The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-27
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT


We have not been accustomed to give
much credit to the reports coming up from
the South of restitution and almost star
walton, but the accounts lately received
have been SO well authenticated that the
conclusion is forced upon us that famine
is really stalking over the South, and
disheartening the rebels more effectually
than any military reverses which they
have experienced since the commence
ment of the rebellion. The fact that
more than a thousand people were sent
from New Orleans into the rebel lines,
because they refused the oath of allegi-
ance, and were subsequently compelled
to return and accept it to avoid starva-
ton, is sufficient evidence of the straits
to which the rebels of Louisiana are re-
duced.
The New Orleans correspondent of the
Boston Tt'auel2er, writing on the 9Th ult.,
gives the following in reference to the
condition of things in Mobile, gathered
from lady who, with her daughters,
was recently driven from the city:
Soap of poor quality was selling at 81 rs per
pound, or So per bar; matches fifty in box,
about half of which could be ignited, rs cents
Der box; flour, poor quality, sour and with
plenty of worms in it, $50 a barrel; tea $15
per pound, poor at that; corn meal SIS per
bashel butter of the poorest quality 81 rs per
pound; black pepper is not to be had at any
price; sugar, brown, 65 cents per pound cof-
fee $3 80 per pound; salt Is cents per pound
or $50 sack; Coats spool cotton thread 81 %
per spool homespun ladies' dress goods So SO
per yard mems boots $35 to $50; ladies'
sleeves $25 per pair. No lamp wicking was to
be had in Mobile, and the poorest kind of tall
low candles cost 80 cents a piece. Flannels,
poor quality, such as formerly retailed for 60
cents yard, now sells for $40. Lard is 81 per
pound, and bacon ofpoor quality IS cents.
To show how desperate state the inhab-
itants are driven to, it is only necessary to state
that two quartermasters who had, like some of
our patriotic, selfincreasing alias sacrificing
officers in that department., made a good
thing" sent five thousand pounds of damaged
bacon from Fort Morgan and Fort Gasnes, to
sOapboiler cut off all the fat and sold the tainted
meat for thirty-five cents a pound and the
people were glad to get it at that price. A pair
of infants shoes, So; kerosene oil, poor quality
$40 per gallon. Even the families who in peace
times were considered rich, have been COM
PEELED to make their own Shoes Miserable
old secondhand straw mattresses patched with
every imaginable color or cloth, and in the
most imaginable forms, sold for 81, so apiece by
the dozen, for soldiers use in the hospital.
The newspapers were advertising for old en-
velopes and paper, offering the highest premi-
um for them. There is scarcely any paper in
the State of Alabama and in Mobile nothing is
wrapped in paper by the storekeepers, pur-
chasers being compelled to carry baskets and
towels to envelope their purchases.
The Montgomery (Ala.) Nail of Feb.
81, gives the following list of prices at
that place for articles of prime necessity:
Sugar, 25c to 75c per ID; salt, 15c to 25c per
ID; bacon, 75c to 81 per ID; flour, $50 to $50
per Dbl; rice 12c to 1215c per 10; molasses,
SOC to 81 per gall; nails, Csc per 10 lard, SOC
to 60c per fb.
The Atlanta (Ga.) Coayetleracy of Feb.
"a, calls on the members of the Georgia
legislature who advocate seizures and regu-
lating prices to make a note of the fol-
lowing:
Yesterday we paid $15 bushel for those
Irish potatoes. But little sugar in the market
sells at 55a6j cents. Corn scarce at 81 %.
Whiskey brisk at $50, and brandy at $18 per
gallon. Drygoods and hardware bring awful
prices. Vans at SO per bushel. Fine Sugar
cured hams (new) from IS cents to So per
pound. Country wagons coE-ing in realize all
that heart could wish in the way of prices.
Salt is dull at 15a17 cents per pound.
Elsewhere, in the letter Of Gen DIX to
JOHN VAN buren,, will be found the list of
prices prevailing in Richmond, which in
duces the General to express the opinion
that we shall certainly succeed in suppress
ing the rebellion eff we only hold on, in
spite of or mistakes ~ We only need
rapid and brilliant military successes to
give it the coup de grace.