The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-02-10
THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.

OF year, we nad eApcctcu W SEC haiheu
improvement In the place, but were unpre-
pared for the array of new business houses
and costly residences which within the past
twelve months have risen ON every hand.
The opening of the Memphis & Charleston
Railroad has infused a new energy into the
business of the city, and with the increased
facilities, the receipts Of cotton have been
largely Augmented. This staple is king in
Memphis, as well as in the more Southern
cities. The cotton warehouses filed to
overlooking; the bluff in front of the city is
completely covered, and the depot Of the
Memphis & Charleston road was last week so
| crowded that the trains were compelled to |
discharge their cargoes along the line Of the |
road for some distance out. This cotton is
drayed to the river where it is shipped on the
boats comprising the Memphis and New Or
leans packet line, one Of which leaves the
former place every other evening with from
three to four thousand bales. Several hun
dred bales week are Slipped on up-river
boats. In addition to the receipt and ship
mcnt Of cotton, Memphis deals largely in
| grain.
Situated as Memphis is, in the midst of a
vast area of country unrivalled in point of
natural wealth, with the trade of the White
and Arkansas rivers, and her raj lroads now
under construction, North, South and West,
she cannot fail to become one of the great
commercial centers of the West. Her pro-
gress is without parallel in the history of
the cities of the Mississippi Valley, and she
is now progressing at rate that promises in
few years to make her the commercial me
tropolis of the South West.
The cost OF living in Memphis has hithor-
to been serious drawback 70 her prosperity.
A house large enough to accommodate me-
dunn sized family cannot be obtained within
q mile Of the river for less than five hundred
:, to one thousand dollars year. Flour sold
. last week in Memphis for eight dollars bar
rel for choice article, and coal was retailing
g mt thirty cents bushel. But notwithstand-
ing the high prices, 1t is almost impossible
s to secure either dwelling or a store, and the
many splendid blocks erected in Memphis
= during the past year for storerooms have all
e been taken as soon rs completed. Tho Ga
e yoso Hotel "A new building just erected in what
IT is called South Memphis, will be opened to
v the public on the ED day of this month. The
cost of the house and furniture will not be
q far from half million Of dollars. 1t is fur
nished in the most extravsgant manner and
n will be the most elegant hotel IN the West
IT We took a look at the six large parlors on the
d second floor. They were furnished with me-
,, dallion tapestry carpets with frescoed ceilings
t, and the furniture and curtains were of the
p most costly description. One centre table
.r consisting of a marble slab supported by fig
l. ures carved out of solid rosewood, cost five
,r hundred dollars, and received the medal &C tht
r. late Worlds Fair at New York. The gas 70,
At the house will be manufactured on the prem
Uses, and q steam engine in the basement
: forces water into every room. The dining
hall and ball room separated BY sliding doors
Il can be thrown into one room two hundred
h and twenty five feet long and forty wide
: The ceiling and wall arc frescoed in the high
a est style Of the art. The room viii be lighted
by ten immense chandeliers. The expenses
/ of the house will be four hundred dollars q
W day and it is feared that six months, expert
"a encc in the new hotel will exhaust the pock-
q cts of the proprietors and prove that Mem
e phis is not, as yet, prepared to support pub
, lie house a la st. Nicholas. 1t viii be Q
d happy respite for strangers, who hitherto have
IA been either crowded at tho Commercial Of
A Aeeced at the Worsham-the latter, by al
"a odds the meancst hotel, South of the Ohio OF
"a West of the Potorxac-always excepting the
~ Taylor House at Henderson.
u The newspapers published in Memphis are
ve distinguished for their typographical neat
if ness, and the ability and spirit with which
Il they are conducted. The Avalanche, new
w daily Democratic sheet has been added to tn,
list of Memphis papers within month.
m promises to be equal, il not superior to an!
- of its competitors. 1t is a matter Of surpris'
:. that with all the inte,ligencsand public spiri
=, of the citizens of Memphis, no Library o
$. Reading Room has, as yet, been established
in the place. A Theatre has been erected a
! a cost OF $50, ooo by several prominent cit
liens, but the Library and Reading Room ar
y, not considered of much consequence.
;. Financially, Memphis is in deplorabl
v condition. Hundreds of notes have been pro
..o tested at the banks for non payment within
;. o month past. Gold is selling at 697 pc
" cent premium, and exchange to all point
from 2@5 per cent premium. The bank
sn have suspended specie payment long since
~ and the business Of tho city is based upo
~ an irredeemable paper currency. Memphi
:" is largely in debt for her subscriptions to tn
VIC different railroads leading from the place, an
IL the property holders are burthened with
ct tax equal to that borne by the citizens of Ev
'n' ansville. The revenue, instead of being ap
aus piled toward sinking fund is swallowed u
no in high salaries, paid to city officers. Fror
DC the Mayor, who receives $4,000 per annun
use down to the Alderman. all are amply pal
for their services.
'ly 1t would be impossible within the compa:
lbs Of a single newspaper article, to speak of a
'ed the matters of interest connected with Men
ID ph,s or 70 convey to our readers any adequa
III idea OF ito wealth and importance. The Gil
cts liens of Memphis claim for it a populatio
nd of twenty five Thousand souls, but we belle,
lis, the estimate Is too large. No city in Il
Union with the same population can presei
our such evidences of commercial wealth. Upo
n tho lovaa alor,, tbo arowdal strna&e orl