Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-08
GENERAL NEWS.

0SoAANA-SS 80 49,
MAI. JOHN D. ADAMS is in the city.
RECEIPTS by river yesterday, IS bales of
cotton.
SIGNAL SERVICE report: River rs feet IL
inehes-decline inches yesterday.
TIE Coal City passsd up for the Ohio
yesterday, working but one engine, the other
being crippled.
THE Andy Baum arrived from the Ohio
river yesterday morning with 3212 packages.
She returns this afternoon at the usual hour.
THE New Mary Houston, on her fifth day
ont from New Orleans, passed up for the
Ohio yesterday afternoon With $50 tons and
rs passengers, dischargiug IS barrels of mo-
lassss and adding several passengers.
REFERRING to the question Of Wharfage
| rates the New Orleans ;Picoytnc, of Wednes-
day, says: "The charges bear most heavily
on our Western boalmen, as the country con-
tiguous 10 the banks of many of our sire ANS
is but sparsely settled and business limited.
| About the only thing there is no limit to is
wharfage charges. The officials of these
many towns seem 10 think it an inaliensbe
| right and duty 10 assess on steamboats,
| exorbitant charges for doing that for which
| they should pay Misunderstanding and
| forwarding commercial relations-sad fer
which they very rarely (when called upon 10
| do it, refused TO railroad corporations. II .
railroad is projected, the solons of the many
towns or cities near lis projected route are
| anxious to encourage the project, and will
commit their governments for sums ranging
from $4,000 to $4,000, and in some few in
stances up in the millions. As likely as not
| they will also insure the property free from
| taxation for yesrs, and cede them valuable
| land, and in some cities and towns the best
| business thoroughfares will be given up to
| their tracks. And yet in many instances all
| the advantage secured will not amount to
. the business OF good-sized packet. The
| only ones profiting by the railroad project
/ will be the corporation that had their rail-
Y road butt ct the expense Of ethers and
| few large cities. The balance of the sub
| scribers pay very dearly for the privilege OF
| having their towns made either q way or
| fuel station, or OF hearing the 'toot' OF an
| engine ss il flies along with train, may be
| mile distant. Steamboats, do no damage
/. to levere, the expense of repairing which is
usually charged to wharfage. Ii is the We
hicles Of the merchants and railroads which
transport goods from the wharfboat to the
| stores of the merchants or to the depot of
the railroads that do the damage. The city
| or town should bear the burden OF expense
| of this as we'll as the wharfboat, which are
only facilities to navigation which should be
| cheerlully accorded. La short, there is no
legal or valid reason for the collection of
wharfage, and yet the practice grows
every day and becomes more firmly seated
| an American institution and stranger
still, no determined stand against it is taken
| by those most Observation-Disclosures owners
and the merchants and travelling public-for
abolition of wharfage means greater economy
in operating boats and reduced freight and
passenger charges. We hope tn at great public
sentiment will soon be awakened in sympa-
thy Tor steamboatmen, who should from now
on begin to form the solid phaianx that will
one day dislodge the enemy from their weak
| position. The sooner they are dlslodged and
the sooner free Wharfage is recognized
as a necessity, the more beneficial will be the
| results accruing."