Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-01
CITY FEATURES.
The March OF Improvements and
The New Era.


The New Era.
Heretofore the most Of the buildings
in Memphis were erected for utility, moi
for appearance; 10 rent out, and not ia
attract the eye. Many Of our largest
blocks are built square and solid, without
graceful cornice or window, door OF
pillar,i to relieve the eye. The largest
building possible with given amount oil
money and labor was the aim OF the
owner. We have many stately blocks
but very few with tasteful fronts or attrac-
tive touches of architecture. We are
glad to observe an improvement in public
taste visible in new styles Of building
business houses, as well as private resi-.
dences. This reform comes hand in hand
with capital, education and refinement,
and but reflects the progress Of the times,
the culture Of our people and the appre.
citation of the beautiful in art.
Colonel McDavitt's new brown-stone
insurance building, nearly opposite the
LEDGER Office, presents, as far as com
pleted, decidedly the most attractive
front yet on Madison street. The pro
gress of the work, which is steady and
regular, has been watched with lively
interest by scores of citizens, who gather
on the opposite corner from day to day.
When finished it will be marvel OF
skillful workmanship and an ornament
to this street. There are larger build
ings, but we have yet to see one as hand
some.
The bank building going up, or coming
up even with the pavement rather, be-
tween Main and Second streets, will be
a magnificent structure, and it is said
will cost over 5000. Colonel Lonsdale
watches the work from hour to hour, and
large crowds pause to look on. The i'm
mense stones used and abundance of
other material around indicate that this
is to be heavy block. The style and
general arrangement are not yet devel-
oped to the eye Of a casual observer, but
we understand that it is to have all
modern conveniences and improvements
When completed it will be one of the
conspicuous features of this banking and
insurance street of ours
The Goyer block, corner of Main and
Jefferson streets, has been written about
and seen so much that it is familiar to
the public, and we know of nothing new
to say on the subject. The exterior is
about finished The style is plain, but
neat and harmonious. 1t looks well, and
on the north side of the third story has
three of the largest panes of glass in the
city. They are not less than seven by
nine feet in dimensions. Ben Bingham,
the artist, ordered these glasses from
Scotland These glasses are fixtures;
they are too large to be turned up like the
common kind, and will doubtless be use
full as sky-lights for his gallery The
large double store on the corner is to be
occupied by the enterprising, fashionable
clothing house of Sproule & McCown.
The firm contemplates an early re-
moval, and will soon be display
ing through the immense glass front
on Main street one of the
most elegant stocks of ready
made clothing and gents furnishing
goods ever brought to this market. Mr..
McCown proposes also to sell as cheap
as ever, and not like the merchants on
Broadway, increase ten per cent. on ac-
count of popular locality and high rent.
This will be the most brilliant corner in
Memphis. The next store in the same
new building is to be occupied by Mr..
II. Harder, the well-known and popu-
lar boot and shoe dealer, who will keep
as fine stock of everything in this line
as is to be found in New York or Boston.
These are some of the stylish features
about Memphis which attract the eye of
the visitor, and advertise to the world
that Memphis is live, money making
place, keeping fully PIP with the spirit
and the doings of the wonderful age ip
which we live.