The following Lumber Companies anticipate making shipment over our line this season about as follows:

You will observer that the total shipment we have in sight, therefore, is 7,000,000 feet or nearly 500 cars. This is the amount that seems to be in sight at present. I expect that this quantity will be increased and that we will haul within the next twelve months over 1000 cars of lumber, outside of the Grandin Lumber Company's cars.

All encouragement possible is being given to shippers to work up low grade lumber that could not be handled by the Grandin Lumber Company or any but small shippers of lumber.

Passenger business is increasing, although we have not advertised that we are carrying passengers. In one instance we had nearly a caboose load of passengers from Goshen to North Wilkesboro. We expect to put on a regular schedule between North Wilkesboro and Grandin May 1st. We have the grade completed between these two points with the exception of a couple of bridges and are now laying track; expect to have trains running between these points about the 25th of April. We have completed over four miles of grade up Elk Creek going toward the Blue Ridge, and by the first of June expect to have the grade completed to Darby.

We had about 8" of rainfall last week within 24 hours the Yadkin River rose 15 to 18' at different points, and taking the new work into consideration we suffered very little damage. Will possibly have a weeks delay from washouts, practically all new grades which had not had time to settle.

Referring to our letter of February 22nd, relative more convicts, is there any possibility of our receiving convicts at an early date. We are badly in need of labor and can arrange to take care of convicts on weeks notice.