| From the Richmond Enquirer |
| |
| June 16, 1862 |
| |
| {The remarks made by
City Council President David J. Saunders and Dr. Jeremiah Bell Jeter
to the Richmond City Council on June 14, 1862} |
| The President stated
he had convened the Council to consult and endeavour to devise some
plan to supply the city with provisions from the country. He had it
from reliable authority that provisions were abundant in the
surrounding country, the only difficulty being their transportation to
the city. There was but one railroad upon which we could rely for
transportation, the others being in the hands of the enemy, and on
that road, the Danville {the Richmond
& Danville RR}, it was impossible to
get freight brought, the government having every car upon it fully
employed in government transportation. Some means, therefore, for
relieving the wants of the city must be devised, or the poorer classes
would suffer actual starvation. He had invited several prominent
citizens to attend the meeting and consult with the Council. He was
glad to see that the Rev. Dr. Jeter, who had been giving a good deal
of attention to the subject of the dearth of provisions, was present. |
| On motion, Doctor
Jeter was invited to address the Council and state his views on the
subject under consideration. Returning thanks for the invitation,
Doctor Jeter proceeded to speak of the exorbitant prices commanded by
provisions in this city, while the country around it was filled with
the necessaries of life, which, for want of transportation, were shut
out from market. The Doctor submitted a plan for the relief of the
city from the present scarcity. The substance of this plan was: That
some arrangement should be made for running a daily train on the
Danville road as far as Burkville, under the charge of a trusty agent,
whose business it should be to gather up and bring in produce for
market and receive such contributions as should be made to the
hospitals; that, under a similar arrangement, a boat or boats should
be run on the canal; that, as far as necessary, the cooperation of the
Confederate Government be asked; and that, with a view of encouraging
country people to attend city markets, steps be taken to facilitate
the procurement of passports. |
| On reading the
latter clause of the plan the reverend gentleman remarked that within
his knowledge very many country people were prevented from coming to
Richmond by the present passport system. When a countryman came here
and sold his produce at the market in the morning he had frequently to
spend the greater part of the balance of the day, standing in the sun,
trying to get a passport home. |
|