Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-10-17

after looking throughout the city
for several months with a view o.
selecting the most eligible location
for the building, at last determined
upon the site on the promenade on
the west of Front street, the center
of which site should stand fronting
the center of Madison street, as aOW
open and in atSe. Every man, wo-
man and child in the city knew the
exact spot as we have described ii
to be the one selected. And by
referring to the new digest of the
city ordinances, which were also
prepared by Gen. NJ. I. Williamson,
to whom Colonel Peters refers in
his communication to the LEDGER,
and who was also the City Register
at that time, viii DO found a grant
from the city of Memphis to the
United States government, passed
by the General Council in May,
1874, ceding this identical lot of
the promenade for the custom
house site. This grant fixed the
location "from the north line or
side extended Of the first alley
south of and parallel with Madison
street, as nor open and in use mot
when extended through to the
Mississippi riyer), = north
ward to the south side or line ex-
tended of the first alley north Of
and parallel with Madison street"
In other words, the north wall of
the custcm-house was to lay oppo-
site Whisky Chute and the south
wall opposite the alley which sepa-
rates the Mosby & Hunt block
from the new building occupied by
Porter, Taylor & Co. at present.
This was the grant from which the
bill passed by Colonel Peters Leg
islature should have been drawn, SO
as to "consist," and no attention
should have been paid to Mr.. Hap
pek's little resolution, which from
some motive or other, he slippedi in
and carried through the General
Council in March, 1875, over a
year after the original city grant
which We have mentioned was
made and put to record. Colonel
Peters and his Representative
should and ought to have known
these facts, if the terminal bung-
ling" of inattention to SO impor-
tant a bill had not been indulget
in by him and them. To pleat
ignorance in this matter is poo
account Of a stewardship entrusted
by the people. 1t is a lame defenst
to blazon to Memphis that five o
six full grown men who had gon.
to Nashville to labor for the city
best interests permitted themselye
to become b4mboozled by Nj
Happeks resolution, and thu
throw the Custom House matte
into such a condition that tn
process of constructors, after Con
; gress has appropriated 100000 fd
the especial purpose, must be d
layed until another General Al
| sembly of the State can meet mex
January and undo the "crimini
bungling" Of a preceding one, i
the ranks of which Colonel Pete
was a bright and shining light. BIZ
for the lack Of theproper legisli
J ton, as. we have shown, hundred
of poor, honest laboring people VII
are ont Of employment, and prof.
! ably in want of bread, might be
work to-dayop the Memphis custom
house and have the ~necessaries
J life for wife and children at HON
6 If Colonel Peters imsgiaes that q
, member of the General Assemb.
is subject to any reflection if Il
' site of the custom-house is il
! properly described in the act Of Il
a Legislature" in che LEDGE
opinion he is egregiously mistake
WE do not beliege in hurlir
L ns 4