The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-04-19
visit to RockpOrt.

company
self hammering at the door of the Exchange
Hotel" at Rockport Ind, and seriously ar
guing whether the proprietor ever could be
awakened. The matter was finally settled
to our satisfaction, by the appearance of an
apparition in white, which did the honors of
the house by showing US to comfortable beds.
Rockport is situated on the Ohio River
about fifty miles above Evansville. Standing
on high bluff rising almost perpendicular
from the river. and the land falling from the
river front in a gentle decline, the town can
not be seen at all by travellers on steamboats,.
The steepness ofthe bluff directly where the
town is situated, compels the citizens to have
their steamboat landing and wharf boat an
inconvenent distance below the principal
part of the place. But enterprise can easily
remedy this evil. Rockport is a larger and
prettier town than we had been led to sup
pose. Its situation, is nigh and healthy and it is
the outlet of district Of country, unsurpassed
in its richness by any other portion of " the
Pocket" Spencer county is one of the best
farming counties in the State. 1t is rapidly
filing up with farmers, and contains more
large and well cultivated farms than proba-
bly, any other county in Southern Indiana
OF Spencer, Rockport is the county seat, as
well as the shipping point for its rich pro-
ducts. Immense amounts of Corn, &C., are
shipped at Rockport, and during the past
winter about one million pounds pork were
10 ba oI-
ed in one winter at the same place.
Rockport contains about five hundred in
habitants; and il was remarked TO US by one
of the citizens, that every white resident of
the town was engaged in some business
There are about twelve stores in the place,
several Of which contain large stocks of goods
"a printing Office, the Rockport Planter, ed
tied by Mr.. Langdon-shoPs, Court House,
JAIL &c. and not single place where liquor
is sold by the dram. Everything looks peace
tul, healthy and busness-like. 1t is almost
Incredible what quantity of goods of various
descriptions are sold in Rockport. In this par
ticuar it supplies the wants of large section
of country. All this, from what we have
heard, is a far different state of things from
that which existed at Rockport few years
back. 1t was then scene Of dissipation.
idleness and decay. Court weeks, such as
that when we visited the place, were times of
roting and debauchery. Now the town is
filled with healthy looking steady men, and
everything is peaceful. Need we say that
this has been brought about by a temperance
revival among the citizens?
The Anti-License party. at the late cleo
ton. far out-numbered their opponents, and
now liquor cannot be purchased by the dram
in Rockport. This shows what temperance
men can do, when they appeal to the reason
of their fellow men, instead of endcavoring to
drive them into measures by abuse and threats
as they have attempted in some cases among
US. We take pleasure in chronicling their
victories, when won by the calm exercise of
reason, and by appeals to the hearts and
understandings of men. And we shall just
as freely extend, so far as lies in our power
the arm of protection over the community
when bigoted ultraists degrading the name Of
Sons of Temperance seek to lObip IN any
portion Of their feIow-citizens to acting con
trary to their own feelings and judgments.
The Court House of Rockport is a sub
stantial building, and a credit to the place
Indeed, we Of Evansville may we'll envy tht
citizens of that town an edifce Of this nature
so much superior to our own. The Circui
Court was In session during our visit, Judge
Lockhart presiding. There were large
number of persons in attendance, and tht
Judge was pushing on the business rapidly
The most important criminal cases were tht
trial of young man named Masterson 70
Manslaughter, and two young men for Bur
glary, which cases had not come on at tn
time of our departure.
The citizens of Rockport are awakening t
the Importance oF connecting the back coun
try more directly with their town, by mean
of Plank Roads. They have already 1927, 90
stock subscribed for a Plank Road from Rock
port to Jasper forty miles in length. 1t
believed, that if not enough stock be taken t
complete this Road entirely, it will be ru
out SO lar as the amount subscribed will pei
nit A Plank Road meeting was held {
Rockport on Tuesday last, which was largel
attended, and addressed by Mr.. Pitcher
Mt Vernon, and Judge Lockhart and job
Ingle, Esq, OF this city. But to this meetin
and Road, we shall make further aIlusion t.
morrow.
In conclusion. we must return our thanl
to those citizens Of Rockport through who
attention and social kindness. a visit made d1
ring the most unauspicious weather, was re
dered agreeable and profitable.