Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-20
THE MEMPHIS MUTUAL AID SOCIETY
Have RESERVE FUND IN BANK of nearly 10000
MISSISSIPPI IMPROVEMENT.
The Jaunt of "A Committee Down
the River.

Oalro O0rrespondence N. \. Herald.
There is unquestionably somethinI
mysterious about the committee. no
the least Of which is the action of th,
Chairman in selecting Messrs. Thomal
and Ellis on the subcommittee L
consider and report on the ietties
Judge Holman, Of Indiana, says thal
the committee will not personally in
spect the work, but will examine me1
practically cOnversant with the nayi-
cation and needs of the Mississippi
The committee has, in the report of
the commission and the testimony
before the Committee on Commerce ali
the scientific information desirable on
this subject; but the committee has NOT
yet had all the information which the
public may desire on the contract for
work aud the nature of the improve
ments now being made at a cost of
"a, A,l23,OOO, and which the Missis.
Sippi River Commission desire
TO be contracted for at the
moderate sum of $4,250,0O0 for the
next fiscal year. As the Commission
recommend the plans and control the
appropriations as to the method of
their expenditure, they should be
equally interested with the commit
tee in finding out sOmethingabout the
tckleness of the Board of United
States Engineers in awarding, recind
Ing and confirming contracts for
these improvements. The com
mittee, however, is not sun
posed 10 be an interested party
IN the letting Of contracts, and for
this reason should resist the tempta.
ton OF turning the present trip into
an excursion as junkety and, 10 pro
portion to its numbers, more expen.
slve than the Yorktown Centennial
In fact, the Assistant Sergeant-at.
Arms of the House. Mr.. Thomas
Cavenaugh, has, by orders to himself,
made a good beginning, aud unless
there be another official funeral ex-
curslon or some other travelling expe
dition for hard worked Congressman
and Senators the gentleman who
furnishes Apollinaris water for the
Senate and manages the jourt ey
lunches of Washington statesmen
will have to look to his lsurels. But
Of course this is idle jest; the sum Of
5000 is allowed for the present House
excursion and ifany political economist
thinks the finest steamer on the Ohio
river can be chartered to take nine
Oengressmen, a clerk, an assistant
sergeant-at-arms and the eolored bar
Der OF the House (who ae:s as mes.
sengerl from Cincinnati to New Or
leans for less than $1,000 he is very
much mistaken, as Tom Cavenaugh 5
bills will snow. But think of $1,000
being expended for transporting lot
OF fifteen passengers from Cairo to
New Orleans when the iare-the reg
ular fare of $l5 each-would amount
to only S225l Only two members of
the committee, Messrs. RuttsFworth
and Carlisle, came down from Gncin-
natii Judge Holman got aboard at
Evansville and the rest OF the party
joined the excursion at Cairo. Why,
unless to be as prodigal as possible in
the expenditure of money, the largest
and finest Ohio river steamer, Guid
ing Star, should have been chartered
is hard to tell. But the spectacle of
s2,OO0 ton steamer, 30T feet long and
seventy seven feet wide over all, sail
ing 1900 miles down the Ohio, with
two congressman and their wives
occupying the entire ladies saloon oil
twenty staterooms, is as ludicrous as
1t is outrageous. This remarkable
feat, whereby the two members of the
committee travelled 300 miles to get a
good start, has capsed some scandal
already ss 10 the judicious manner in
which the public crib has to be robbed
tor the benefit of a few politicians
Unfortunately for the good name of
the gentlemen who compose this com.
mittee the rumor spread that Mr.
Uavenaugh had stocked the boat with
whisky, champagne, cigars and the
unavoidable Apollinaris water which
ever attends Congressional iaunts
and is to be found in. the
Senate lobby. MI. Oavenaugh denies
that 40 has laid in a stock of fgroceries
tor the committee, and says that there
is nothing on board in the way of re
ireshments except what was furnished,
or rather donated by the Few citizens
Of Cincinnati, who with the Mayor,
accompanied the three congressman
q short distance down the river. Mr..
Ball, the eolored House barber, who
is messenger to the committee, in.
formed the Herald correspondent that
they we're well fixed for the trip"
and had good supply of government
drinkables and cigars. Now after this
trip is over it remains to be seen who
is correct in this mlttcr. Mr.. Cave
naugh or Mr.. B.l, nlit is to be
hoped that Judge Holman's rigid
ideas OF economy In the
expenditure ofpublic money will en-
able the people to understand why
such large and elegant steamer as
Captain Hegler's was chartered 500
miles from the starting point. By what
right Of authority the government has
to pay the expenses OF private ci.i
gems who choose to accompany Con.
gressiOpal committee remains to be
seen. Why thirty rooms should be
required and all this display about a
simple investigation has been the
conundrum, and many sensational re.
ports are now going the rounds of the
Western journals. What your cor
respondent has written above is mere.
ly what has been charged by papers in
this region
TnE cHAIRMAN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Burrows, chairman Of tae com
mittee, upon greeting your correspon
aoas. said. II hope the press will do
us Justice to correct such of the sen
sational reports as have been circulated
about the committee shartering a biz
steamer at Cincinnati and loading il
With liquor, champagne and cigars far
US and our guests. The boat vas not
chartered to start from Cincinnati but
Cairo. II is untrue that the committee
have agreed or intend to pay the ex.
penses Of any one except the uine
members Of the committee. That is
all there is in these unjust and
scandalous publications" Mr.. Bur
rowws is doubtless honest in what