SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 252.
I. The following schedules of prices for articles named therein, adopted by Commissioners appointed pursuant to law for the State of Virginia, are announced for the information of all concerned; and the special attention of officers and agents of the Government is directed thereto:
Hon. James A. Sedden:
Sir:
As requested by your Department, we conferred with the Commissioners of North Carolina, and had the good fortune to adjust prices upon a basis calculated to harmonize the leading interests of both States. The just and enlightened views entertained by the North Carolina Commissioners were practically illustrated by the liberal spirit and wise terms upon which they agreed to co- operate with us.
In this revolutionary crisis, we should all agree to aid each other and the Government. To rescue the country and save the people from the dangers that environ both, is clearly the duty of all. Our honor, rights and independence are at stake. Let us bind all our energies to defend and secure them. To attain this invaluable end, the people must be fed and clothed. Our producers, manufacturers and tradesmen certainly can afford to work for moderate compensation while our gallant soldiers dare to confront our savage adversaries in their defence. Certainly, if our brave men throw their protecting arms around our family altars, and gallantly defend their country for a sum too insignificant to mention, those who remain at home, enjoying the benefit of their val afford to clothe and feed them and their families on the most moderate terms.
The question should be, how little will on ask or take for your productions? Fidelity to all the best interests of our country points to the observance of this maxim as the best test of both our charity and patriotism. Let the watchword be, "Everything for our country, and away with money-making." In this final and desperate struggle for liberty, beware lest, in hoarding up money and neglecting the cause of the people, you exchange your birthright for a mess of pottage. Believing that our cause appeals to all parties and interest alike, we trust the people will unite and act in concert in achieving our independence. What we will to do, we can accomplish. United, we are invincible. Triumphant, what a glorious destiny opens to our view! Conquered, how abject and forlorn our condition! Who, under existing circumstances, is not willing to sacrifice a few paper dollars to gain the most enviable victory of civilization ever witnessed.
Entertaining the conviction that the popular mind is favorable to every effort calculated to advance the success of our cause, we venture to place before you the annexed Schedules of Prices for the months of October and November, which, though imperfect, because there are so many and such variant views and interests to harmonize, yet we indulge the hope, may be properly received by the people.
The following prices are to be the maximum rates to be paid for the articles impressed in all cities and usual places of sale; and when impressed on the farms or elsewhere, the same prices are to be paid.
Under existing circumstances, we have deemed it not only just, but most likely to favor increased production, that producers, in future, should not be required to transport their surplus productions when impressed, but that the agents of the Government should employ or impress the neighborhood or county wagons and teams to haul all such articles, and so divide the work between the owners of wagons and teams as to be least prejudicial to those successfully engaged in agriculture:
No. | Articles. | Quality. | Description. | Quantity. | Price. |
1. | Wheat | Prime | White or red | Per bushel of 60 lbs. | $7.50 |
2. | Flour, good | Fine | Per barrel of 196 lbs. | 33.00 | |
Flour, good | Superfine | Per barrel of 196 lbs. | 37.50 | ||
Flour, good | Extra superfine | Per barrel of 196 lbs | 39.75 | ||
Flour, good | Family | Per barrel of 196 lbs | 42.00 | ||
3. | Corn | Prime | White or yellow | Per bushel of 56 lbs | 5.00 |
4. | Corn meal | Good | Per bushel of 50 lbs | 5.20 | |
5. | Rye | Prime | Per bushel of 56 lbs | 5.00 | |
