Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-17

L. IL AiAcus 64ANOA AAVOIg OOVSHs
MISCELLANEOUS.
Business was active on the levee yes
terday, and all Of our local packets had
good trips. There is little or no cotton
moving up stream, however, and boats
for the ORio get very little freight.
Much excitement was created in oul
city yesterday about the loss Of the Ruth.
The morning dispatches said nothing
about any loss Of life, nut the inference
was that 10 one was injured. Later il
the day the following dispatch was re-
eeived, and the anxiety became very
great, as the boat was known to have 8
large number Of passengers OF board
VICKsBURG, March 10, 1869.
Lieut.. Geo. Madden, Memphis:
Ruth burned. Durham, Huet and sis
ter, and friends all lost.
G. B. PICKETT. Saith Infantry.
Our special dispatch from Vicksbsrg,
which appears in another column, allays
all fears as to the loss of life, the psssen-
gers, some $50 in number, go Of whom
were ladies, having ample time to escape
ashore.
The Mary Forsyth, Capt. Haney, will
pass down tomorrow for Vicksburg and
the bends.
The Belle st. Louis, Capt. Alex lie
gler, is the regular Thursday Cairo and
ST. Louis packet. She makes ciose con-
neotiOn with the trains North and East.
The COoss did not get away LAST night.
She lays over for a trip which che will
get in a day or two.
The excellent steamer GuidOn, Capt.
Clay Rice, with Garrett Huls and Sam.
Wood in ths Office, leaves to-day for Pine
Bluff and sll way points on the Arkan-
SIS. She is an a ! packet,
The ATgOsy, Captain VIM. Ashford,
leaves on Thursday for Augusta, Jack
sonportand way landings on White river.
She Is the regular packet. Milt. Harry
is clerk.
Ned Outlaw, formerly clerh Of the
Ozark, goes into the efioe of the Mem
phis and Arkansas river U0ited States
mail packet company at this point. Ned
is 3 No. l clerk, and We welcome him
permanently to our midst.
The splendid United States mail packet
Thomas. H. Allen, Capt. Reese Pritchsrd,
leaves tomorrow evening for Little
Rock and all way points on the Arkan-
SAG. She connects with the Fort Smith
packets direct.
The big steamer louisiana, Capt.
Phillips, with J. L. Eagin in the ofi5e,
will pass up at 5 pm. to-day for Louis
vile and Cincinnati.
Tee gallant and superior passenger
packet Silver Moon, Capt. Ben Merillees,
is the regular and relisble Cincinnati
steamer leaving to-day, end stands at
the head Of the heap as a travellers IA
vorite. She goes at 5 p %. Mr.. Hunter
Is her obligiug chief clerk.
We take the following practical article
from the correspondence of the st. Louis
Journal Of Commerce.:
1t is about time that facts should be
presented to the public in relation to the
reckless T pursued by owners, and
those who have charge Of boats nm
pIoyed on the Mississippi and its fila
ents, TO the end that if under writers CAN
not be induced to lend their aid to secure
refOTmatOry measures in the mAnage-
ment Of cur navigation system, the pub
lie at least should be made aware OF the
dangers to which life and property are
exposed, and g revolution created through
that powerful means. It is not necessary
to go back into the forgotten past and
drag up old cases OF disastrous accidents
and the causes which produced them, to
establish the point we kave in view, by
any means the facts we shall herewith
present are recent, and they are f0rmid-
able enough to arrest the .atten-
ton of the entire country. The
first l shall sllude to is that terrible cat
astrophs, announced not long since, at
which the whole country stood sghast,
the loss of 3 steamer near Memphis,
with a large number of passengers on
board. The snRg on which the boat was
wrecked, was q well-kaOwn obstruction, !
of years standing, in the Mississippi
river, familiar to every accredited pilot
on that river, being a projected portion
OF an old gunbOat sunk during the late
rebellion. The owners, to save money,
employed 3 helsmsn unsCq1ainted with
the danger, and the result was the loss
the boat and cargo, and at least sixty
human lives.
Last Friday q magnificent steamer left
this port for New Orleans, with her hold
Fl led with valuable merchandise and her
thrODged with passengers. The
Of the wheel had just met with q
mishsp Ct it can justly be so
on the Mississippi river, and fresh
that exhibition OF his proves, he
was Immediately placed in control Of one
of the finest boats engaged In the lower
trade. Eigh'esn miles below, with
a fsir stage of water, the vessel was run
aground, producing more or less of harm
to the steamer, an unwRrrantable and
veXati0us delay, and the expense of two
other boats to pull her loose from her
position. II was fortunate that nothing
happened. All at once her rich
owners or managers were made pEacti-
eally aware OF the necessity OF employing
able pilots, and they forthwith made APP
to the Association in this city for
employees Of that character. A week
has hardly elapsed since that occurred,
and II any mention has bsen made of Ii
Dy the press Of the city in a way It de-
1t has escaped our attention en-
Further, 1t may be doubted
our insurance companies have
it prudent TO investigate the
with any desire to probe the acct
lent to the bottom.
Let another case be mentioned. A
Ihort time since a pilot returned from the
lpper Missouri, and was ordered to take
he wheel on q Memphis packet. He
employed by the year, and his time,
If course, could be more advantageously
md economically employed by constant
~ervice. He plead with the owner his
inlitness for the duty, in consequence of
lis long absence from that portion of the