The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-08
THE COMMITTEES REPORT
MEssRS. CLAPP AND MALLORY BE-
FORE THE TWO EXCHANGES. 7.

The Gentlemen Submit Their Expert
ences and Observations at Washing
ton While Laboring in the Interest OF
the Phelan Bridge Bill.
Yesterday afternoon a called meeting Of
the Cotton and Merchants exchanges was
held in order TO receive the report Of
Mcssrs. W. L. Clapp and W. b. Mallory,
Of the committee appointed at a previous
meeting TO visit Washington and aid in the
passage OF the Memphis bridge bill. Presi-
dent Martin, OF the Merchants exchange,
rallied the meeting to Order and stated III
object TO be 10 receive the report OF
The committee. He asked Mr.. w. l..
Clapp, OF the committee sent 10 Washing
lon, and who was present, TO take the
stand and make his report. Mr.. Clapp
stated that he would have preferred to
postpone his report for the return OF Capt.
Mallory, his co-committeeman who is de-
iained at Washington looking after another
ntcrcst--cotton seed oil matters. lie had
reduced TO writing portion OF the report
only, and that was personal to Congress
man Phelan AMI Senator Harris. What
ever other information he had secured he
preferred to state orally. Mr.. Clapp then
read the following report
The Report.
Mcssrs l. D suep-, President co,ton Exchange, aud
IN. Marlin, President Merchants Exchange:
Gentlemen Capt ". y. Mallory and
myself we've commissioned by the two cx.
changes to visit Washington City and from
our senators and representatives in Con-
gress ascertain their individual views and
intentions regarding the bridge bill, their
opinions as TO lis safety in the Senate and
BY our presence to officially express the
great interest felt in the matter by our
people and their solicitude and anxiety rs
10 the ultimate success Of the measure.
very much regret that Capt. Mallory is
not here 10 Join me in the report, but he
was necessarily detained at Washington
looking after other matters OF equal inn
portance 10 our people. and In response TO
the request TO hear from ms without await
ing his return, | submit such a report as |
know he would approve II present.
No uncertainty or uneasy feeling was
entertained by the exchanges rs TO the
views or intentions OF Mr.. Pholan. Ills
active attention 10 the bill in the House
and the good Judgment with which II was
- speedily put through left his attitude
clear. ] do not mean 10y this that Senator
Harris intentions and attitude are not
equally clear My opinion Il that they
are. This opinion | express irUin authentic
evidence, which | shall presently submit
20 YOU, and II the senator's answers TO
telegnims scnt him 10y the exchanges were
20 the members indefinite, likely this can
best be attributed TO the humor OF the
senator. whom We found astonshcd and
indignant that his position in the matter
should be questioned lie received Us at
his residence in his usual kind and courte-
OTIS manner but MAS reluctant 10 have W.
make our report from any conversation
with him, prclcning that We should per-
sonally examine the reporters notes taken
Hioc the Senate committee on commerce
and other printed evidence, and irom the
ncori make Our report. Subsequently,
however, the senator wrote ms letter,
which In detail 20 clearly states his con.
ncciion with and position toward the
bridge bill, that take the liberty OF read
Ing the letter aud making Il a part OF this
rrpoTt.
MsamNofoS. a. G., fcS. . 1875.
The Iior. " L. dapr and ". u Mallory. RI.
Recurring to our interview oi last night.
I think ID proper 10 address 10 YOU this let
Ter, 60 say that after the earnest and con-
tinuous efforts that have made for a
number OF years 10 secure the construction
oi a.bridg, across tho Mississippi river ut
Memphis, II " q matter OF surprise TO me
that anybody having interest in tie matter
should indulge a doubt ~ ~ my position
On the question.
secured the passage through the Sen.
ate Of the bridge nc, approved February ~,
lSS5. ! was more active and earnest In Sc
curing the passage Of the bridge bill that
passed the senate on 18th December, 1884,
than any other Senator. But that bill hav-
ing failed OF consideration in the House,
introduced in the senate nj this session a
precise copy OF the bill which passed the
Senate in December, 1856, With the single
exception of that clause which requires
that passengers and freight passing over
said bfi,lgc shall le charged no morc than
the rate pei mile paid for the ,ransporta
ton over the railroad Q! public highway
lttNIN W tNlh NANNN's
This provision was left out because I
was obviously unjust 10 fx by Law III,
same mileage mic OF toll over bridge thai
cost s2.WO,OO0 90 $1,000 600 q mile that !,
charged over railroad thal cost only SIS,
OOO or S20OO per mile. II Is better tina
the Secretary 81 War shall, from time {,
time, determine what reasonable rates al
toll may be changed ~ provided In th,
bill.
did not Introduce this bin ai the be
ginning oi the session, because late In No
Ncmber | received u letter from the prcsi
dent Of the roughkccpsic Bridge company
OF New York, representing that that com
pany wac about completing nj Poughkc,p
SIC the largest railroad bridge la III,
United States, aad that the capitalists o
that company had secured the control 81
the authority grautod hy net Of 1856 {,
construct and maintain a bridge NJ Mem
phi-, that they hsA the means aad wer,
ready 10 make contracts ior the cOnsiruc
: zion Of the bridge, provided they were no
embarrassed by the grant Of soc.n,
authority 10 other parties TO construct an,
maintain such bHdgV, which, they con
tended, would embaruuss " not defeat IN
negotiation OF bonds by either Of the com
panies ~ authorized, and In that way n
tari II not defeat the construction OF IN
bridge.
| submitted that letter 10 Mr.. Phclan
SENATOR Plumb and other scnaioS intci