The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-31
GEORGIA AND ALABAMA.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD.

-~<N~->-~~~---~~.--,~>~o-~~
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of THE MsALo
Atlanta Rising from Her Ruins--Incrensc Of
Manufacture I'm Georgia : Augusta SIM
Beautiful, but P0or-Awful Scenes OF Dcsti-
tuition Among the Whites Of the Cotton
States--A PitinbIe story from Northern Ala
bama-UniversaI Demand for Capital and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Prospects for Both.
ATLANTA, Ga, May 81, 1867.
Wardeyssated Atlanta is rising glorousiy from her
ruins It had been completely "Shermanizcd" as they
say here. Nothing but tho churches. Odd Fellows
Hall and few dwellings the outskirts being loft
standing. II is beginning to look like prosperous city
AGAIN. Several lne blocks, two threo hotels and
number Of handsome brick mansions now CON-
pleted. Among the public buildings fine opera
house Of construction Marietta street. which
will cost $4,000 II Is being built by company. After
the destruction Of the city during the gand march to
the Sea- and the impoverishmeut Of the population
one would naturally wonder where the capital came
from TO restore to its present condition. The fact is
that the OF largo plantations in the vicinity
wisely perceviug that better investment Of
fered ia houses than in land sold quanti-
tles Of their ground, and put up buildings in tho
city from which they are drawing good rents, and
living upon tho income good deal Of the town, also.
built upon credit, for the Atlanta people, though
almost bankrupted by the devastation found who
would advance them money relying upon the prosperity
which must surely TO this great railroad
before very long The people hopeful OF the future
Business 10 rcviving with giant strdss and notwith-
standing the poverty prevailing throughout Georgia,
Northern Alabama and the Carolinas. thore Is good
deal OF country trade stirring hero The land around
Ia richer cultivation than much that have in
States the Mississippi but hors room for
Improvement and the application OF capital
The manufacturing interests Of Georgia arc also loom.
Ing up, as evidenced BY the fact that since the war
factories have been put up between this city
Augusta which Inter, let add. the most beautiful
country town have anywhere Ia the Unod States
escaped the ravases OF war from both friend and foo
some Of the paners mansions Greene street
surpassed throughout the SOUTH and would be
York envtrons. But though Augusta has been spared
the Of the bayonst and the TORCH ia not
been inflicted upon the white race BY The loss Of their
slaves and The universal depression which followed the
war have heard many sad stories Of destituton in
the country districts One gentleman, who had been
slave owner In Cess county mountain region Of Geor
ga related 70 me that npon his return from the war.
after the surrender he found his comfortable home
still standing where he had lc his wife and daughter
when he joined the surrounded by all tho cnjov
ments OF fe but every particle Of property swept
away by the federal troops and they reduced
to few pounds Of corn meal for subsistence. "for
three weeks after return " said nv informant, i've
never laid table or cooked meal Every morning 10
baked q loaf OF corn bread from which each OF the
family occasionally broke on piece during the day to
satisfy hunger and this was all we had TO live on for
there was neither cow nor chicken nor pr nor mnIe
left on the plantation. And yet not az poor as
many OF he white people in tho vciby. They had alb
soluely nothing but little he bs and grasses
One poor widow OF . Confederate soldier existed with
her family for several weeks upon occasional
rabbit which the children caught In tho woods They
had neither corn nor potatoes 20 take with IT, But
while am writing now Of the state OF affairs imme-
datey after the war; am sory to say that things are
Georgia South and North Carolina. agonixnr
desttuon exists among the people, more particularly
In the mineral and mountainous districts whore in the
best OF times the cereal crops scant
had an opportunity OF learning details OF su-
fcring Ia Alabama while in conversation with Governor
Patton, in the Executive Chamber at Montgomery He
had been rcctng u the terrible condition Of the
people and the immediate causes thereof and while he
did his eyes filled again and again with tears no
said 10 'for Gods sake toll the people Of the North
what condition is and begs Of them send their
has always been Union man and as no says dctcsed
1.-THE heresy Of non.ntercourse" But three Of his
70 ssa q
the ordinance OF secession passed. and he resigned
his seat and withdrew from politics entirely. He had
owned many slaves The war and the emanci-
patton have swept away both. and he now shares
in comparative degree the general poverty OF his
state When the closed he retired to his planta-
ton. and worked In the nclds with plough ana hoe
laborng jointly with the only son who had been left
him. .h such things be done In the green wood, what
shall be done In the dry ~
But saying that opportunities we're offered
with the Governor gentleman, tall gaunt and almost
thresdbare, entered. Ills face an expression OF
famiiarizcd with suffering. His eyes seemed to
have been schoocd in supplication. and easy
perceive that he neophyte In the temple OF the
unsparing Moloch-want. Ho came from the northern
counties Of Randolph, Tuscaloosa, Bibb and Shelby,
accredited 10 the Governor by societies.
from whom he presented paper certifying his mis-
sion aims for the starving people OF those dis
tricts His name was Rev. W. W. Moore and this vas
hts pitisblc story When the over and tho
soldiers struggled homo 70 their farms they found
| ltlle there TO start with Nevertheless,
| they went willingly 10 work with such facilities
ne they had al that late season for tho FIRST
| year. But the land yielded nothing 10 requits
/ their labor. second year they wens to
/ work again, when drouth came and the crops all
benevolent people formed themselves Into 4 society TO
obtain seed but the dstrust OF this region
recupcrsng itself that they could obtain
1 portaiion. The men went forth seek employ ent,
but there IL demand for labor. The women and chill
drcn puing at home in suspense and long de-
ferTed hope. The society endeavored keep them up
with what little means they bad, and in order TO dis
pense u with the best economy and whore 1t most
vitality needed they divided OF the poor into classes
IN the possession or each and the number OF day
In which life could be sustained upon IL OF the hrss
class consisting OF nearly two hundred there only
onetenth who had corn enough 10 last month and OF
the lowest class-many OF them having Twelve 10 .
famly-thsre was scarcely who had than half
abushel OF corn left The subsstng boiled
peas aud attls salt little hoe cake wss baked each
day for the children. and the morss carefully
preserved the latest hour OF the day. II have often
starving chiidrsns beds and woAk - they were sine
In thoif