Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-09-01
aqd John S. Toof, commercial editor o
the Memphis Bulletin, So secretary.
JOHN S. TooF.

aud John S. Toof, commercial editor O
the Memphis Bulletin, So secretary.
JOHN S. TooF.
In this last appo Dtment the directors
"builded better than they knew" for MIR
loot proved to possess IN a striking
degree the kind of talent that especially
adapted him for situation that re.
quired extreme application and industry
combined with quick observation, a keen
memory for facts, an uniiripgly obliging
disposition, and a thorough comprehen
sion of the responsible duties with which
be was charged The Institution was
the first Chamber of Commerce ever
established in the South; it was a new
thing in which there was no experience
as a guide, yet with an intuition that
almost amounted to genius. MIR. TOof
arranged the preliminary details and
speedily had the new institution in good
working order. So attentive were the
officials to their untried duties, that in
forty eight hours after the election of
oficers-all of whom meant business =
the large hall over the Southern Express
office, on North Court street, was rented
at $500 year for the transaction of the
active business of the Merchants Ex-
change On the afternoon of the same 9Th
of August, 1889, the committee repoi ted
the constitution and bylaws and form of
charter were adopted, and the new organ
ization was ready to enter upon the
duties for which it was es ablished
Losing no time, the room was furnished
with the necessary desks, tables, black
boards, etc., and the Memphis Chamber
of Commerce and Merchants Exchange
had become a live and working body
Ga September ! , 1859, the members ook
formal possession of their quarters,
when appropriate speeches were made
by President Hunt, W. B. Miller, j. NJ.
Hill, Col. j. ii. McMahon, edi,or of the
Memphis Bulletin, and Col. John Nc
Clanahan and Mr.. Rcsselle, of the
APPEAL, the Hon. Congressman w. 7.
Avery, Ii. Borden of the Adams ex-
press Office, Col Monsarratt and others.
A splendid lunch was spread upon the
tables under the management of The prin-
cipal caterer of the day in Memphis, the
respected res.surateur, Mr.. Joseph
Sch@ab, with liberal provision of Piper
Heidsieck and Chas. Fare champagne.
This was On Saturday. On the succeedir G
Monday active business operations were
opened, the blackboards displaying their
hSuIOof huu lClcStd pulC uiS pdlCucS telll' =
the latest business tidiugs. From this
time business proceeded successfully uu-
til the great catastrophe of coming war
drew the public mind from all other
topics and entirely deraDged the course
of business. On the 1st of May, 1861,
trade was wholly suspended, owing to the
expectation of the military occupation
of the city, which took place on the
sixth of the follovr mo- lima
THE WAR INTERVAL.
During this interval Memphis had a
daily line of steamboats, to New Orleans
including such boats as the magnificent
Natchez, Paragoud, Ingomar, H. r. w
Hill, Quitman. Mary s. Keere, Impe-
rial, Plince of Wales ard Alonzo Child
Also local packets in the Xicksbure
trade-the Kate Frisbee, H. ID. Meai s
and Victoria; four or FIVE boats running
| 70 Columbus, KY, and lines to the St
| Francis, White and Arkansas rivers
| The amount Of trade done in the Mer-
chants Exchange during the time of the
] Confederate occupation was very great
| in Memphis. Large amounts of sugal
aud o her products lower down the Mis-
| issippi, that had no longer any ou IT,
n0r,h, came into the hands of cur mer
chants, attracting buyers apd order;
| from many places within the Southern
lines. Pork, breadstuffs and other mer
chandise also contributed to fill the Ex
change with crowds of buyers and sell
ers. The rapid exchange of commodi
| ties, the merchants and Their customer,
| closely packed in between the tables ant
the eager excl ement that was at inter
walls manifested as news conceFniug G til,
dolnes of the Confederate government
military movements and local regu
lations by the military chiefs exer
cising authority in the city came in
frequently gave rise to scenes sucl
as none can forget who witnessed
them. AS the fortunes of wa
revolutionized the affairs of the city, an,
| the army of the national governmen
brought it again under the Union au
thorit;es, trade was paralyzed. Onl
those merchants could carry on busines
who could obtain military permit
10 do SO. Every new proves
marshal that was appointed changed ex
ist'ng regulations, while occasional Con
federate iucursions within the city, or a
its suburbs. produced agitation and aux
ieties that destroyed all regularity @
traao md interrupted the transportatio
of merchandise. AN .."ttarregnum !
the operations of the Merchants Elk
change was a necC ssary consequence c
the military operations proceeding a
around Memphis, which rendered com
muuication upon the river and by sue
rail and other roads as were accessible @
in a condition to be made of service pre-
carious.
RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS.
As affairs gradually assumed NOR
settled condition trade by degrees wa
extended, and as early as circumstance
would permit-indeed, earlier than con
plete success could be achieved-attempt
were made to re establish regular Chane
operations But the general dislocatio
of commerce and the apathy of man
whose business habits and connection
were throwg out of their regular orde
; prevented successful restoration of til
! former condition of things. In the E
t forts that were made to revive the acti,
= ity OF the Exchange, with occasional ce
e I sation of operations altogether, the Z,
e change rooms were successfully locate
r at the old hall on North Court stree
e where the Peabody billiard room no
g are, and in Odl-Fellows' Hall, aud ,
NJ. Pets'gre", Col; Il, II. Pipsop, j.
Strat'oo, I. \. Nelson and W. \
Harrington were presidents, and vii
: lam Rosselle, ". L. Trask, L.
= Dupree aud Leon Trousdale we
: secretaries. As an instance of the i
,. regularity and confusion that had su
. ceeded to the earlier prosperity, it mi
be mentioned that on one occasion lea
= was given 70 society of ladies to hold
!. fair in the Exchange hall, when,
! change hours, the samples of merchau
= and the operations of trade were inte
. mingled with the heterogeneous matel
! ais the ladies were selling and rafting 0
'. aud the chatter and merriment of t
y managers and attendants at the fair.
Z length, in 1877, still acting under {
: original charter, constitution and |
: laws, matters assumed more settled a
T, orderly cor dition. Mr.. Ben Eisemsn
e Rice, Silk & Co. was elected presidel
John T. Willins vice president, a
/ as secretary. During that year seyel
fare of the city were discussed and 80
. upon within the walls of tae Merca{ss
Il Exckaoge, and the institution -csdm
!, It's sphere of active usefulness. In Is,
e at the August annual meeting, Mr. Ell:
of man was reelected president. Mr.. To
:. - being about to engage in business, !
- - signed his position as secretary, and
= Nj. Gates was appointed in his plat
!, The Organization was continued until t
- = fall of 1882 when its meetings were h
&c in the same rooms with the Cotton /
:. chanse. which had been organized for I
special needs of tnae 49, s...-,nass. which
70 the principal branch of the trade
of MERCHANTS EXCHANGE REoRGANIg
sc TIoN.
in Again the Merchants Exchange 1
q into a lethargic condition, and active
ce erasions ceased. The need of such
I. ipstitution continued TO be felt, he
~. ever, and two or three abortiye effc
". were made to effect new organizati
,e- At length, on the 9Th of January, il
Ter principally by the energetic efforts