Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-10
FIRE.
The Interior Of the Ayres
Block Uncovered on Fire
The Origin of the Fiames
N Profound Mystery.

district passing along Second street
about two clock this morning, discOv-
cred in that portion of the Ayres
Block occupied By Messrs,, Roy
ster a TreEevant AZ ap auction room,
an unusu o. light glaring through the
!, trapsom over the front doors, and, on
passing round to the rear Of the building,
further discovered smoke issuing from the
cracks and crevices around the doors aud
windows. Being satisfied that a. titewhs
raging inside, heat once gave The alarm,
and, with others who, FASTENED to the
spot on hearing the cry, succeeded ia
bursting open the back door, when it'wp s
discovered. that stairway leading to the
second story of the building was ablaze,
and the flames making rapid Roadway.
A desk sitting near by had also been
partly consumed. IN few moments the
steamers were on the spot, but beforethey
were called into - acquisition the
flames had been subdued by the police
aud others, by the prompt appliance Of
water from a private eis.ern near athand.
A door at the head Of The stairway was
fortunately closed, and prevented the
flames reaching the second story. Had
it been open, the draft thereby afforded
would probably have caused the spread
of the fire SO rapidly that in all probabil-
| ity the entire building would have been
destroyed, aud the city thereby, deprived
of one of the most imposing and hand !.
some business blocks, in the possession of
which she is unriyaled. The origin of
| the flames is profound mystery. No
Ere had been kndled ,in the building
during the day, and Mr.. T. W.1White,
Messrs. Register & Trezevant's clerk, left
the building about O'Clock last night.
IL is thought that possibly mouse may
have gotten among some matches in
one of the ,drawerss Of the desk in
which there was also a quantity Of
loose papers, and enkindled the latter.
On the other hand tits barely possible
also that the flaues were kindled by an
incendiary As all the doors were found
fastened on the discovery of the fire, and
there was no other means of ingress to
the building, the first suppositionis more
reasonable. The damage done was very
trifing. and can probably be covered
by 5000. - m t'
MEMPHIS AS "A TogAcco MARKEr.AWe
regard as an encouraging indication the
disposition on the part Of our planters to
turn their attention to the growing of to-
bacco insteado of cotton. The crop put in
in the counties just north of the city, and
especially those along the line Of the
Memphis and Louisville railroad, this,
season, is large and promises an album
dant yield Those who planted expert
mentally lastyear have been encouraged
to double, and in many instan ces treble,
the area Of ground planted, while others
have, put in q crop who never have done
so before There is olonger a question
as to the proftableness of the product
In this connection we note also a com
meudable effort on the part of several
firms in this city to render Memphis a
tobacco market of sufficient Importance
and influence to command the crop
raised within the area of country tapped
by our railroads. The bulk Of the crop
raised in Tennessee has heretofore been
placed upon the Louisville and Paducah
markets, Recently, however, growers
have, in many instances, been induced to
ship to Memphis, and with proper enter
prise on the part Of our merchants, there
is no reason why the entire crop Of Ten
nessee should not take a similar direc.
ton, and seek Memphis as a market
First among, those. who are laboring for
the accomplishment Of this end we
might cite the firm Of Edmons, Todd &
Co. ,oand we trust the example they have
set may be initiated by others I'VE have |
seen at their warehouse, $40 Front |
street, samples Of the Tennessee leaf,
which will command readily the highest
rates, and their sales are already large |
and daily increasiHg Those consiGnipg
to them, 0 or to other equally reliable
6rmsin the city, will, we are assured,
find ready sales, and prices fully equal
to those Commanded either in the Padu-
cab or Louisville markets. With such /
inducements held out by our merchants,
aud the increasing disposition on the
part of the planters to turn, their attsnr 4
ton TO this product, we may cherish the /
hope that, at no distant day, Memphis
will become tobacco market able to
compete in the trade with any city west
or south ofthe Alleghenies.
l. o. B. B. PIcsIo This entertain
ment, to come of at James Park to-
morrow, under the auspices Of the La
dies Hebrew Benevolent Society, for the
benefit Of the l. o. B. B. Orphan Asy.
lum, is being looked forward to BY
large class Of our citizens with pleas
urable anticipations. The arrange
ments perfected are on an extensive
scale, and all who attend will not fail to
enjoy themselves The most lavishly
spread tables will be found op the
grounds, at which refreshments can be