want still exist there, caused in a great measure by the overflow in the spring-of course not so extended or so aggravated as in Louisiana, as the call for bacon only in itself would indicate. I think, however, if the demand had not been made it would have been better. These people have got along, so far, without relief; they doubtless could get along altogether without it. I could obtain no satisfactory data, either from the governor, the agents, or the congressional representatives, in regard to the number needing relief or the quantity wanted. It was the impression that $80,000 had been appropriated for this purpose, and calculations were evidently based upon this. The amount you will probably purchase under your instructions, although only onefourth of what is expected, will doubtless be enough. The overflow, or rather succession of freshets, lasted about three weeks, from the latter part of April until about the middle of May. The waters during this time rose higher, and remained outside of their banks longer, than ever before known, and the destruction of property was unprecedentedly great. A large part of the population, principally colored, were already in abject circumstances, and if relief could have been furnished immediately after, or within a few weeks, it would have been of more service than at this late day, and no question could have been raised as to its necessity. But if any reliance is to be placed on the statements of those I have mentioned, it is still not too late to do much good, if properly managed. The governor will pay, out of the contingent fund of the State, the cost of transportation from Mobile to the places where it is to be distributed. He has left the care and arrangements for its distribution, to a great extent, with the representatives of their respective districts. The agents were selected by them, and the ratio for each district fixed by them. The greatest destitution, unquestionably, exists in the first and fourth congressional districts, and considerable in the second, and it seems to me that the third receives an unusually large proportion, as only the lower part (the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa torming the Alabama) will come under the provisions of the law. Owing to his absence, I did not see the governor upon my return from that district, but from a telegram his private secretary was about sending him in regard to it, he will doubtless rectify this matter. In the lower part of the fifth district runs the Warrior, and I suppose the proportion there is not too great. The Tennessee River runs through the upper section, but the agent was cautioned that this river was not included in the instructions of the commissary-general. When I saw the governor, it was too late to make any changes in the arrangements, as shipments were about to commence. I would have suggested the plan adopted in Louisiana. The governor issued instructions to agents and subagents to comply strictly with the law, also to make returns to him of the amounts issued, and to whom. I will add, that I showed the commissary-general's letter to the governor, and the instructions contained therein were fully understood. Very respectfully, Capt. THOMAS C. SULLIVAN, W. T. GENTRY, Captain, Nineteenth Infantry. Chief Commissary Subsistence, Department of the Gulf. A true copy: THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain, and Commissary Subsistence. I. WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY. [Dated Washington, D. C. Received September 1, 11.03 a. m.] Capt. T. C. SULLIVAN, Commissary Subsistence, New Orleans, La.: Complaints are made that rations are being issued at and around Montgomery, Ala., for political purposes, to people who are not sufferers from overflow. Send Captain Gentry to investigate the matter. A true copy: A. E. SHIRAS, Commissary-General Subsistence. THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. J. SUBSISTENCE OFFICE, U. S. A., New Orleans, September 8, 1874. SIR: Rumors having reached this office that some of the bacon, issued to the State of Alabama, is being distributed to other persons than those actually suffering from overflow of the Tombigbee, Warrior, and Alabama Rivers, you will proceed at once to Montgomery, Ala., confer with the governor of the State, and visit such points as will enable you to ascertain the facts in the case. Should you be convinced that any portion of the bacon is being distributed to any other class of persons than those actually destitute or helpless, living on or near the rivers named above, who have been rendered so by reason of the recent overflow, you will give such orders as will secure its proper distribution, communicating your action to the governor. Should you be unable to secure a proper distribution of the bacon, you are authorized to seize the same, reporting amount and locality to this office, by telegraph. Upon completion of this duty you will return to this