Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-18

Correspondence of the Cairo Times.
EVANSVILLE, IND, Sept. l6, 1865. M
4 more delightful tip can scarce be mag
ined than that from Cairo to Evansvllle-the
river scenery is varied and beautiful, and never
has the Ohio better established her claim to
the appellation OF 81 Labele Rivere " than the
present season. OF course human nature
would soon tire of magnificent scenery, balmy
air, etc., unless the appetite, as well as the
eye, was feasted; and happily this need is duly
supplied by the packets which ply so regularly
between Evansville and 'ye City of the
Blessed" The Charn1er is certainly one of the
finest and best appointed stern-wheeers run
ming, and her tables vie with those of any
other boat on the Ohio.
Evansville is fast assuming a position among
the commercial cities in the West. Her
population has increased more than twen-
ty-five per cent. in the last five years,
and her business has more than kept
pace with the increase Of population
She has for years enjoyed a large and proita-
BILE trade with this State, as well as Southern
Illinois and Western Kentucky, and is pushing
Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas. Besides
the Memphis and Louisville packets, a first
class steamer. the Superior, keeps up a weekly
connection with Memphis, and by her, yester-
day, a single house shipped thirteen tons Of
goods, to fill single Memphis order. The
number of wholesale houses is constantly On
the increase, many of them containing stocks
as large as any establishment in Cincinnati.
The boot and shoe house of Morgan, Read &
Co., occupies two large four story buildings,
and their sales are immense.
But Evansville does not depend wholly upon
her commerce. Her remarkable prosperity is
due, in a great measure, to her manufactures;
and in this respect she might well be emulated
by Cairo. There are some half dozen large
toundres and machine shops, turning out
every description of castings and machinery,
furniture manufactures, tanneres and nearly
everything else, except cotton and woolen fac
tories. This draws customers from all parts
of the West and South, and induces thousands
Of country merchants to stop here and make
their purchases, who would otherwise lay out
their money in Cincinnati or st. Louis Com
merce alone cannot build up a large inland
city-commerce and manufactures go hand in
hand, and nowhere IS this truth more plainly
demonstrated than in the rapid growth of
Evansville.
Public improvements have not kept pace
with the increase of wealth and population,
consequently the city is behind other places of
the same size. Although her streets have been
recently graded still but one-M:,.n street
is partially paved, and during the winter
Evansville rivals Cairo in the article of mud.
The levee, also, has for years been suffered to
remain, at times, little better than mud bank,
to the horror of draymen and detestation of
strangers However, the honest burghers,
have finally concludedto grade and pave their
levee, and for that purpose taxed themselves
800, 900. The work is under contract and has
already commenced. They have likewise re-
solved to pave several Of their principal streets
which should have been done years ago.
There are fewer handsome buildings in
Evansville than in any other city of any size
that have seen in the West The dwelling
houses have an air Of comfort about them that
draws to the place person ofdomestlc habits,
and a few Of them even boast a degree Of ele-
gancc which would be creditable to an Eastern
city; but the public buildings, with two eX
ceptions, are by no means attractive in their
appearance The First Presbyterian Church
is one of the neatest and most chaste bu ldings
have seen in many day; but the pride ofthe
city is the new Methodist ChurcE-the most
splendid religious edifice in the State, and one
of the finest in the West. When completed it
will have cost over Sl00, OOO. Ihere IS moth
ing between Cincinnati and New Orleans that
can vie with it, and l doubt if Illinois can pro-
duce a more beautiful or more magnificent
building.
Newspapers here appear to be better appre-
cated than they are in Cairo. The Journal is
full of paying advertisements; has big list of
subscribers, and has paid the proprietors SO
we'll that last year they built new office-a
handsome three story brick-a model of neat
ness, convenience and solidity. The Gazette
a handsome, sprightly weekly, is also doing
extremely well, and hope will soon make its
owners fortune. Mr.. Scott is active and en-
terprising spicy writer, and if the people of
Evansville consult their own interests they
will induce him to issue his paper daily.
There is less individual enterprise here than
in Cairo. Business men must consult together
and compare notes frequently before public
undertakings can be commenced, and thus Ev-
ansvlle has attained the reputation Of being
decidedly ''slow.' She has wealth, industry
and populaton-three essentials of greatness
added to this her admirable location, and you
see she has a fine fortune to look to. If she
could infuse into her people somewhat Of the
lberalit; and go-ahead- -ativeness that djstin-
guishes Cairoites, she would soon become what
it will otherwise require score Of years to ac-
complisl-thc second city on the Ohio.
J. A. Fl.