1890-1891

A writer for The Locomotive Engineer visited the South in early 1890 and made a trip over the W&ARR. He visited the Road's shops in Atlanta which were located in the vicinity of the present day World Congress Center, and he gave an excellent description of what they were like and what was in them. He wrote, "In the roundhouse are a half dozen dismantled and rusted old hulks that have long been dead, and now seem like honored remains lying in state. In one of the stalls, undergoing repairs, was the General, the engine stolen from the Confederate camp at Big Shanty in 1862 by a number of daring Federal scouts, and run north in an attempt to destroy bridges on the line, and cut off the supplies of the Confederates at Chattanooga.

"One cannot look at this old engine and not feel a thrill for the brave men who fought and died over her in the great national struggle. The reason these old engines are still in service is undoubtedly caused by the fact that the lease is about to expire, and the officials of the State are unwilling to allow the lessee anything for betterment of the equipment. All the engines are named, most of them equipped with steam driving brakes, diamond stacks, and short fronts are the rule, but new engines have the extension and open stack. It looked rather strange to see several sections of every freight train with one of these little engines ahead of each section; they all rated the same way from five to twelve cars. It is a good road for engineers, as they got $4.00 per day whether they work or not, with a good rest at each end of the line."

On December 27, 1890, the lease of the Western & Atlantic Railroad Company expired. A new lease was then entered into by the State of Georgia with the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway to operate the W&ARR, for a period of 29 years at the monthly rate of $35,001.00. There was much confusion about the transfer of property, including locomotives and rolling stock from the former lessee to the State of Georgia and to the new lessee. A total of 44 locomotive were delivered by the former lessee and the General, Number 3, was included. The condition of the General was listed as "condemned, value $1,500.00." The total value of the locomotives and rolling stock transferred to the NC&StL Ry under the lease of December 27, 1890, was declared by the State of Georgia to be $361,041. The NC&StL Ry claimed a total value of only $260,000.00. This matter was finally resolved at the conclusion of the lease, December 27, 1919, when the NC&StL Ry agreed to receive all of the old locomotives and rolling stock as if actually in existence at the agreed value of $361,041.00. Many years later this was to become a very important agreement when ownership of the General was challenged by the City of Chattanooga.

On May 30, 1891, the General, while retired from service, was wiped off and made ready for another run to Chattanooga. This time the old engine was coupled onto the rear of the afternoon freight train for the run to Chattanooga rather than making the trip under her own steam as she had done so many times before. The purpose of this trip was to have her on hand for the festivities attendant to the unveiling of the Ohio Monument to the Andrews Raiders in the National Cemetery. This was the first of many display trips the General would make under the auspices of the NC&StL Ry whose management was as eager to promote the historic rail route as the W&ARR Company had been.

On Memorial Day, May 30, 1891, the day of the dedication, the General was fired up in place so there would be ample steam to blow her whistle. Conductor William A. Fuller was also on hand for the dedication as were surviving members of the Raiding party.

Shortly after this move, the General, along with two other W&ARR engines, was retired from service and stored on a siding at Vinings, Georgia. There they rested pending some corporate decision as to their fate.

The General at Vinings, GA with E. Warren Clark in the cab. Clark was responsible for the restoration of the engine.