Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-09

Major John Hardin, superintendent
Of the Memphis and Arkansas River
Mail Line, and Captain Ed Rowland,
of the steamer Katie Hooper, closed
a contract at Pittsburg, on Monday,
with Captain James Ii. Reese for a
light-draught steamer for the Arkan-
sas river trade, TO be completed in
fifty days. The following are the
dimensions Of the new steamer +:
Length, $50 feet, with % feet beam !;
hold, 30 inches in the clear; one boiler.
engines 9 inches in diameter, with 3
feet stroke.
The Maumelle, Capt. John Darragh
in command, arrived last night at 9
o'clock from Arkansas river with 10
bales of cotton, 800 sacks seed, and
sundries. She leaves the Lee wharf
boat this evening at 6 o'clock, sharp,
with a return trip for Little Rock and
all points on Arkansas river, carrying
the mail and paying strict attention
to all way business, Charley Mussel-
man has charge of the office, which is
a sure guarantee that all business
entrusted to her will meet with care
and proper attention. Will Darragh,
a clever young gentleman, seconds
him.
The red tiger" packet Coahoma,
of which Stacker Lee is master, came
in this morning from the lower coast
with 1000 SKIS seed, % bales cotton
and sundries and a good list of people.
She leaves this evening at 6 O'clock,
sharp, with a return trip for Friar's
Point, carrying the mail, making all
way landings on schedule time, and
connecting at Glendale with the Mo-
bile and Northwestern railroad.
Captain John Gwathmey is her chief
clerk, and has associated with him in
the office Messrs Platt Rhodes and j.
w. Haley.
In making mention yesterday of
Captain Charles Scott, who was COM
missioned at Washington City as pilot
on the United States sloop Wachusett
to steer her from New Orleans to st.
Louis, we did not intend to class him
as a nondescript pilot, as we know him
to be one of the oldest pilots on the
river, and previous to the war he stood
at the head of his profession, but for
the last ten years be has not been on
the river much, and consequently was
not well posted as regards the channel
of the river, and it is charged that had
the commander of the Wachusett en-
ployed at New Orleans regular picked
pilots that 60 over the course every
week or so, he would have been able
to take his vessel to st. Louis on the
present stage of water.
The oldest steamboat captain now
in active service upon the Western
waters is James Lee-'Ed Eyeball,
as he is familiarity known on Cumber-
land river. He commanded the Tai
ma in 1927. j. H. Baldwin has sign
ed a document agreeing to build and
equip the boats necessary for the fast
mail line from st. Louis to New Or
leans. This gentleman is the father
Of the widow Of Captain Stanton
Pierce McGuire, who recently died in
the lunatic asylum at Hopkinsville,
Ky. Shreveport derived its name
from Captain II. H. Shreve, of Louis
vile, who first cleared out the great
raft on Red river. Captain G. B.
Church commenced river life on the
Beldivere in 1926. He is now hale.
active and hearty, and one Of the
wealthy citizens of Memphis, Capt.
John T. Washington began his nauti-
cal career on the Neosho, in 1914.
The reliable White river packet
Hard Cash is receiving at the foot of
Union street and will leave for that
stream this evening at 5 o'clock, Civ
ing close attention to all way and
plantation business. The Hard Cash
is Just off the Mound City docks,
where she was thoroughly %overhauled
from pilot-house to kelson, and is as
good and strong now as the day she
was first launched, After leaving the
docks she was brought here Captain
Postal believing in building up home
industries as far as practicable) for the
purpose of having her painted and
newly furnished. Although this boat
always presented a neat and hand
some appearance, she now looks pref
tier than ever. Her cabins have been
painted in most delicate colors, while
the ladies salon in richness and ele-
gance of furniture is the equal Of any
fashionable drawing-room. Her state
rooms, too, have been newly uphol-
stored and pIentifully supplied with
the most modern life-saving appara-
tus. While all this has been going on
above, her engine.room and machin-
cry have not been overlooked. as her
engineer, Mr.. w. b. Bailey, has had
this department under his eye, which
ought to satisfy everybody that moth
ing has been neglected. We feel sure
that Captain Postals efforts to give
the people Of White river a boat be-
fitting them and their trade will be
as heartily responded to in the future
as in the past, for the captain never
wearies of well doing. The Memphis
merchants owe a great deal to the Off
GERS of this vessel for the lucrative
business they have helped to build up
and maintain. Mr.. Charles Postal is
at the head of the clerical force Of the
Hard Cash, and no one is better quail
fed for the position, as his popularity
is unbounded and his capability be-
You'd question. Mr.. j. G. Wyckoff,
always obliging and untiring in his
efforts to please and accommodate,
will assist Mr.. Postal. Nearly all
the old faces of last season will be
found in their accustomed places. We
predict for the Hard Cash another
prOsperous season.