place. Show these instructions to the governor. Capt. Wм. T. GENTRY, Nineteenth Infantry. A true copy: THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. K. NEW ORLEANS, LA., September 7, 1874. SIR: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with your orders, I proceeded to Montgomery, Ala., to investigate the facts connected with the alleged distribution of Government rations in and around that place for political purposes. I found that up to the time I was there no rations had been distributed. The agents had delayed issuing, at the request of Mr. Rapier, M.' C., who seemed of opinion that his district had not received its quota of the bacon sent to Alabama. They informed me that, in addition to other instructions, the governor had directed them to confer with Mr. Rapier in regard to the performance of their duties. I did find, however, that a portion of the bacon had been sold (1,520 pounds for $152) to defray the expenses of drayage, storage, and distribution from Montgomery to other points in the district. It seems that Governor Lewis only paid for the transportation of the meat from Mobile, and its delivery at certain central points, such as Montgomery, Demopolis, Selma, &c., and the expenses after this have to be met in some other way. The agents having no funds, concluded, upon consultation with Congressman Rapier, to sell an amount sufficient to meet the estimated cost of storage and distribution throughout the district. This sale was made openly. The agents are J. C. Hendrix and Holland Thompson. Hendrix is collector of internal revenue, and Thompson is a colored man, holding, or having held, some political office. Both are active politicians, and as party feeling in that section runs very high, their acts are apt to be closely scrutinized. I believe their action in this matter is as stated, and they evidently believed they were not doing anything out of the way. The bacon is to be replaced. There is but little destitution in and around Montgomery arising from the overflow, and probably it is not the best point to distribute from, but it was selected by the governor and Mr. Rapier. Most of the destitution in this district is below Montgomery, principally in Lowndes County. The agents were fully instructed, both by the governor and myself, that none of this bacon was to be diverted from the purpose for which it was appropriated, and they fully understood this. Nothing was said to them about selling it to defray expenses, as I did not anticipate any such action, for I understood from Governor Lewis that he would pay, out of the State contingent fund, all expenses, after its delivery in Mobile, for its proper distribution throughout the State. I regret that I was unable to see the governor this time. He was absent at his home in the northern part of the State. As I understand from his private secretary that he had directed your last purchase to be stored in Mobile, and not shipped, I presume some of these complaints have reached his ears. Very respectfully, Capt. T. C. SULLIVAN, W. T. GENTRY, Captain, Nineteenth Infantry. Chief Commissary Subsistence, Department of the Gulf, New Orleans. A true copy: THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. L. NEW ORLEANS, LA., September 21, 1874. CAPTAIN: In compliance with your orders, I went to Montgomery, but failed to see bis excellency Governor Lewis, who was absent in New York. Hearing complaints of the manner of distributing rations in the district of which Mr. J. W. Dereen is the agent, I went to Demopolis. I found that from misapprehension of his instructions, or rather from wrong instructions to him by the Hon. Charles Hays, rations had been sent to Calero, Brianfield, and Marion, points entirely without the region of the overflow. Some 1,000 pounds had been sent, respectively, to each of these places. As they had been sent some time ago, it was unnecessary to go there, as the matter couldn't be remedied at this time. There was no intention of wrong-doing on Mr. Dereen's part, as he had been directed by the governor to confer with Mr. Hays and be guided by his instructions. Accompanying this is Mr. Dereen's statement, explanatory of the matter. I also went to Opelika. This place is situated in the second congressional district, (Pelham's.) Although the Coosa and Talapoosa, which form the Alabama, run through it, in my opinion it didn't, or at least but a small portion of it, (Elmore County,) come under the law. The governor at one time countermanded the issue in this district, but subsequently directed it to be proceeded with. I found, however, about a dozen casks still remaining unissued. Under the circumstances, I did not feel authorized, after the governor's action, to sell this bacon or send it elsewhere, but suggested to Hon. W. H. Belts, the agent, to withhold issue until he could communicate with Governor Lewis. I think it might be sent to some other point, where there can be less question