and a half cent note is illustrated in Dr. John A. Mauscalus' book "Georgia Railroad Currency Comprehensively Illustrated". Little is know except that it was payable in Lafayette, GA. The author indicated it was probably from the 1840s, a period during which the railroad was under construction. A 6 1/4 cent notes is also known.

$0.12 1/2 W&A RR, Engine, 1840s? (Copy) C-R.W&A-12c-1

$1.00 W&A RR, Ship, March 12, 1842, C-R.W&A-1-1
Courtesy of Claud Murphy / Ken Latimer

$5.00 W&A, FIVE DOLLARS across, June 1, 1840, C-R.W&A-5-1
Courtesy of Mack Martin

$5.00 W&A, R: Train, L: Washington, Jan. 1, 1841, C-R.W&A-5-2
Schafluetzel collection d

$5.00 W&A, Top: Train, R&L: Eagle, June 1, 1842, C-R.W&A-5-3
Courtesy of Mack Martin d

$10.00 W&A RR, TEN DOLLARS across, June 1, 1841, C-R.W&A-10-1
 

$10.00 W&A RR, State of GA seal left, 184_, C-R.W&A-10-2
Compliments Lyn Knight - Ken Latimer

$10.00 W&A RR, Train, R&L: Eagle, January 1, 1842, C-R.W&A-10-3
Compliments of Ken Latimer

$20.00 W&A RR, TWENTY DOLLARS across, January 1, 1840, C-R.W&A-20-1
Smythe Auction Sep 2003 lot 1482 / Dennis Schafluetzel

$20.00 W&A RR, L: Train, R&L: Solder & Flag, January 1, 1842, C-R.W&A-20-3
Courtesy of Claud Murphy / Ken Latimer

$50.00 W&A RR, FIFTY DOLLARS across, June 1, 1840, C-R.W&A-50-1
Compliments of Gary Doster

All of the Western and Atlantic railroad construction notes are rare (1 to 6 known). The notes appear to be of three different types. The Type 1 notes have the denomination printed across both ends in a printers design. The Type 1 notes are know in $5, $10, $20 and $50 denominations ($100 may exist) and are dated 1/1/1840, 6/1/1840 and 1/1/1841.

Type 2 notes are similar to obsolete bank notes of the period with vignettes at the top center, left and right. The $5 denomination has a W&A seal at left and Washington at right dated 1/1/1841 or 7/1/1841. The $10 note is known only in unissued condition.

Type 3 notes have a train at the top with circular printer designs at each corner and an identical vignette between the printer designs. Notes of $5, $10 and $20 dated 1/1/1842 or 6/1/1842 are known.

Only eight Western and Atlantic construction notes have been offered for public sale in the past seven years. Three in the Smythe sale of June 1997: Lot 1155 $5 June 1, 1840 G/VG(probable Type 1 based on date); Lot 1156 $50 July 1, 1841 VF/XF (Type 1 based on catalog picture); Lot 1157 $5 January 1, 1842 Fine (Type 3 based on date), one in the Smythe sale of September 2003: Lot $20 January 1, 1841 VF(Type 1 shown above). E-Bay sale of 3/24/04: $5 VF Type 2, Lyn Knight Sale at Memphis June 2004: Lot 2157 $5 VG + $20 F both T-1 notes and Lot 2158 $10 AU Type 2 unissued.

Reconstructed sheets
A hoard of canceled Western & Atlantic Railroad Change Bills was thrown away from a Georgia museum about 1990. An employee of the museum recovered the notes from the trash and saved them after assuring the museum intended to dispose of them. He sold them to dealers over the next several years. Claud Murphy acquired a large number of them and studied them extensively. Claud determined that there were six notes of the small denominations (i.e., less than $1) printed on each sheet. He determined this by reconstructing a full sheets, from sequentially numbered bills. Series A, K and L are numbered starting at the upper left and proceeding down to the lower left, then from the upper right to the lower right. All of the other series are numbered from left to right note then 2nd row of notes left to right, etc, with the last serial number on the sheet at the bottom right.

To determine the location of a specific note divide the serial number by six. The remainder is the note position using the appropriate layout.

Minor differences in the bills are noted at specific locations on the complete sheets of all series, including bills with a long end car without vents on top (right center). The small denomination W & A RR title on the bills comes in both block and serf font(right center & lower). The top left note has the final l in will broken off. The notes on the right capitalize Five Dollars, while the ones on the left have five dollars in lower case. The middle right note has the top of the first E in WESTERN missing a semicircular piece.

"Will pay the bearer..." is indented on some notes for series A through E and not on others which is probably related to the location on the sheet (plate block). Series F through M is not indented. Will is capitalized on some un-indented scrip.

$0.25 reconstructed sheet W&A RR Change bills

Errors
A number of spectular errors are known on the W & A notes.

Error - Offset double red printing
Courtesy of Claud Murphy / Ken Latimer

Error - Black printed diagonally on back
Courtesy of Claud Murphy / Ken Latimer

Repair Track Issues
The firm of John Rhome and Company received a contract from the Western and Atlantic Railroad to superintend the repairs of several sections already completed, but damaged by heavy rains. They had offices in New Enchota, near Calhoun, on the 12th section of the Tennessee Division.

His sections for repair are:
3rd Division, sections 23,24 and 25, he collected	$89.50
4th Division, sections 2,5,7 and 8, he collected	$265.00
3rd Division, sections 20,22 and 27, in 4th Division, sections 1,4 and 9, he colleted	$167.00
Total	$521.50

In Tennessee Division (From Ga. State Line to Chattanooga), John Rhome and Horus Smith bid and won sections 11, 12 and 15. Section 11 was about 6 miles from Chattanooga, Section 12 was about 5 miles from Chattanooga and Section 15 was about 1 mile from Chattanooga. As John Rhome and Horus Smith had offices in New Enchota, near Calhoun, he may have other sections near there that they won by submitting proposals and bids. Maintence contractors who won contracts by bids, are not listed.

$1.00 W&A RR, Rhone & Smith, 1 long row printer design, August 4, 1840, C-R.W&A-1-2
Courtesy Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
Chattanooga Scrip, Acc ??

$1.00 W&A RR, Rhone & Smith, 5 row left edge printer design, July 5, 1841, C-R.W&A-1-3
Courtesy Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
Chattanooga Scrip, Acc ??

$0.50 W&A RR, Rhone & Smith, freight car, Oct. 18, 1841, C-R.W&A-50c-4
Courtesy Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
Chattanooga Scrip, Acc ??

$1.00 W&A RR, Rhone & Smith, engine & passenger car, Oct. 18, 1841, C-R.W&A-1-4
Courtesy Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
Chattanooga Scrip, Acc ??

Other Related Items
The W & A RR other related items include a railroad ticket from Tunnel Hill to Dalton dated 1853, a Civil War free pass from Tunnel Hill to Dalton for a ride on the W & A from dated 1862 and a receipt for plank dated 1847.