Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-11
PAWN.
The Question Of Paving Main street
Its Present Phase.

The Board Of Aldermen met yesterday
afternoon TO consider the following prop
osition, recently made by Messrs, For
rest, Mitchell 4 Co.;
MKMPHIs. October ., 1867.
To the Honorable Board Of Mayor aad Alder
men;
GENTLEMEN We beg respectfully TO
represent TO your honorable body that we
have completed Old Madison street,
from Charleston avenue to the bayou
bridge; Jefferson street, from Forrest
street to the Charleston avenue Except
about fifty yards near the bridge); and
Charleston avenue, from the railroad
bridge to the intersection Of Adams
Except about sixty feet); with the
Nicholson pavement-being more than
one third Of our contract, TO be completed
in one year. This work has been done by
us in thirty working days, which leaves
us to complete Main street, ninety days.
The work just completed by US has cost
an outlay OF ninety-iive thousand dollars
1885,, Oe0) in cash for this work we have
received from the Mayor $l3S,OOO in
paving bonds
General Forrest recently visited Louis
vile, St Louis and New York for the
purpose Of hypOthecating the bonds, in
order to raise sufficient money TO push
on the work on Main street; but in con
sequence of the city having failed to pay
the past July interest, which, when we
offered bids for the pavement we we're
assured would be promptly met, together
with the large amount OF interest past
due, amounting in the aggregate, since
January, 1861, to nearly 100000, he
found the credit so deprecated that it
was impossible to hypothecate the bonds
at any such price as would enable us to
proceed with the work Of paving Main
street; therefore, until something is done
by the city to relieve her credit, it is i'm
possible TO raise the money required to
carry on the work.
We have contracts for lumber and ma
terials to be delivered within the next
sixty days, sufficient to complete Main
street, but, as lumber, tar, sand, gravel
and wages are all cash, we find ourselves
utterly unable to control the money me-
cessary to make such large expendi-
ture as would be required to pave Main
street this winter, and receive for pay
the paving bonds, in the present low and
paratively worthless condition of the
city's credit We are, however, anxious
to proceed with the work, provided it
meets the views of your honorable body
to so alter the present contract as to all
low the property holders on Main street
to pay us three dollars and ninety-fve
cents cash per square yard, and three
dollars and eighty.nine cents per square
yard on Desoto, Shelby, Beal and PIP
lar streets, upon the same terms and con-
ditions as allowed Taylor, Mclean Il Co.,
under the contracts with the city for
similar work; and we will agree to re-
move the dirt at forty cents per surface
yard.
If these terms are granted us, we
pledge ourselves to proceed with the
work on Main street at once, and com.
plete it within the time allowed us under
the contract. Respectfully,
FoRREsT, MITCHELL Il Co.
MEMPHIS, TENN, October 10, 1867.
To the Hon. Board of Mayor and Aldermen;
GENTLEMEN: If the proposition sub
mltteu u you yesteTudy 10 Hot dCcepIcui
we propose to do that portion of the
work in front of the city's property, and
all the intersections of streets, upon the
same conditions, and the same price per
square yard, that our present contract
calls for-we taking the paving bonds of
the city for the samc-the city making
no charge for the engineering and
royalty for that portion of the work.
Respectfully,
FORREST, MITCHELL & Co.
The above had been referred to
committee appointed in the executive
session held Wednesday afternoon, who
reported the following;
ResolUed, That the board decline to
accept the proposition made by Forrest,
Mitchell & Co., under date of October 9,
1867.
On motion of Alderman Johnson, the
report of the committee was finally re-
ferred back with instructions to report to
the Board at meeting to be held at four
o'clock this afternoon.
Ladies', call and examine the new