Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-05
Amusinr R~IraIrles. DC.

This afternoon the committee APP
pointed by Chairman Holman, Of the
County Court, to examine the Court
house building as to its safety will re-
port. The North Memphians fear that
the South Memphians, as they call them,
will succeed in removing the City Hall
and courts from their present localities.
There is a rivalry and jealousy most alb
surd and amusing in this issue. North
Memphis has the City Hall, the Court
house, and wants the Union Depot and
would take the Custom-house without
Directing. South and Middle Memphis,
where the great bulk Of the business is
carried on, have a right to some of these
advantages. Years ago, when Memphis
was an embryo city, the jealousy and
rivalry between North and South Mem
phis broke out, and was famed BY ward
politicians into q fame that inaugu-
rated a civil war between the two
sections. 1t was a var Of words, bick-
erings and Office : seekers, however,
1t was like those senseless rows which
took place between the Guelphs and thu
Ghibbonites, the Cspulets and Mon
tagues, the house of York and Lancas-
ter or the Red and White Roses, and
other famous historical feuds. All these
rows were absurd, but yet they existed.
No doubt the Courthouse will stand for
years, Dat the walls are bulged in and
out somewhat and it would be much bet.
ter and safer if they did not do so. For
courthouse purposes it has not been
arranged properly with a view to that
convenience necessary for public use; it
was the best no doubt that the architects
could do with a hotel in order to make it
tolerable for judges, lawyers, clerks,
sherifs, clients, witnesses, jurors, etc.
1t may need some brscinE up, SO IS &c
prevent the walls from taking on any
more bulge" in an outward direction,
but it is no doubt a perfectly safe build
ing at present, at least we think &c.
The City Hall is evidently in a some
what dangerous condition, at least so tht
engineers and the committee reported
1t is an old rookery at best, of a style 0
architecture old enough to be regarde,
as classical, did any such style ever be
fore exist on this earth. 1t Is not Of th,
Byzanthian, Grecian, Roman, Venitial
or Renaissance styles; it is Of the styl
! known as the Absurd and Dangerous.
! With its walls put up with bad brick an
poor mortar in a hurried manner, wit
! heavy timbers on top, aud above all
wonderful tower, dome or what-not, in
cased in tin and Of immense weight, tn
City Hall stands one OF the architecture
wonders of the Southwest. The cit
officers are moving out and an efci
will be made to have the Hall decap
tated of its tin adornmsnt With
/. thirty or sixty days, and perform sue
work upon it as will insure its safety fc
some time to come. The General Coul
. ell will meet at the Courthouse to-mo
row night and will consider the subjee
So far as the Unisn depot is concerne
we understand that the railroad con
psnies and the city authorities are tryin
T. to come to terms. The city insists tbs
the railroads shall erect a fifty thousan
dollar Union depot on the grounds no
occupied by the Paducah road, or Cent
landing, and the railroads wish to |
permitted to run their track along Il
landing and make through %conueetiC
without having to build the depot. A
these matters will be settled, however,
a peacesble manner without going
war. All the people ask is that the
y shall be no "~bulldozing" carried on.