Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-08-15
New western Correspondence.
Correspondence Of the Lewisburg Chronicle
INDIANoPOLIs, July IA, 1856.

q town plot two miles square, with wide
streets crossing at right except'an
avenue leading to the country from near
the center, through each Of the four corn.
ers. The lard lies so low and level that
the wafer seems puzzled TO know which
way to run. NJ hills are to be seen, and
from the observatory Of the hotel the cir.
cling horiE'n is but level, unbroken
fringe Of forest trees in every direction,
w,rh tac broad streets, and scattered,
depsely. shaded houses Of the city, in the
! foreground benealh-the massive and mag
uiGcent wall and turrcts Of the Blind
Asylum to the north, and the cathedral
like proportions of the Odd Fellows Hall,
and few steeples, being the most elevated
Objects in sight.
The main business street, running east
aud west, is well paved bu, entirely dcsti-
tutc of trees, with fine stores and little
shops, something like Market street, Har
riscurc, only more Of it. Most goods are
as cheap, if not cheaper, than in eastern
towns-0ccasioued by excessive competi-
tion, which however is compensated some
what by cash sales aud short credits.
The remaining parts Of the town, ex-
ccpt near the depot, exhibit a struggling
assortment of little cottages with scaut ell
bow room, and palace homes monopolIzins
from half lot 10 half square Of ground,
with vacant lots, pasture grounds, and at
intervals, that present an odd adm;xture
OF city aud rural i,ie, aud with the un.
paved streets, leave tire stranger in some
doubt as to the line between togn and
country.
Along the railroad eastward, an exten-
sive suburb is closely occupied by the
modest little homes of the operatives on
the railroads which radate in all direc-
,ions from this Genital point, like the long
lines of SPIDERS web-some eighty odd
passenger trains arriving and departing
every day, excep, Sunday; affprdins such
facilities that it is said citizens in more
than three fuurths Of the State can leave
home in the morning, spend several hours
here, aud return the same evening. Build
ing railroads in this fiat country IS child's
play in comparison with such work In
ba nj tift
aud buying the rails, being the heaviest
items.
This ought to be an excellent manufac-
.urinp location on account of railroad ia.
cili'ies, and the rich farming region ada
cent, and is to some extent; but land is
held at such exorbiiant rates as TO retard
the rapid growth Of the place-dealcrs
here, as elsewhere, expecting to real'se at
a single transfer, all that may be made BY
successive owners after years Of enterPris-
ing improvements aud therefore hold up
for impossible prices.
Stumbled in my rambles upon circu-
lar street surrounding an acre of ground at
the intersection Of two other streets, Gu
closed by rough open board fence, and
beautifully shaded, that attracted atten'
ton. and vaiuly endcayore1 to conjec-
ture its character AID purpose. a large
square two storey brick building, original
ly painted of light color, stood in the
centre, with double front on each side,
the doors open, windows smashed IN, the
wide balls and s,arxays dirty and cob
wehbad, coal piled up in some places, the
walls placaricd with advertisements and
show.bills and the general aspect that Of
desoia.e dilapidation. A passer-by in
formed me it had been built by the State
as the Governors mansion, but had never
been occupied by any Executive of ludi-
ana-whethcr from inability to furnish
the big barn, or to support the expense of
living in it when furnished, l could not
ascertain. But there it stands, ,unoccupied,
save by few officers,a monument OF that
attempt to keep "opcn house, for the
Commonwealth. SIC transit g'oria Exec
tive larders! But this is an exceptional
case. and, of Course does not disprove the
necessity Of an executive mansion at Har-
risbury, when houses can neither be rented
or purchased, and Governors ard Secreta-
ries board at a tavern, away from their
homes and families.
The State Capitol is two squares west
of this mansion, on the north side OF the
main business street, buried in trees IN
the centre Of four acre lot, enclosed by
an open unplaned board fence, like that
along your University board walk. The
edlfice is a Grecian temple Of drab sand
stone, ranging north and south, with q
\ heavy portico Of massive DoIic column.
at each end, and q small cupola on the
roof A low wide ball runs through the
middle on the GROUND aoor, with the State
library and Executive departments on
either side, and the Legislative halls IN
the second storey, like the Court hoase q
Bloomsbury, only not so commodious fo'