Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-19
ATLANTA, February II. 1se6.

Agent for the Freedmen's Bureau, will b,
read with great interest:
ATLANTA, February IL, 1865.
MY DEAR FRIEND: We arrived here safel,
yesterday morning. We had a prosperouI
journey. Were quite fortunate in meeting
on the train coming here from the East, M
friend Mr.. Bridgman, of Springfield, Mass
We also had the company of Mr.. Rice, o
Milwaukee, a noble Christian man VIII
comes to Atlanta to live, and is the Presi.
dent of the National Bank.
In some respects they have improved
since ] was here before, five week.
ago. There are fewer unemployed
people, fewer celored men lounging abou
tne streets. Our Cleveland school" is
doing finely. Miss A. Philips does we'll
She sent you her report for two weeks
teaching, showing one hundred scholars
ninety in regular attendance. That is ali
the room will accommodate, but there are
many more white children who ought to be
in school. at least three hundred could
easily be found who should be in such a
school. Miss Philips says some children
and their parents nave plead with her to
take more but she cannot accommodate
them. She is doing a noble work, and the
school is a great success.
This has been a very busy day with me.
Miss Craighead and myself have been out
to the hospital Such sights l nave never
seen before.he small D0x is spreading
ana blacks. Some Of the teachers are iust
recovering from the varioloid. Fortunate
~, MISS Craighead and Miss Philips have
had the small pox, and they go about with
perfect freedom. l did not 90 into the
small pox tent, not wishing to expose NV
sell unnecessarily, although l meet it most
But the restitution was told me by the
physicians. Seven were buried yesterday
IN one grave, without collins. The worst
feature is, that many are living in tents on
the ground. / am satisfied that MANY lives
might be saved if they had better care
You will remember that Miss Craiphead
called our attention to this want in a letter.
l can confirm her story. Some beds must
ne furnished. When at Nashville Mr.. Cra-
vath, who has charge of the teachers there
Told me that he bought at auction a lot Of
IRON bedsteads, new, for II think seventy
i've cents, Ia very low price.h 1 have writ |
ten Mr.. Cravath to let us have forty Of
them, and ship Immediately to Mss Craig
head, and send the bill to you. and ask Won
TO remit him for the same. | take the re- |
sPonsi6Illty, feeling that it is very impor-
cant Dlrect your letter to Rev. Z. M. era
vain, NashVll The Bureau" have bed
ticks; the ladies will have covering, but no
one mas money to purchase straw 10 fill
them. Will you also please send Miss r
Craighead, box $40 Atlanta, a draft for
$50 TO purchase straw.
II you could see the restitution and see
The want of an orphan Asylum" to take
sare OF the children as l see it, know your
1eart would be full. The larger part of
Miss Philips scholars are orphans. or al
east have no fathers.
Part of my work to-day has been to start
! Mission Sabbath School, with Miss Phil
ps school and in one building. Miss P.
aid they wanted to do it before, but did
lot know OF any man who would be Super
ntendent and take charge of it. Provi-
Ience mas furnished the man, and if | am
lot mistaken the Cleveland Mission SIM
.ay School" will be a permanent ;pstitu-
ion here. Mr.. Rice is an earnest, christian
yorker at Milwaukee, in the Plymouth
'hurch, and wants to do good, and this is
the place for him. The great trouble is
, get sabbath school teachers. Mr.. Rice
liss C~relghead, Miss Philips and her aunt
re already pledged, and l think Mrs {
.kins, who resides here, will also a 4 = /
lass, and through her influence some Others '
/ the ladies resident here will take hold of {
+. l am very happy over my effort in his c
'sPeot to-day. We must have another q
'acher here to assist Miss Philips. I have
lade arrangements with Mr.. Rice to see if t
e cannot get US a larger building. b
The goods we nave sent here have done
immense good. They lave been the onIv
othIng to supply the sick in and out of the
ospltai. If the donors could see the relief
icy have effected it would more than repav A
Iem. The GOD bless you" given to these =
and distributors, and the thanks of .
e colored people which l have received o.
day for the interest I have shown them t.
have more han repaid me for nv n
Tort. The earnest religious experience Of q
e colored people interests me very much. y
any Of them will nave high seats in n
'sven, am sure. The great work which ST
to be done for the South has never i'm n
essed my mind as it has tonight. There ~
need OF all the stores We can collect for =,
and the sick. Do not have any CT
lsgivings, Mrs. c., but what your labor ty
d that of all the benevolent friends is &C
eded. We annot do enough. The Lord =
S made our efforts thus far successful. Ii
10 work at Atlanta alone has paid we'll. &C
Trusting that much more may be done in ST
Ter places, l am your friend and brother, or
L. F. MELLES.