Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-20
CAPITAL CORRESPONDENTS.
The Passage by the House of Mr.. YOung's
Bill Specifying Tennessee Marble for
the Memphis CustOmhOuse,
Compliment TO its Author
and his State.
Mr.. YOung's Industry and Popularity in
Congress Indicated by the Number of
Important Measures he has Sue
ceeded in Working through
Other Matters of General
Interest.
Occasional Correspondence of the Appeal

Occasional Correspondence of the Appeal
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE house of rep
resentatves, In response to the senate reso-
luton to postpone adjournment from to-day
until next Thursday, passed resolution
Saturday night fixing four o'clock tomorrow
as the time for adjournment. An unusual
compliment and one never paid to any other
State or representative was paid to Tennessee
and Mr.. Young, of your district, In the pass
age of the bill providing for the construction
OF the Memphis customhouse building out of
Tennessee marble 1t was d hatter1ng evi.
dence of the personal popularity of Mr..
Young, and of his influence In the house, as
well as handsome tribute to the State.
When the bill first came to the house, 1t en-
countered much opposition on account of its
unusual character and the additional cost
which would accrue, as well as for what was
by many thought to be an unjust discrlmlna-
ton In favor of Tennessee marble, and
against the building material of other States.
But Mr.. Young went resoluteiy but quietly to
work and took the testimony OF army officers,
architects and experts IN building material,
and upon the proof thus obtained he pre-
pared and submitted to the house a report
showing that Tennessee marble is the BEST
most durable and cheapest building material
for public edifces ON the continent. When
this report was ready he sought to bring the
bill before the house for action, but Mr.
Speaker Randall being for some cause ex-
tremely hostile to the measure, refused to re-
cognize Mr.. Young for that purpose. Under
the rules of the house, the speaker has alb.
solute power over such matters, and has
it in his power to defeat any
measure he wishes to. Under these surround
ings, Mr.. Young's only remaining hope was
to present his bill as an amendment to the
sundry civil appropriation bill. One of the
speakers friends, on the floor watching the
progress of the bill, raised a point of order
IN NJ
the appropriation fixed in the bill, and the
point was sustained by the speaker, which
required 1t to be stricken out, and the amend
ment was passed simply requiring the con-
struction of the building out of Tennessee
marble, dressed on the ground, though but
for the point of order mentioned it would
have passed without amendment by very
large majority. 1t will, no doubt, be amend
ed In the senate so as to make the law oper-
alive. Mr.. Young s success in getting through
all bills in which his people are interested is
getting to be proverbial. 1t will be remem-
bered that in the forty fourth congress he ob.
tanned an appropriation in the sundry civil
appropriation bill for the purpose of COM
mencing a survey of the Mississippi river |
with a view of determining the proper meth |
cd of reclaiming the alluvial lands from over |
flow This was the first time the United |
States government was ever distinctively COM |
mitted to that great work. Under this APP |
preparation and law, corps of engineers was |
sent to Memphis who entered upon the work, |
which has been prosecuted ever since. At |
the present session Mr.. Young went bsfore |
the committee on appropriations and asked |
for an appropriation sufficient to c.. /
tinue the work, which was refused. |
He then offered an amendment to the
sundry civil bill, asking for fifty thousand
dollars to continue the work, and, after a
long, heated and exciting controversy with
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, and others opposing the
bill, he succeeded (aided very greatly by
General Chalmers, OF Mississippi In obtain
ing an appropriation of forty-eight thousand
dollars, having to abate two thousand dollars
of the sum asked for to avoid the point of or
der that was raised on the customhouse BILL |
This, too, in the face of the fact that repre-
sentatives from Chicago, st. Louis and New
York city signaliy failed to get dollar of
increased appropriation in the same bill for
important public works in their respective
cities. Thus, by the persistent effort, and
through the great personal popularity of Mr..
Young, this important survey will be con-
tinued. from which greater benefits will
result to the Mississippi valley than from any
other enterprise of the day. The President
If Memphis, judge of the United States dis
riot court of West Tennessee. Judge Henry
j. Smith would have been appointed but for
lis age, which, by reason of the statute al i
owing the retirement of judges at the age I
If seventy, he regards as an lnsuperable OBJ
ectlon. Mr.. Money, of Mississippi. has been
quite unwell for several days, and has not :
,een able to be in his seat In the house.
captain John Cowdon is generally congratu-
ated on the passage of the Barataria canal J
NIL. RECTUs.
Trunks and Pelessieurs,
Sest and cheanast ar Eactorv 252 Main st