Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-09-01

4
structure sppesriug to the artistic look
er oa as a splendid architectural flower
in full bloom.
HISTORY OF THE EXf II lNGE@.
The first of September being the open
ing of the commercial yesr. is always a
notable occasion in Memphis, but to-day
it is SO in special degree, as it is tFe
day on which our two business exchanges
| take possession of the first building ever
erected in the city devoted exclusively
to It's general commercial Interests, a
building the magnitude and magnifcence
of which is worthy of the great uses it is
intended to subserve. Such an event
naturally induces glance backward at the
history of the Merchants Exchange and
the Cotton Exchange, and of their origin.
The original cotton business in Memphis
came from transportation by the river
and from arrivals by land on wagons,
which used to stop on the bluff opposite
Front street, while the owner went from
store to store to find where he could sell
his cotton for the most money and buy
his supplies for the least. At night the
bluff often presented peculiar picture.
The drivers, and often the owners, slept
in the wagons, fed their horses there and
took their meals there upon provisions
brought with them. Each wagon had its
fire, and the scene at night, when the
embers were glowing, the negroes chat
ting, singing and laughing, and while
the white folks of the party that did not
go to a hotel sat in pleasant converse
smoking their pipes and trying the quail
ity of Memphis whisky was a very happy
one When railroads began to bring in
cotton the scene changed, the store
keepers became merchants and trapsac
tions were conducted on larger scale.
The new state of things required in
strumentalities formerly not needed, and
method and regulation in the manner of
conducting the continually increasing
commerce.
WORK OF THE APPEAL.
The Memphis APPEAL, as the leading
| paper in the city, perceived the de-
| ficiencies that were continually entailing
difficulties and leading to disputes, and is
| began TO advocate the inst tuition OF a
Chamber Of Commerce as means OF
| uniting merchants when the general in
| terests of the commerce of the city re-
quired combined operations. aud as a
| place whence regulatiye and methodiz-
1 ing action upon the manner Of conduct
| ing that com merce could emanate. Here
a prejudice had 10 b encountered. There
had previously exislc a sort of orgaDiza-
tion that supposed it was performing the
functions of a Chamber of Commerce
but really was mere trade union, the
object of which was to regulate the man
ner of buying and selling cotton in way
that led the planters to regard it an asso-
citation to run down the price Of cotton
aud run up the profits of cotton buyers
They therefore, as we should say TO-
day, "boycotted" the members Of the
organization, which fell into bad
oder, and to make known the true
objects and methods of Chamber
of Commerce was task the APPEAL
carried out at the expense cf much toi
and print To overcome prejudice, anc
to make the community understand wha
1 an institution was that had no parallel IL
| the South, Ecs no easy task, but it wa
| Que in which the papes ueyer tagged no
ceased its efforts until the objects wert
| attained. In July, 1859, it began a serie
of editorial articles devoted to the sub
Vjset, explaining fully what Chamber o
| Commerce could do. and showing hoV
the condition of Memphis trade requires
such an institution. July 8, 1859, ap
| peared "A Chamber of Commerce 70
Memphis, No. l., in which the APPEA1
stated: 1--WE shall from time to tim
show the objects aud advantages that
I Chamber of Commerce VIII secure t
1 MeE:phi aud to the country from whie
she derives her supplies, use every effor
to awaken attention to its importance
elucidate the principles upon which
| should be based, explain the laws b
|, ! which it should be governed, and, finally
try to rally public sentiment to a prac
, | tical focus upon the point, so that
: Memphis Chamber of Commerce ma
become an actuality." Article No. l
declared "As long as Memphis is with
: out Chamber OF Commerce, she is vol
, | UNFAIRLY occupying position inferior
II IL. Il, l.. L,
/ article, July 13, 1859, stated Nv
have not yet arrived at the dis
: nifty of a Chamber of Commerce i
5 l Memphis, and our business men mus
n | necessarily be left without much valu
able information, such as only such a
institution can supply" Perseverance
q won its reward, the more intelligent me
e | among the merchants began to suppo
4 | the efforts of the APPEAL, and the apath
! of others, and the fear of prelude
among the planters of others still, wei
. met; one party vas aroused and the 9th,
h | Modified. and at length tbs editors of IL
e APPEAL had the qualification Of seeir
fruit come from their labors.
~ THE FIRST MEETING.
II On the I'd Of August, 1859, meetiI
g of merchants and citizens was held
h decide whether a Chamber of CONNER
Ii was required in Memphis, and was like
= | to facilitate its trade ard add to its pro
: perity. The meeting was held in q
rooms of Harrington a CO., Center ale
<, in the rear OF the old Richmond Hous
10 Hunt was chosen president, and NJ
lie VIM. Rosselle, commercial editor of t
vs. APPEAL. secretary The Chair e
d planned the object of the meeting, al
is an animated discussion, in which gre
ID interest was displayed, ensued. Amo
Of the speakers were several old CT
ID | zens, some OF them, whose nam
h many of our readers will rememb'
Ie death has taken away from the see
10 of their activity-Messrs. j. ID. Wi
of ans, Barney Graham, James Per
E. Frayser Titus, Henry G. Smith, G.
IS. Monsarrat, c. w. Goyer, Wiley b. NJ
G, ler and W. NJ. Harrington. In eoncl
a. sion, resolution was adopted in fay
IS. Of Organizing Chamber of Commercei
e, the city of Memphis; also, w. K. Hi
I'd G.. X. Becktel and 3. w. Royster we
IS, appointed committee to hold an ei,
ne ton on the 9th of August for a board
ne Ave directors; also, it was decided ii
I'd the new organization SHOULD be known
Us the Memphis Chamber Of CONNER
ly and Merchants Exchange" A comm
ore tee on charter, constitution and by-la
u was also appointed, the members
1t, which were ". Z. Miller, S. NJ. Gat
ct and Fletcher Lane. These were !
IN structsd to report at further meeti
I'm on the 9Th. On that day the appoint
as meeting took place, VIXEN the names
< nearly 100 firms aud individuals W.
ID handed in as desirous of membership
'od the organization. The election of
ow board of directors resulted in the cho
ire ST 7. w. Hunt, W. B. Miller, John
me S'ratton, ID. 4. Cook and 7. A. Nels
is The board organized and elected 7.
the Hunt president and W. B. Miller vi
i q president, w. M. Harrington treasu