Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-22
METEOROLOGICAL RECORD.
7. J. BROWN, Observer
RIVER, BUSINESS, MISCELLANEOUS.
MREMPHrs. TPSN Anril 81 1871


MEEMPHIs. TENN. April q, 1871.
River Editor Ledger:
River fell three inches in past twenty-four
hours. Below high water mark of 1861. fif-
teen feet. JOHN TENT.
By the above it will be seen that the change
in the action of the river here was short
lived; it barely came to a stand. and is again
falling to-day more rapidly than yesterday.
Dispatches from above report the Ohio falling
at all points, except at Pittsburg. where it is
stationary. The Cumberland is rising slowly,
with four and half feet on Harpeth Shoals.
The Missouri is falling and at Omaha three
feet is reported in the channel, At St. Louis
the decline continues and an early low water
season is anticipated. White and Arkansas
rivers are both falling. but they have good
water to all points. 1t was warmer to-day
and the wind was not so strong as yesterday
Business on the levee is fairly active.
The Richmond passed down last evening.
She added here SIS bales of cotton.
The Julia got away last evening for st. Louis
with % bales of cotton.
The Silver Moon will have one item of 1000
sacks Of oil cake.
The splendid United States mail packet r.
p Walt, with Captain William J. Ashford on
the roof. will get away this evening for jack
sonport and all way landings on White river.
She connects with the Little Rock train and
with the packets for upper White and Black
rivers. E. W. Outlaw is chief clerk, assisted
by the Smither brothers.
The elegant Grand Tower. Capt. Lennox,
with Tom White in the Office, leaves to-day as
usual for Cairo and st. Louis.
The gay Silver Moon. without cloud to
obscure its disc, and with the "oid man /"
Ben Merrilees visible to the naked eye, will
get away from our bluff this evening for the
Ohio, hating at all ports to Cincinnati. Geo.
Higgins is master of all financial matters, and
will be found in the office.
Captain George Ditton, a well known and
popular Arkansas river clerk and steamboat
master, is in the city.
The Mary Boyd. Captain Haynes. leaves on
Monday for Little Rock and all landings on
the Arkansas.
The tow-boat Argosy and barges passed up.
The new steamer Robert Mitchell. Captain
Wade, will pass up this evening for Cairo and
Louisville.
The Silver Moon, in addition to her oil cake,
will have 300 bales of cotton.
The Henry c. Yeager passed up this morn
ing. She put of 200 kits mackerel and 2s
packages sundries. She had 1000 tons for st.
Louis, including 5000 sacks coffee and $3.50
bars railroad iron.
The Dexter is due up. She has a lot of
race-horses on board.
The Nightingale is due from the Arkansas.
The following concerning the canal at Lou
isville we take from the Courier-Journal. 1t
possesses much interest to many of our read
ers:
The water will be let out of the falls canal
about July Goth. and the work upon it carried
forward. Under contracts stone is being rap
idly prepared for the new walls of the canal.
Nine thousand cubic yards Of prepared stone
have to be delivered by July LIST. When the
work on the canal begins. il is probable that
over a thousand workingmen will be employed
upon the different contracts. The contract
for building the side walls of the canal was
awarded to Mr.. Mckinney, but as he failed
TO procure in season the required sureties for
the faithful performance Of his undertaking,
the contract is 70 be relet on next Monday,
April 9th. and instead of being given out as
a whole, will be awarded in five parts. On
May LIST, contracts will he given out for the
completion of the basin at the head Of the
new locks. and also for the building Of an
form n river passage. II forms a curved pas
sage that will be used by boats when the river
is so high that they cannot go through the
canal nor under the bridge. except under the
draw. This river passage will enable boats,
at the highest stage Of water, to pass under
the draw, and outside the round pier, but
between that and pier No. north.
On May 18th contracts will be given out for
guide wall and channel below
he new locks. and dam from the head Of
Sand Island to a point on the Indiana shore A
little higher up the river. This dam will only |
be about five feet high. 1t will not Obstruot |
navigation when eriver is high, but at other |
times will throw the stream to this side OF the |
river. so that boats may pass through the pas
sage under the draw Of the bridge. near the /
Kentucky shore. All this work on and about /
the canal and falls viii be completed this sea-
son. Its expected that on next Monday there i
will be lively competition for the contracts for /
the parts Of the retaining walls Of the canal.
For the facts in relation TO the work we are
under obligations 20 Gen. WeitEel and his
courteous superintendent Of draughtsmon, Mr..
fahh