Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-05
HatchIe River Bridge.

EDITOR LEDGER-I wish to say a
word in regard to the kilograms Of
Captains Montgomery and bearing Of
the Sd instant, from Brownsville, to
+. DeFuniack, general manager of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad,
published in the Avalanche Sunday
morning.
They use the language, 1--WE were
advised at Memphis by the directors
OF the road that the bridge was ready
last Saturday" l am the only direc-
tor of the road in West Tennessee,
and if the gentlemen referred to me,
they are simply mistaken. Nor am
aware that any other director was in
Memphis that day.
Messrs. Montgomery and bearing
called at myofice on Monday, the 29th
ult., in company with Captain Ralph
Wormley, and one of the party re-
marked that their boat would leave
that evening for Hatchie river, and
invited me to make the tripwith them.
| asked them if the bridge was ready
for the boat. They replied that they
did not know. They also remarked
that theyha telegraphed to TIE officers
at Louisville for information-had not
received an answer, but were expect
ing a dispatch at any moment. They
inquired if | had any information on
the subject, to which l replied l had
nothing since | passed the bridge some
four weeks before that time-that the
work was in progress and l was salts
fed the officers had been DESTROYS to
complete it as soon as possible. l did
not say it was completed. | did not
know such to be the fact, and it would
have been ridiculous for me to say SO.
| inquired the name of the boat, which
| wrote down in their presence, and
remarked that | wouldhave the officers
at Louisville at once advised of the
departure of the boat, which l did.
This was the only interview l have
had with these gentlemen for several
weeks, and did not continue five min
utes. | have no idea that either one
Of them will say that any remark l
made influenced them to leave with
the boat for Hatchie river. | have
before me the Appeal of Saturday
morning, 9th ult., and in it is the
advertisement Of f. NJ. .Vinson, agent,
announcing the fact that the steamer
j. W. Poitevent would leave Mon
day, 10Th, for Hatchie river, from
which it will appear the departure
Of the boat was advertised over two
days before the gentleman referred to
called to see me.
The anonymous correspondent of
the Avalanche from Brownsville, who
seems to have been a passenger ON the
boat from Memphis is very much in
error when he states the Louisville
and Nashville road wished to delay
the completion of the bridge in order
to defraud Memphis, force cotton to
Louisville or New Orleans. The in
terest of Memphis is the interest of
the Louisville and Nashville road.
Louisville is no cotton market and
how the shipment to New Orleans
over another road could benefit the
Louisville and Nashville road | am
not able to see. Mr. De Funiack saws
nhis telegram to Messrs. Montgomery
& bearing: 1--WE are doing our ut
most to finish the new iron bridge and
work at Hatchie," and those in Mem
phis who know him will have conf
dence in his statement. l promise to
use my best efforts to have the bridge
completed as soon as possible.
WIN. NJ. HARRINGTON.
Since writing the above l met with
Captain bearing, read it to him and
he says my statement of what occurred
in our interviews is correct, and more
over said the conversation with
me had nothing to with the
departure of the boat.