6. | Cleaned oats | Prime | Per bushel of 32 lbs | 4.00 | |
7. | Wheat bran | Good | Per bushel of 17 lbs | 75 | |
8. | Shorts | Good | Per bushel of 22 lbs | 1.05 | |
9. | Brownstuff | Good | Per bushel of 28 lbs | 1.35 | |
10. | Shipstuff | Good | Per bushel of 37 lbs | 2.10 | |
11. | Bacon | Good | Hog-round | Per pound | 2.75 |
12. | Pork—salt | Good | Per pound | 2.30 | |
13. | Pork—fresh, fat and good | Good | Per pound, net weight | 1.82 | |
14. | Lard | Good | Per pound. | 2.75 | |
15. | Horses and mules | First-class artillery, &c, average price per head | 800.00 | ||
16. | Wool | Fair or merino | Washed | Per pound | 8.00 |
17. | Wool | Fair or merino | Unwashed | Per pound | 6.00 |
18. | Peas | Good | Per bushel | 5.00 | |
19. | Beans | Good | Per bushel | 5.00 | |
20. | Potatoes | Good | Irish | Per bushel | 4.00 |
21. | Potatoes | Good | Sweet | Per bushel | 4.00 |
22. | Onions | Good | Per bushel | 8.00 | |
23. | Dried peaches | Good | Pealed | Per bushel | 8.00 |
24. | Dried peaches | Good | Unpeeled | Per bushel | 4.50 |
25. | Dried apples | Good | Pealed | Per bushel | 5.00 |
26. | Hay, baled | Good | Timothy or clover | Per 100 pounds | 3.90 |
27. | Hay, baled | Good | Orchard or herdagrass | Per 100 pounds | 3.90 |
28. | Hay, unbaled | Good | Orchard or herdagrass | Per 100 pounds | 3.00 |
29. | Sheaf oats, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 5.25 | |
30. | Sheaf oats, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 4.75 | |
31. | Blade fodder, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 3.90 | |
32. | Blade fodder, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 3.00 | |
33. | Shucks, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 2.60 | |
34. | Shucks, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 1.70 | |
35. | Wheat straw, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 2.20 | |
36. | Wheat straw, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 1.30 | |
37. | Pasturage | Good | Interior | Per head per month | 3.00 |
38. | Pasturage | Superior | Interior | Per head per month | 4.00 |
39. | Pasturage | First-rate | Interior | Per head per month | 5.00 |
40. | Pasturage | Good | Near cities | Per head per month | 5.00 |
41. | Pasturage | Superior | Near cities | Per head per month | 6.00 |
42. | Pasturage | First-rate | Near cities | Per head per month | 7.00 |
43. | Salt | Good | Per bushel of 50 lbs | 5.00 | |
44. | Scap | Good | Per pound | 1.00 | |
45. | Candles | Good | Tallow | Per pound | 3.00 |
46. | Vinegar | Good | Cider | Per gallon | 2.00 |
47. | Whiskey | Good | Trade | Per gallon | 10.00 |
48. | Sugar | Good | Brown | Per pound | 3.00 |
49. | Molasses | Good | New Orleans | Per gallon | 25.00 |
50. | Rice | Good | Per pound | 50 | |
51. | Coffee | Good | Rio | Per pound | 3.00 |
52. | Tea | Good | Trade | Per pound | 7.00 |
53. | Vinegar | Good | Manufactured | Per gallon | 1.00 |
54. | Pig iron | Good | No. 1 quality | Per ton | 350.00 |
55. | Pig iron | Good | No. 2 quality | Per ton | 314.00 |
56. | Pig iron | Good | No. 3 quality | Per ton | 278.00 |
57. | Bloom iron | Good | Per ton | 710.00 | |
58. | Smith's iron | Good | Round plate and bar | Per ton | 1,030.00 |
59. | Railroad iron | Serviceable | Per ton | 400.00 | |
60. | Leather | Good | Harness | Per pound | 3.90 |
61. | Leather | Good | Sole | Per pound | 3.60 |
62 | Leather | Good | Upper | Per pound | 4.20 |
63. | Beef cattle | Good | Gross weight | Per 100 pounds | 30.00 |
64. | Beef cattle | Superior | Gross weight | Per 100 pounds | 35.00 |
65. | Beef cattle | First-rate | Gross weight | Per 100 pounds | 40.00 |
66. | Salt beef | Good | Net per pound | 1.50 | |
67. | Sheep | Fair | Per head | 35.00 | |
68. | Army woolen cloth, ¾ yard | Good | Ten ounces per yard | Per yard | 10.00 |
69. | Army woolen cloth, ¾ yard | Good | Pro rata as to greater or less | Width or weight | |
70. | Army woolen cloth, 6-4 yard. | Good | Twenty ounces per yard. | Per yard | 10.00 |
71. | Army woolen cloth, 6-4 yard | Good | Pro rata as to greater or less | Width or weight | |
72. | Flannels, ¾ | Good | Six ounces per yard | Per yard | 4.00 |