in regard to its distribution. Capt. T. C. SULLIVAN, Chief Commissary of Subsistence. A true copy: W. T. GENTRY, THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. DEMOPOLIS, ALA., September 17, 1874. SIR: In accordance with your request for a statement in regard to the issuing of Government supplies among the sufferers from the overflow on the Tombigbee and Warrior Rivers in this State, I beg to inform you that on the 22d day of August last I received, at this place, fifty-three thousand six hundred and sixty-three pounds of bacon, consigned to me as agent, to distribute the same among the sufferers from overflow of the aforesaid rivers. My instructions (a copy of which is hereunto attached) were to distribute the meat in any manner indicated by the Hon. Chas. Hays, member of Congress from this (the fourth) congressional district. Major Hays had appointed subagents in each of the counties of this district, and directed them to call upon me for the amount due their counties respectively, which they accordingly did. I having been previously advised by Major Hays to ship the bacon to the agents appointed by him, of course complied with their requests. Major Hays also requested me to act as agent for Marengo County, which I did, and issued the amount allowed to the sufferers from overflow in accordance with law and instructions. I have made report of same to Governor Lewis, as instructed, with list of parties who received the meat. There was not a sufficient amount, however, to meet the demand, especially among the colored people, among whom there is a good deal of dissatisfaction, caused, in my opinion, by the fact of their believing or imagining that the bacon was sent here for all, and that the people who live on high land and not overflowed were as much entitled to receive help from the Government as those who were overflowed. The bacon sent me has all been shipped to the agents in the various counties, with the exexption of Pickens. There is no way to ship to Carrollton, the point of destination in Pickens, no railroad running nearer than twenty miles, and the river being so low at this season of the year, no boats are running higher than this place. I therefore hold the amount due Pickens County, subject to the governor's orders. The extent of country overflowed was very extensive in the counties of Choctaw, Marengo, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa, Autauga, Pickens, and Sanford, all of said counties lying on the Tombigbee or Warrior Rivers. The amount of damage done is impossible to ascertain, but that it was very great every one concedes. In some places houses, cattle, hogs, sheep, &c., were washed away; whole plantations destroyed; not only the crops destroyed, but the land itself. The immense body of water tore up the ground in such a manner as to leave large and extensive excavations in places where once blooming fields of cotton and corn met the eye-now waste and desolation, destroy ing, of course, the value of the land for all time. It is impossible for me to describe or for you to realize the extent and amount of damage and suffering caused by the overflow of these two rivers last spring. The water commenced rising in April and did not subside until about the second week in May; so that farmers were unable to work their land before the last of May or first of June. Some farmers had to replant their crops two and three times. As long as the high water lasted, and for some time afterward, many people had nothing to eat, except as they could beg or borrow from their more lucky neighbors, and then very seldom met with success, for very few people had anything to spare. The amount of bacon sent to this portion of the State was not sufficient to give all of the sufferers some; consequently some got none. Should all receive some of the amount sent here there would not be sufficient for each one to make a mouthful. Therefore, those who came for it received it as long as the share for this county lasted. The following is a list of the counties in this district, all of which, according to my instructions, were entitled to proportionate shares of the bacon according to amount of suffering: 1. Autauga *2. Baker.. *3. Bibb 4. Choctaw. *5. Fayette 6. Greene.. 7. Hale 8. Marengo... *9. Perry. Pounds. none sent 1,000 3,685 10. Pickens. 11. Sanford Pounds. 8, 517 1,000 4,628 4,000 1,000 6,000 4,918 The counties with a star are not on the rivers, and before I knew that they were not entitled to any I had issued to Bibb, Perry, and Shelby in accordance with instructions from Hon. Charles Hays. