Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-06-01
VAIN sTREEr 10 BE INVADED,

M
Main street is to be invaded, the action
Of the Board last night having put the
question in warlike shape. The Mayor
said, during the discussion;
As TO Main street, he was in favor OF
having Main street, railroad or no rail-
road tesr it up and put down the pave
ment. and if the railroad company de-
aired TO nut down the road in accordance
with their charter, let them do so; but
Main street was of too much Importance
to be passed by
1t isa great pity to disturb Main street.
asitis. under railroad auspices. We have
eazed with delight upon pictures of the
Appian Way, the road John Brown trav'
eled, volcanic irruptions, the old Arkan-
sas military road, and we have fingered
with pleasure upon the impossible quag'
mires of Hickahala bottom, but we never
have seen anything so beautiful, SO
classical as our own loved Main street
with the railroad track, like four angry
daggers, running right through 1t from
the depot on the south to the depot on
the north. 1t is not only beautiful,
it has grown to be an institution,
and may claim, in extenuation OF
its status, those prescriptive rights re-
cognized by the common law. And
vet, the Mayor Of this city, elected by
the votes of the people, and responsible
to the public, dares to stand up before
the Board, and tell them and the people
that he is in favor of paving Main street.
railroad or no railroad. Does he wish
its classic beauty spoiled by removal of
the four iron daggers that ornament il as
a lean horse is ornamented by his pro.
truding ribs ? Why the property owners,
before whose doors the chronic mud has
become precious, sit down and white
sticks and spit tobacco juice on the
shavings, do not rise up, throw away their
Barlow knives and chews oftobaeco, and
drawing their tooth picks, crush out this
attempt TO ruin their property, we can
not understand Is there no way OF i'm
peachiug the Mayor Where does the i'm.
peaching power, in such case, reside :
We are no lawyer, CT cannot justly
claim to be, unless having read the title
page Of Blackstone through strongly
magnifying glass, renders one lawyer.
But we know, from certain selfevident
propositions of human right, that every
officer in Tennessee, except Brownlow,
can be reached by some law, human or
divine. Personally, the Mayor enjoys
the favor Of our friendship We make it
an invariabIe rule to speak to him on the
street, and he is not so lost to thought
and reflection as to fail to acknowledge
the honor. But with all our love for
him, we feel like Oxclaiming, in the Ian
guage Of the Roman when passing judg
ment on his son, "Go, Lietor, bind him.
He has dared to suggest that the street
railway is not put down in accordance
with the charter. This language We regard
asrank treason. Perhaps he win think i
an outrage, when Second street shall
have been ruined by the completion o
the Nicholson pavement, if the Stree
Railroad Company lay down tract
upon it. Perhaps others besides himself
will think SO. Perhaps the Board O
Aldermen will be so lost as to think so
Have they not declared it a nuisance
and does it not follow from the teaching
of Blackstone (the little Of whose grea
work we once read in the manner beior'
mentioned), that a nuisance may b
sbated9 We all know that a franchise
may be destroyed. That is TENNESSEE
law. Nay not Tennessee law be found
for aba,ing a nuisance ? What say th'
lsuyers7 What says -. ny VIVA
say all the uorld1 The tOcsin Of war il
souHdine The halloved mud and irOr
Of Main street are to be invaded. If vi
can not walk over them, We can, at least
"stand BY them
%A deal sheet says We are 81
adni-er Of Brick Pomeroy. Well, !