Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-07
KNOXVILLE.
The Early Settlers Of Tennessee-The
People OF KnOXYille-Their Traits
and PecUliarities.
Model City Government Railroads
POlitics-Greeley in the Ascend
ant nnmnnrnnr

ant DNhANNA0O.s
K~SOXvILIE, Augusta, ls72.
EDITORS APPEAL-Sitting in an old
house, in the old capital Of the State,
and only a few yards from the tomb o.
Goyernor Blount, who was the first ru-
Ter of the land, and who has now been
sleeping these seventy years, it is hard
to realize to ones self that this is a very
modern world, and that when the old
graveyard adjacent was started" there
was a bowling wilderness where Mem
phi5 now stands. 1t takesa strong pow
er of eredulity to settle it in ones own
mind that down through this valley
poured the hardy and daring adventu-
rers, Scotch-Irish, that first gave a tone,
and body, and shape to Tennessee civil
life. That down here passed the Ham
ilUons, McGees, Carriers, LOOneys, Nc
Ewens, Sullivans, Adams, M~cFarlands,
O'Connors, Jacksons, Johnsons, and,
in fact, all the O's and Macs, who waged
original war with savage nations and
savage man, and gave this State to civ
ilization. 1t would hardly be correct
reasoning to judge Of
KNOXVILLE
or its people by any American standard,
or to compare it to any American town.
That is not their style. Imagine these
people would be healthy and safe in the
midst ola universal plague, and would
save money and grow fat toward the
end of a sever years famine. They
are, by long schooling and ancestral pc
culisTity, proof against peril. This place
will never rush along. Its a ROsinaute
that does not take kindly to the spur.
Since the first heWn stick was fashioned
here by the first settler, away in the
dim vista Of the past, Knoxville never
slackened in its onward march, though
the pace was a snaiIs one. Neither did
it take any violent jumps forward. The
same signs of careful, substantial, but
slow growth are observable now that
might have been noticed by Andrew
Jackson's father, and by every tram
silent dwelleF here since. Like a coral
reef, it grows continuously, persistently
but nearly imperceptibly upward. At
present il cannot be said to flourish, but
it is erystalizing and solidifying. The
town is not 'fslOshed around'' over a vast
area. The original inhabitants, and
their descendants, were and are careful
ofland. They don't waste it. No house
is a foot too large, and no premises indi-
| cate a reckless outlay Of cash in the ur-
| chase of lots for building purposes. The
vacant spaces are few. 1t is a compact
town. The original Scotch-Irish settler
appears to have been determined to put
his peculiar t'canny," thrifty mark upon
things, and he succeeded. The wide
continent cannot show such unmistaka-
bic evidences of this as are here met
with. There is not a dirty street, nor
even a disorderly paving stone, in the
town. The houses are models of clean
illness and shabby-gentility. You have
seen specimens Of the human develop
ment that were marvellous examples Of
the virtue which 1 here ascribe to Knox
Vile. You have seen them walk forth
miracles of economy from the crown of
their head to the sOles Of their feet. You
have seen people exhibit this not only in
dress but in physique and in intellect.
You have seen the slender and impOver-
ished remains Of what might have been
crinal exuberanee drawn carefully over
vast areas Of badness until the head
seemed decently covered. You have
seen how the necktie and the shirt collar
and the abdominal covering were pulled
arsd c*raNnhngl nr~,.Nla~l 81 -.
I'll a degree of gentility was achieved
with the most unprOmising materials;
and how often have you seen the
thin legs and gaunt arms of a gothic
specimen Of this kind twisted into
gracefulness? And the same indi-
vidual, with the brains of a chick
en- and the acquisitive disposition of
hawk, continues 70 pass for IA man Of
parts,' y and to hold his place upon uual
terms with the prolific, exhuberant and
rich natures of the world. 1 merely
recall this being to your memory, in
order that you may better understand
what l have to say of Knoxville and its
peOple-nOt that / would insinuate for
moment that this town is g muuieipal
genius Of that sort, but it IS true that she
displays features Of economy similar.
The paint that ought to be bestowed on
a panel Is spread over q door, and the
house that ought to have an acre lot to
itself Is confined 10 q rod.
Like those of
CHATTANOOGA,
the denizens of this town have faith.
Their high and airy situation Is favora-
bic 10 the cultivation of hope They
have some t~witchings of iron, and love
- .-sR A.. -r,r1-a.F
which lies in e~xhaustless beds within
their grasp. They tolerate water courses
through the prettiest parts of the city,
because they are run for the purpose Of
turning industrious machinery; and
even the odor of tan-yards is not OBJ
iectionabIe to their OlfaetOries. Outside
Of coal, Il would bedifficuit 20 determine
what the future prosperity Of Knoxville
will be based upon. One thing, how
is patent-when any natural adj
vantage presents itself no people on
earth are in a better fix TO turn 1t "a
account than these same Scotch-lrish-
John KnOxyIlians.
A MODEL CITY GOVERNMENT.
There is no complaint Of extravagance
ever made against the city, Officials.
Ehey are showers Of a dnertype than
even the close-shaving common citizen,
anu ihey can make money 90 farther |
TIA any less favored body Ia ecOnomi-
genius this side of China. They rum
the city as cheap as an Irish poor-hOuse,
and with similar happy results. Besides
keepine the place neat, clean. weII-or-
dfred and municipality moral, they were
able t. enter on the CONSTRUCTION Of y
bridge across the Tennessee river at the
root OF Gay street, on a plan of soliditv
ana grandeur That would be considered
a magnificent undertaking even in
Memphis. During the unhappy com
motion Knoxville WAS good, and pious.
ana additionally careful. Knoxville
loved the Union much, no doubt, but