Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-03-09

| the city shall be audited and proved
This would permit a creation of deb
which would be provided for by future
councils. Although no debt could bC
created under the present cnarter unles:
there was money in the treasury to pay
the same, yet, according to Mayol
Leagues report, a debt of one hundred
and :thirty-seven thousand dollars haC
been created last year. This was to be
feared. There was no provision against
the issuance of bonds or creation o1
debts. This should be feared like the
Greek horse, The major here had ref
erence to the line in Virgil's HI1eid
which reads: Quidquid id est timed
DdndOS, ct dOnd terenteS, "Whatever il
is l fear the Greeks, though bringing
gifts."l
He then objected to that part oi
section No. - relative to taxes On mer-
chants, etc., which is as follows: "The
general council shall have power to Ii
| cense and regulate livery stables, auc-
tons, groceries, saloons, tippling houses,
beer gardens, dry goods stores, exchange
offices, forwarding and commission, and
all other mercantile houses, fresh meat
stores, confectioners, brokers, insurance
offices, hotel keepers, peddlers, haWkers,
and all other places of public amuse-
ment, billiard tables, bowling alleys and
shooting galleries, and tax the same.
| The general council shall have power to
| license and regulate drays, wagons,
carts, hackney coaches and other ve-
hicles used in the city, coachmen,
hackmen, omnibus men, cabmen and
draymen, and their charges"
General Williamson corrected MsjOr
Meriwether's objection to the section
relating to the merchants tax.
The motion OF Mr.. Staunton was
adopted, and the chairman appointed
B. NJ. Estes, j. Il. FargasOn and J. q.
Neely.
Mr.. AppersOn moved that General
Williamson be appointed on the COM
mittee as he seemed to be familiar with
the subject, and they wanted to harmon.
ize all measures looking to the good OF
the city. Adopted and the gentleman
appointed.
The report of the Mardi Gras commit
tee for the receptionof visitors, was made
and adopted.
CAPTAIN CowDEN's PLAN FOR STEAM
ERS.
The committee to examine the COM
munication of Captain John Cowden,
relative to the construction of steam
boat for the Mississippi, reported favor
ably, and in conclusion say: Therefore
we Unhesitatingly favor the adoption of
Captain Cowden's plan, with the sug-
gestiOn that the president appoint three
or more of our most enterprising citi-
ZeDs and business men to aid Captain
COwden in securing subscription for
stock, on the condition that when made
up meeting be called of the subscrib-
ers for the opening and signing in regu-
lar stock books, and a charter to be Sc
cured, and all proper steps to be taken
and regulations adopted as will enable
Captain Cowden to make his arrange
ments for timber in time for the spring
rise, and such other contracts as may be
necessary for the early completion of the
work. With the assistance Of the great
steamboat builder, Captain Prime EN-
mersOn, who has signified his willing
ness to undertake the building OF the
hull, together with the assistance of our
most competent engineers and mechan-
les, all of whom have shown that they
feel deep interest in tre success OF the
enterprise, we do not see how there can
be such thing as failure; and in con-
clusion we must say that there never was
anything projected here, at so little cost,
which promised results SO great.
BRONSON BAYLISS,
A. T. LACEY,
NAPOLEON HILL,
Committee.
The above is but the concluding por-
ton of the very able and carefully made
report, the length of which precludes its
publication.
eyr7r nv i- II
President Pettigrew made the follow
ing remarks:
GENTLEMEN-I have the pleasure Of
presenting to you to-day the twelfth an
nual statement Of the chamber of COM
merce OF the city of Memphis for the
year 1874, as compiled by our worthy
secretary, John s. Toof, in pursuance Of
the charter. The report is neatly print
ed in pamphlet form OF one hundred and
five pages. 1t is full and complete, cOu-
tanning thorough review of the general
business of our city for the past twelve
months, together with many facts and
figures which will be found of general
interest to the public. From this report,
which has been prepared with much la-
Dor and great care, it will be seen that
the general business OF the city of Mem
phis for the year 1874 was S7S ,317, ,727, as
against S5l, ,700,0 900 for the year 1861,
showing a total increase of $26, ,6l7, 727
in 1874 since 1851. There are many in
teresting and valuable tables and other
matter of importance which will be read
with much interest, such as the move.
ment and value of leading articles; the
manufacturing interests of the city;
finaGcial-banks and banking capital,
gold and exchange in Memphis and
New York; marine, fire, and life
insurance operations Of home and for
eign companies, pOstOftice department,
health department and mOrtuary statis-
tics, real estate and building interests,
city government, our city schools, re-
ceipts and shipment of cotton and other
articles, consumption of cotton, and the
consuming powers of the United States
and Europe; our railroads and their
operations; the Mississippi Valley navi-
CATION society and direct trade; full list
OF members OF the chamber, and many
other items of value and interest. The
report contains a brief synopsis of
many Of the most important subjects
which received the attention Of the
chamber during the year, and while
great good has thus been accomplished,
nauch remains to be done. 1 trust our
citizens will az once recognize the i'm
portance Of sustaining and fostering an
Institution that has been the medium
through which so many important
measures, looking 10 their interest and
prosperity, have been accomplished.
Too much praise cannot be accorded to
your secretary, Mr.. John s. Toof, for the
very able and satisfactory manner with
which he has performed the srduous
task Of compiling the report now before
you.
/ wish to call your attention to mat
ter which think is of much import
ance to the city Of Memphis, and should
be attended to at once. | was Informed
by one Of the representatives OF Shelby
county that there was bill now before
the legislature, or would be presented at
an early day, for the purpose Of consoli-
dating railroads in this State with rail-
roads Of other States. Said bill was
being urged in the interest Of Mr..
M'Comb and his friends, with view to
the consolidation Of the Mississippi and
Tennessee railroad with the Memphis
apd Paducah railroad, the result Of
which wonld simply make Memphis 8
fsg-station, as 1t were, so far as those
two roads are concerned. II being 8
well-known fact that the efforts OF Mr.
M'Comb have never hitherto been di'