Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-22
"oLp TIMEe.n
The Flrst Sea Fight at HsmphIs...Ths Fiat.
boat War.

The Flrst Sea Fight at Rsnphls-..Ths Fiat.
beat War.
In early times most Of the products Of
the Western and Southern states was
brought dOwI the river IN hatboatsi
which frequently came in fleets, particu-
| larlv from the smaller rivers, which were
| only navigable during a freshet. These
| boats were generally built, ~freighted and
| manned by the same persons who raised
I the crops with which they we're loaded,
and who, When at home, we're good,
moral citizens, and not unfrsquently
strict church members, some OF them
desc1ns, class leaders, exhOrters and even
| rough preachers, who perhaps thought re-
lgiOn too sacred q thing TO take on board
q hstbOst, particularly as they were going
among a set of barbarians, as they con-
| sidered the settlers on the Mississippi to
be, and it was by NJ means uncommon
for those who displayed the most religion
st home to be the greatest roWdies abroad.
The trick was looked upon As a fr0lic,
and hat iC was their privilege and per-
haps their duty 10 clean out and regulate
the little towns along the river, particu-
larly those that had the audscity 70 charge
wharfage, which they held to be not only
a great outrage, but, IS they expressed Il,
unconstitutional" and therefore deter
| mined to resist il TO the last extremity.
The consequence was that all attempts to
raise a revenue from that source at any
point above New Orleans proved q failure
so far rs 1atbOats we're concerned. Mem
/ phis tried il for ONE eight or ten years,
but the amount obtained would not pay
the trouble of its collection. One great
difficulty seemed to be to get the right
kind of a man to undertake II. l nave
seen the WhArfmaster streaking IL up the
hill, with a dozen or more fellows after
him, lRshing the ground at his heels with
long cane polls, and from the way he rig
gled occasionally it was evident that some
of the ticks took effect. Similar scenes
were Of frequent occurrence. Sometimes
they would get him in the cabin, under
pretenss of paying him, then shove OF
and and him on Presidents Island. But
IL was not the wharfmaster alone who
Jared badly. Some Of our BEST citizens
were sham5fully assaulted and abused Ey
brutal bOatmen. Finally, IL lS4l, q re-
form board OF Mayor and Aldermen, as
they were termed, were elected, with
VIM. S~pickernsgle as Mayor. One Of these
first reformatiOns was to get the right
in OF men for officers, and when such
did not present themselves they were
hunted up and large salaries offered them,
with a view Of making the offices re-
spectacle and securing their faithful adj
b4LulsLIAbltA ~ Was AUt blb WHAT
master alone, however, who failed in his
duties, for there was not an officer, from
Mayor down, who had not become almost
contemplate in the yes Of the people;
and as for the laws, they received but lit
tie attention. 'Old Speck," as he was
commonly called, swOre that such things
had to stop or somebody would get hurt,
and the determined manner with which
he went about it, proved that he meant
what he said. Two volunteer military
companies, known as the Guards and the
Blues, were encouraged to organize and
equip, which was no sooner done than
they rendered their services to the Mayor,
to aid in the enforcement of the laws.
They were composed of ardent young
men-only a little too anxious to prove
their courage.
THE THREE TOWNS
It may be proper TO give some history
of this Bluff at that time. II was divided
into three corporations, or rival towns,
known as Memphis, South Memphis
and Fort Pickering. The two latter
seemed to think that their only hope
of success was in the overthrow of
Memphis, OF at least the northern
part of it. Unfortunately for Memphis, |
She was divIved against herself from
Poplar street down. The hatbOst land
iup,sxtended from the mouth OF WolfriY-
OF to the foot Of Adams street, sod was
the general market, not only for the bluff
but for all the surrounding country, and
q great pity it had not 50 continued, for
then provisions could be purchased at a
fair price. Combinations succeeded in
breaking up thai market snd rendering
Memphis the dearest market place in the
United States for a poor man TO live and
support a family. The removal of the
hatbOat landing, below Union street, be-
came a great object with b two lower
towns, believing that whenever that was
effected all other kinds of business would
e-nte there. Emissaries went among the
hatbOat men daily, urging them to drop
down to whsre they should have a free
landing forever, and perhaps more bitter
and vindtctive feelings never existed be-
tween two sections than was wit
messed on this bluff at that time.
Fatal BLUNDER.
But the South committed one of her Pc
culisr blunders, and set her pegs too far
south, declaring that "Pinch" extended
to Adams street, and refusing TO affiliate
with anything north of that line. The
consequence was that pinch" tri-
umphed; but, as I intend writing the his
tory Of that classic region, with all its
varying fortunes, I must not encrOach
il here, particularly as l find myself
running into one of my peculiar errors,
and making my story too long.
Such was the state Of affairs, and such
the relations of the boatmen and citizens,
when this reform board" went into office
and l will venture to say that no board,
before or since, has lone as much for the
welfare Of Memphis-tO say nothing of the
circumstance under which they
were placed. Any one familiar with the
history of Memphis for the last thirty
five years must know that 1871 was the
date at which her real prosperity com
10 fhnHE anNnnHHAn 81 HhnHE I
master, they were impressed with
the idea that herd fighting would
30 required, and having settled
upon a man whom they thought
possessed that qualification, they went to
him and offered him twenty.h i've per cent.
u all collections, promising to stand up
to him. He went in and made q good
thing OF it, not only for himself but for
the town; but not without some pretty
blows. Since then, wharfage has
constituted 8 big item in the city's Y
nue.. The following year Mayor Hickman
been elected, the other officers b.
ing generally retained, he encouraged
hem to continue, rs under his predeces-
promising all necessary aid and pro-
lection. The previous year proved to have
been one Of the most productive ever
In the month Of May, 1912, all Z
rivers being up, upward Of 800 fat
boats were lying at the Memphis landing :
It one time, quite a number of which {
out Of the Wabash. Among others,
here was a man by the name of Trester, 2
If very desperate character, He had I
not been down the previous year, Q
Dut had heard from others that 7
hey bad a Wharfmaster at Mem 6
)his, whom there was no getting :
or lodging. Trester swOrs that I
le would show them that he could do 1t, 1
nd provided himself with a big hsW 2
tick thickly set with limbs which he cut q
II st a projection of about half an inch L
the stem. This he proposed to comb 0
he Memphis Wharfmaster's head with,
nd when that f~unctionsry called upon
i'm, "WhO are your" be demanded
The WhRrfmsster." was the reply.
stepped back to the hatch, and
allied for his stick. Do you see this 2'
e asked, addressing the officer and flour
shing his cudgel; 81 cut this on purpose
Or you, and ! am going to use It on you ~
you ever show your face here while I =
emsin, and If you don't leave quickly, I I
7ill give II to you now. / am the master \
f this landing" By this time a crowd =
adj collected, who were cheering him on, .
nd the Whsrfmaster thought it prudent =
withdraw. y
AN IMMORTAL CONSTABLE. v
he went to the Mayor and obtained a d
'arrant and got the town Constable, Col.
. B. Locke, to serve it, which he at Z
3mpted to do. But again the ugly club
-as wNVed. 81 have q warrant for you"
aid the Constable. And I have one
n you" replied Trester, advancing with
is stick. Locke stood his ground, how
yer, but seeing the crowd Of bOatmen
the two officials thought II
best to obey orders and leave. 4
n less than an hour they returned with i
apt. f. +. Ruth, of the Guards, and ten n
T q dozen of his men armed and equipped.
he sight Of the glistening bayonets had n