The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-03-09

ST. LOUIS, February %.

Substance of a Letter from Son TO HIS Father :
Climate agreeable ,Oith Neio Workers and Inhabi
tants of the Middle States-Prepalence Of Bilious
Fspr, the Cause Description of the City -Ortgi-
nal Settlement Present Observation-Disclosures
Dutch and German Superceding the Original
SettLers-' Bier Hauses" in abundance = Clan
nish Disposition of the Dutch-Nnc Church and
Other Places of Worship Other Inhabitants-Ca.
tholcs and their Places of Worship, Instiatio''s
&c Protsstantim in the Ascendant - Present
Condition ofths City-Nsgro Population, &c.
DEAR FATHER =
was told when | first came out here, by Mr.. c.,
and Others, that would. as a matter of course,
have spell of sickness. This has not been the
case, and do not anticipate any such thing l
imagine that the climate agrees very well with
both the temperature of New York and the
middle States generally Bilious fever, as under
summer the rate OF mortality has been very high,
but this is attributable to several causes, among
which is the very high water, which, when it sub
sided, left great dea! Of the country overlooked,
and sagnatiOn ensued consequently fevers were
prevalent take II that there is very little differ
ence between this city and New York, in a sana-
tory point of view, and, with the exception OF con-
SYMPTOMS which are prevalent on the sea board,
the same diseases exist and prevail here there.
| As have nothing to say concerning myself, will
proceed to give you my crude ideas concerning the
i CITY ana country ReueT6lly. A6, however, you
have been out here and seen and observed for
yourself, great part OF what would have said
will be unnecessary.
| That the city is undoubtedly growing and thriv-
ing one none deny, but that it to the extent
| that numbers cry out, is not true believe that
| in course of time St Louis will be great city
the greatest in fact in the western country, but 1t
will take time to develop it's resources and perfect
its growth. The country Is yet new country,
and it cannot be expected that St. Louie, city
y sixty two years old, can rival Baltimore, Bos-
10 nptr he vvlat,N
q am speaking of the city altogether, now is of
mixed and incongruous character. In fact, it is
one of the quaintest, old fashioned and strange
cities that !. in my short travels have ever seen
1t reminds me Of cities that have read Of in Spain
or some other old European country The city, as
you may know, was originally settled by French
try on the west side Of the Mississippi river was
under Spanish control, and designated as the Lou
isiana territory. The Governor of the territory
Nsw % the 1ns s and $
ant OF affairs resided in the town of st. Louis
will not speak Of the subsequent transfer of the
country to French authority, and subsequently Of
its transfer to the Government Of the. United
States, because don't know anything about it,
but say this to explain what will presently say OF
the nature and character of the population Of the
ming was this:-French and Spanish settlers, and
although the old stock, or more properly the de-
scendants of the old stock, have entirely run out,
pearance Of the city. Walk with me down in the
lower part of the city, or, as it is commonly called
French town: You are struck with the age of the
buildings in the FIRST place, most of them as cid az
the city itself. Log houses built with peaked roof
and gable end, land the never to be omitted porch
No French house is complete without its porch.
Here, in old times, chronicers tell us, the habi.
tant of Sunday evening, with his family, would
assemble, and dance and sing to the sprighty tones
Of his fiddle, No French house is complete with
out its fiddle The houses are built with upright
posts Of wood stuck in the ground, joined close TO-
gether, and the outside plastered with mud or clay
and with the oId-fashioned chimney built outside
Of the house. Their whitewashed appearance and
the antiquity OF age, gives peculiar interest to
them Mementos of fast departing race-they
lthe French habitants) are disappearing before the
face Of the Yankees as did the red man before tina,
Of the whites. Continue we our walk; on each
side our ears are assailed with the continual jab-
boring, if may call it, Of the denizens Of these
houses: II sounds strange to me, who have al
thing but French spoken. What fine picture for
a paiater Lewis would be delighted to sketch
them. Here is Jean Baptlste, enjoying his even
ing conversation with his good cousin Antoine.
What strange names to our cara. for be it known
that Jean Babtiste and Antoine, or francois OF
Gregoire, are the names most fancIed here.
habits, possessing the same ideas, and perfect
pies of their fathers before them. As their fathers
lived SO do they. Their fathers were as wise
Iy as they, and why should they leave off old Gus
toms and old habits Such an idea, such wanton
dissertation never enters their thoughts moment
They live and enjoy lite after their own way, and
their fathers ay,and die. Well, they are good,
simple hearted, honest people, little corrupted
perhaps by new sights and new men, but still per.
tect types Of the original settlers Of the place. This
feature in the city Is to stranger the most strlk
ing, and was delighted at the scene. 1t carried
me back in imagination to paintings Of old mas
tiers that had seen. and to vivid picture draws
by the mind in the never to be sufficiently admired
works of an Irving. But il this specimen Of old
and worthy race, the fathers Of the place, fast
going to their last home, another and strange,
be il always remembered to my eye, race are
1ns up s1F +. have sprung to su
were not long enough IN this city when you were
here to observe the peculiares OF the place, or in
fact to get good view OF II IN any way: Conse-
quently you would be surprised to know their mum.
Der in this city had no idea OF the kind Pro-
portionaly, think it must be far greater than in
any other city in this country. Consequently they,
too, fern an important and striking feature to
stranger who sees the city for the first time. They
have come over the land like cloud OF locusts
beer house stares you In every street, or almost
at every step yo1 take: They are no! the beer
old fashioned, sturdy, comfortable Bier Hauses,
imported, with their proPretors, from the land OF
the Rhine and Wuie. They are an essential fea-
be heard the song of revelry and mirth issuing
from these houses The Dutch are a national
people, and canish in their character. An Amer.
lean seldom or never enters these houses. Nothing
| but Dutch is spoken-none but Dutch visits them,
and the propretors care to see none other. Shall
we enter and view the scene? You remark that
very fond OF good glass OF peer, Dut tndt
you dislike the crowd. Well, you are right; there
is nothing 10 be seen but set Of Dutchmen max.
ing themselves merry over their ale, and smoking
with three feet plpes and their conversation you
| cannot understand We have arrived in Germany,
it Is called. The scene Is strange to you as
| Frenchtown. You look up the street and down
| the street-yOu see nothing but broad, nat Dutch
faces staring a: you. BY the way, ! will remark
that they a vulgar set, and one would not like
walk with lady through that part of the town,
after dark not that they would insult you-.by no
means; but they have strange customs of Their
| country, which are offensive to every American
eye and You look at the signs over the door.
ways-you see, but cannot read: some unpronounce-
able Dutch name, with the figure of something
which looks like a boot, underneath. Famous
shoemakers are these same Dutchmen, az Gotham
will testify. You turn your eye across the street,
and the sight of long necked green BEETLES,