The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-16
THE SOUTHERN EXODUS.
transportation to be Provided for the Neg
ros.-Steamboat Companies to be prosecu
ted for violating the Law.

Transportation to be Provided for the Neg
ros.-Steamboat Companies to be prosecu.
ted for violating the Law.
A conference was held at st. Louis
last Monday by several gentlemen, to
consider matters relating to the negro
exodus from the South, and to see il
more efficient aid cannot be rendered
the emigrants than has been done
Gen. Conway was in the conference,
and while, he says, matters are not in a
proper shape yet for publication, from
a conversation with him it was gather.
ed that part of the project is, that if the
steamboats, plying on the lower river
continue to refuse to transport the ref.
ugees, he and his associates will char.
ter steamer, arm her if necessary, &C
down the river and bring up those now
waiting on its banks.
He says there are 200 at Vidalia, SOC
at Buttonwood Bayou, 800 at Bass Bay.
on, $50 at BOpant, 800 at New Carthage
and large numbers at other points, who
have atedly hailed boats which did
not stop. Two members of the Society
of Friends who have been here with
Gen. Conway left to-day for the South
to ascertain personally to what extent
these emigrants were denied transporta.
ton, and if they find the statements
made are true they will assist in bring.
ing suits against the steamboat compan.
les for damages to these people under
the laws governing common carriers.
Geu. Conway takes the ground that
these negroes are citizens and have the
same right to emigrate as other citizens
if they pay their way, and if the steam.
boat companies will not transport them
other means will be used to bring them
away. Another conference will be
held soon, when something definite will
be termined upon. The Colored Refu-
gee Relief Board last night adopted res
olutions favoring the sending of steam
ers down the river to bring up the ref
ugees who have been refused transpor-
tation, and the instituting of suits
against the steamboat companies for
damages; also endorsing Gen. Conwav's
plans and propositions for aiding the
places in the North and West where
homes and labor can be found for them.
One Result Of the Inefficiecny of Yer.
mont PrOhibitOry Law.
Yesterday afternoon (May 100
Messrs. Charles II. Harvey, L. NJ.
Downing and w. NJ. Downing, while
fishing in a row boat west fSt. Adams
shore, heard a great agitation of the
water at short distance, and on look
ing towards Buffers Island, some two
miles away, they discovered that the
water was dashed into foam. A dead
calm was prevailing, there being not so
much as a ripple on the water any
where else. At first they thought this
might have been caused by school
of fish coming to the surface, but this
rational supposition was soon dispelled.
The agitation increased and in a mo-
ment the water was thrown to an esti-
mated height of thirty or forty feet. In
the midst of it they discovered dark
object of considerable bulk, which
would rise to the height of ten or fifteen
feet for a minute or two and then 90
down and come up again. They pulled
for the spot as fast as they could, but
before they got near enough to get any
distinct outline of The object, it dove
ont of sight and the water soon became
placid. The appearance, however, had
continued for some ten minutes, and il
each beholder alike. What
it was they do not pretend TO say, but
that it was something one or two feet
in diameter and at least ten or twelve
feet long, and alive and active and pow
rrful, they positively know.
Stories of such unusual occurrences
are usually received with incredulity.
Whenever we read of them of at dis
lance, however well they may seem to
be authenticated, we entertain some
doubt. But it cannot be doubted that
these gentleman saw exactly what they
described and the only question is, what
was it? No fish in the lake has ever
been known to thus stir the water or to
stand upright in it for minutes together.
Surgeons have been known to greatly
rufiie the surface and to leap out in
heir rapid course, but not to agitate
he water in one spot or to rise to the
Derpendicular.-TSt. Albans Messenger.