Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-25
FREAKS OF THE RIVER.
wenaers Of the Mississippi History Of the
Memphis Lsndlng---FaOts and
Philosophy.


Philosophy.
The appended historical letter is full of
| facts that will excite keen interest among
those who would have a clear apprehen-
sion of the fortunes of Memphis as deVel-
! oped by one of the Oldest jewellers on the
/ ChickssaW Bluffs. The writer OF the
historical letter that appeared "Wednesday
has lived here thirty years; the author
| Of that which follows landed mere IN $50.
The OLE MANS STORY JUST AS HE TOLD IT.
Editors Appeal: The indifference with
which the washing away OF the batture IN
front of the city is being treated by the
authorities and citizens, has Induced me
/ 70 write a short history Of the various
| changes which rave occurred in front Of
/ this bluff; not only since my time but
| for many years previous, derived from old
residents. some of whom dated back prior
| to the com .nencement of the present cen
fury. l do this with the hope of arouslng
our people to a proper sense OF h dan
ger now threatening not only the destruc-
ton of the entire landing, but, If nnre-
strained by proper and efficient means,
there is no telling where IL will end. An
idea is extensively entertained that, when
the river reaches its old bed at the base
of the bluff, it will cease caving. The
idea that the bluff can cav is treated as
preposterous. I, however, am one who
believes tbs what has taken place nce
NAV occur again under similar circum
stances, and that this bluff has csved in,
in large portions, is within,the recollection
of many persons yet living, whose state
ments will not, venture to say, be doubt
ed by any one acquainted with them. As
late as 1882 considerable csvings occurred
above Fort Pickering; one, of over
half m aara 1aff1an dawn soma ten
or fifteen feet, where it remained two
or three years, with its trees, some
of which were Of the largest@kind,
standing erect, and growing as luxuriantly
As formerly. This manner of caving was
not uncommon. Two of a similar charac-
ter occurred-One below the foot of Mar
ket street, the other below the foot of
Washington. Although these o place
previous to my coming here, in 1928, their
occurrence was, however, too definite to
admit of a doubt, and the depressions they
created are still there to show for them
selves, and a strict measurement will
prove them TO be from fifty to one hun
bred feet nearer Front row h any other
points OF The Promenade. G.
CURIOUS PERSONAL HISTORY.
In this connection 1 viii explain a mat
ter which may have appeared singular to
persons generHlly-how IL was that the
original prOprietOrs, by no means remark
able for liberality in ether respects, should
have made so handsome donation to the
public as this extensive Promenade. The
explanation is very simple. From all APP
pearances, at that time, the Mississippi
would occupy the place of the Promenade
in s few years; in the meantime it sound
ed well in the papers, and looked well on
maps, some of which are still / n existence.
Nothing. of course, was said about its cav
ing propensitiesi but the matter was too
apparent, and the first sale of lots, which
took place in 1924, proved a failure so far
as the lower part of the town was con
csrned. The only part that appeared de-
sirsble, particularly as business property
was in the neighborhOOd of Auction
Square. No sooner did the original pro-
prietors discover hat the Mississippi had
ceased depredating on the Promenade
than they attempted to go back on their
acts, and commenced suits for its repos-
session, winch they have kept up from
tina day to this. IcOuld explain some other
circumstances, and give some "reminiscences
of the laying of and early settlement Of
Memphis which l doubt not would prove
highly interesting, but they are not ne
eessary to my present purpose. I'VE
must have them-Eds. APPEALl -
There are other matters han the caving
of the buff connected with the landing of
Importance, and in order 70 guard
A4alLlsL NhC1b UADLE1s y ALtAlkN5 u III I
kind, are evils whether making or falling
of, in order 10 explain which L shall give
HISTORY OF THR MEMPHIS
LANDING.
The earliest defuate information 1 OBJ
tanned, dated back to 1893, at which time
the Chickasaw Bluffs, as this point wa
1.-THE word fourth" was then never
applied to it by river men) was the most
important own on the Mississippi, be-
tween Natchez and New Madrid; and
strange as il NAV seem, there was a more
extensive settlement, a larger number,
ard better class of people; more land in
and better Improvements
there were in 1920. There were sew
sral causes for this decline, most of which
are already known to history. One how
was strangely overlooked, to wit:
The washing away of a far more extensive
than the present ever be-
came, carrying with it the town, contain
ing a dozen or more houses, besides farm
houses, orchards, fields, etc, for it was in
a fine state of cultivation. The mouth of
Wolf river was Town as low as the foot of
J effersOn street and the landing and town
Immediately below that. At what time
hat batture commenced falling in i new
sr learned definitely. l nave heard the
belief expressed that the earthquakes
occurred in 1878 had something to
10 with its sinking. This l do not
believe as the town had certainly
ALLEN in some years before. The army on
is way to New Orleans in 1874 found the
and nearly all of the batture gone,
l do not think the current reached
bluff until abOut 1918. It certainly
not commenced falling off materially
before that time. A small portion of
his former batture still remains. Its
banks are plainly to be seen on both sides
If Wolf river, Immediately above the
navy-yard. But for the filing mp it
,Ould be as easily traced TO where il
struck the bluff at the foot of Jackson
This for a space of some twelve or
more years constituted
H ONLY LANDING MEMPHIS HAD.
The present bstture may date from 1873,
although it did not appear above water
or -four years afterward. That was a re-
nsrkable year for the Mississippi river,
he water rising higher and remaining up
Onger than ever known before or since,
nd making a number of important
hanges in the channel, one OF which was
opening Of the Tennessee chute, pro-
.ucing one Of the most sudden and re-
nsrkable changes ever witnessed. Flat
oats lying along the shore encountered a
trong downward current. and were Oh
erved to swing round suddenly, their
terms up stream; and the drift, OF which
here was a large amount passing, also
hanged its course, m it was o
iscoYered that hat portion Of the river
occupied by the bstture had
uddenly changed to a tremendous eddy.
n 1882 this batture first made its appear
nee above water, and for several years
ais bar was a source OF the greatest an
and depression to the people
Memphis rising most rapidly I
5 is usual at its outer line, I
% low and soft to form q !
alternately above or beneath {
be surface according to the stage of the 5
-ater, and endangering ~ boat that /
across it Of being caught in a {
I'd of mud. {
A TEP FROM THE G
Here let me hastily enumerate some OIL
le incidents in the brief but eventful
istory OF this mud bar, for ridiculous as
may appear j loo upon it As the mOet 4
smarkable spot Of ground on the Ameri- :
IN continent, commencing as it did one 4
nnAraa and Hffu feat hanaaFh Tho arr~fa.a :