The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-02
EDITION N
THE FREEDMENS BUREAU.
Summary OF General HOWard's
Il port 10 Congress.


From Advanced Sheets.
General Howard, Commissioner OF the Freed
mems Bureau, has completed his annual report
aud laid it before the Secretary of War. 1t is
quite long and unusually interesting, IL con.
tHins many important facts, and likeWlsea num-
ber of suggestions not the least of which is the
recommendation that the Bureau be discon-
Hnued as q separate institution in July next,
when the law expires. He says no changes
have been made in the organization or practical
working of the Bureau, except such as have
been caused by the appointment OF District
Commanders under the Reconstruction act. The
Commissioner expresses himself grateful for
the hearty cooperation of the Military Com
manders, who, by detailing officers have enabled
him to materially reduce the number of Bureau
agents, twenty-eight civil agents having been
discharged, and torty-eight volunteers officers
mustered out. He notices the working OF the
Reconstruction acts, and says their effect has
been good, and that the freedmen, as a people,
are making rapid progress in education, science,
arts, and all branches of industry. The amount
OF abandoned land in possession of the Bureau
is 2lb,OA acres, and the number Of pieces OF
town property is 959. large part of the abau.
doned land is of swampy character, and
scarcely any or it yields revenue; the greater
proportion of it Is merely in the nominal pos.
session of the Bureau, and would ere this have
been turned over to former owners under the
law, had they made application therefor. The
Commissioner says:-
The business of adjusting claims OF coored
soldiers has greatly increased IN good results
The total number OF claims presented during
the year is 5535, of which 755 have been finally
adjusted, and the balance are now waiting
action in the Treasury Department. The
amount collected and paid claimants has been
$64, 494'29. The amonnt of certificates received
by the Commissioner and ordered paid under
the act Of Congress of March 20, 1867, is
S890,7l Transportation has been furnished to
77S refugees and 1881 freedmen, to enable
them TO reach places where they can provide
for themselves. Teachers and agents have
also been transported. The hospitals heretofore
hnin aniI1
closed, and dispensaries substituted as a much
more economical means of giving relief to the
sick. The number of refugees treated by the
medical department during the year ending
August 81, '67, was 1868, of whom l9l died. The
number of freedmen treated was 1856 296, of
whom 4640 died. The number of Commissioners
medical officers and private physicians employed
by the Bureau was 17s, of whom los were on
duty at the end OF the year. The report states
that but few cases of cholera and almost none
OF yellow fever have occurred among freedmen,
and there has been very little suffering or NOR
tality from any disease. Insane freedmen have
not been provided for by civil authorities, but
are still cared for by the Bureau. The average
cost of medicines and medical attention during
the year was S2'73 per patient. Commissary
supplies were Issued to a limited extent, but
every effort has been made and Is still making to
induce the civil authorities to support their
poor. The average number of rations issued
during the year ending lst of Septe mber was
IL ,66S per day, furnished in accordance with
regulations heretofore governing the Bureau,
became so great IN some sections that urgent
appeals were made for q more general dlstribu-
tlon of supplies, and Congress authorized eXten-
sion of relief to all classes of destitute persons
throughout the South. Under this act half
million Of dollars was set apart as special relief
fund. The total amount of supplies furnished
by this fund was $50, 400 pounds of bacon and
pork, and 6,809,300 pounds of corn. The
total number Of persons receiving relief
is reported at 233,372. The average num-
Der was about $4,000, the highest nun.
Der being IN July, $4,000. Considerably
more than half the number were whites. The
whole amount expended was $445, 1893. That is
nearly So to each person for the period of four
months, or ~ per month. This special relief
was discontinued in August, the supplies re-
naming on hand being reserved for those who
may require help 1uring the coming winter. The
schools are considered the most important field
OF operations under the charge OF the Bureau.
The eagerness of freedmen for education does
not in the least flag. The amount is greater than
ever before. All the normal and training schools
are well attended, and the happiest and most
valuable results are following from the efforts Of
the Bureau in educational matters. The total
number of day and night and industrial schools
reported is 22O7, with 2442 teachers, of whom
500 are colored The number of scholars is
1870 1856 being an increase of 40 900 since the last
annual report of the schools. Ten thousand and
ffty-siX are maintained wholly or in part by
freedmen, and they have 39l school buildings.
The average amount of tuition paid per month
by freedmen was Sl4,555.
The Commissioner shows under the head of
finance, that appropriations to the Bureau for
the year ending July l, 1867, amounted to
S3,836, 800, and expenditures for eleven months,
ending the 3lst OF August, amounted to 49, 597,.
397'66. The principal items of expenditure are
the tollOwing:-For schools and school build
ings S553,9l6; subsistence stores including
special relief under the act OF last March
ST. AGO. 326; transportation, 1927, 1855; salaries OF
agents, clerks etc., 1921, ,420; me lcal depart
ment, 1881 900; quarters, fuel, etc, Sl35, 100;
clothing, $ll6,6S9. The surplus from uneX-
pended appropriations for this year will be suf-
hcient for the purposes of the Bureau during
the present fiscal year, ending next July.
The Commissioner says that in addition to
the expenditures of the Bureau proper, the dis
bursiBg officer has paid back to colored sol
diers or their heirs retained State bOunties
SOL, ,72l, and under the Joint resolution of March
29, 1867, has paid claims to cOlOred soldiers to
the amount of S35O,S70.
The Commissioner then gives, at considerable
length, resume of the operations of the Bureau
In the separate Districts, as exhibited by the re-
ports of the Assistant Commissioner. These de-
tails are very interesting, and contain much
valuable information, but are Of too great length
for this abstract.
In concluding his report, the Commissioners
states that the expenditure of the Bureau for
the past year has fallen considerably below that
Of the original estimates, and he therefore asks
for no further appropriation OF funds
He anticipates q continued reduction OF eX-
penditures from the present time to the termlna-
tion of the Bureau, next July. AS the bureau
will expire then, unless extended by act OF Con-
gress lie makes no estimates for the next sue
ceeding fiscal year. He Is also OF the opinion
that IL would be best to discontinue the reIet
afforded by the Freedmen's Bureau, II possible,
when the term OF the Bureau expires, excepI IN
educational work and In the settlement OF such
| claimR for hack nav and hOuntV to COlOFed sol