Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-05-09
DIGGING DOWN.
What the ExcavafOrs Discovered ON the
Corner OF Second and
Madison Streets, While Digging Out the
Cotton Exchange Cellar.

The recent unearthing of the ruins of
some OF the evidences of what existed on
Second street between Madison and Court,
where excavation for the new Cotton Ex-
change building is going on, has awakened
considerable curiosity, and strange to
relate there are but few among the old
timers that remember much about it.
The first discovery was a line of upright
fence posts, then a series of pavements of
brick and plaster, ten to twelve feet below
the level of the present street grade.
Brick foundations are being uncovered on
both the north and south ends of the site,
the bottom courses of which have not
vet been reached. All these are con-
vincing evidence that half a century ago
there existed here several houses, which,
upon inquiry it is ascertained, were resi-
dences occupied by prominent citizens
and business men of that day. On the
north end of the site and adjoining where
the stable is now, stood a two story frame
in which Mr.. w. w. Young, the book
merchant, resided in 1851. Adjoining
Mr.. Young on the west was another OF
the same character occupied by Mr.. John
Deuie, the lime merchant. Previous to
that time, however, Mr.. Wardlow Howard
lived on the corner of Second and what is
now South Court street. An amusing in
cident is related as having occurred in his
house about 1916. The locality of South
Court, between Main and Second streets,
was the beginning of a kind of bayou,
which ran enthusiastically through
the property now occupied by Robinson S
drug store the Clarendon Hotel, and to a
confluence with the main bayou at about
where the Monroe street bridge now
stands. 1t was a receptacle of the surface
flow of all the rainfall for large territory.
A la n 10,
had fallen and this branch was flooded to
the extent that Col. Howard's easements
were filled with water so rapidly as to
nearly drown two or three of his servants
before they could escape. Col. +. w.
Royster, the real estate man, says he used
to take meals in 1910 at a private residence
which stood on the spot where Specht's
confectionery now stands, and remembers
pretty well all the surroundings of that
locality Standing on the sidewalk on
Court street one can plainly see the line
of the natural surface of that day, begin,
ming at about the present surface of the
south side Of Court Square and running
southwsrdly, depressing at about an angle
of about thirty degrees. The present grade
of the streets at the junction of South
Court and Second was established and the
ell made in about 1851. As late as about
1856 or 1857 the building now occupied by
the Chickassw Club-room had its base
ment nearly half exposed above the sur
face, but since then the alley between
Court and Madison was paved and neces.
STATED the covering in of all the basement
up to level with the ground floor. Col.
Registers memory of the men and Incl.
dents OF those days is very vivid, and he
delights to relate them. An interesting
volume could be written from what he
knows about ancient Memphis on Bayou
Gayoso, the Nile of the New World.