Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-01

| Otu. huucIsOu, fOiut.
DEPARTURES.
Steamer Belle St. Louis. st. Louis.
Ozark, Cincinnati.
- Geo. w. Cheek, Friar's Point.
% s. G. Day. Wittsburg.
Henry Ames. New Orleans.
Marble City, Vicksburg.
BOATS IN PORT.
City of Alton. Gen. Anderson, R. p. Walt,
| Silver Moon, Mary Boyd, Hesper.
RIVER, BUSINESS, MISCELLANEOUS.
The river is declining rapidly at this point
and Cairo, and rising rapidly at st. Louis.
Above that point there is but six feet six
inches of water to Quincy, where the river Is
stationary at about its usual summer stage.
The decline at Keokuk and points above con-
tinues slowly. The Missouri has another
swell reported at Sioux City. The Ohio with
its tributaries continues to decline. White
river has three and half feet to Jackson
port. and is falling slowly. The Arkansas
has four feet to Little Rock and eighteen
inches from there to Fort Smith. Business at
the levee this morning showed a marked i'm
provement over that of yesterday. Shipments.
however. continue light, while receipts Of
freight are tolerably fair. The weather con-
tinues hot and oppressive.
The r. p. Walt came in this morning from
White river with good trip of people. and
will return to that stream tomorrow at five
o'clock pm.
To-day's steamer for the Arkansas river is
the favorite of the line. the Mary Boyd. She
is now loading. and gets away at 5 pm. pre-
cisely, going through to Little Rock, where she
connects with light-draught boat for Fort
Smith. Captain Reub. Haynes goes in COM
mand and Ned Outlaw as purser.
| The elegantly fitted and commodious steam
err Mollie Able, Dan Able on the roof and Jim
Thompson, clerk. will pass down for Vicks-
burg and New Orleans at ten o'clock to-mor-
row morning. The Mollie Able is well known
all along the river, and will undoubtedly leave
here with her cabin full Of people and good
cargo.
Captain Ben Merrillees will not back out the
Silver Moon to-day, as advertised, but will
depart to morrow at FIVE pm. for Cairo, Lou
isville and Cincinnati. We advise any Of our
friends who intend going North to secure pas
sage on this packet. If Merrillees and Hig-
gins don't make them feel at home we are
fearfully mistaken in their characters.
The Marble City passed down this morning
well laden.
The City of Alton. Carter. master. will de-
part at five o clock this evening for Cairo and
st. Louis.
The Ozark got away for Cincinnati last night
with good trip of cotton and miscellaneous
freight.
A Louisvilian offers to bet $1,000 that the
Lee beats the Natchez.
The X. Z. Lee backed out from New Orleans
yesterday evening at 4 :5i, and the Natchez ut
4 :56, and started up stream. Their departure
was witnessed by an immense throng that
crowded the entire levee, and was the occa-
sion of much enthusiasm and great excite
ment. When the Lee passed Carrollton. seven
miles above New Orleans. she was three min
utes and forty-fve seconds ahead of the Nat
chez; and at point seven miles below Red
Church, and nineteen miles above New Or
leans, the Lee had gained minute, passing
the point named four minutes and forty-five
seconds ahead of the hatcher. On passing
Baton Rouge, I36 miles above New Orleans,
the Lee was fourteen minutes ahead of the
Natchez, she having passed at "a, and the
Natchez at :3s this morning, the Lee
making the run in eight and one-half
hours, and the hatcher in eight hours
and forty-two minutes. According to the
time they have made SO far, they
should have passed Natchez at 10 o'clock this
morning and Vicksburg at about $50 this
evening and reach this port at about eight
o'clock tomorrow evening. The interest
manifested in this race surpasses anything
ever yet known. People from the country
gathered along the river banks above New Or
leans in large numbers for n distance of
twenty miles. manifesting their appreciation
of the contest by waving hats and handker-
chiefs and shouting vociferously. The same
excitement exists at Baton Rouge. hatcher.
and all points below. Here the race is the all
absorbing topic of conversation among all,
bankers, dry goods merchants, groeers, and in
fact everybody is taking an interest in the
race. On Front row this morning business
was nearly suspended in consequence, and
the merchants gathered in groups to discuss
the race. Bets last night were quite lively,
and everything offered on either was taken.
To-day, however, after the reception of
the news that the Lee was gaining on the
Natchez, Lee stock went up a trihe, and in
some cases odds were offered against the
hatcher. We saw several well known river
men with their hands full of greenbacks. ap-
parently in search Of victim; but, excepting
several bets Of 500 each, very little betting
was done. The betting last night was, how
ever, very heavy. A gentlemen who eircu-
lated about during the evening informed us
that upward of $1,000 was put up during the
evening by the friends of the boats, and thinks
double the amount will be wagered before
their arrival here, so confident are the friends
of each boat Of the success oftheir choice.
Since writing the above dispatch has been
received stating that the Lee passed Matches
at 10 % a. m. and the Natehez at lO:ls. The
following is the time made by each up to that
hour:
Left Lee. hatcher. Lee ahead.
B. ROUGE / SAN. i:S 10
Bayou Sara 1885 am. s:A 8
NatcheI.......l0:O 4 an. 10;ls IA
III. - ko.t;ur tha princaest time "a