Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-15
HUNTSVILLE.
The Chivalry and Beauty of
Three Cities Assembled.
A Gala Day and a Gale of
Rain.
THE PORTER RIFLES MANEUVERlNo
FOR AN ADVANTAGE.
The ChiCkasaws Put on the War
P, int and will not be
BulldOzsd.
A Dead Lock on the BayOnet
Question.
HusrsyILlE, 49,, June u. ls77

Your correspondent left Memphis at
one o'clock on Wednesday night for
Huntsville, via the Memphis and Charles
ton railroad, with quite a party of early
excursionists who wished to take time
by the fsrelock and be 10 advance of the
competitive drill, which takes place
on tomorrow friday at the Fair
Grounds. The early birds had another
object in view-to secure good board and
lodging, both Of which, owing to the
kilograms sent to this point, and the big
crowd expected, were scarce. There was
plenty of good board and lodging, but
not sufficient for the multitude. Our
train, the lightning express, conductor
Newman, worked its way through at a
rapid rate of speed, except for about five
miles in Wolf river bottom, zeal Mos.
COW, where the train had to move along
slowly, at q snail pace, in order to OBJ
serve the necessary rules Of precaution
looking to the safety Of the passengers.
Among the passengers we're DR.. John
Erskine, A. G. Craycroft, of R. G. Dun
& Cos mercantile agency; Captain Jack
Hayes and NJ. Clarence Huut. The
latter, however, was bound East, and left
US at Grand junction. General Wheeler,
the noted Confederate cavalry leader
joined us on the train, and came on tC
Huntsville.
FIRE AT DECATUR.
When We reached Decatur a big FIRE
or conhagration had been suppressed.
The FIRE broke out early in the morning
of Wednesday, the thirteenth instant
and consumed a number of houses.
The fire originated in a saloon kept by
R. M. Hodges, which was destroyed, as
was also the saloon Of VIM. Potts, in th,
same building, and the telegraph oficc
in the second story.
Among the business houses de
stroyed were, John B. Stewart & Co
dry goods; Chas. 7. Jones, dry goods.
grocery store of Mr.. Watts; meat store
Of Mr.. Miller; a millinery establishment
dry goods and grocery house Of DanieI
Downs; dry goods aud grocery house Of
7, j. Owens; L. Lyons, merchant tailor
and millinery; law office Of S P. Rather;
residence aud Office OF DR.. Peter Buford
The damage done by the fire is esti.
mated at thirty thousand dollars, upon
which there was some fifteen thousand
dollars insurance, but it was impossible
to learn in what companies the buildings
and stocks we're insured. The FIRE is re-
garded here as a blessing; the buildings
were old frame concerns, Of but little
value, and it is believed that now good
substantial buildings will be put up. The
FIRE swept out three squares, the business
portion OF the town.
While our train was standing on the
track, and the passengers eating break
fast a! the hotel, it was run into by the
down passenger train which came around
the curve leading from the bridge over
the Tennessee river. The air brake saved
both trains, and no damage resulted save
the smashing Of beth pilots or COW.
eatchers.
On arriving at Huntsville we found
the city alive and interested in the ex.
pectant drill. The question was, How
will we accommodate the crowd2 The
hotels we're filled, the rooms having been
engaged in advance by Telegram, but
many Of the citizens threw their houses
open and agreed to receive guests. This
relieved the pressure considerably. The
Huntsville Hotel, Colonel A. A. Moore
proprietor, was filled to Overlooking. 1t
was the headquarters OF the Chicksssw
Guards and the Porter Rifles, such ar
rangements having been made by Com
missary W. G. NJ. Campbell of the
Porter Rifles, and E. G.. Buchanan of
the Chickasaw Guards. Lieutenant
James Richardson, 1. F. Peters and G..
Mayhof, Of the Chicks" were in town
in advance making all necessary ar.
rangements for the reception and enter
tainment Of the company. The rains
fell continuously from six o'clock on
Thursday morning till late in the aftel.
noon, very much to the chagrin and
disgust Of both Memphisns who were
present in Huntsville and the Hunts.
Williams.
HUNTSVILLE.
This little city has some six or eight
thousand inhabitants. It's built up like
a city and puts on metropolitan airs. 1t
boasts of a splendid courthouse, an
opera house capable Of holding one
thousand guests, a number Of fine
churches built Of brick and stone
and excelliDg any churches in Memphis
in point OF architecture except probably
the Presbyterian church and the Catholic
cathedral. The city ia lighted with gas,
has water works, a FIRE and hook and
ladder company, etc. The water works
is a natural curiosity, The big spring,
from which flows quite a large creek,
forms the basis Of the water works. The
spring, which flows from underneath a
mass Of cliffs, has been walled in and
forms a basin some sixty feet wide and
ten feet deep, Water works have been