Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-12
4 COUNCIL.
A unIea Uepot-.-n Message from the Mayor
Application Of the n & C, r. r., and the
ST. LOuis Packet Co.

St. LOuis Packet Co.
At n called meeting of the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen, held yesterday,
there were present: His Honor Mayor
Leftwich, Chairman Swayne, and Alder
men O'Donneli clancy, DurR, Moffett,
Gallagher. Foley, Cartwright, Cieaila,
Vincent. Williams and Ellis.
A quorum was announced. when, upon
request OF Chairman Swayne, His HOnoF
Mayor Leftwich explained the occasion
for Ia meeting in the following message:
MAYORS OFFICB. MEMPHIs,
November IIth, 1859.
"Ihe Honorable hoard Of Aldermen:
Yoa have been convened in extra session
70 consider the vast importance OF n
Union Railroad Depot, and In connection
Herewith, the feasibility Of preventing
the farther encroachmenfs OF the river in
our front. In determining these cues
tons, you determine whether provision
shall bs made adequate to the wants OF a
hrst-class commercial city, or whether the
measure OF Memphis greatness has been
hlled, and her merchants and citizens
coptent to gather iinberal prohts from
those who. having no choice OF routes, are
compelled 10 p~atronizs Us because OF our
locality.
"Memphis his bu. initiated tia exam
pie OF most other cities possessing sups-
rior local advantages, In exacting tribute
from every passenger and bale or box Of
merchandise that passes through her cor
poration; hut this old suicidal policy has
exploded in ali cities hat have deter
mined TO have a future, and every facility
is now afforded for an unobslructed pass
age of freight and passengers through
their Limits without delay, cost or damage.
THAT Memphis has already been an
immense loser by falling TO meet this re-
qu~irementOfGhe age, will be seen aud real
lied by any One who withstand for adayAnd
note what freight passes him and whitherit
goes, at humboldt or Grand Junction.
II the eon~ignee in the Caroliuas or othor
Southeastern States finds that his goods
are delayed or damaged, or subject 10 adj
dliional coat by coming through Mem
phis, our beautiful city, with all its
charms, will not weigh a feather with
him in determining By which route he
will order bis shipments, and 30, too, will
passengers, regardless Of cur attractions,
90 ont of their way in passing Us, if
thereby they avoid the annoyance or an
omnibus Tids, or eyeua brief compulsory
detention. Candor compels Us to admit
that our natural advantages , have been
harped upon till we forget that we'll
organized combinations can and will over
some all such, if not developed by energy
and foresight.
"Having shown the absolute necessity
for a concentration of all the railroad
lines at one depot, and its competition
with the river, the questions naturally
arise, where shall il be located and what
is needed on our part to insure its speedy
completion. Till public attention has
very recently been turned to the landing
south of Union erect, the Navy Yard and
adjacent grounds nav alone beer thought
Of as the proper location, and IL does seem
that nature has provided it for that pur-
pose, bat the entertainments Of the river
are so threatening that without a large
outlay OF money to protect it, the railroad
companies could not afford the risk OF
placing or ground so unreliable, depot
buildings commensurate with their wants.
AT a recent consultation of citizens
on this subject, many Of whom had given
it long and close investigation. il was
unanimously determined hat the Navy
Yard and adjacent grounds could be saved
from the farther en-eroachments Of the
river by an expenditure much below the
value to the city of the ground hat will
otherwise be lost.
This grave question Is len for yOu to
determine, I'D il decided Automatically 1
would recommend as the appropriate,
and, indeed, only way to provide for the
expenditure, that authority be granted
to issIe Fipe HesRdred Thousand Dollars
an ~Ikirty-yeIr Sax per cent. Bonds, the in
terest To be provided for by setting aside
thirty thousand dollars per annum OF the
wharfage receipts, and after five wears to
set apart twenty thousand dollars per an
mum from the same fund, to provide for
the payment of said bonds at maturity.
or retiring them a. the fund for that pur-
pose accumulates-
Thus provided for, the bonds would be
accepted by capitalists as a hrst-class Sc
Gurity. and would command 4 price ac-
cordingly, while we may reliably calcu-
late that at the expiration Of the five
years mentioned the receipts from wharf
age, now about fifty thousand dollars per
annum, would be sufficient TO provids for
interest and principal, with Il sudicieney
LEFT to meet all necessary annual improve
ments on the landing. This mode Of per
manently improving the landing with re-
eeipts from the Wharfage, would apprO-
priately meet the no. unreasonable com
plants OF steamboatmen that this wharf
aga receipts have not been applied 10
the improvement Of the landing. As
throwing some light on the magnitude OF
the undertaking, | present herewith a re-
port of the City Engineer, which gives the
soundings in the vicinity OF the work re-
quired. II measures are now taken TO
this end, it would elicit such plans and
proposals as would no doubt throw much
additional and needed light on the sub
ject, and not Interfere with favorable
action on the two petitions hereuntO pre-
scented, the one from the President OF the
Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and
the other from the President OF the Mem
phis and st. Louis Packet Company, in
regard 10 which 1 would respectfully re-
commend that they be carefully consid-
cred, and if they do not meet your entire
approval, in their present form, that a
Committee OF three or five be appointed
to confer with the gentlemen, with a view
to such a modification as will be aecepta-
BILE. / rave conversed with them freely
on the subject, and am convinced that an
equitable and mutually beneficial ar
rangement can be effected with each OF
them, and am also satisfied hat our rela-
lions are such that a hard bargain, il at
tainable, wUuld not be beneficial 10 the
party securing the advantage.
" As In important part of the perma-
nent Improvement TO be paid for from The
wharfage receipts, | woul earnestly re-
commend the grading of the Promenade,
between Jefferson and Union streets,
and the removal OF the dirt to the low
grounds batween the City Hall and the
river. This would remove two disgust
ing eyesores, and give us the most beauti-
full front on the Mississippi river. When
the improvements suggested in this com
municltion are completed, and, in accord
nee with enlightened public sentiment,
on privileges are abolished, Mem
phis will proudly assume the high posi-
ton among the cities OF the and that her
~unequalled local advantages entitls her
to. Yours,
JOHN W. LEFTWICH, Mayor"
The above, on motion, was received and
ordered printed.
On motion, the Message and communi-
cations from President OF Memphis and
Charleston railroad, aud President OF st.
Louis Packet Company, were referred to
a committee of live: Aldermen Marshall,
Foley, Ellis, Cartright, and Woleott,-to
which His Honor Mayor Leftwich and
City Engineer Humphries were added.
The Engineer, in his report, sustains
his former opinion as to filing in with
stone and wood that part of the Isvse
washed away.
The President Of the st. Louis Packet
Company proposes to pay for cutting and
grading of the wharf below Union street,
for privileges of landing and railroad con-
nectiOn by horsepower with the Charles
ton Railroad, which company, through its
President, asks for liberty to Law a track
posed by the Packet Company-the whole
to be done under such restrictions a. the
may dictate.
Adjourned.
SPLKNDID Calico, just opened New
Store, 29S Main street.