Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-12

llO0
t9'''"''....................' 800
s.s..s. ............ bizl
The compiler says that if the in.
crease should continue at the same
ratio for thirty Eve years the popula
lion in the year 1890 would be 823, 1886,
nearly one million!" This was a slight
miscalculation, owing to unforeseen
events, but we have in 1883 fully OF
more than enc half of the first one
hundred thousand, and leading mor
chant said yesterday that he believed
Memphis would number 100000 PEG.
pie in less than FIVE years.
There are many curious things in
this old book. For instance, we read
and learn that as a matter of history
this really is centennial year for
Memphis, although the place had it,
first m ,yor, Msjir w. B. Winchester,
referred to above, in 1927 nifty six
years ago. Frem pages "a and 30 we
quote as follows: In 1873 the Span.
ish government directed W. Fl. Gayo-
so, then actiTg Governor Of the Terri
tory OF Louisiana, to take steps for the
occupation by the Spanish government
OF this point. The Indians manifest.
ing disposition to receive the officers
oil the Spanish government, Governor
Gay osp came up with sufficient force
Of troops and built Fort St Fernando
on the bluff at the mouth Of Volt nv
er, he site which is now covered by a
portion Of the Navy Yard The Span
iards continued in occupation OF this
position until the ratification Of the
treaty by which Louisiana was ceded
to the United States government, aud
330 OF north latitude established as the
boundary between the two govern
ments. General Pike Chen Lieutenant
Pike was soon alter this sent by the
government oil the United States with
troops to occupy Fort St. Fer
nando. General Wilkincon came
soon after, dismantled the fort
and established Fort Pickering. b
Again we read: I'm 1873 the gov
ernment OF tn United States granted
to John Rice The tract Of land on
which Memphis stands, who devised
it to Elisha Rice and he sold it to
Johu Overton." These facts thus
snatched from oblivion and put again
in circulation, may furnish material
for some orator who will be called
upon UNEXPECTEDLY to address a mixed
Western and Southern audience when
the Memphis and Kansas City railroad
is opened and representative poop Q
of the two cities and sections are
brought together Then in this mar
velous old history appears d ,scrip
ton Of Memphis, which was published
il the Philadelphia Folio i 1920, and
was attributed to a no less distinguish
ed parsonage than General jackson.
II is too long to copy, but it blows
the Bluf as superior place in as
good ETY. lie as any newspaper man
could do it to day, and declares that
its advantages we're discovered as
early as 1896, whe0 settled by
the French, as suitable place
for garrison. And that subst qIently
the fort aud adjacent cleared lands
we're occupied and cultivated many
years anterior to being SUR, nderCd to
the United States agreoably to the
treaty Of st Ildefonso.
The first church, 22x32 feet, stood
in Court SQUARE aud was controlled
by no par ocular icnomina ion
1t was built in 1926 Mr.. Blair
a missionary FROM the Ohickaslw ma
tion, was the FIRST preacher. The
chronicler OF that day (l655) pre- licted
a great future for Memphis. He says.
It's walls and steeples have tlwered
skywards. There was an era Of one
story al ,irs with olapboard roofs, stick
chimneys and puncheou foors. Thi.
was followed by an era OF one and ..
bali story houses; logs hewn on two
sides, boards for the roof, shaved Oh
one side, puneheons for the floor neat
" aided over and stick ehimneys
(What styled Then came the era Of
two story frame buildings; the shingles
Tor the roof were shaver on both sides
and fastened with nails instead Of
weight poles. Next came the era Of
tive and three story brick the first
three story brick was, we believe,
erected by our friend and much es.
teemed fellow citizen, Joseph l,
Andrews" [fathcr,in law Of the
late N. D, Menken and
father Of the Andrews Brothers,
members Of the firm and present
house Of Menken Bros, = Ed,
LEDGER
Then this old directory gives quite
complete history or map ofMemphis
as it was in 1855 A. II. Douglass,
still here and eloquent as ever, was
Mayor at a salary Of S250O a year.
Amos Woodruff aud James Elder
still 10 active business, were Alder
men at 800 a year. The Others, VT
believe, are all dead. Tobias Wolf,
was Wharf mastor, but he died years
ago. None Of the other officers, com
missoners or members of the police
force are living, as far as we know
The organization Of all he secret
aud benevolent societies and orders
churches, banks, Institutes, colleges
school boards, temperance societies
typographical unions, medical associa
tious, the building and loan associa
tons and tho Turner'S is given will
faithful accuracy; also the judiciar!
Of the Supreme Court OF the UniteC
States and of Tennessee, the Mem
phis courts, Shelby count!
courts, the military companies
the brass bands, the FIRE companies
the railroads that began TO run out
few miles; the stage companies tina
ran much further-to Nashville, Il
Montgomery and various interio
points; the plank roads, and even
telegraph company, with Thomas W
Allen, still here, as president, an
Fred W. Smith. here also, with
capital Of $4,000; also the rive
packet companies; the various GENE
teries, and, In fact, everything tina
had organization and existence.
The leading firms are freely adver
tised. including those who had likel
negroes to sell. Then the names {
leading citizens are given very car,
: fully, 10 alphabetical order.
Among the names Of thoI
in business then, aud ST.
! living, y are the fOllGwln