Litchfield enquirer., 1859-01-13


 floods of 1858 have rendered outdoor labor not merely unpro6table, but for nearly half the year, impossible. The prairies and fields have been bogs many of them for days under wa ter. Flowing, even when possible, was only making mortar planting, even the third time, failed to secure decent stand of Corn ]; Wheat and Oats were rusted or blasted by perpetual rains. On the back of light crop came an Autumn so wet that but little grain was sowed or prairie broken for next years harvest. Then the Fall was sickly in many quarters-more so than usual, by reason of the protracted focds-even the dreaded Milk Sickness appeared in some localities hitherto exempt from it. Disappointed hopes, gloomy prospects, pressing debts, and dreary weather (which still continues) have made thousands mourn the day when they resolved to sell out in the East to seek their fortune in the West And, think in part owing to such discour- agenents, less work has been done by the far mers of Illinois during the month now closing, than so many civilized white men ever did be- fore. u
 And as to the mud which prevails here. es- pecially throughout the middle of the State, no words can do it justice. The chap I to- day heard characterize it as huge" came as near the mark as is possible to imperfect hu- man speech. The roads seem compounded of oil, ink, tar and clay. Nearly every village seems to have been dropped by some mischance into Black Sea of this vilIainous compound, through which the horses have hard work to draw an empty wagon three miles per hour. The stage Ca light double wagon with five passengers and four horses) was six hours in traversing the fifteen miles which separate Ma pies on the Illinois from Versailles in Scott County, and did very well at that. There was q sharp frost in the morning which helped /; doubt that the same route can be traverSed in eight hours to-day. Here, in the north, there are some snow and ice yet, though fast going :; bat below Gaesburg mud is an autocrat I begin to see why good many prefer Minnc- ssta and Northern Wisconsin to "ten degrees of more indulgent skies" Another fortnight of mud would convert me to their side of the question.
 And now for the brighter side of the pie ture:
 In spite of all drawbacks, including the dis astrous crop failure, (which has not been ex- aggerated, things are working easier here, and think, throughout the West. The peo- pie are generally frugal There are fewer will full idlers than there have been, in any weather when werk can be done. The aggregate of perso nal indebtedness has been materially re- dpced. The merchants trust very little-for several good reasons. Pork has brought a high price, and the farmers have taken their money for it. 7 guess that many of the buy CTS have burnt their fingers, but that is Msir business. The money it has brought was greatly needed, and came in excellent time Few are speculating few travelling on busi- ness most men have concluded that they were destined to work for living, and have resigned themselves to that dispensation. Common Schools are well sustained, and are increasing at once in number and efficiency Thank heaven! they are entirely FREE. Land is held lower than it was, and doubt wheth- CT the happy owner of $2,OOo or over in cash, could ever migrate to Illinois more advanta- geously than early in 1859. He can now buy and stock decent farm quite cheap; he can buy any amount of lumber for half it's former cost and it is no longer impossible to hire la Dor on other than ruinous terms. wish tan ners, shoemakers, &c., of eminent capacity and experience, could be induced to push West early in the Spring. I believe they could never till now have done so under better auspices. Give Illinois one good crop and fair prices for it, and she will be able to lock her creditors in the face, and ask them Gin the main) to take their pay and stop bothering But let us hope that the pestilent system of loose mercantile credits will never be revived It is down now-let it be kept downl Let the retailers in Illinois buy for cash or on six ty days in Chicago and St. Louis let the Grain and Meat which leave the State, pay for the Goods which are at the same time com ing in. Let the old score be squared off so fast as it may be but let not the errors in which it originated be revived to curse anoth- CT generation. Let Mechanics, Artisans, Mi ners, Manufacturers, be drawn hther so rap idly as may be for here, where Food and Flu ei (by means of Railroads) are at once cheap and abundant, is their proper home. In short, the "Panic" of 1857 and the Pressure" of 1858 are sure to work great good for all this region, if their lessons are but duly needed. Illinois embos0ms the elements of rapid pro- gress, dease population and ample wealth, and in due season will achieve all of these.
 A word in conclusion on Railroads, espe- cially the Illinois Central. This is season of extreme depression for them all. There is very little travel, and not much freight, for the profundity of the mud will not allow the farm CTS to move what Grain they have to their markets at the stations. The Railroad Re ceipts of Illinois for this month will be light beyond precedent. Many shareholders will be discouraged by the diminished receipts. and will sell out at the very worst season. l shall be disappointed if the receipts of mert De cember on most roads in this quarter do not double those of the current month. The Gen. tral, which is and must remain primarily freight road, shares fully in the depression, aud must share likewise in the revival
 In it's palmy days, was inclined to look with disfavor on this enterprise, as am not BOW. Whether the original stockholders make or lose by it, they have done noble work, of which Illinois and the country will feel the benefit for ages. But their system of finance