Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-01-16
CORRESPONDENCE.

anu most gratifying SuccrSS 10 you III
your new home and new enterprise
little dreamed when penning my
letter OF September to you that should
locate here and as quasi citizen of
Memphis send you an epistle. But here
am, shingle out, and hard at work on
that imperative problem of earning
my bread as best can among strang-
ers, and in new field. If the future
brings to me as flattering results in my
venture as learn that you have had
from yours shall be satisfied.
Winter has laid heavy hand on
Memphis so far. The thermometer
ranged slightly above zero for more
than a week, causing more ice and
suffering than for many winters. To
you it has given excel! Mt sleighing,
reminding the abs. ut Uf the halcyon
days of youth, When Il glorious sleigh
ride with blooming lasses to some de
lightful party was the acme of enjoy
ment. But here it brought only loss
and suffering, and most fervent thank
fulness at its departure. Though the
river did not freeze over yet Tor several
days all passage was barred, the strong
est boat not daring to encounter the
flood of ice which poured down the
channel. On Christmas night gorge,
which had formed some miles above,
broke loose, and crushed nearl every
boat at our wharf like so many pipe
stems, and sinking beside nearly the
whole stock of coal on hands. Prices
of the latter went at once from forty
cents bushel up to one dollar, with
few sellers at that figure. The direct
losses in this one port are not less than
half million dollars, while the strin-
gency of money matters produced
thereby, the suffering of the poor, and
the results from entire prostration of
business, furnish an indirect loss to the
community such as Inever before wit
messed. The worst however is over
now. Coal has through the efforts of
the railroads come down to sixty cents
a bushel, and business seems to be
opening again. Extensive relief COM
mittees were formed and the published
lists of contributions indicate gener-
osity on the part of citizens most high
ly commendable. The movement of
cotton is hardly perceptihle and on it
depends the ease of the money market
here, for there is hardly business
house here but is dependent upon cot
ton for its monetary supplies. The
railroads devoted their energies to
Supplying the lock of coal and us q
consequence there is an immense ac-
emulation of cotton not only at the
railroad depots, but in ali the ware
houses of the city. Hundreds of able
bodied men are thrown outlof employ
ment We can but hope full relief
may soon come. Winter comes to US
in the North with full preparations
made on our part for it, and brings
often many pleasures. But here it is
so different that we wonder why it is
so. There is an intensity in the South
ern winter not felt at the North. In
the latter part of December, 1867, |
went to New Orleans wearing my full
Writer dress and found the orange
trees yellow with oranges; climbing
rose bushes in full flower, and on every
hand the indications of Il warm eli
mate; but my companions and myself
suffered constantly with cold, tar more
than realized On our return North.
In my many years residence South l
have constantly noticed that there is
lessened ability to withstand cold, and
though the thermometer ranges much
higher and never drops SO low as 10
the North, yet as much clothing and
protection from cold is requisite. We
can shiver and suffer when the ther-
indicates freezing point as
much as when North it is many de-
grees below.
Memphis is a city of growing impor-
tance, and must under proper admins
tration eventually become a large city.
Judging from its Press, a stranger is
led to believe that its government has
the usual Southern prOclivity to waste,
fraud, and inbecility. The curse of
the South is its miserable political
management, and if the city papers
are correct Memphis has its full share
ofsuch. Why SO much fraud and rob-
berry South is question to be. solved
only by the election of good men to
Office; and why it has not been done
is a responsibility we will not
now discuss. On the editorial corps of
the Appeat, the leading daily of the
city, is Keating whom you probably
met in Washington when he was there
as a reporter. Ii ever in Memphis call
on him. You will receive hearty
welcome and be rendered full use of
his large reading room during your
stay. He, and his confreres, are thor
Dughly cognizant of the issues of the
day and discuss them ably indeed
They are making a bold stand for the
removal Of the present city Mayor, and
attribute the bad financial condition Of
Memphis to his lack of brains.
r. S. LACEY.
CONNUNICA TION.