Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-11
THE LANDING.
What ft has Cost us in Losses of Prop
erty-The Penny Wise and Pound
Foolish Property.

EDITORS APPEAL-Mayor League in
two mess ges to the council has called
their attention TO the landing, and, l
expect, like every effort heretofore made,
will end in no action being taken. In
regard to the present condition Of the
landing, it Is shame and a standing
disgrace to our city. No wonder that
steamboat captains refuse ID pay wharf
age where there is no accom- no Odation
shown them, for there is no boat that
leaves this port that does not have
freight damaged, as it is impossible for
the deck-hands TO manage heavy freight
while it is rolling down thesteep grades.
Our river trade has been, and is still be-
ing severely Injured. Captains will
lot land here, if they car COS.
sibly avoid it, on account Of the heavy
privilege tax to pay, for what? heavy
cost for handling freight, damaged goods
to repair or replace. No wonder Om wharf
presents dull appearance, ss the city
council, both past and present, hesitate
to expend few dollars for repairs or
proper protection, so as t. invite boats
to come, and sid them in the discharsga
of their cargOes | am surprised that
cur merchants have not come forward
and demanded that the landing
SHOULD be protected; they are the suffer-
ers. The two messages are looked upon
by some persons as an electiOneerjng
dodge on the part of our worthy mayor
l do not think so, but an honest effort
on his part to protect and improve 3
long standing nuisance. Let it be 2
trick or not, now is the time to work,
while the river is low, for if put off till
next year the high water Will destroy
those fine brick stores now standing on
Water street from Jefferson 10 Adams.
Not only has our marine interests suffer
ed, but there are others from whom we
never hear, but who have taken the
matter philOsophicslly and borne
the loss. The following figures will
surprise many who have not realized
the actual loss sus aimed, both public
and private. For some of the following
facts am indebted to our affable en-
gineer, and the rest from actual Obser-
walton during the past eighteen or TWEEN
ty ysars. In the years of 1856 and 1857,
at some points the landing was about five
hundred feet beyond where it is now.
Many persons will remember Titus's
co:ton-shed; the land On which it stood
is gone. From below Jeff5Ts0u street 10
Washington streets was paved with
stone ABOUT one mildred and twenty
feet wide by about six hundred feet in
length, at cost Of not less than three
dollars a yard, costing about S24. 900
This has ali gOGe into tie river, aud sill
the bank caves with ihis stone proteC-
ton There have SlsO been about forty
lots 25zI40 feet destroyed, valued at $500
each, and about twenty lots partially de-
strOyed, valued at $3.50 each There has
been q strip o; land from the mouth Of
Wolf river to Curt street, averaging
four hundred feet wide by about t-iTty-
i've hundiei feet long, gone to tue Gu,g
Of Mexico. This land, if divided up into
lots the same siZs % those above, would
equal in value, az the same valuation,
TIE enormous sum OF $500 600 say il
was worth $3.50, 900; at six per cent. il
would yield $50, 600 n year, not quite the
income from Wharfage for one year.
That does not include Dock street and
the cross streets, which ought to be
worth $50, 600; also reservoirs, hitching-
posts, etc, value 5000. Nov let US get |
the figures together
ID