Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-10-02
Letter from our Local Editor.
CINCINNArI, o., Sept. II, 1858

| DEAR MINNEsoTIAN Time was-so l have
heard--when by tedious and minute days
journeys, a trip was accomplished, the travel
lers laying over at night, and resuming their
tour in the day time. No such facilities are
now offered to the traveller, for without ces-
sation or stoppage, he is whirled half across
the continent, leaving him no time for a stop,
or leisure to look about. A journey of nearly
a thousand miles is scarcely an item now a.
days. Elegant steamboats,, with luxurious
accommodations, and sumptuous fare; and
cushioned cars, travelling night and day, soon
bring the traveller to his destination. The
notes "by the way' which l promised, l
could not therefore send, but write them now
from my journeys end, though, so much ira
yelling is done now, and so many letters in
regard to it written, 1 shall forbear mention
ing any incidents"
was compelled to lay over one day at
Michigan city, on account Of non-connectiOn
of trains on that mismanaged line from that
place to Lafayette. l have travelled over
this road considerable, and have never yet
been in time to connect, besides suffering
from innumerable delays trimmings off Of
track, etc. 1t is an old fogy institution-be-
hind the times decidedly, and 1 vowed never
to travel over it again. What with old dust
begrinned cars, and insvlent conductors, Cor
rather non-conductOrs), it was an unpleasant
piece of journey, detractive from the general
pleasure of the trip. The facilities for feeding
passengers are in keeping. They consist of
small boys who perambulate the cars at the
stations, selling "pizen cakes" To suffer
from hunger. thirst, and dirty cars a whole
day is too bad, in this age of travelling con-
veniences; q say whole day, as the aver
age speed made over level staight road is
from 10 to Is miles per hourly
Things are about as usual in the old "Queen
City" as far as the general looks of the place
are concerned. In some quarters there have
been many changes, and new and elegant
buildings are observable in different places.
1t is respectable old city, perhaps not going
ahead with so much speed as some western
places, but fourishing apace withal, and will
long hold her rank as among the first of west
ern cities, though, from cities of no unpre-
tending rank rising to the westward of her,
can scarcely be called a aoestern city any more.
| was gratified to learn on every hand dur
ing my trip hither, of the revival of business
in all quarters. Everybody mentions it hope
fully, and with the qualification natural in
the conviction that the dull times we have
experienced are passing away. They are
everywhere spoken of in past tense" times
haue been so dull,'-for all feel and know that
a change too evident not to be noticed has
taken place since the prostration of business
last winter. Manufactures are again in ope-
ratiIn, the hotels are full, the Old hum and
hustle is visible in the streets and stores, the
building trade is revived, and the unemployed
thousands of mechanics and artizans who
have been suffering from scarcity of work are
again at labor. The old foreboding of con-
t.nuation of the "hard times" or worse times,
has dsappeared-and all feel encouraged and
buoyant. I confess that I was hardly pre-
pared for such gratifying state of things, for
| had listened with too much credulity to the
damnanle and perniciOusly false reports OF
croakers who had returned from the East,
and represented matters as worse than ever.
I advise no one to believe these false spies,
for the press are filled with accounts which
utterly refute their statements, and show that
prosperous and busy state of things like
the " old time" are again coming. We have
had an awful year of dulness and in some
cases of actual suffering, but it has, at least,
taught all classes useful lessons.
To return to ones home after a protracted
absence, induces thoughts more usually sad
than joyous. The few we knew once are
changed-some gone, perhaps to their long
home-others whom we loved well, scattered
in homes in the far West. But few familiar
faces, and those older and more sad, greet
me. Everything seems altered-the once
accustomed scenes shrunken, and their bloom
and freshness lost-old haunts can be recoc-
nized no more, even if they exist. The shift
ing, changing ceaseless mutations Of time, and
the peculiarities of the Western people have
done this. There seems to be centrifugal
feeling about them that induces them to
leave and wander away from their old homes
instead of clinging to them. If it were not
so, our goodly Minnesota would never have
BEEN settled.
write this in my old homestead, sitting in
the chamber that in boyhood's days 1 Occu-
pied The weather is warm, and through
the open window the rays of the moon steal
over the carpet, just as the memories of the
past now come thronging over my mind. Sad
memories, too, some are; of those who NC
ago l saw laid in the grave, and of those who
have recently, while was far away in my
western home, passed away from lifc's battles,
to the brighter realms of another existence.
How the changes of life and time, and its
marks, are left deep craven in our hearts,
neffaceable, even after years of the shifting
turmoil of life But [ must not moraIise
farther, or l shall spin out this letter too
long, Meantime you will hear again from
your LOCAL.
ON the first of August, two boat loads of
travellers left the town of Nyon, on the Lake
OF Geneva, to go on board two steamers
bound to the opposite ends of the lake. By