Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-11
THE CAIRO THAT WAS.
Dips into old Cairo Life.
THE PLACE, THE PEOPLE, OC-
CURREN CES AND PASTIMES.
BY NOSE HARRELL,
NUMBER VI.

| For a number of years prior to 1852 the rep
utation of Cairo abroad was, to say the least
a ''hard one.''
Unfounded and foolish stories like the fol.
| lowing, which is taken from correspondence
in an old number of Pater's Spirit of til.
Times, were widely published and believed
nearly everywhere outside of Cairo:
"Of all hard names that were ever affixed tc
place Cairo has the hardest. No person is
safe if he venture from his own door after
night, and as for a stranger, he had better be
| in hog heaven than get singled off from pro-
lection. To find dead men lying in the woods
where they had been for several days. is
| deemed a matter of such minor importance as
to scarcely attract either notice or discussion.
| While / am writing this letter two men are sit
ting near my elbow talking about a body that
has just been found, and counting up that this
| makes the eighth taken from among the burs
! and weeds within a few weeks. And as to
| tales of pickpockets and pockets picked, there
is no end to them, 4 half dozen may be heard
| going at once.'
So readily we're ridiculous fabrica,ions like
| this believed by every person not actually ac-
quainted with Cairo and the character of its
people, that known Cairote abroad was
looked upon with suspicion, if he was not mar
rowly watched by the authorities. In truth,
to avoid such unpleasant notoriety the travel
ing Cairoite would always register his name,
leaving off his place of residence, or simply
adding ''Ill9ais.''
That was bold man indeed who attempted
to dispute such calumnies or vindicate the
character of Cairo His attempt would only
bring upon him a perfect tornado of derision,
if it did not involve him in personal difficulty.
What, you naturally ask, gave Cairo such a
disreputable name? The question may be an
swered, in part thus The town was one of
the raggedest, dirtiest and most dlapidated on
the rivers. The wharf was covered with drift
and rubbish, the buildings were in decay; there
was and could be no evidence of thrift, public
spirit or enterprise among the people; and not
one stranger out of the hundreds that stopped
here weekly, ever left satisfied a0ith the hotels.
1t is rather unpleasant pastime to wait for
steamboat anywhere; and in those days the
stranger who left tluxures athome, or all the con-
veniences and attentions ofa frst-class hotel to
be set down, waiting traveller, in poor unat-
tractive Cairo, to receive his common "grub".
in the cabin of an old steamboat (Which formed
our chief hoteD to fight mosquitoes and be biz
ten 10y heas and bed bugs left the place in
frame of mind anything but amable
Little importance may be attached to the as
serton but declare it to be my earnest con-
viction that nothing SO decidedly shapes the
character of town as its hotels-churches
and schools not excepted. Cairo had, to some
extent, from necessity, bad hotels. The trav-
eer was but indiflerently fed and bedded. and
there was nothing ia the way of amusements
to engage his mind for an hour or moment.
As a consequence there are, even now, hun
refer to a brief sojourn in Cairo, years ago,
as the most narrowing and trying period of
their existence.
And furthermore, the town had no munich
pal strength to resent or prevent outrages. AS
a consequence that steamboat which could not
thrust ashore its dead, dying, smallpox pa
tients, poor people, thieves and vagabonds at
Paducah, Cape Girardeau or Memphis, because
of the opposition Of the authorities, simply
waited until Caro- was gained, when these OBJ
jectionable or burdensome persons we're put
ashore, moleas uolens. The sick, the pauper
or the dead thus imposed upon us were
placed upon or naturally sought the public
landing, There they remained, the objects Of
remark or pity for thousands of passing
strangers, until disposed Of through the char
ity of our people. They formed "sights at
Cairo to be talked OF abroad. The gamblers
and thieves thrown upon the town, IN the same
way, remained here with impunity, fleeing as
they might the unwary, whether citizen or
stranger
And in addition to all this, something was
contributed to the bad reputation of Cairo by
the old settlers themselves. They are by no
means wholly blameless. 70 what extent they
are responsible, is it not written in Book No.
I which will be speedily forthcoming?