Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-20
departs at 4 pm. tod.
Watcher, New Orleans ant
landings. Capt. Ed. f. Dix is

departs at 4 pm. tod.
Natchex, New Orleans ant
| landings. Capt. Ed. f. Dix is
and Ross Powell is secretary.
The elegant passenger packet PHI
gets awayat D m. to-day for Helena,h
Point and all way landings. She is entii
new. and has accommodations surpassed bs
none Of our local packets. James Lee is in
command, and Stacker Lee clerk.
The United States mail steamer Dardanelle,
Ed. Nowland master. backs out at pm. for
Pine Bluff. Little Rock an all landings on
the Arkansas. Messrs. OUTLAW aud Brashear
are her clerks.
Navigation both above and below st. Louis
has again been closed by ice and low water.
Freights for the South are sent by rail 10 Cairo.
Work has been commenced at Winona on a
permanent railroad bridge TO be built across
the Mississippi river at that point. 1t is to
cost 900, and will be completed early in
May.
| The Mississippi rose three feet at Davenport
on the 10th.
| g Coal is selling at So per box at New Orleans,
and wood along the banks between there and
Vicksburg iSsold to steamers at So per cord.
The steamer Argos. which sunk in White
river. above Batesville. a few days since, has
been raised.
| Captain Dave Hukill will, II is said go out
In command ofone Of the lower trade packets
to day. The arrangement. however. is tenn
porary only. Captain II. could not be in
dueed to command any steamer the dimen-
sions of which would not compare favorably
with his own.
| w. II. Brown, the coal king, has purchased
six -tenths of the Alps coal mines. situated on
the Youghiogheny river, for which he pays the
sum Of $3.50. 900. an amount equal to S267, 900
for the whole property.
The steam ferryboat Eureka, running be-
tween the Top Mill and Martinsville. on the
Ohio river. was cut through and sunk Satur-
day by the ice. hole ten or twelve feet long
was torn in the hull, when she almost imme-
diately went down.
The following boats, with tows Of coal, left
Pittsburg yesterday and the day before: For
Louisville-Ella, l0s 600 bushels; N. j. Big
! ley, 10000; J. Painter 5000; Panther. 120,-
900; Hawkeye. 100. 900; Pickett. 10000; Vet
eran No. 2, 19O. 600; Coal Bluff 10, 900; Leader
s.. 900; Alps. 10000; Niagara, 125,OOO; Lion
ess, l73, 600. New 0rleans-Ajax. SO, 200 bush
els; Hornet No. 2, 10000; S. Homer, 800
600; Boaz. 300. 900; j. d. Mcdonald, 10000.
Vicksburg-John Bigley, 10000 bushels.
The ordinance passed by the City Council of
! St. Louis ON Tuesday last reduces the wharf
age 80 per cent; instead Of "a cents per ton,
the rate is fixed at 5 cents; daily and weekly
packet boats, $500 per year, instead of 1920;
tow boats, $40 and $50 per month. instead of
:. SO so and S2j. The amount collected in 1896
for wharfage was 5000; in 1870 it was about
500, 900. Total amount collected since 1926,
81 ,5Sl AS 40. Total expenditures, 81 ,322 900.
Expenditures for removing distractions, sl16,-
O03, leaving a balance Of rec ipts over ex-
psnditures of s142. sos. Referring to the action
of the Council, yesterdays st. Louis Republi-
can says:
The passage Of the wharfage reduction ordi-
nance passed by our City Council Tuesday
men, and we hope other cities will follow
l suit" Tomorrow we hope to comment fur
Their upon its great advantages, but in the
meanwhile we hope Cincinnati, New Orleans
and especially Memphis will take time by the
forelock, and follow up this great commercial
reform started at St. Louis.
If we are not mistaken, Cincinnati was the
first to reduce the wharfage, and the action of
her Council was followed by Evansville. st.
Louis is no doubt entitled to great credit for
reducing the tax; but don't be selfish, neigh
\ Dor. and claim your city as the originator of
the reform when il properly belongs to Pork
Opolis."