, 1854-02-25
i.',' =, u From The Bangor Mercury Of IsI5.
u,D ,'.',, Lights and Shadows Of Western Life.
"4 A FAITHFUL PICTURE.

uo The following amusing and highly inter
esting document, was handed TO us by a
friend who desired to see-it in print. We
are informed that the questions were copied
rzb0tiR from . printed circular, signed by
Charles lowell, Esq, of Ellsworth, which
n was sent to several Of the Postmasters in
Illinois, in 1889, for the purpose Of obtain
-iling information in regard TO that country.
-nAs copy Of this circular, falling by chance
painto the hands Of q wag at Jacksonville,
o. he returned it to Mr.. Lowell, with the an
laswers annexed, as given below. Mr.. L. be-
+. ing, we presume, little pleased with the
vl.chaTactgr of the answers, refused to take
s5ithe document out of the Post Office, and
siit subsequently passed into other hands.
-aeWe have been much amused with the re-
Of plies Of the Jacksonville wag, They con
.ll,tain the, most admirable burlesque upon
-1 Western life that we have ever seen.
~ 9lb Jso ELLSWORTH, Me- Dec 1889.
hss Dear, Sirs-A number Of individuals in
.rilthis vicinity, think Of emigratmg to. the
.bioWesta Yin lS4Oii5 ii5ald we have, northern II
1sllinois, Iowa and Wisconsin in view, pqrtic-
s.ssularly Illinois, Vi Having never been there,
ssiIRnd wishing some accurate information res
.lspeetingl the countyy-i7its adyantages- Us
yrs present condition and future prospects and
having no personal acquaintance IN your
-.,s, Ecinity, / take the liberty to address this
I Communication to you, and respectfully re
. quest as carly and full reply TO the follow
" ing ihteffogatories, asn your knowledge
7ioj time and circumstances will permit: =,
nosssi,l Here follow thirty-two long interrOga-
'a'o ,s'' 's''' 'n'n' fREPLY. 1.9iaalilisr sil'
- ly'Hol Z 9J1cksosTILLB, 1ll, Jan. 1910.
Fs' Dear SirsaA Y0mletter, dated Ellsworth
,gaa December 1880, addressed to our, worthy
noiidpost master, has been received, and as be
,7ysis otherwise engaged, be has requested me
/ tosanswef the interroga stories contained ip
's Your letter which i win endeayor to do, ia
aai the best pfmyD abilitiesEa and in so doing,
e0pfne myselfto this,countY, ds my
-, knowledge Of other places referred to IN
your letter, Is not extensive enough to give
~ .yo6 my positive Information Prospecting
il'A them and y suppose lyou.vil receive from
'loq psfa6nsliying ~ thoss places, the requisite
information, liTI In answer to your first ques
4 srotipp as to our internal IMPROVEMENTS: ,'s
I. OMesl liossMVV nat progress has been
'N' ihade m your haliimproTements- what
a' nsc ciIhals oro railroads are now completed OF
ii1o.snearty sor-asethey progressing; hsye funds
1sh beer secured to prosecute them or will they
! be aba1doled; what will be the final leg
- islhtivc action upon the subjeetiTBil' ~ q
lssF InilaMseet-AAst Ini to our canal, which is tho
,sigs Illinois and Michigan cana, it is in STATE
1idn Of progress, and as this is the only cana
n,g;we shall ever want in this State, we are
iiasb lstermned to 6nish It. From the manner
ioI of its construction, and the state Of money
1o7 lmgtters connected with it, it Is Certain thai
it will, with the aid Of Providence ard thu
Irish, be finished in the course Of ten
! notiearS, without costing the State anything
aos aaxeeptia tTide, say ten millions. Our 9th
iea, ,F internal improvements are railroads
t;- which were 10 be constructed by tile State
. oand for atpufpose. we borrowed clever
Dag asHilEen of dollars, and expended lbOut four
A1sis and jnjall probability the works, or most o.
will be;a bandOped. Although about
,yi.,g opeionrth Of the whole 1900 miles is IN
.ft der contract, andit would not cost more Il
Finish them than to pay the contract, yet
,9o c~ithlthe usual yisSom Of legislators w
I" avnowtlink it policy to abandon the improve
81 ments,. 1t depends good deal however
u y, on the success Of the Exploring Expedition
sent out by Congress, under the cotnnant
Of Ideut. Wilkes.I0a loi ilin,..ss Fl" =
'osnsi4slbaQ.s-Whnt has been d6ss reIuov,
~ . the'obstruetiOls to navigation " BE sever
Y. al rnpids of the Mississippi and Rock riv
Y 'li ers!u Do steamboats, ply regularly, or oc
'saa easionally on the latter; and If 80, Of villa
lasEel and to what point do they usually as
PIP ieenasss hat is the width and depth a
2 = ISjt 6FE gsy, y..f..,,-, - ~ ~
aoqa A--EfO question two, l will state that al
,i-sathat'hasbeen done 70 remove the obstruc
- : :, toots IN the. Mississippi river, is, that