, 1854-03-04
From the Bangor Mercury of ls45.
Lights and Shadows Of Western Life.
A FAITHFUL PICTURE.
BY A RESIDENT SUCKER"


10. Q.-Would millinery dress-making
and fancy goods shop, or clothing, hat
and shoe store, in which gentleman could
purchase nearly every article of mans
dress, from hat to a pair Of boots, be
likely to succeed in your town or any other
pleasant village within your knowledge, or
do your traders mingle all kinds Of goods
in one store, so as to render his success
doubtful
Al think milliner would do fine
business here, as most Of the milllners in
this country find it profitable to be profuse
Of their smiles and fayors to the young
men, and our ladies (God bless them) are
sadly in want Of the little fxins made by
milliners. The same thing may be said OF
the dress-making business. As for the clo-
thing, boot, hat, shoe and variety store, it
would be glorious. myself, would fit out
With two entire suits, provided Icould get
them on credit) and have no doubt but
what every loafer in town would do the
same thing, If they thought they would
never have to pay for them. And know
many places in lhls country where youcould
operate in the same manner, provided you
did business as you would have to do in
this place. / am sorry TO say that it is true
that our traders do mix and mingle oil kinds
Of goods in store, from soft soap to Queen
Victoria blond wells. .lL ..
90. Q.-By reference to the map, see
that Carrollton is thirty-6ve miles from
Jacksonville, and is the county seat Of
Green county. What is the character Of
the inhabitants &e.l 1.
.iA.-As to the twentieth question, do
know that Carrollton is thirty-6ye miles
from this place, and that it is the cOunty-seat
Of Green county, and that its inhabitants
arc q most wofnl set Of sinners, tOpers and
lovers Of buck-wheat cakes and honey,
and also partridges, milk-punch, and grog
n any shape. And as for Hamburg, Gil
ford and Milton, there n but one house in
the three places, and that Is in Hamburg,
and inhabited by ghosts and witches
Milton has entirely been washed away by
the Mississippi and the population has been
washed away by whiskey. And as for Gil
ford, IL Is Of that class Of towns now ex-
tnct which makes q great show in history,
and on the maps of their country, but like
Babylon the great Of old, the precise spot
where It once stood is now unknOwn-but
tits thought they are very moral people,
q they are Of that genus and species called
ducks, geese, sand-hill cranes and tadpoles.
An know of Alton, is that the Penten'
tiary is located there, and also four meeting
houses, and that it would tire large man
exceedingly to walk over the town, it being
on ahTIl, very muddy and picturesque.
81. Q,-Where do publishers Of news
papers in Illinois and Iowa purchase THEN
nfinting establishments, and their stocks oI
paper, and what wages do they generally
pay their journeymenl Are the Ramage
or wooden presses much usedI Is there
not great difficulty in collecting newspaper
blhl What number Of subscribers do vii
lage papers generally obtainl
-.IA.-Publishers Of newspapers do not
purchase their printing matefials-they are
carried on entirely by subscription. They
give their journeymen their board, and fur
pish them with liquor. All sorts Of press
e are used here, but the most common kind
areciderpresses. There is great difficult
-tEiH collecting newspaper bills, inasmuch
as the thing is never attempted, It being
morally impossible so to do. Some papers
haYea large othersa small subscription list.
For further particulars and information on
this subject, refer you to Mr.. j. g. Ed
wards, Of the Hawk-eye, at Burlington,
iowa, / will, however, here add that the
most powerful presses that are used here,
are the constables and sheriifs, who under
stand both the wooden, Ramage and all
other kinds of presses, in the course of their
operations.
p. Q-What newspapers are published
m Illinois, North of Peoria, except those
in 0ttowa, Chicago and Galena-what
their character and location, and are they
well supported, and if not, what is the