Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

IN THE STAR
After the war the government was
compelled to dispose of many buildings
that had been erected for
Old Hospital military purposes in and
p.:1s: around this city. notably
ouhAASs. several large hospitals.
These buildings were sold and In some
cases were preserved as they stood and
in other cases were moved or demol-
ished for their materials. In The Star
Of August 80, 1855. is the following on
the subject:
The sale Of buildings erected in and
near this city by the government. for
which there is no further use. continues,
bringing in quite large revenue. Yes
terday the buildings of Carver Hospital,
sixty-nine in number. were sold. The
sale was attended by a large number
of bidders, and the executive or admin
istration house was knocked down for
$500. The wards. Is by 80 feet. averaged
$50. while the storehouses ranged from
5000 to $500. Three messhouses. each
"a by 120 feet. we're sold. the highest
prioe for one being $3.50. Twelve small
$40 to $25. Twenty-four frame build
ings, together with outhouses. fences.
etc, erected by the government at
Emory Hospital, were sold today. the
Tomorrow one frame barracks and four
outhouses will be sold at Stone Hos
pital, 14th and Boundary streets"
The trial Of Capt Wirz continued, the
prisoners counsel returning to the case
after with
Andersonville Prison drawal The
Records Missing. e eIsen'a that "a Of
former prisoners in the Andersonville
stockade. In The Star Of August 81 is
the following paragraph:
1.-The records Of the Andersonville
prison, captured by Gen. Wilson and
furnished by the War Department to
the expedition sent to Andersonville by
order Of Secretary Stanton to lay out
cemetery and mark the graves Of our
soldiers who died in the prison at that
place, have turned up missing since
the return of the party. One of the
clerks of the quartermaster's depart
ment. who accompanied the expedition
and in whose hands the records were
last seen. has been placed under arrest
by the military authorities until he can
give a satisfactory account of the dis
position he made of them. 1t is thought
by some that If the records were stolen
instead of lost it was for the purpose
of preventing them being used against
Wirz."
The rush for pardons on the part OF
those who had taken part in the rebel
lion continued and
No Influence" reports circulated
that influence was
AoI 1IooHs' being used to obtain
them. This gave occasion for the is
suance of a peremptory statement by
the government authorities. In The
Star of September I. 1865, is the fol-
lowing text of letter sent to Gov.
F. H. Pierpont Of Virginia by M. F.
Peasants, pardon clerk of the Depart
ment Of Justice:
"I am directed by the Attorney Cen
eral to acknowledge the receipt Of your
letter of the 25th instant and to say
In reply that as far as this office is
concerned you have full authority Tor
saying that the only influence possible
to be exerted In the matter of pardons
by any agent or attorney. whosoever
he may be. Is to delay the petition. All
cases coming under the thirteenth ex-
ception and all petty civil officers. hav-
ing your Recommendation. need nothing
further. They are approved by the At
torney General as matter OF course
The President declares that any init
nation that money can assist petit
toner Is q gross insult to his whole
office. from himself to his humblest
messenger"
The close of the war brought many
problems connected with the treat
ment and disposal of the
Freedmen's freed negroes of the
south, and the freedmen's
ouAeau' bureau, organized by the
government, was one of the busiest
branches of the public service. In The
Star Of September /. 1865. is this item:
1.-THE freedmen's bureau has to deal
with applications of the most varied
character. Application was made there
today for the sanction OF the bureau
to the employment Of about l,ooo 1reea,
men, at fair wages, In extensive coal
mining operations to be started on
James river by a stock company of
northern capitalists.
"a gentleman from Scotland named
James Black Ia now here endeavoring
to obtain the assistance of the freed
mems bureau to introducing into the
southern states steam plews In the cul-
tivation of cotton. During the war
these plows were used to considerable
extent in India, Egypt, Algiers and
italy, and 1t Is said that cotton grown
bv steam cultivation brings a higher
price in the Liverpool market than any
other kind
CAPT. wirz named as his witnesses in
defense a large number Of persons in
the south, whom the gov
witnesses eminent endeavored to
~ locate for him and to
for Wirz. bring to Washington for
the purpose Of giving testimony. In
The Star of September 4, 1865. Is the
item:
1.-The bailiff of the Wirz military
Mr. Emerson, who was
sent south by Col. Chapman, Judge ad-
vocate, to summon witnesses for the
defense, has returned to Washington,
after having travelled over North and
South Carolina. Georgia. Alabama and
Florida. Mr.. Emerson states that after
great difficulty he succeeded in finding
thirty-t three Of the sixty witnesses sum-
moned by Wirz, the others having gone
to Texas and Mexico and some to Eu-
rope Most of the witnesses are ex-
rebel officers, from the rank of colonel
down, who at different times were as
ISOLATED with Wir8 at Andersonville.