Blount County democrat. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 1879-1883, 1882-06-10
Dl0UNT COUNTY DEMOCRAT.
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1882.
FROM MEMPHIS.
.EpIToRs DEMOCRAT:

receipt VI lIc IoilONh'S ,h'oJoih'e"
but "piquant points from the "fever-
sconrged" city of Memphis. To begin
with sketch of the early settlement
and subsequent history of Memphis
would not only be too great a task
for my humble pen, but would prove
uninteresting and wearisome to your
readers; therefore, will confine my
self to matters of present Importance
and interest, with the earnest hope
lhat my failiHgs and shortcomings
will be overlooked by the people of
Memphis who are so unfortunate as
10 prruse these pages.
The ravages of the yellow fever
CHECKED. not DESTROYED, the pros
perily and growth Of Memphis.
With all the disadvantages and
drawbacks of flood" and "epidemic".
Menu his still bids fair to become the
leading commercial and manufacture
ing Metropolis of ,%he South; and
why? Ills THE cotton market OF the
United States. Located at the Gate
way of the cotton States. it is the
only and true outlet East and North
west for the great and controlling
staple of the Southern States: and as
its capitalists and business men learn
wisdom and profit by experience, it
greatness and growth will proper
;ionally increase.
"Fogyism.' and the old tradition o
The past, giving way before thu
"march of progress and enterprise,
which will eventually make this sec
ton blossom as the rose But thu
debris of Il remote pcriOd-the mel
who clog the wheels Of the car .
PROGRESS, to use n common metaphor
must be cleared ont of the way or b
CRUSHED And this class are numer
GUS enough here, as elsewhere in tn
South, TO often prove a serious draw
back 10 the better elemen;s0f societ!
The cfletc politicians, the "scions" c
Il departed nobility and tn
'.drones," are all well represented, an
must be overcome ere the dawn of
new era for this city all Of whicl
/ am glad to say, is forecast by IL
signs of the times
Memphis is fast becoming cosmC
poitan. The representatives Of a
nations can be found here. Al
science, manufactures, agricultur
politics, religion aud enterprise flou
ash along side of vice and poverty
The customs, habits, and even appea
ancos, of the foreign population beir
in great measure adopted by tho,
"natives to the manor born"
Now, it may seem strange to tho
East Tcnnesseans who so nobly al
unscllishly responded to the call
distress to relieve the wants of Il
worthy poor of Memphis, during Il
fever epidemic, to learn that there al
men of large means here who have
sympathy at all for the poor, and wi
have fattened and enriched then
selves at the expense Of suffering hi
mainly; who are grasping and me
cileSs in their dealings with the
more unfortunate fellow-men. Fo
tunes were ACQUIRED by this class {
people during the dark days of ii
last scourge-and though many mob
hearted people here gave freely to til
relief of the poor during those day
yet there are others who gave nc
even sympathy, and gathered in" a
they could lay their impious hand
on. "Their money is their own" re
marked a conservative the other day
OF course they GoTit; the law canno
reach them; but how did they becom
wealthy so easily and suddenly
Well directed energy done its part
CUNNING, and the heecing of God
poor, ccomplished the rest The re
suit is: Rich business men, and pov
erty-stricken laborers "the rich be
come richer and the poor poorer" a
poor fellow put it to a political can
yasser, III my hearing, one day last
week. When another epidemi,
strikes this city (Which God forbid i
ever shalD, the whole country will
literally respond with money and aid
as it should; but it must be borne il
mind that the "heads of departments
and other ghouls will wax fat, anC
much of the substance of the charita
bly, disposed be swallowed up into the
vortex of Bills" to enrich the Golfer.
of men whose only redeeming quail
ties are the promptness and regularity
with which they draw their salaries
Though they loudly call fer aid, they
are the last ones to give even sympa
{bv IN fho dietroeend Unoor J...:,,