Viewing page 4 of 262

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

000

sum of five dollars per annum at the terminus of last year, but only a small portion of this rent had been collected for reasons which have frequently been reported. After the receipt of the above mentioned order Mr Cook made several statement as to the terms his tenants for this  year must comply with: finally an employee of this office was sent to his home in Gloucester Co. to obtain his final terms; he furnished the same in writing, (a copy of which was forwarded). By this he proposed to charge the Freedmen twelve dollars per annum for one third of an acre with the privilege of fire wood; at the rate of thirty six dollars per acre, (he is now offering to sell his land for twenty five dollars per acre). By these terms his entire tenantry (192 Families) would have been rendered houseless and great suffering would have ensured. General Armstrong was present at the time and immediate action was taken in the matter. A communication was written in reply which met his full approval (a copy of which was forwarded) accepting his proposition to lease to "Freedmen" who would pay their back rent within fifteen days, but changing his terms to five dollars per annum for one and one quarter acres of land, without the privilege of firewood

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-12 11:50:51 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-12 16:34:40