Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-08
CITY
Suggestions Relative to these I'M
p%rOVements and the River Front.

Since the destruction Of the Anchor
Line elevator by fire many of our people
have become aroused as to the necessity
OF similar structure, and many are the
plans devised and offered for the loca-
ton aad building of another. Among
the many arguments it is plainly OBJ
served that there is some little feeling
exhibited by different sections Of the
city. The granting of individual eleva.
tors will always work a jealousy that
should never exist. We would suggest
that as the government has appropriated
o considerable sum for the protection OF
our river froHt, that our city take sdvan.
tage of this appropriation and build
public elevators the entire length of our
wharf. She can build them at a very
low figure, as the government, in secur-
ing our river front, gives the city almost
a certain and everlasting foundation to
place her elevators upon. We Eave
understood from Hon. Casey Young
that the government has ordered an i'm
mediate survey, and that improvement
will be made without delay. Then lei
our city begin at once laying out her
line for the elevators, then thoroughly
pile the river front before the government
begins to sink cribs Of rocks
and mattresses, etc. II the piles
are driven before the government
mattresses and thousands of tons o.
rocks are deposited in front of and be.
tween the elevator pilesi it will render The
foundation i~mmovable. Now, as tC
building the elevators, the wharfage
money is ample, and any contractor vii
take the wharfage receipts as they be
come due for the cost or expense Of
erecting the structures. Ten years re
ceipts Of wharfage will build three thou
sand feet of elevators, By having thiI
elevator on the river it will prevent th,
continual washing and obviate the neces
sity Of grading and relaying of ston,
that cost the city year ly more than hal
of the wharfage fund or receipts. Ate
this regarding and repairing %(costinI
thousands yearly are done, what does i
amount to2 For every rise and fall th
river encroaches by caving of tn
bank, and continuously is this gradiLj
Of the river bank going on at an enor
nous cost. II continued much louge
we will have no river bank. The cit
can easily build these elevators b
pledging her wharfage receipts
She then controls the elevator
and can rent them to each company @
, steamboats, or to a single steamboat gel
ting rather a larger revenue than sh
would receive if individuals or comps
MES are allowed to build these elevators
By having the elevator or elevators bui'
this way they become central and "
might say union. The union depot ca,
. then be built on Central Landing, NAL
|, ing a union depot Of transportation
4 the entire city. Every line of steamboat
! or a single steamer would be glad Of
j chance to rent yearly or for a term
T. years dock room. Many Of our large
e companies, for instance the ST. Lou
o Line, would take three or FIVE hundre
!. feet; the Memphis and Ohio River Pac'
ct Company would take say three hui
bred feet; the Cincinnati and New 0
q leans Packet Company would take thrc
hundred feet; the Memphis and Wick
burg and White and Arkansas rivI
a packets would take five to six hundr,
feet There need not be the slighte
r apprehension but that a 1000 foot irol
n elevator could easily be taken up by o.
steamers thereby paying largely into o.
9 depleted city treasury.