In 1841 William Spickernagle was elected as a "reform mayor".  It had become obvious that Memphis would not thrive if no money were made from the river commerce utilizing its wharves.  Spickernagle not only put teeth into the wharfage laws he also formed two militias for the enforcement of these regulations.  Also the wharf-master's position graduated to a job that earned 25% of all taxes collected.  With these steps in place the flatboatmen began to pay more regularly, but to also pull into the neighboring towns of Fort Pickering and South Memphis where the rules were not so stringent.

The reforms put in place by Mayor Spickernagle were ultimately enforced by his succession, Edwin Hickman.  During May of 1842, in what later became know as the "Flatboats-men's War", a large group of flatboats-men were at wharf at once and decided to rebel against the wharfage fees.  

Initially, the wharf master (possibly historian James Davis) attempted to collect the fees, but was threatened and driven away by the mob, led by a man named Trester.  The wharf-master returned with the town constable, future mayor G. B. Locke.  Locke was treated with the same contempt.  Fleeing for his life Locke returned to city hall and reported to the mayor.  Mayor Hickman promptly called out the militia.  The militia and townspeople drew arms against the 500 or so boats-men. 

Trester and his men pulled out onto the river, but were pursued by Constable Locke and others.  Trester once again threatened the constable and swung at him with a club.  At this point four soldiers fired at the rogue river boat captain, leaving him dead on the spot.  As the other river boat workers grew testy the towns folk gathered in force with their fire arms, taking dead aim from atop the bluff.  The riverboat men grew tame.  Several of the leaders of the rebellion were taken into custody.

Although all were released by the end of the day, there was never again a large-scale attempt to evade the wharf master.  Ultimately these wharfage fees became the single largest source of income for the City of Memphis.