The Memphis Commercial Appeal Mid-South Memories June 7, 1887<\/p>\n
“The Artesian Water Co., chartered by Napoleon Hill, John K. Speed, S.H. Brooks, W.J. Bowdre, John J. Johnson, N.M. Jones, R.C. Graves, John W. Dillard and O.H.P. Piper, yesterday was granted permission by the Legislative Council to lay water pipes under the streets and alleys.”<\/p>\n
Napoleon Hill was a Memphian of renouned business ability.\u00a0 The book Memphis Down in<\/strong> Dixie<\/strong> has a very interesting history of his ability to make very large amounts of money as a businessman and cotton trader.\u00a0 John K. Speed was a river man who owned\u00a0the steamer JOHN K SPEED.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Way’s Packet Directory has the following history of this steamboat:\u00a0 Sternwheel Packet, wood hull, built Madison Ind., 1892.\u00a0 261 ft. x 40 ft. x 8 ft. 691 tons, Engines, 24’s – 8 ft.\u00a0 Three boilers each 46″ by 28 ft.\u00a0 Came out with Capt. Lew Kates master and Joe Conlon clerk and made a Mardi Gras trip from Cincinnati to New Orleans.\u00a0 Owned by the Cincinnati Memphis & New Orleans Packet Co.\u00a0 Capt. M.M. Deem with Charles P. Vinton clerk in her early career.\u00a0 She sank 3 times, was afire twice, broke several shafts and once lost her wheel overboard.\u00a0 Her first sinking was at Belle Grove Plantation Nov. 29, 1898.\u00a0 Second was at the Louisville Falls, April 9, 1899.\u00a0 The third time at Presidents Island below Memphis, Nov. 27, 1901.\u00a0 She threw her paddlewheel in the river upbound at Davall’s Landing 34 miles above Vicksburg in May 1898 and the BUCKEYE STATE<\/strong> took her passengers.\u00a0 At that time she was running St. Louis New Orleans along with CITY OF ST. LOUIS <\/strong>and HILL CITY.<\/strong>\u00a0 On June 30, 1901, she stripped her wheel at Island 66 and had it rebuilt at Helena Ark.\u00a0 Burned at New Orleans May 22, 1902.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Memphis Commercial Appeal Mid-South Memories June 7, 1887 “The Artesian Water Co., chartered by Napoleon Hill, John K. Speed, S.H. Brooks, W.J. Bowdre, John J. Johnson, N.M. Jones, R.C. Graves, John W. Dillard and O.H.P. Piper, yesterday was granted … Continue reading