732 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 21,

"Ordered, That the President of the Baltimore and Ohio
Rail Road Company be requested to furnish the Senate with
an accurate statement of the gross earnings of the Baltimore
and Ohio Rail Road, and the Washington branch of the
same since 1861 inclusive, the expenditures of the same roads
for the same period, and the proportions thereof charged to
each of said roads, the amount of the earnings of each of said
roads still in the handaof the Company not distributed, why
such surplus fund, if any, is so held, and to what purpose it
is being, or designed to be applied."

With reference to the first subject of inquiry, I transmit
herewith a copy of a letter recently addressed by me to the
Hon. Speaker of the House of Delegates in reply to a similar
inquiry. I am still unable to give more minute information
on that subject.

It will be apparent also from the facts hereinafter stated,
that it is impossible to give a response which would be at the
same time particular and accurate to the latter branches of
your inquiry. But a reply will be given which, it is believ-
ed, will be entirely satisfactory to the Senate and detailed
enough for every purpose of legislation. The duty of this
Company to furnish such information as fully as practicable,
whenever required by the Legislature, or either House, is
always cheerfully performed.

Indeed, the annual Reports of the" Company are usually
made so ample in explanation and so particular in details
that little more can ever be needed for a perfect comprehen-
sion of its affairs. These Reports have been published for
each year to the year 1864 inclusive. Since that year, from
causes well known, it has been impracticable to have the ex-
tensive accounts and other materials in such a shape as to
complete these Reports for publication. Instead of them, a
more general statement of the Company's affairs, embraced
in addresses of the President to the Board, has been annual-
ly published. The Legislature and the public, therefore,
have been regularly supplied with the means of reviewing
the operations and policy of the Company, and of making at
least approximate estimates of its financial condition. The
more exact exhibit which appears properly in each annual
Report will be published for every year subsequent to 1864,
as soon as the accuracy which it requires can be attained.—
It is this exactness which the Senate (already familiar with
the annual publications of the Company) is supposed to de-
sire, and which, I regret to say, cannot yet be furnished. >

It will be seen by reference to a table printed with the an-
nual Report, that, on the first of October in that year, the ,
balance to the credit of the profit and loss account was
$13,087,651.31. An increased balance, it is hoped, will be
shown in each subsequent year when the accounts are pub-