Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-06-16
ESTABLISHED 1910.
OLD TIxES.
Reply 70 Tony Tank-A FewmOre Points
.t IS. S. PrsAtisz.

@ EDTroRs- -APPEAIr-TouF correspond
ent, t'IOny Tank, y called in question
81 the cOrFectness Of my rec0llectiOns Of
Memphis and her men Of the Olden
time, in that, that did not state that
-'a Davy Crockett leh IOhnsOnis hotel Sin
the mOraing AZ eleven O'Clock, y and
that he was accompanied by some a u adj
SsOn county friends, y and that he tray
eled ON horse back / did not deem it
material % be severely accurate as to the
s.hOgrp Of his departure, nor % the pre-
else number Of his attendants, nor did I
mean 10 convey the idea that he tray-
esed al the way 60 Texas on foot, but
rrE that he walked TO the ferry landing with
his friends, which he did. These very
unimportsut incidents, when made mat
ters OF controversy, detract very much
nom the interest IN the relation Of these
pleasant "Reminiscences which are
meant TO be as near correct as the mem
Ory running back thirty or FORTY years
ID can make them. The names Of the fsin-
stitutions' and OF callings since the pc
TiOdo which speak, like fashions, have
wonderfully changed. What are now
very popularity styled ''saloonsu were
a. then called "cOliee hOuses,n and what
are known Of as public halls. like the
Odd Fellows Asssmhly Hall, were then
denominated -sal00nsi' Memphis then
boosted Of but two institutions Of the
coffee hOuse' character. One the eek
change situated on the corner Of Win.
chester and Maiu. The other bearing
the more imposing name of s'NRpoleonr
just south Of the Exchange and imme-
diately oppositetl enginehouse, away
H up on Main street And well do re-
member the first time ever was inside
an institution Of the sort / looked IN
wonder % see some article Of traffic re-
spOnsive TO the imperial sign Of afNapo-
leon Coffee H0fse,n but, instead, saw
nOching but vhisky-bottles, empty glass
sand the elementary principles Of
10m-and-Jery. The old building still
stands in monumental contrast with the
stately structures, with their marble
counters and tapestried hangings OfBIad-
am Vincent Ed. MedeIe, Chris, and the
hundred other gorgeous '1fascinatiOns''
Of the sort which now dazzle the streets
of Memphis. There was then but one
public hall, in which meetings OF public
character, balls, parties, and social gath
erings were had. This was known as
CHARTS SalOOn.n There il still stands,
an old twO-stOry unpretending frame
building, just Ike il was then, on the
south side of Market about midway be
tween Main ana Front streets. There
were two occasions connected with this
old hall, fresh in my recollection, one q
''bTidal grand ball, given in eompl-
ment 10 Gardener b Locke and lady
the father and mother of the very enter
prising young gentlemen, Joe and
Charley, no unworthy sons Of such par
eutage. The other was that Prentiss
spoke there once. He was returning to
his home in Mississippi from Washing
ton, Immediately after the termination
OF his memorable contested election case.
The boat upon which he was passenger
''iying TO" at Onr landing some time, be
was waited on bya committee Of gentle
men with a request that he make q
speech; promptly responding, he was
conducted 70 ''Hart's salOOn," where in
a little while was collected the most of
Memphis 10 hear this most wonderful
man. Young as then was, shall never
forget the impressions and the effect Of
that oratOry, which dare not attempt
10 describe; for there was about it a /
stream 50 akin to inspiration that battles
all description. / have heard old men
at MashingtOn-eye witnesses TO that
grand occasion of mis- contested election
speech-say that the then august Senate /
broke up in a body to hear that smooth I
faced, youthful looking wonder but re-
Gently transplanted from the heak bOr-
ders Of Maine 10 the hot cline of Missis-
sippi. 1t was during the Presidential
canvass Of $50, shortly following, at
mass meeting in Nashville (the like Of
which has not before Orsince been known /
in TENNESSEE that at the conclusion Of
one Of his traneendeut popular speeches
he seemed TO pant or swo0n away from
exhaustion, the lamented Jones (God |
bless his memory catching him in his
arms, exclaimed ''Die, Prentiss, die, you !
viii never have another such chance y /
OF all the orators have ever heard, |
Sargent 5. Prentiss was the most won !
derful. 1t is sad to say it, but not very
long ago | saw in the papers that the /
city Of New Orleans, as matter of favor,
allowed the children of this man, whose
like has not been known and whose /
widow lived at Algiers, on the opposite |
side of the river, to- attend the free I
schools OF that city. AlasI what COM
mentary upon human greatness and hu-
han grandure. I have often thought |
that the people Of the State Of Missis-
sippi, % whose name he has shed such \
undying lustTe, should raise a fund to 1
save the wife and children of that i'm /
mortal man from want. OLD TINES