The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-05-05
ruE MINNES0TIAN
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 2, 1855
sickness Among the Immigranss.

WEDNESDAY, MOKNlNG, NAL = Aooo
Sickness Among the Immigranss.
We have been for two weeks on the great
thoroughfares of travel between st. Paul and
Chicago--on the boats between ST. Paul and
Galena, and on the cars between Galena and
Chicago. and home again.-and of course nave
had opportunity to see and know the causes o.
the slight attacks of sickness which preVali
amono the tens of thousands who are now em
ierstinp from the East to the West. we nave
mt seen nor heard of solitary case that is not
.-.ce.h,e to clearly accountable causes. We
will explain briefly:
Al Chicago. the trains on the two great East
and West lines of railroad come in some three
or four times per day with their ten and twenty
car loads Of immigrants. A large proportion
Of the moving mass are bound, we will say, Tor
st. Paul. They are an economical. money sa-
wing people-farmersi and mechanics from the
New England States-and their education and
old home habits have very properly taught
them to husband their dimes almost with MI
serly care. And then, perhaps, some have not
the means to expend in protecting themselves
from the inroads of disease incident to rapid
change of diet, water and climate.
They crowd from the depots Of the Michigan
Central and the Michigan Southern to the place
of departure of the trains headed in this direc-
ton. At the regular stopping stations for
meals, instead of calmly and comfortably par
taking of wholesome and substantial break
fast, dinner or supper, the majority regale them
selves upon gingerbread, sour pies fruits, nuts,
&C.; and if inclined TO indulge slightly in stimu-
lating drinks. they 'pitch into' stale beer or
sour cider. Arriving at Galena, say in the
morning trains, they find that the regular boat
of the Galena. Dunleith and st. Paul line is
advertised to leave at seven in the evening;
and of course it is not expec ted among reason
able people that the boat will commence "feed-
ing' its passengers until after the hour prom
ised to leave port. But we noticed that few
went to the hotels to procure their customary
meals. and the most of them were in the habit
of buying and eating about the streets at all
hours of the day anything and every thing that
CHANGED to fall in their way. At supper, they
crowd to the table, voraciously hungry; and it
is no extraordinary sight to see stalwart New.
England farmer, after his twenty -four hours
comparative fasting devour section of beef
steak half the size of saddle skirt and not at
all more healthful in point of digestion. Upon
this delicate meal they swallow half gallon
Of river water and without exercise retire for
the night. Is it wonder that man, not ia
vored with the stomach of an ostrich, should
fail to enjoy his usual home health after treat
Ing himself in this manner in regard to diet!
These remarks apply to cabin passengers
And it is miracle that no more Of this class o.
immigrants among the ten thousand that have
already landed this year at st. Paul are moi
already in their graves AS we remarked al
the beginning, we have had the best of oppor
tunities of tracing the causes of the few case!
OF sickness that have occurred among thu
moving throng to Minnesota and we mus
say in all truth and candor that we have no
known. much less seen, a solitary instance il
which the origin of the disease could not b.
traced to exposure and imprudence. II peo
pie wish to die. they have afforded them yer.
fair and rational mode of suicide Give ma
so express it) by pursuing the course that ma
ny of them do in travelling from the East t.
this country.
To those who come here ION deck, -
crowded in among horses, horned cattle, pig
and all other species of four-footed live stock
perhaps the above remarks should not apply
Poor fellows they should be pitied and more
properly cared for by the officers of the boat
than the perfumed gentleman and jewelled la
dy that tread the cabin carpet. But they ar
not and will not be. Still, soap and water ar
cheap commodities and they can keep clean
they will.
There is no sickness on the Upper sMississip
pi that should alarm any one, and there neet
be none at all unless the sufferers so will i
themselves.
Steamboat Arrivals for April, 1855, Compared
With Preceding Years.
The great increase of trade and travel on thu
Upper Mississippi this spring is most satifacto
rily shown by comparison of the number o
Steamboat arrivals for the month OF April, jus
closed, with those of the three preceding
years.