The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-03-06
CBe Daily yournal
Lcorrssl6a lenoe ofthe Daily vino.nnes Ga1ss,e.l

!, dc. dc.
There is no city in the State of Indiana, and
+ but few in the West, which has increased il
.Ipopulation and commercial importance, within
d the past five years, as has the city of Evans
vile. In 1851 Evansville contained a popula-
: ton of some 1000, now the lowest estimate
5 is 10000, and rapidly increasing. Nor is it q
Fictitious, floating increase liable to decrease
at any moment, but steady and healthy
igrowth, brought about by the policy of its bu-
lsiness men. This policy may in part be ex-
Iplained by stating the 'uniYefsal2praetiee which
prevails among the citizens, of welcoming the
stranger whois seeking location That this
lis the correct policy--and not only so, but the
Iduty Of all citizens Of any town or city 1t is
mot now necessary to discuss. 1t may not be
a1niss to speak of few, of the advantages OF
Evansville, which (although they are so well
Established that, to those acquainted with them
need no notice. yet to others may prove of in
Iterest, and perhaps of future benefit.
+ The first thing that must attract the notice
lcf a stranger who may chance to have any di-
Irect object in visiting the city, is the gentle
lmanly department. Of all classes of business
Imen. 1t is not enough with them to merely
Row at an introduction, and Immediately for
Iget the fact that o stranger has been among
Ithem but each one seems to feel the heretofore
ulltaoUu to be their particular guest, and the
guest of the city. That it is not seeming cour-
tesy thus extended, may be known from the
fact that it is universal.
The Evansville Library Association, in cor
porated in 1856, for the purpose of establish
ing Library and Reading Room, and to pro-
mote the diffusion of useful knowledge, is an
enterprise well worthy visit The officers
of the Society at present are:
John Ingle, Jr., President
Conrad Baker, Vice President.
Geo. Foster. Recording Secretary.
Jas. Harlis, Jr, Corresponding do.
Samuel Bayard, Treasurer.
Directers--George w. Rathbone, James Z.
Blythe, G. Copeland, w. E. Hollingsworth,
VIM HielmaD.
The capital stock of the Society is $4,000,
of which SO, 900 has been taken by responsible
parties Shares $50 each, payable in install
ments Of 81 per annum for ten years. An
nual subscribers are admitted to all the privi-
leges of the Reading Room at a charge of So.
Stock can be paid out at any time before due,
proper inducements being provided to arrange
this course. It is confidently expected that a
sufficient number of shares will be paid in full
this spring to enable the Directors to procure
two thousand volumes, or more, within the
first year of its organization, besides furnishing
the Reading Room with all the leading journals
and periodicals of the days. Through the
kindness Of George w. Rathbone, Cashier ofI
the Branch Bank at this place, the writer ofI
this article was honored with an invitation to
the Library and Reading Rooms of this Socie-
ty, and spent few happy hours. The Virf1
cennes Daily Gazette is found here, and is read
bv many: it presents a beautiful appearance,
and is not exceled, in point Of typographical
execution, by any journal found here or else
where.
The graded system" of public schools, as
contemplated by the existing School Law of
Indiana, is in successful operation in this city.
A large three-story brick editice has been re-
Gently erected, at a cost of $1,000, capable of
accommodating eight hundred pupils. There
are thirteen teachers now employed, and six
hundred students in daily attendance. The
system of instruction introduced is thorough,
commencing with the lispng juveniles and
taking them from one department 10 another
until fitted to enter college. An examination
at the close of the term, ending February 49,
1856, was witnessed by large crowd of Visi-
tors, who were delighted with the progress of
the pupils, and management OF the teachers
having them in charge. The citizens of Ev-
ansville are under lasting obligations to the
worthy Superintendent, IL. O. Wheeler, Esq,
who has, in great measure, been instrument
al in perfectng the free school system of the
CITY. The success of the free school system
here, is a strong argument in favor of this tru-
ly american institution. The children OF the
rich and poor meet upon one common les sel,
and thus grow up to become men and women
imbued with the principles Of republican
equality. No sectaTIanism, no peculiar tenet
of party or sect, is introduced to bias the
mind, but all are taught the first
great principles of science and education,
which has been often and truly remarked, 'are
the balwarks of our national liberties" Long
NAV. our free schools find support, and live in
the hearts of the citizens ofour country. Let
them be guarded with watchful care, and
their enemies (if there are any,) combatted
1t. is. perhaps, one Of the most difficult tasks
a scribbler undertakes, to speak Of the Press
Of any locality, especially political journals:
for in most cases the writer is influenced by
prejudice or party bias.
There are tow daily papers here, to.wit; the
Evansville Journal and Enquirer--in siZ3
about the same. The one the bold, fearless
exponent of American principles, the other
equally jealous in advocating modern Democ-
racy. '.Of their respective merits SO far as po-
litics are concerned, their readers must decide.
There is one thing of which we can in truth
say, and that is said without favor, fear or re-
ward--ti.at the Journal possesses .Iower ini
the business and commercial circles of Ey-
ansviHe, which the Enquirer has not at
tained. :; ts
We cannot, in one short letter, notice hut
hv Of the advantages of this most southern
citv Of our State: we cannot even glance at
many things worthy of fnotice. Her positioni
on the Ohio, her wharf piled with f.eight--thel
canal-the railroad-the gasworls-the Ma
rine AsYlum-the winegrowing plantations in