Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-04-19
FoRWoRKNo MEN.
A Very seasIhls SHgaestIsn-A Few
Thsushtfal Words Worthy Of Deep
Consideration.

Editors AppedE-The visit ofthe mimi
table Train has, 1 hope. put a portion, If
not all the people Of Memphis, 70 think
ing-thinking st least of the glorious fu-
ture Of memphis. Had I been 3 rich man,
I would have thought before, became and
acted, too; but being poor and q mechan-
ic, I could only imagine what might be
done for the glory of Memphis, without
the power to do anything. But I am not
now thinking for the rich-they can do s.
they please, and 10 is none of my bust
ness. I wish to say q word to The work
ing classes through year paper Who have
IL in their power, If they would use il, TO
improve their own condition, as well as
give the city q considerable show toward
the future greatness that George Francis
Train so happily tells US about.
ARoUND TOWN.
If We take a stroll around town, after
dark, any night during the week, and ss-
pecisIIy on Saturday night, and peep into
the several keno and other gambling ss-
tsblishmsnts, we ind a considerable num-
Der of men apparently crazy to get rid Of
what little money they have. Among
these we find land I ana sorry to say it, a
class of men who earn their money by
hard labor-the mechanics and working
men of our city. We will say, just
for illustration, that these work
INK 1AgL hNA1 hAHo &WAI ~
these gambling establishments, the
small sum Of one thousand dollars a
week, which, I think, Is a very low esti-
mate. In the course of one year, this
Thousand dollars a week amounts TO the
snug little sum of 6fty-two Thousand dol
lars. And where does this hfty-tWO thOus-
and dollars go tor Does il 90 to the i'm
provemsut of Memphis in any way It
all, or the greater part OF tG, goes into
the pockets of professional gamblers
and salOOn-keepers. There are many
men in Memphis who work hard all the
week in order to foot the bills of profess
siOual gamblers when they want TO take a
drive and drink champagne.
A REFORM PROPOSED.
Now, propose that a part of this money
be started in a different channel. Why
cannot the mechanics of Memphis start a
building association, az other and even
smaller cities have dOns2 Let an
association be formed by the working
men of b city, whose object will be TO
purchase lots and build dwelling houses
for its members. Let each man pay an
initiation of ten dollars, and five dollars
a month dues sfterward, There is not
q mechanic in Memphis who has cOn-
slant work, chat CannOJ pay this amount.
Say the association starts with one hun
bred members. This brings one thou
sand dollars into the treasury
to begin with; one month later
we have i've hundred dollars,
more; and at the end of twelve months We
have the snug little sum OF seven thou
sand dollars, less the expenses of room
rent, stationery, advertising, etc. But
during the rear, n before the amount
has accumulated to the sum stated, some
member will have found a desirable lot at
a reasonable price, which he wishes to OBJ
tain and build upon. The association pur-
chases the lot, and as fast az the money
comes in paws ib out tor building upon it,
which, when finished, will be secured by
lien to the association, until paid for by
said memberat the rate of twenty-five dol
lars 4 month, or whatever the house would
rent for. In this way the member pays tor
his house by renting it; and the Associa-
ton will Don be able to build again for
another of its members. After a member
has rented his own house until he pays
for it and wishes to withdraw, he must
be made TO Dsy a bonus of ten or twenty
dollars for his title deed; hut it
would be better to be a life-membsr for
when All were supplied with homes, the
association could still 90 on building
houses to rent to those who would rather
not own real estate, and the profits accru-
ing would eventually give the members a
pretty fair per centage.
Whole pages might be written on the
above subject, but 1 have said enough this
time. I hope, however, that what I have
said Will meet with some response from
the working people, and that the day will
come, and that it is not tar distant, when
the Building Association of Memphis"
will be- as powerful a corporation As any
in the State, or IN the Southwest.
PLEBEIAN.