Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-31
T. ]. BRoWN. Observer.
RIVER, BUSINESS, MISCELLANEOUS.

airy, with a good stage Of water to jackson.
port; and the Arkansas is rising slowly, with
ten feet in the channel to Little Rock. Bust
ness at the levee Is dull. A soaking rain fell
during tho night and continued up to late
hour this morning. 'n
The II. p. Walt goes out to- morrow evening
for White river.
The Minneola gets away tomorrow evening
for Cairo, Louisville and Cincinnati.
The repairs to the boilers of the Tom Rees
will BIO completed to-day, and she will leave
this evening for the Ohio.
The United States mail packet Phil Allin
departs at 5 pm. to-day for Helena, Friar's
Point and all way landings. Capt james
Lee is in command. Stacker Lee is her chief
clerk.
The elegant steamer A. j. White. Capt. Geo.
Malone in command. will depart at 5 pm. to-
day for Helena. Friar's Point and Napoleon,
making all the usual landings. Messrs.
Smithers. Chamberlain and Sharpe are her
able and agreeable secretaries.
The elegant steamer Pat Cleburne, Reese
Pritchard master, is announced to depart at
SPIN. to-day for Pine Bluff, Little Rock and
all landings on the Arkansas, connecting with
the packets for Van Buren, and Fort Smith.
The Clebnrne carries the United States mail,
and goes through in excellent time. Greed
Walker and Joe Thomas are her clerks.
By reference TO cur steamboat column il
will be seen that the palatiaI steamer Com
monwealth, of tho st. Louis and New Orleans
line. will pass down to-day at ,. IN. for New
Orleans and all intermediate landings. Can
tain Sedan is in command.
The elegant and swift passenger steamer
Belle st. Louis backs out at p IN. to- day for
Cairo and st. Louis, making all The impor-
tant railway connections.
The Belle of Alton was not totally consumed
as was reported. Her hull was uninjured.
The fast time made by the Idlewild from
Cairo to Evansville, given in this column in
our last issue, was the general topic of con-
versation in river circles yesterday. Captain
jim Lee thinks it A good run. but AYERS that
the Phil Allin. can beat it. Commodore Dill
thinks the City of Vieksburg might also 20
one or two better than the AIlin.
The Cincinnati and Nashville Packet Com
pany are negotiating for the w. +. Curtis, to
put in the Upper Cumberland river trade.
Cumberland river is reported bank full, and
rising at Coney Fork.
The river has declined eight and a half
inches since our last report; the total decline
is three feet Eve inches.
Mr.. Ellis Harris. the genial and clever sec
onl clerk ofthe City Of Chester, arrived last
night on the City Of Cairo, en- route TO Hot
Springs. Ark, to spend the summer months.
Unfortunately he fell in with Captain Steve
wilkins and Bob Speed this morning, and
shortly after making their acquaintance found
his pocket book. watch and breast-pin gone.
The missing articles were. however, found
soon after at a jewelry store where they had
been accidentally loft.
Our many steamboat agents were variously
this morning. Some were after cot
ton and oil cake; others we're standing on the
corners pillaging fruit stands; and one, who
is fond of good living. was agitating in his
mind the price Of his next Sundays dinner.
The individual In question was, day or two
since. greatly worried over the sudden and
mysterious Disappearance of the ghost jar.
and as he stood intently gazing on a coop of |
chickens on Front street, he was heard to NUT
Ter something like this: mot a turkey |
stirred, nor a hen moved, nor gobbler stirred;
mol not even ghost stirred, when / got that |
etter out Of tho postofiee." The agent in |
question has, it is said. some knowledge of |
he whereabouts Of the jar, and il is whispered |
hat Il viii be forthcoming at 30l Front street |
It noon tomorrow. latn Ha4
Transient boats plying In the Arkansas |
liver very frequently get into difficulty and |
fsrhf chi h.. n
whereas if shipped by our regular line. the
Memphis and Arkansas River Packet Com
'any. all such difficulties would be avoided.
The latest case ON record involves freigat
ill and charges amounting TO over 5000. 1t
$ thus related by the Louisville Ledger:
The r. G. Gray. from Arkansas river, came
nto port this morning. She got int little
rouble at Cairo, which may lead to lengthy
litigation. At Fort Smith she received a lot of
reight. purchased at a Government sale, and
unsigned TO MIR. LippencOtt. at Chicago, to
'e reshlpped at Cairo, and upon which there
Vere 500 charges. The agent at Cairo re-
used TO pay the charges, and the freight was
eft al that place in charge Of a clerk Of the
eat.
A bill passed both houses Of the Missis-
ippi Legislat Gre. 1last week. Incorporating
he Pearl River Improvement and Navigation
company. 1t provides that the capital stock
( the company shall be 500, 900. divided into
hares of 500 each. The company is author
red and required to deepen and widen the
hannel of Pearl river, and remove obstruc-
ions, so as 10 make that stream navigable for
teambOats from its mouth TO the city Of Jack
Dn, and as much higher up as may be
eemed advisable. 81
Messrs. MeClintock and Scott, in a commu-
ication to thelNew Orleans Times, advocate
le use Of their patent for deepening and
caring out the mouth Of the Mississippi.
hey say:
In operating our invention, for exeavatinr
channel across the bar Of the Nississippi
yer, We should use four large pumps oil
lirty inches diameter, placed on board Of :
Gamer OF SUFFICIENT tonnage 70 carry an the
ecessary machinery for working the pumps
lpdly; the adjustable framework moved
it'll the boat, but near the bottom Of the
yer, with a series Of flexible hose or pipe at 4
lched. The boat moving the engines, and
le pumps continually operating powerful
rtiieial currents Of air are brought 10 bear i,
y the action Of the pumps through the pipes y
hose. directly on the earth az the bottom Of 2
le river; an excavation is speedily made.
ID channel Is cut through the bar the II
idth Of the boat or machinery. And Il IL
ny necessary TO make other cuts, overlapp-
g the last, 70 make . channel Of any re- r
hired width and depth. As
e pumps and power we propose to use viii
rec three million gallons Of water through Z
tWenty-four inch nozzle per hour. u will =
ave the pipe with a velocity Of thirty-fye ~
ct per second; and allowing il 70 lose tive 4
ifds Of its effective force az the time Of
riking the bed Of the river, We still have Al
ore than three times the effective forrr -