Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-29
MEMPHIS HERSELF AGAIN.
A Well Drawn Picture by "a Skill
ruI Hand.
Cor. Chattanooga Tines

Cor. chattanooga Iimes.l
But Memphis is once more herself,
and is now on the high road to afflu-
ence and success. Her people soon
rallied and recovered from the effects
Of her disasters, and resolved to man
up their courage and to make one more
desperate effort to not only regain
what they had lost, but to make Wig
oroas aggressive movement TO achieve
additional conquests in the domain of
commerce and industry. Had they
ialtered, or suocumbed to gloom aud
sadness Of the hour, all would have
been lost. Real estate, which before
the appearance of the scourge had
commanded high prices, and business
which had planted itself upon a sound
and prosperous basis, would have
been utterly Frustrated. The world
now apIlauds the courage and good
sense OF her business men 10 resolving
to stand by the fortunes Of their hon
ored and once terribly afflicted city.
No one visiting Memphis can fail to
be most favorably impressed with her
imposing appearance at first sight.
She is handsomely laid out on beau
tiful plane, with broad and level
streets, and crossing each ether for
the most part at right angles. Some
of them, to be sure, are in a somewhat
bad condition, but are being put in
proper shape as rapidly as possible.
Main street is a model Of beauty.
There is and can be no handsomer one.
At night, when lit up with gas, it
presents magnificent appearance.
The buildings along it are imposing,
and the display Of goods in the show
windows is charming. The public
buildings, private residences, store
houses and insurance buildings are
superb specimens Observation-Disclosures.
There is one building that ought to
be declared a nuisance-the old
and dilapidated Gayoso House,
built for hotel. 1t was laid out
for a grand structure but was never
finished 1t was finally abandoned and
is now occupied by molly and hete-
rogeneous mass Of humanity. 1t has
been sold and resold by the State for
taxes. Memphis would do well to get
rid of it at any cost. Front street is
the great grocery and provision street
of Memphis. 1t fronts the river its
entire length. Here an immense cap
ital is invested in groceries, bacon,
lard, cotton, etc. No satisfactory con
ception Of the trade Of this city can be
formed till this street has been seen
and trsversed from one end u the
other. 1t is simply gigantic. The
Justomhouse, when completed, will
| be, of course, an attractive structure
but why was it erected at a jumping
off place Immediately on the tOtterinl
banks of the Mississippi river? WIZ
was it not built on Court Square2 i
is inconyenient, with not one single
surrounding attraction. My Easi
| Tennessee pride was stirred when ]
had the pleasure Of contemplating the
beautiful blocks of East Tennessee
marble that were going into its walls
| Well done, East Tennessee
! Perhaps no city in the Union can
boast of an abler class of business and
professional men than the goodly city
Of Memphis. They take high rank
and are respected at home and abroad
for their intelligence, their integrity
and sterling worth. And they are at
courteous and digniied as they are
honest and intelligent; always ready
to receive and entertain strangers in
the most polite and afable manner
| The professional meR combine vast
deal Of learning and intelligence. The
Memphis bar is noted for its ability,
and will compare favcrSbly with the
ablest bar of the country. Among
the lawyers there is a marked variety
of legal talent, adapted to criminal
and chaneery practice and to the
higher courts. The medical and cler
ical professions stand fully as high as
| the legal, and highly honored and
respected wherever known.
| Memphis has at last, in our judg-
ment, reached the only true solution
OF her sanitary condition, that oi
adopting a thorough sewerage system,
| | say thorough, for such it is, The
conclusion reached by so many Mem
pbians that the Nicolson pavement
was the "Pandoras Box" from which
leaped the most, if not all, their de-
structive diseases, is now ignored to a
great extent. That, however, ha;
been torn up, and hard limestone rock
put in its place. DIR. Porter, who is
a superior mau every way, caught the
true theory when he became the I'D
vocate Of complete system Of sewer
age, and deserves the gratitude of hi
countrymen for the pertinaeity with
which he urged its adoption. no mater
at what cost The result is that there
are now more than thirty-five miles o
sewerage ext ndiug through the city
draining almost every portion Of it anC
guaranteeing an excellent sanitar.
condition.