73. | Cotton shirting, ¾ | Good | 4½ yards to the pound | Per yard | 1.11 |
74. | Cotton shirting, ⅞ | Good | 3¾ yards to the pound | Per yard | 1.35 |
75. | Cotton sheetings, 4-4 | Good | 3 yards to the pound | Per yard | 1.75 |
76. | Cotton osnaburgs, ¾ | Good | 6 ounces per yard | Per yard | 1.50 |
77. | Cotton osnaburgs, ⅞ | Good | 8 ounces per yard | Per yard | 1.93 |
78. | Cotton fent cloths | Good | 10 ounces to the yard | Per yard | 2.53 |
79. | On the above-enumerated cotton cloths, pro rata as to greater or less width or weight. | ||||
80. | Army shoes | Good | Per pair | $5.00 | |
81. | Shoe thread | Good | Per pound | 3.00 | |
82. | Wool socks for men | Good | Per pair | 2.00 | |
83. | Corn-top fodder, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 2.40 | |
84. | Corn-top fodder, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 1.50 | |
85. | Wheatchaff, baled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 2.40 | |
86. | Wheatchaff, unbaled | Good | Per 100 pounds | 1.50 | |
87. | Serghum molasses | First quality | Per gallon | 8.00 | |
88. | Pasturage for sheep | Interior | Per head | 40 | |
89. | Pasturage for sheep | Superior | Interior | Per head | 50 |
90. | Pasturage for sheep | First-rate | Interior | Per head | 60 |
91. | Apple brandy | Good | Per gallon | 10.00 | |
92. | Peach brandy | Good | Per gallon | 10.00 |
In assessing the value of first-class artillery and wagon horses and mules at eight hundred dollars, we designed that the term should be accepted and acted upon according to its obvious common sense import. In other words, that they should be selected and then impressed accordingly as their working qualities and adaptation to army service, together with their intrinsic value, would warrant a judicious purchaser in considering them as coming within the contemplation of the Commissioners when they assessed the average value of such horses as the Government needed at eight hundred dollars. But cases might arise, however, when the public exigencies would be so urgent as to demand that all horses at hand should be impressed. —Yet, under ordinary circumstances, when family or extra blooded horses, or brood mares of admitted high value, are impressed, we respectfully suggest to the Secretary of War to have instructions forwarded to the impressing officers to propose and allow the owners to substitute in their stead such strong, sound and serviceable horses or mules as shall be considered and valued by competent and disinterested parties as first-class artillery horses or first-class wagon mules.
The term average value per head is in contradistinction to a fixed and uniform price for each horse or mule. We supposed that, in impressing a number of horses or mules, whether owned by several persons or one individual, some might be estimated at $600, and others at different advanced rates, according to their worth, up as high as $1,000—thus making an average value or price for a number of good, sound and efficient horses or mules, $800 each.
In illustration of our views, we will add that a horse with only one eye sound might, in all other respects, be classed as a first-class artillery horse, yet the loss of one eye would justly and considerably curtail his value. So a horse from ten to eighteen years of age might be deemed in all other particulars as a first-class artillery horse, but, of course, however efficient and able to render good service for a year or two, yet his advanced age would justly and materially impair his value. Any horse, however he may approximate the standard of a first- class artillery horse, must, according to deficiencies, fall below the maximum price; and as few, comparatively, come up to the standard, and are therefore entitled to the maximum price, so, of course, in all other instances the price should be proportionately reduced as imperfections place them below the standard of first-class, &c.
The first quality of Sorghum Molasses is the consistency of honey and free from all acidity to the taste. But second and inferior qualities of molasses should be reduced in price from ten to twenty per cent., accordingly as they fall below the standard of first quality.
