Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-24
OLD TIMES.
story Of the Maynard C0ntinued-HOH
II was Knocked into "PI"-GOVeR-
nor JOnes's InterVentlOn-A
Lively Editor and Funny
Episode.

The disafected naval officers wrote htimsr
Gus letters 10 the department, deprecating the
continuance OF the navy-yard at this place
and the consequence was the sending Of d
commission, or which Congress had no knOwl.
edge, 10. examine and repOrt. This commits
GERS OF ths navS, ahB gaIre and returned
without the knowledge Of our citizens rutU
their report was published, which was, In
substance, that SO far asa rope-walk and sOme
other petty matters were concerned, IL would
do very well, but in everything else II would
not do at all. From that time appropriations
were limited or confined TO the objects men,
toned in the report Of the last commission.
Ex-Goy6ri1Jr Jdfijss c. Jones was then In the
Senate, and labored to secure the completion
OF the navy-yard according TO the original
design, in a much holder spirit than Stanton.
When the appropriations for lS3 were report
ed TO the Senate, with only thirteen thousand
dollars 70 the Memphis n~ayy-yard, Jones was
grievouEly ihc6use1, and demanded that the
property should be returned to The city The
Senate jumped at the proposition, and Menu
phis owes the property to Governor Jones's
But / did not intend TO bring my story down
to 50 recent a point. Were l to recount the
agitation engaged in by the people OF Mem
yard with all It's appurtenances, or competing
the government to continue II, there is no
knowing where it would end.
a DOUBLE-BARRELED EDITOR.
But I must tell just here 2 story upon an
editor who still fiourishes IN this city, There
was never greater local excitement than that
which grew out OF this Internal ~navy-yard
business. Half the people were in favor Of
accepting the property and half or more OPP
posed 10 Il, the latter thinking hat the gov
eminent might be induced even yet 10 make
liberal appropriations and perfect. the navy
yard and build ships and steamers here. There
were two newspapers published here; one, a
morning publication, edited by a gentleman
Of no ordinary ability named Bankhead, VINO
was tragically and mysteriOusly asSaSsinated
some six years ago. There was another, an af-
ternoon paper, called the Ne3gs II believe that
was Its namel, edited by aman named Iancey.
editors opposed one another on the navy
yard question, and their discussions had be-
gotten a good deal of excitement, when both
went away for the summer, and each without
the others knowledge, employed the same
man, this young lawyer, TO conduct his paper
in his Absence. The young limb of the law
naturally enough took TO both sides Of
the question. He made the controversy
between the two papers hotter and
hotter on each successive day. Crowds
gathered each afternoon about the NelCS office
and somebody expected that the two furious
editors would shed blood. The coming duel
In Arkansas twas confidently anticipated, and
the ferocity of the two papers was marvellous.
Popular excitement was Intense when Bank
head came hurrying home from Virginia and
Yancey from Alabama, each linking that
the other was about to murder his own sub
stitute. Such was the fervor OF popular feel
ing and evaporation, that the story was nee
essarily kept quiet. II the mischievous fraud
upon public passion had been exposed at the
time the con dD1oTe editor would nave been
AbABC4 W a AaAAAP - 1H
Of accepting the hayward as a donation AT
the Ehands of Congress, and we got an ele-
plant.
account of
THE GREAT IRON STEAMSHIP
of war Allegheny, which, with the exception
of her hull, was built and equipped at this
bar, as there may be some not aware that an
enterprise Of that magnitude formed a part OF
her history, and would that / could say that
she proved a success, but unfortunately the
contrary was the case. She was built Of iron,
mounted three pivot guns OF greater eallDer
was submarine, which, with her machinery
generally, was of an entire new Invention,
speed would surpass anything propelled by
steam On water. SO fearful was her builder
that emisSaTies from foreign governments
steal her secret powers before she was
able to play smash among their navies that
she was anchored out in the stream, where
she gave evidence of her destructive capacity
by sinking some half dozen nat boats, when,
with their cargoes, the government had 10 pay
for. When completed a trial trip was MADE
and the bon ton Of the city and country
were invited to partake Of her feast, n ENJOY
her flight. so far as the feast was concerned
the thing was complete, particularly IN the
liquor way, but when 1t came 10 nlgnt II
proved a mistakes scarcely was she abe 70
stem the current OF the Mississippi, then al an
ordinary stage. b went up to the foot OF
THE OLD HEN,
then down to near the head of Presidents Is
land, and then back to her mooT1ng al n bar,
nring heavy guns every five minutes. On her
way up she was greatly annoyed by a set Of
boys, in skifs and dug-outs, padding round
and round her, while the black smoke was
rolling out Of her in dense and heavy bodies.
But il she did look to persons on shore as hard
ly moving, those on board evidently thought
that she was making a perfect blue streak,
and from the quantity OF empty baskets they
left, II is likely that everything flew round in
their eyes. After getting thoroughly stuffed
and soaked, they organized into a meeting,
with the Mayor in the chair, and Fred. stan
ton orator in chief, who presented a set Of
Hunter and the gallant crew 10 the skies. one
of the resolutions declared that the speed Of
the Allegheny was equal 10 the hrst-cIass
steamers of the Mississippi. An impromptu
meeting of the bOatmen voted that she could
hardly run at all. Some, who had pretended
to time her, reported that her speed was four
miles to the hour down stream, and four miles
to the hour up. These Were, however, an ig-
nOraut set of fellows, who had no right 10
know anything about war-ships. A great
many, however, were strongly inclined to
agree with them, myself among the number,
until we read Stanton's resolutions. But stan
part Of the job did not end with the reso-
Iutions. The Allegheny was bound 70 nv in
song, so Fred. summoned the muses. and set TO
work-and such a song!
JOLLY.
The Allegheny was represented as walking,
as q thing of life, blowing the briny main.
Bidding defiance to wind and tide, striking
terror to the enemies of her country and
frightening poor old Neptune out OF his wits.
h thing was said to have been set to music,
but no one was ever found TO make music out
of it. So that after banging half Of the pianos
in town out Of tune and running some of our
finest voices, it was discarded as a nuisance.
The Allegany in a few days after her trial
trip, put quietly out and took her course down
the river. Her design was TO go to New York,
but after a tedious trip she put into Norfolk,
when an inspection resulted in the removal
of the submarine propellors, and the substitu-
ton OF side wheels, after which she put to sea
again, but was soon after towed back, in con-
sequence OF some breakage to her machinery,
when another inspection took place, which
resulted in her total condemnation, after hav-
cost the government near or quite a mil
lion of dollars, which was small, perhaps,
compared with the crushed hopes of her pro-
jector.
The history of this mud bar 1 have merely
touched, and it is questionable whether an
other spot of ground on earth, for the same
Of time, has been the subject of so
much controversy, and that has alternately
the fears and hopes, the brilliant ex-
and the crushing disappointments,
nave attended its varying career.
Whether the location OF a navy-yard upon il
was the result of wisdom or folly is
Is certain that IL gave Memphis an impetus
to which she is wholly indebted for her pres
emit prosperous condition, the force Of which
the most trying ordeal has failed to break, and,
prudent management, will not cease I'M
til-but l am no prophet. Yours truly,
OLD TIMES.
THROUGH inadvertence the notice in Sun
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