Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-09-23
COrresPonGence.
For the EostmdnoiRe Times. o'a

For the EastmanviNe Times o''
DIXON, ILLINOIS,,
Sept. II, 1857.
DEAR TIMEs:-My last effusion was dated
at GAINESVILLE, believe, from which town, by
admirable railroad connections, it takes the
traveller some two days to reach this place
having to make eight changes of cars, upon
seven different roads, with the incidental fun
of laying over several hours at almost every
place.
Without stopping to waste powder upon
several small places, will only notice few
of the more prominent towns upon the route.
Belvidere is place famous for great pre-
tensions which have no visible basis. 1t has
little creek, to be sure, but it would puzzle
any one to tell which is most deserving of
praise-the muddiness of its waters, or the
dirtiness of the streets, buildings and people
about it. We had the never-to- be-forgotten
privilege of waiting here some hours, during
which time, the passengers, especially the
feminine portion of them, were huddled in
the dirtiest ladies room conceivable; tho,
to be candid, dirt is plenty here, and the cars
of the road, as well as its station houses are
disgracefully dirty, and ought to be washed
and fumigated before carrying swine, much
less human beings. .... r.U
At Freeport, I had to wait six hours for
the down train on the Illinois central; and SO
had ample time to examine all the mills,
factories and stores in town. Freeport has a
beautiful situation on ground uneven enough
to afford good drainage for streets, and con-
spicuous sites for top-notchical palaces, tho,
to tell the truth, the place is blessed with but
few of the latter, at present. Several large
establishments furnish steam power for much
machinery, upon which the prosperity Of the
place measurably depends. The town can
boast of one city luXury-gas-bu cannot
see how it can be paying institution in so
small q place. That, however is nobody's
business. !! Several churches are seen, but |
recommend the citizens to pull them down,
as they are disgrace to the village in their
present uncared for and dilapidated condition.
The station buildings are good and substan-
tial, and the comfort of passengers is fairly
cared for Hotels are plenty and tolerabIy
good; and to mine host Of the "Keystone,"
would send my friends. %. goy o'.aai
arrived at Dixon about midnight, and as
but one hotel had enterprise enough to send
a buss to the depot, the Na-chu-sa took the
entire crowd Don't think, though, that
like the Nachusa; far from it; it is ilLman-
aged, ill-fed and ill-generally; and not until
its proprietor has wit enough to carry passen-
gers free, will he have sagacity sufficient to
manage his house satisfactorily; and, to cap
the climax, the charges are awful! and with
this puff, the Nachusa may slide. 80
Dixon is not large place, but it has space
enough in which to grow, for no combining
fences fetter its progress in any direction
Probably the citizens are full tilt after mann
mon or something else equally abominable,
for the streets aud dwellings look ne if quite
forsaken by all ideas Of heatness or comeli-
ness, and the genius Of slight and slovenness
sits dominant on too many premises. Upon
the bill by the court house stand two poles,
one, a spliced hickory, probably erected BY the
Buchananites, in the last election; and the