No. | LABOR. | QUAN'TY AND TIME. | PRICES |
1. | Baling long forage | Per 100 pounds | $90 |
2. | Shelling and bagging corn, sacks furnished by Government | Per 56 pounds | 05 |
3. | Hauling | Per cwt. per mile | 08 |
4. | Hauling grain | Per bushel per mile | 04 |
5. | Hire of two-horse team, wagon and driver, rations furnished by owner | Per day | 10.00 |
6. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per day | 5.00 |
7. | Hire of four-horse team, wagon and driver, rations furnished by owner | Per day | 10.00 |
8. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per day | 6.50 |
9. | Hire of six-horse team, wagon and driver, rations furnished by owner | Per day | 16.00 |
10. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per day | 8.00 |
11. | Hire of laborer, rations furnished by owner | Per day | 2.50 |
12. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per day | 1.50 |
13. | Hire of same, rations and clothing furnished by owner | Per month | 50.00 |
14. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per month | 30.00 |
15. | Hire of teamsters, rations furnished by the Government | Per month | 40.00 |
16. | Hire of laborer, clothing and rations furnished by the Government | Per year | 300.00 |
17. | Hire of laborer, clothing and rations furnished by owner | Per year | 550.00 |
18. | Hire of laborer, rations only furnished by the Government | Per year | 400.00 |
19. | Hire of ox-carts, team and driver, rations furnished by owner | Per day | 10.00 |
20. | Hire of same, rations furnished by the Government | Per day | 5.00 |
REVISION OF THE SCHEDULES OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH LAST.
Since the adoption of our last Schedule, for the months of February and March, the financial bills passed by Congress taxing the currency have seriously impaired the value of the old issues of Confederate Treasury notes. At this juncture, large numbers of horses and mules were impressed and paid for in a currency which was, in a few days thereafter, to be taxed thirty- three and one-third per cent.
The Board of State Commissioners having adjourned, and one of its members losing out of the State, it could not be convened in time to review our schedule of prices. Under this state of facts, we have re-examined and re-arranged our tariff of prices so far as we have been advised of recent impressments, proposing, in this mode, to remedy any diminution of valuation which may have resulted from the action of Congress upon the currency. Therefore we asses the average value of artillery or wagon horses or mules impressed since the passage of the currency bill, of the 17th of February last, at six hundred dollars.—This award will entitle each person to receive higher compensation accordingly as each horse or mule recently impressed may be considered as being a first, second, or third-class artillery or wagon horse or mule, whether the parties appeal to our Board or not; and the impressing officers and agents should forthwith
call on all those persons of whom they impressed horses or mules and propose a accruement upon the foregoing basis; but allowing to each person only such prices as first, second and third- class artillery or wagon horses or mules may have been estimated at by the local or county appraisers, assuming our average appraisement of six hundred dollars as a fair medium valuation. This, then, would allow a maximum price of eight hundred dollars, and a minimum price of four hundred dollars, making six hundred dollars the average price—thus allowing more for first-class horses or mules and proportionately less for the inferior as they may fall below the grade of first-class. The county appraisement will be the guide in making these settlements, but within the limits of our maximum price of eight hundred dollars and our minimum price of four hundred dollars. This plan would perhaps be most satisfactory to the people. For whatever price the county appraisers agreed upon should be deemed fair within the range of our minimum price of four hundred dollars and our maximum price of eight hundred dollars; payment of whatever amount awarded to be made in the new issue of Treasury notes.
The impressing officers in those instances where there were no arbitrators or local appraisements for horses or mules impressed, should, in all such cases, themselves re-estimate the value of horses or mules thus impressed, and allow in each case such additional compensation as would, within the limits of our schedule rates, appear just and proper. But if, after this revaluation and settlement, any person should not be satisfied, the party could then appeal to our Board and have the case reconsidered.
In conclusion, it is proper to add that Mr. William B. Harrison was invited to aid us, and that the foregoing schedule received the unanimous approval of the Board of Commissioners.
E. W. HUBARD,ROBERT GIBBONEY,
WILLIAM B. HARRISON,
Commissioners of Appraisement for the State of Virginia.
Per order.
[Signed] S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector-General.
Official: John A. Withers, Assistant Adjutant-General.
All appeals and communications should be addressed (post paid) to Mr. D. K. WHITAKER, Secretary of the Board, box 995, Richmond post-office, Virginia, and who may be consulted at his office in the department of the Quartermaster-General. The next meeting of the Board will be held on the first week of NEXT DECEMBER in the city of Richmond.
oc 27—6t