Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-31
FROM THE STATE CAPITAL, George Ely Goes After Those
 Negro CoIonists. THE STATE CONVICT BUREAU Is Now Ready to Pay all Rills-Enthusiastic Railroad Meeting Appointments and Gen
 eral Department Notes.

Montgomery, July 30.-(Special)~ Col.
 George w. Ely of this city left last n.ght
 for Mexico, where he goes in his capacity
 of agent of the Southern Pacific Railroad
 company, to relieve the distressing situ-
 ation of the GA southern negroes, who
 are at present camped along the line of
 the Mexican Central railroad. Many of
 the negroes are from Alabama. and werel
 carried to Mexico nearly year ago by
 the Mexican Colonization company, Don
 Juan Lamedo, wealthy Mexican, being
 the president. The company obtained a
 concession of twenty-eight square miles
 of very fertile lands at Tiahualalo, in
 the state of Durango. At first the com
 pany endeavored to settle the lands with
 Mexicans, but it was unsuccessful, as the
 Mexican laborer did not understand cot
 ton raising. A contract was then made
 for several hundred negro families The
 negroes were to recieve half of the pro-
 ducts of the land, and each family was to be donated five acres of land as a homestead. The negroes were allowed two years in which to pay back the money for their transportation.
 The negroes did not prosper in Mexico, the Mexicans wanting to make serfs of
 them, and tfe tales of their sufferings nave been all ed through the press Of the United States.
 Their deplorable situation appealed to the big heart of Mir. Morse, general pas senger agent of the Southern Pacific,
 and he conceived the idea of bringing the negroes to Texas. "Pegleg" Williams of Birmingham and Colonel Ely of this city, his travelling passenger agents, have gone
 to fetch them to comfortable homes, which have been provided for them in Texas. A majority of the negroes came from the neighborhood of Tuskaloosa and Eutaw.
 The governor today received letter from President R. H. Dawson of the con- vict bureau informing him that the affairs of the bureau were in such eX- cellent condition that all cost bills now due could be paid. and that all future
 cost bills will be paid as they accrue. This will be good news to those officers whose cost bills have not been paid in the last six months.
 State Treasurer Craig Smith has been busy today sending out the county super intendents the money to pay public school teachers The work will be com
 pleted to morrow, and the teachers can go off for their summer vacations. The following gubernatorial appoint ments were made today:
 Notary public and eX-oi1cio justice or the peace-N. G. Petty, beat 32, Jackson county.
 Pension examiners, Calhoun county !. Y. Henderson, J. D. Smith, F. M. flight.
 Butler county-J P. Reynolds. J. w. Grant. MT. Bragg.
 ., Articles of incorporation of the Chatta- nooga Southern railroad were filed in the secretary of states office today. The road extends from Chattanooga, Tenn, | tosGadsden, Ala.
 An enthusiastic mass meeting of the citizens of Montgomery was held in the recorders court room. The purpose of the meeting was to arouse interest in the proposed Montgomery, Hayneville and Camden railroad. Mayor Clisby pre- sided, and several prominent citizens spoke. advocating Montgomery's sub
 scribing the $100,000 necessary as her part. A committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions. The road will surely be built.
 Governor Oates tonight appointed J. w. Cox as circuit clerk of Pickens county. vice Upchurch. deceased. There were more applicants for the office. The governor leaves at 7:50 in the morning for Florence where he delivers an address on Thursday.