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All contracts brought to this office and approved have been recorded, indexed &c. There has been no contract made as yet for next year yet the rush of employees to learn the conditions they shall work under next year is very great. Most of the planters seem willing to offer very good wages and in a short space of time I believe all will be in good working order.

There is established here an intelligence office conducted by a citizen where large numbers of unemployed freedmen have found employment and employers have secured laborers. I may also add that the prominent colored citizens of this city are cordially cooperating with me in my efforts and are lending me material aid in my efforts to better the condition of their suffering race.

There is established five colored schools which are conducted by men from the Reg. detailed for that purpose. There is some 300 children in attendance all of which are learning very fast.

The men employed about the office are one Serg't and 3 clerks which are kept busy; for since the establishment of this office the rush of colored people here has been very great, not so much for business as to see and be seen. To stop the immigration here and to prevent idleness, pilfering &c. the Mayor of the city has ordered his police to arrest all idle negroes which has had a good effect and if properly carried out will do much good to rid the city of a lot of idle negroes. When the arrest is made the negro is brought before me and if I find he is living in idleness he is set at work for 10 days at leveling down the fortifications which surround the city. It has in most cases caused them to leave at the expiration of the 10 days. There is a quite a number of buildings which were burnt during "Wilson's Raid" which did belong to the late Confederate Gov. which