Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-06

NNflP az "O
mands.
A dispatch from John Gum, now
at Argenta, Ark, opposite Little
Rock, states that he accepts the
candidacy for the board of public
works, and that he will arrive here to-
morrow.
A resolution was unanimously
passed by the chamber of commerce
yesterday requesting the legislature
to pass stringent laws to prevent rail-
roads passing through this State from
overcharging or discriminating against
our people in their freight tariff.
One of the tickets out to-day, called
the steamboat ticket, reads, john
Overton, James Lee, jr., James
Bohan aud S. j. Camp; another has
the names of John 0verton and Rob
ert Galloway-the other two being
blank, that voters may put on whom
they please.
Messrs. Petit, Pettigrew, Hadden.
Frank and Hanauer were YESTERDAY
appointed by the chamber of com
merce to report what legislation is in
their judgment deemed necessary to
improve the present loosely con
structed mortgage laws of the State
Throughout all of each night the
long, wheezy breath of the cotton
steam compress is heard. This has
been a season Of great activity among
the presses, and if rapid action, with
plenty of work, is any indication, it
has been exceedingly profitable to the
compress stockholders.
About four thousand dollars per
annum would be saved III salaries, and
much more in fees, by wiping out
those public excresencies, the Probate
and Bartlett Courts. The business of
each could easily be transferred to
other courts without detrimeat or in
convenience to the public.
If you knock down your mayor
and aldermen, what will become of
our eOrporation2 is a passage written
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, lS
years ago, and put in his sparkling
comedy, The School for Scandal. As
the line was spoken last night it
seemed so lapropos to our present
condition that the audience audibly
giggled.
Seats for the Modieska engagement
next week will commence at Hollen.
berg's tomorrow. This eminent ac-
tress, who appears for the first time in
this city next Monday, first performed
in this country at San Francisco some
three years ago. She toek there i'm.
mensely, and upon sailing for New
York at the close Of her engagement
she was the recipient Of highly aatter-
ing public attentions.
The indications after noon to-day
point to the election of the Oyertcn
ticket by a decided majority. The
First, Third, Fourth, Fifth and
Eighth wards are likely to cast the
heaviest vote, more interest being
manifested in these wards than else
where. In the Seventh and Tenth
wards the polls had not been opened
at 10 o'clock for want Of judges and
other necessary paraphernalia The
total vote will be small.
Two new cotton congresses, of
powerful strength, and to cost one
hundred thousand dollars or more, are
to be erected here within the next few
months. Now, let cotton merchants
take some steps toward the better
protection Of the staple from mud and
wet. The injury done in this way is
enormous, and were it obyiated our
position and reputation as a cotton
market would be largely improved.
Mr.. J.. N. Pettigrew is to locate at
st. Louis as freight agent for a con
claye Of merchants here at a salary oil
Sl25 per month, the chamber of com
merce to make up any deficit the mer
chants who have signed the agreement
may fail to settle. 1t will be Mr.. Pet.
tigrew's business to make freight con
tracts and charter boats at the lowest
possible figures, in competition with
present lines, who it is claimed dis
criminate against US.
1t cost $4,000 to run the fire de-
partment last year, $4,000 the year
before, and $4,000 the year before
that. The present force is 43 men.
including Chief McFadden. There
are 9 men on each Of the four engines
and 7 on tho hook and ladder com
pany. How the FIRE system is to be
kept up on a tax levy that will not
yield over $1,000 is one Of those prob.
lens that at present greatly puzzles
those who, after to-day, will be in au.
thority.
About $4,000 is the amount Of the
charity fund tied up in the First Ma
tional Bank by attachments from udg.
crnditors of tho lata citv Tai