Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-26
WAR MONEY SCARCE.
Millions of Dollars Bought Up by
Savannah Firm.

savannah EIrn.
A few months ago the firm OF Dixon &
Murphy advertised in the NEWS for Con-
federate money and offered two or three
cents piece for each bill. The appear
ance of the advertisement gave many the
Idea that some scheme was on foot to
convert the old notes into good solid
Bland dollars. There were not few
though who, having considerable sum
OF the old currency on hand, were glad to
sell even at the enormous discount OF IS
per cent. of.
so ever since the notice first appeared
the enterprising firm has been receiving
all sorts of inquiries. They have bought
IN amounts ranging from So to $4,000. All
that the firm wanted with the bills was
to use them for advertising their coal
business by distributing 1.-The promises to
pay all over the country. The largest
denomination received was the $500 bills
and the smallest S. bills. At first the
notes came in rapidly. but OF late there
have not been many Offering, The market
seems to be pretty well bought up. Bills
were picked up at every point from Nir-
gina TO Texas. Some were tattered and
showed wear, and some were as bright
and crisp as new. one package of $1,000
looked as il the notes were just from the
press.
Altogether the firm has purchased 10000
6ills which once represented millions of
confederate dollars. On the back of each
Dill the hrm has had printed the eight
stauza poem beginning
"Representing nothing on Gods earth now,
Ana naught in the waters below It,"
The distribution OF the bills bearing the
poem excited considerable interest
as 10 who was the author of the pretty
verses. Many attributed them to Father
Ryan, and almost all Of the South's sweet
singers OF two decades ago were given
credit for the quaint lines by their several
admirers. Before going to England in
June last Mr.. Denis Murphy presented
President Cleveland at one of his recep-
TONS with $500 interest bearing note,
winch had the verses on its back. The
President smiled at the promise TO nav
&c. per day interest. and the incident and
the poem were published in some of the
Washington papers. There happened to
be in Washington about that time Mr..
;. A. Jonas, whOis editor of the Aberdeen
MISS. Examiner. TIE poem was pass
ing around as an anonymous production
when Mr.. Jonas recognized it as an effort
OF his own, written at Richmond in Nav,
1860, at the request of some old friends
and veterans. Although the verses
are peculiarly appropriate and
beautiful they perhaps never
before had anything like the circulation
they have had within the past year. They
had lain unnOticed so long that the pub
lie had forgotten the writer. DURING the
last twelvemonth they have been scat
tered all over the country. Mr.. Murphy
TOOK LOCO bills to England, and when he
returned had given them all away. In
Cardiff, Wales, where an American is
something of curiosity, Mr. Murphy
gave NUMBER of bills to the miners and
left them under the impression that be
was benevolent Cresus or Count of
Monte Cristo, for the miners considered
the bills genuine currency worth par.
A few days before the first advertise
ment was published a Savannah gentle
man burned barrelful of old Confederate
notes, the whole representing over
$1,00O,00O. That has probably been the
fate of many barrel Of the PLEDGES that
were once issued so freely that $1,000 of
them was required to buy pair OF boots,
and coarse boots at that.