Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-05
TRIP TO NASHVILLE.
A Day in the City of Rocks and
what was Seen.

what was Seen.
Special Correspondence Of the Ledger.l
MEMPHIS, June 5, 1873.
The capital Of Tennessee is supposed
BY outsiders to be a very lonely place
when the Legislature is not in session or
the spring and fall meetings not in pro-
gress, but we happened to be there all
day yesterday, and can verify the state
ment made ia the LEDGER not long
since, that Nashvilleis right pleasant
place to stop for day or two. We left
Memphis on the previous evening BY the
4 o'clock train. Messrs. Phelan and
Vredenburg were aboard, en- route to the
Southern Insurance Agents Conven-
ton. which met at Nashville yesterday.
Mr.. Jack Doyle, the Sheriff, was also
aboard, but as he had no prisoners along
it is presumable that he was going up to
see Major Tom OConor out of pure
friendship. Otherwise the train was not
heavily loaded with Memphians, except
the crowd that got off at the crossing to
go to Raleigh.
Along the route we heard the facts
about the cholera in Memphis, and those
here who desire to know the whole truth
should 60 out along the railroad about
fifty miles and consult almost any one
who has not been in Memphis since Mardi
Gras. They can tell all about it and just
how many die per day. A safe night
run in an elegant sleeping, car and the
passenger from Memphis awakes at sun
rise, as we did yesterday, to find the
train very still and quiet at the Nash
vile depot and seven stalwart hackmen
waiting patiently for the pleasure Of
conveying his umbrella and satchel to
gorgeous hack near by. Right dis way,
Colonel; git out de way, nigga, been
waitin for you all dis time, Colonel.
Oar now, he done wunk at me. Hes
an old customer of mine" The best
way to give satisfaction is to take hack
for yourself, one for your satchel and
another for the chinsed umbrella; or if
you want to please yourself, 60 with the
one who puts in the Colonel with
most ability, especially if you we're only
a corporal in the army.
The hotel registers were better filled
than we expected at this season. One
cause ia the Exposition, which has at
tracted large attendance from the sur
rounding country. The Exposition is q
magnificent success in point of tasteful
and extensive arrangements, numerous
departments and great variety and ex-
tent Of articles on exhibition. am
free to admit that this, which is, / be-
lieve, the third or fourth Exposition in
Nashville, is far superior to our first ef-
fort ia many respects. Of course ours
will improve, aad It must to rival or ex-
eel the Nashville Exposition. 1t is
well worth a trip to Nashville 10 see
the wonderful evidences Of taste, re-
fnement. progress and business enter
prise gathered within that building. The
citizens of the ancient city are by no
means asleep if they are apparently
slow.
The topic Of the day is the Comp |
trollers construction of the Assessment
law, which appeared in yesterday Nash
vile papers. he has succeeded in estab- |
fishing a well-defned line upon which
Assessors and taxpayers can act and
has cleared up some very doubtful points.
One of Colonel Burch's decisions will be
hailed with great satisfaction by many
retail merchants. He decides that the
one thousand dollars exempted by law
from an ad Yalorem tax applies to mer-
chaniise, where the party does not have
one thousand dollars Of other personal
property exempted. Aud if such mer-
chant has FIVE or seven hundred dollars
OF other personal property the remain
der necessary 10 make out the thousand
can be counted out of his merchandise.
The privilege tax, however, is to be col
lected as heretofore, without any sxemp-
ton. Merchants who expect to enjoy the
benefits Of this complicated construction
will have produced the assessors certi6-
cate showing amount Il any, personal
property they have exempt outside Of
merchandise. This viii reduce the State
and county revenue from merchants
many thousands Of dollars in Shelby
county. The Comptroller is preparing a |
schedule Of privilege taxes which will be
issued in a few days. He is very careful
in arriving at bis conclusions, but When
bis foot is once set down nothing short
Of q decision in the Supreme Court viii
ever move IT, He is Cor enforcing the