Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-18
AN INTERESTING RELIC.
The Confederate OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
erals Check Book and Its Contents.


CHECKS FOR FABULOUS sUMs-wHAT WAS DONE
WITH THEM-FTNAScIERs WHO WANTED SPEC
IAL MILITARY TRANSPORTATION PAID FOB WITH
PAPKR-THE LAST PAGE.
Only an old coverless check-book, but there
was something about it that made the most
careless look at it a second time when its iden-
tity once became known. Nothing attractive
In its appearance. 1t was evidently antique.
The corners Of the top sheets were curled up
and the edges were graywith the dust of
quarter OF century. Why was it interesting?
Well, because it was the last check-book used
by the quartermaster-generars department Of
the confederacy. To STAR reporter who saw
it as it lay on Mr.. E. E. wheeler's desk Satur-
day, it was of great interest from news
point Of view, but to the ex-rebels who
saw it recalled memories of the days when
the south in its pride and self-conscious-
ness arose to hurl back to the north the
masses OF boys in blue. which the federal gov
eminent flung into Dixie in order that the re-
public should continue, more firmly than ever,
to be the lone and indivisible" 1t awoke for
moment the old indomitable spirit and caused
sunken eyes to flash and age-palsed hands to
contract as they did when the south aspired to
be nation. The check-book was something
which had once been a tangible part of the
confederate government; it stood in the place,
to a very great extent of that cash which has
been denominated ''the sinews of war;"
FOR TRANSPORTATION.
The book was found in lot of old papers
purchased by Mr.. Wheeler, and its discovery
was accidental. On each sheet there are three
checks. The printing is of the commonest
description OF letter-press work and the ink
used was blue, but the paper is of extra
ordinarily good quality, white in color and of
very fair finish. The checks are all on the
treasurer of the confederate states. The first
sheet of stubs is missing, it having probably
sss s S1 G by ESqsh numSsled the
1t is dated January 26, 1865, and shows that on
that day the sum Of 81, ITO was paid to Broadus
Baughan on account Of stage-hire during the
months of October and November, 1864 On
the next day another stage account, that of
Lewis NJ. Vest, was settled by a check for
$2.2S5. while the bill of E. T. Clemens & Co..
also for stage transportation, was closed up to
the first day of January by paper payment Of
S4,15O. The first big check is No. 8, dated
January g. and the stub shows that on that
day X. L. Owen, president of the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad company. was paid S120,00O
in full for transportation furnished troops in
December, 1864. MIR. Owen did not, however,
get cash for his check, for a note on the lower
edge of the stub states that he accepted. in lieu
OF cash, call certificate at 30, 60 and 80 days.
PAY DAY.
January 80 was pay day in the auartermas-
ter-generars Office in Richmond for a check
bearing that date called for 1881. 33 with which
to pay salaries. The force was evidently not
large enough to be cumbersome. On the same
day, while the headquarters officials were hard
at work trying to find elastic rlthmetical rules,
which would admit of expansion to such
| extent as would enable a man to buy anything
at all with his months salary, George Yonge,
| superintendent of the Georgia Railroad COM
pany, secured two checks, one for the modest
sum of $780, 00 the other calling for $S3S.70.
These were the last checks issued in January,
and the footing for the month-carried for
ward on each sheet-showed that the amount
| checked out during January was 1874, 217.49-
SlSS, 154.67 being for transportation of troops;
not an extraordinarily expensive month. The
calculations, which are on the backs of the
stubs. are signed Hart"
On February John B. Crenshaw got SO.
MIR. Crenshaw was president of the Richmond
and Charlottesville Turnpike company, and
the check was to liquidate government in
debtedness for tolls. Next day r. b. Snead,
collector of tolls for the James River and
Kanawha canal swooped down on the quarter
master-general and when he left he bore away
paper to the extent of S7,0S7.28.
CAREFUL FINANCIER.
One Of the careful creditors of the confed-
eracy was the Richmond and Danville Rail-
road company, and its treasurer, Mr.. r. f.
Hughson seems to have been a skilful fnan-
cler. CnecKS were as mourning 10 MS business
like soul unless they could be traded off for
cash. Therefore when the quartermaster-gen-
eral, on February 8, wanted to give Mr.. Hugh
son plain, ordinary, everyday check for
1861, 343. IS he demurred, argued, and compro-
missed on the condition that the amount be him
February IS E. G. Chic, treasurer
Of the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad
dropped in at headquarters and suggested that
it was about time to settle up their little ac-
i
was promptly thrust under his nose, but Mr..
Chic insisted that no railroad could be run on
checks; he must have something more solid
than single slip of paper. The quartermas-
ter-general was obdurate for awhile, but he
finally offered Mr.. Chic 1853. "a in currency,
and the little balance Of 900 in call certifi-
Gates at thirty days.
But few of the men who made legitimate at
tacks upon the confederate treasury were more
successful than Treasurer James H. Reid, of
the Orange and Alexandria Railroad COM
pany. He had little bill amounting to $780,
AZ, and this was settled in currency. Mr..
Reid was delighted. He had become accus-
toned to checks and the change pleased him
immensely. No sooner had he been
paid the S66,39247 in currency than he
for $4,000 even. He wanted mQ0e,
for he could at least paper few rooms in his
house with it. A check was no good. because
it would not even serve to stop up hole in a
|
general, however, objected to cutting down his
stock of currency 80 much in one month, 80 Mr.
Reed had to be as near contented as any man
could be who had to load down his clothes with
$50, 900 worth of 6O-days' call certificates. Mr.
Reed had those certificates in his safe when
they matured, but it is understood that he
made no effort to present them at the confed-
crate treasury.
E. Salisbury, general agent Of the Georgia
Relief and Hospital association, got 81, SAC. O5
worth of check on February 10, and right on
his heels came A. s. Buford, army agent for
the state of Virginia, who took slip of paper
in lieu of S4,79024. On February "a Capt. d.
]. Hill. of the steamer Shultz, was paid 81 800
for the use of his craft as fag-of-truce boat,
and then he gave way to the representative of
the Atlantic and Gulf railroad company who
got two checks, one for $4,000. payable in
currency, and one for $3.50 857. 46, payable in
transfer drafts on depository at Macon, Ga
The following day saw big account with the
Piedmont railroad Compensated up by
four checks 100000, $4,000, $4,000, and
S19,496.81.
The month of February was balanced up on
the back of a stub and the somewhat indistinct
figures show that the currency balance from
January to the credit of the Office was SOC 2l7.-
"a; the warrants drawn footed up 81, 654, 1856 81;
checks drawn. $1,311 .647.5S.
On March 4, 1865, while preparations were
being made in this city for the second inaugu-
ration of Lincoln, the captain of the steamer
20 % do;, l..