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. Wм. P. GENTRY, U. S. A. A true copy: JNO. W. DEREEN. THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary of Subsistence. The following is a copy of the letter of instructions referred to, addressed to F. M. Hill, who was originally appointed chairman of the committee for distribution, but did not act : GREENSBOROUGH, ALA., July 19, 1874. SIR: I have this day nominated you a chairman of the general committee to superintend the distribution of rations to the inundated poor of the fourth congressional district. The rations will be shipped at once to Demopolis, and from that point you will make distribution to the subagents of the different counties, a list of whom is herewith sent for your guidance and information. In determining the amount to be given each county, you will be governed by whatever instructions you may receive from the governor, as well as by the real destitution existing in each county; of course the overflowed districts will need more than those not overflowed. In this matter your committee must exercise their own judgment. Messrs. John W. Dereen, of Demopolis, and John Witherspoon, of Ferkland, will act with you on this committee. I have this day notified them of their appointment. Of course you will be compelled to be at Demopolis for a considerable portion of your time. Please notify me at Haysville at once if you can accept the position. I regret to say there is no pay in the office, but I hope you will consent to act, as I want good men for the place. Respectfully, Hon. F. W. HILL, Nanafalia, Ala. CHARLES HAYS. The foregoing is the only instructions I had, except one received from the governor directing me to issue in accordance with any instructions I might receive from Major Hays, and another from the governor making no very material change, but which I received after the rations were issued. Respectfully, A true copy: JNO. W. DEREEN. THOS. C. SULLIVAN, Captain and Commissary Subsistence. FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS UNITED STATES, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C., June 24, 1874. At a meeting of the republican Congressmen of Alabama, in the Agricultural Committee room at the Capitol, in Washington, Col. Alex. White was requested to act as chairman, and William H. Betts to act as secretary. A letter was read from Governor Lewis, requesting congressional advice in regard to the distribution of rations appropriated by Congress for the overflowed districts in Alabama. Major Hays stated the conversation between himself and the Commissary-General in regard to the distribution of said rations. Various expressions of opinions in regard to said supplies, when it was finally resolved, that we recommend to the governor of Alabama that 24 per cent. be given to the fourth congressional district; 24 per cent. to the first congressional district; 19 per cent. to the second congressional district; 19 per cent. to the third congressional district, and 14 per cent. to the fifth and sixth congressional districts. General Spencer moved that Colonel White and Major Hays be appointed a committee to wait upon the Commissary-General, ascertain the amount of supplies we are to receive, and press upon him the necessity of furnishing said supplies at once. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the governor. W. H. BETTS, Secretary. ALEX. WHITE, Chairman. STATE OF ALABAMA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Amount shipped for distribution in the first congressional district, viz: W. N. Boynton, 20 hogsheads, weighing net 22,630 pounds; 10 to Selma, 5 to Cahaba, 5 to Portland, Alabama River. W. G. Candee, 21 hogsheads, weighing net 25,868 pounds; to various way-landings, Alabama River. W. C. Osborn, 7 hogsheads, weighing net 7,353 pounds; to various points in Mobile County, &c. Amount shipped for distribution in the second congressional district. Hendrix & Thompson, 33 boxes, weighing net 15,496 pounds; 26 hogsheads, weighing net 26,906 pounds; to Montgomery, for distribution throughout the districts, (second.) Amount shipped for distribution in the third district to George N. Braxdall. Talladega, 31 boxes and 5 hogsheads, weighing 20,536 pounds; to Wm. H. Betts. Opelika, 18 hogsheads and 1 box, weighing 21,266 pounds, for distribution throughout the entire third congressional district. Amount shipped for distribution in the fourth district to J. W. Deereen. Demopolis, 45 hogsheads, weighing net 53,663 pounds, for distribution in the entire fourth congressional district. Amount shipped for distribution in the fifth and sixth congressional districts. To J. H. Austin, 28 hogsheads, weighing net 31,278 pounds, Decatur, for distribution throughout the above districts. RECAPITULATION. Shipped to first congressional district.. Shipped to fifth and sixth congressional districts... Total amount shipped........ Amount received from United States Government, 225,000. Lbs. net. 55, 851 42, 402 41,802 53, 663 31, 278 224,996 Address of agents.-W. N. Boynton, Selma, Dallas County, Ala.; M. G. Camder, Camden, Wilcox County, Ala.; Hendrix & Thompson, Mobile, Ala.; George H. Braxdall, Talladega, Ala.; W. H. Betts, Opelika, Lee County, Ala.; J. W. Dereen, Demopolis, Marengo County, Ala.; J. H. Austin, Decatur, Morgan County, Ala. |