The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-11-24
Coinnat"Ic6sed.
ST.. LOUIS, No., Nov. 10, 1859.

myself in writing you a~fsw lines, and as
vision is the first item with me at present.
1 am pleased to say that have flattering
prospect of speedy recovery-indeed, DR..
Cooks method and success in treating ten
der eyes precludes any other report. He
seems to master every case that he under
takes in an iucreditable short time. If a
case presents itself that is incurable, the
Doctor is very candid, and SO informs the
unfortunate, to the end that his means may
not be expended in a futile attempt. To
| visit his Infirmary, morning or evening" is
| to visit house of mourning. From 80 to
/ 40 of the unfortunates are there to be heal
ed by the opthalmic magician.
While writing, it may not be amiss to
speak of ST. Louis and her prosperity. Since
1886, she has doubled her population every
six wears, or Whereabouts. She now num-
bers in the neighborhood of 10000 souls
Since June last she has laid railroad track
in several of her principal streets, amount
ing in the aggregate to "a miles, employing
thereon some 90 to 100 cars, propelled by
| horses. These are found very con-
venient, especially for persons residing re-
mote from their daily employment. l have
had several rides upon them of three or
four miles for cents. Cheap travel.
The rapid growth of st. Louis, during the
year 1859, is without a parallel when we
take into consideration the great stringency
in the money market, over $500 houses, -
mostly of a substantial and ornamental
character-have been built at an aggregate
cost of seven million dollars and be it said
to the credit of the property builders as
we'll as the city, that the work in most cases
was paid for when completed.
1t is passing strange that rents are so ex-
brilliantly high here. Landlords are not
willing to make any concessions whatever
in prices, not even to the taking of good
funds in payment of rents, but demand
bankable. A dwelling that would rent in
Evansville for $500, would command $500
here, $500 there, ST, 900 to ST, 200 here, and
in that ratio.
The time must come for reduction in
rents, and that soon. The laboring classes,
in consequence of such high rates, are
forced to reside, one, two, three, and four
miles from their business in order to have
something to live upon after paying rents
They are Just about double here that the
like property would rent for in New York
or Philadelphia. l know of several plain,
ordinary dwellings on Fourth street, with
8 to IA rooms, that are renting for 800
to $4,000 per annum.
A majority of families here have some
boarders (they say to help pay rents. I'm
fortunately for the beauty of the city, the
French (the first settlers, laid Out the streets
as far back as fourth street, Just half as
wide as they should have been. Beyond
fourth, the streets are straight wide and
handsome, crossing each other at right an
giles. Much taste has been displayed in the
erection of the buildings. The Lindell Ho-
tel on Washington Avenue, between 9th and
9TH streets is now being built; it will cover
almost the entire square and is intended to
surpass in beauty and grandeur any Hotel
in the Union. The cost of the building when
completed, is variously estimated from five
hundred thousand to one million dollars.
The Southern Hotel on 4th street, has its
, foundation laid, which, when completed will
be a mammoth building and will be quite
an acquisition to the city, 1 cannot close
this without speaking of the steam fire en-
gines of the city, of which | believe she
has eight, seven of which are of Latta's
patent, duplicates of the Evansville fire en-
CINE, they are each drawn by four large
horses that are always IN readiness at tie
striking of the alarm bell. I must say
} disapprove of the reckless driving of these
f engines, the horses are attached to the ma
chine, the word is given and out they go in
"a sweeping gallop around corners more alb
ruptly than [ would think prudent TO drive
ks3E3I
dued, l cannot conceive how more than ore
, building could burn at q time if the FIRE
companies were disposed TO extinguish the
) flames. EEAsB JE
Since my sojourn here, very interesting
fire occurred in what was denominated
=" Irish Row." which swept the entire block
on Green street, from Fifth to Sixth street.
; and, strange to say, the engines most posi-
lively refused to throw more water than
t was sufficient to keep the fire hot. At this
+ fire, by the wreekless driving of one of
these fire engines-of which L have already
spoken-it was capsized, killing a little boy
and badly damaging the machine. So re-
joiced were the citizens ut seeing this Glib
ralter of vice destroyed, that some, in their
ecstacy, carried fire from house to house,
destroying in toto the curse of old Green.
: Before closing this must say | was
quite surprised at seeing embalmed bodies
here, and more so, to learn that one skilled
in the art resided here and engaged in that
business, viz: Mr.. Freeman Little, No l2I,
, Locust street. The process was discovered
by Dr. Thos. Holmes, of Williamsport, New
York. The new process adopted by the
embalming artist, Mr.. Little, obviates the
turning of the corpse black as under the
old process. The time required for embalm-
ing is Short and the method simple and
easy. A tube is inserted into the rodical
fernerine or carodial artery, and the fluid is
injected into the system By means Of an air
pump. The chemicals Of which the fluid
is composed, are kept secret, however, am
informed by Mr.. Little, that they. are not so
poisonous as those formerly ssed.
In Bellefontaine Cemetery there is a.
corpse that was embalmed in September,
, 1858, by Little, Ii months ago and it is as
perfect to-day as on the day of embalming
Mr.. L. has a5zsmall child in his shop, en-
balmed about the first of this month, and
must say it looks as if the child was sleep
ing MIR. H.. asserts most confidently that
it will remain without change for ages
Bodies should be embalmed two, three, or
four days after their decease The price for
f embalming varies in accordance with the
ability of parties to pay-say from $50 to
5000. Mr.. L. is ready to visit any part of
the country alta moments warning. More
anon. Yours, r.
: DsS@ The estimates of the War depart