Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-05
FOR SALE.
UNION AND AMERICAN.
MEMPHIS.
How the Bluff City Compares
with Nashville.

WIFI
The WORT Streets in AmeFIea-Seenes
In the Park-COftOn Rad the Dull
SeasOn-Beer as the Popular Bever-
age-Opsratic Music in the Churches.
To the Union and American:
MEMPHIS, May 8, 1ST5.-As a citizen Of
Tennessee, l am proud Of Memphis; as a
loyal Nashvillian, 1 I'M disguised with it.
Proud of it, because it is a great, thriving,
enterprising city; disguised with it, be-
cause my better acquaintance admits that
the exultation of Memphians over their
Bluff City, maintaining, as they do, its su-
periOrity over the capital in so many re-
speCts, is not without reasonable fOunda-
ton in fact. IN size, it surpasses Nash
vile; in architectural beauty, it is out Of
sight of us. Twenty-Five years ago, in
Tennessee, every man was his own archi-
teCt although, IN most instances, he left the
style of his dwelling, stOre-hOuse or church
to the brick-masOn or carpenter, and the
consequence is, that s~tOre-hOuses, such as a
majority of those in Nashville, would not
now be satisfactory in any rising country
village; the dwellings are, with notable ex-
ceptiOns, plain and ~Old-fashiOned, while the
churches, almost without exception, are
sights. Some few Of our old church build
ings mist be preserved as curiosities, that
u grandchildren may know what sort Of
nightmares their fathers had when they de-
signed those extraordinary temples to God.
In Memphis UwO-thirds Of all the build
ms, public and private, have been erected
during the last quarter Of a century; since
the period when Tennesseeans began to
employ educated architects, and the result
is that there are many stately stOrehOUses,
neat and tasty dwellings, and some city
residences that would not be out Of place
on Euclid avenue in Cleveland. To be
sure, there are many old tumble-dOwn
traps, and any number Of "HelIs-half-
acres "Happy HOllOws," etc where filth,
poverty and abOmiuatiOn collect and tester
these are common 10 all Northern cities,
but there is no place south Of the Ohio
river, except Louisville and New Orleans,
which can show such rows of handsome
buildings as Memphis. Nor are the choice
residences confined to few localities, but
are spread out in many places. Sections
Of Shelby, Vance, Beale, Adams, Linden
and Poplar streets, contend for aristOcratic
pre-eminence. However, as in all new
cities, things are mixed beside a palace
is a d~ilapidated shanty; at the foot Of a
44A=AAAACA4e AfE"oADAN SNDAS "a AL@o a
tumble-doWn rookery Of old shops, like
those across the street from the Maxwell.
Again, the streets are what Mr.. Venus
would call "VariOus;n from one, paved
with NicOls0n blocks, We step to another
which after even q moderate rain is about
impossible. 1t Is a notorious fact that the
Memphis mud is the n~astiest, sJickieSt mud
in the world, and that the ordinary i'm
proved streets Of this city can "turn down.
any other streets in America. Except in
the thickly settled portions Of the city, the
sidewalks are hideOUS, consisting in most
eases Of warped PLANES in a dilapidated
condition, hiding traps and deadfalis on
every block, so admirably arranged for the
purpose that a hundred average men Of
Nashville, up to that sort Of thing, could
run down here and each One make a for
tune in damages out Of the city by break
ing a leg or so, aud return home 10 enjoy
their earnings; all Of which could be done
in less than three weeks if anyone would
advance the money for the preliminary ex-
penses of the trip, etc.
The churches in Memphis, with the eX-
ceptiOn Of ST. Peters (ROman CathOlic) are
not superior in architectural appearance to
those in Nashville; they seem TO show that
while people think that no amount Of Taste
is wasted on stoTehouses and dwellings,
any style will do for Gods houses. A ma
iority are in an unfinished state, while the
finished ones lOOS as if they wished they
were not.
In the heart Of the city there is a dear
little park, about two acres in extent, hand
somely sOdded, shaded by forest trees and
provided with benches, which are generally
occupied by citizens, lazily watching and
feeding a score Or 50 Of tame squirrels. If
our Nashville people knew what a delight
this little oasis is, they would be impatient
for the trees to grow on Capitol hill,
and for the provision Of seats wherein the
weary may rest, and young people can sit
and tell their tales Of love, in the bright
moonlight Of summer.
Day mosquitoes are a luxury az Mem
phIs which We cannot boast Of at home.
The advance guard is upon us-visitOrs,
perhaps, from Arkansas, brought over by
the gentle west wind.
Along the front Of the city is an eSplan-
ade on The top Of the bluff, where, on AFTER
moons. citizens of both sexes walk, TO look
out on the big river, and to watch the steam
ers coming and going. There is nothing
attractive in the ground itself, as there are
no grass, nor seats provided, but the hurry
at the wharfes, the ever flowing river, and
the Gorgeous appearance Of the Western
skies, as the sun settles to rest behind he
UnbrOBen forests Of Arkansas, make a tab
leaux which is always grateful, always
new.
The cotton season is now drawing to a
close. The planters having disposed of
their produce and made arrangements for
the new crop, business IS comparatively dull.
The theatrical season seems well nigh over,
and the young people begin to find the
NIGHTS 100 warm for the "German," The
cotton trade being prominently The business
Of Memphis, gives a complexion TO all
other branches Of business. Il is rushed
through in about six m0nhs; then COM
paratiye idleness ueigns for the next six,
Stores are kept open during the dry season,
but mainly for show. All who can afford
II 90 to watering places and TO shady re
treats in the interior, while the slay-at-
homes amuse themselves with whist, BOs.
ton, SanchO Pedro, whisky-pOker and
other games of cards; drays rust away in
side alleys. and skeleton mules, exhausted
by the labor Of hauling hundreds Of thOus-
ands Of bales Of cotton through the miry
streets. are trying to get a little flesh on
their bones and to recUperatetheir strength
for the next season; idle hacks blister at
their stands, and the only hard-wOrked cit
liens during the duh season compose the
noble army Of beerjeTkrIs-nO insignih-
cant crowd, for l do not th..E l eXaggerate
when l estimate that there is q saloon pro
vided for every fifty male adults in the
city. But it is a good sign that most o.
the f~regUenters Of these places prefer beer
10 whisky.
There is a great deal Of musical ability
in Memphis, and it IS displayed to great
effect in the various ChU! ches. In four o.
the six Episcopal churches quartette choir:
sing the most elaborate music, some bettel
than others, but all creditably; while OF
the same Sunday may be heard At St. Pc
tiers. St. Bridgets, 81. PatriCk's and ST
Mays, (R0man CaLhOlc) the mos
difficult masses 10y Hayden, No
zari. Weber and others. But theI
the world IS moving. De Murska gave q
sacred concert while here, and the only
thing on the programme that could possibly
be construed as sacred was an air from
oMoses in Egypt" and variations, playedb,
Sipnor ~SomebOdini on the fiddle, and las
Sunday night, the audience mean tn,
congrerati0n-Of- church was played
,,+ ~ tba sEi1ful Orpauist, beginuIu