The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-06-04
Parton on 81. I.ouss.

Is Mr. Parton SaYH, t0is Mttf"Pulls q
+ tic Mississippi valley has stolen into
greatness without onr knowing much
about it, fact somewhat explained hy
( the following correct emancipation
IF Chicago may be stsled the New
I York. 81. Louis Is the serene and com
Portable Philadelphiaof of tho West Hav-
/ ing passed through its wooden period
to that of solid brick and stone il has d
refined and finished appearance, and
there is something in the aspect Of the
place which indicates that people there
find time to hive, as wei as accumulate
the means Of living. Chicago amnses,
amazes, bcwilders and exhausts the
traveller; st. Loais rests and restores
him
It's appearance. "a the traveller from
the east side Of the river first secs it, is
thus well described;
Seen from the top Of the ferry bost,
St. Louis is a curved line Of steamboats,
a mile and half long, without a single
mast or sail among them. The whole
number Of steamboats, plying between
this city and other riyer towns is two
hundred and sixty-fve, Of which one
hundred may freou 8nty be seen IN port
at once, ranged dong the lesee III close
order, with their sterns slanting down
the stream, aud their bows thrust
against the treacherous sand of the
shore, each boat presenting a scene Of
the third act OF Octoroon. Any one
who has witnessed Mr.. Bourcicaults 5
excellent play Of that name has only to
imagine the steamboat scene stretched
out a mile and q half, and throw in a
few hundred mnles and colored men
the latter driyiig the former by means
of the voice and ahip- and he viii have
before him re view Of the st.
Louis Leyee
Mr. Parton was fayorably impressed
bt the appearance Of the men he saw
at the Exchanges He says
HThese men If tho St Louis Ex
change do not know as much, do not
think and read as much, do not push
and advertise and yaunt as much as
those who frequent the Exchange of
Chicago; but they have that something
about them which makes the charm Of
the farmer and the country gentleman.
Evidently they take life more easily
than their rivals farther, north "
The arrangement Of the city is next
outlined:
"There being no hindrance to the
natural growth of the city, il has ar
ranged itself in a natural manner.
Along the riveis as far back Us Third
street, the wholesale business Of the
town is done Here are rows of tall
brick stores and warehouses; here are
the post Office, the exchange, the court
house; here are the mills and the fac
tories, which must be near the river.
All the hustle IN | clatter Of the place
are confined to these three or four
streets nearest the water, and to the
streets crossing them "a strip of the
town three miles long, and q quarter of
a mile wide. Fourth street contains
the principal retail stores, many of
which are on the scale Of Broadway
Here the ladies Of St Louis replenish
and exhibit their charms, fitting from
store to store Fifth street is also
street of retail business; bat beyond
that line the city presents little but
vast extent of residences, churches,
pubic institutions and vacant lots;
these last being so numerous that the
town could double its population with
out taking in much more Of the prarie
From the cupalo Of the Court House.
the city appears an illimitable .expanse
of brick houses, covered always with a
light smoke from forty thousand fires
OF bituminous coal.
The prominence Of the Roman Cath
olic Church in ST. Louis naturally at
tracted Mr.. Partons attention. He
says:
The property Of the church, in
buildings and land, is estimated at ff-
teen millions Of dollars. From single
tent in which the mass was first cele-
brated on the site of the city one hun
dred years ago, succeeded soon by
small church Of logs, the number Of
places Of worship has increased, until
now there are twenty-nine Catholic
Churches and chapels, while no other
sect has more than nine Mn have
the Catholics there wasted their re-
sources in the erection Of churches pre-
maturely splendid The force OF the
church III ST. Louis is expended in the
education Of youth, in the care Of the
slck in reclaiming the fallen, in proYid-
ing refuge for the unfortunate
He then gives some interesting sta
tistics to prove his assertion, but con-
cludes
The great free West, however, viii
never be Catholic, since the nc edible
doctrines Of that Church neuttalize the
power Of its exquisite organization, and
lts organization is SO inlerwoyen with
its doctrines that the church cannot re-
wise them without destroying itself The
western man VIII never abdicate his
right to think Tie priest may indeed
convert the howhng deryishes If tire
.amp-mecting into orderly worshippers, I
and may allure the negro by the splen-
i0r Of his sestinents and the pomp Of 1
bis ceremonies; but the intelligent and
ruling minds Of the West will be forever
beyond his reach.
The basis Of the civilization Of ST /
Louis, then. is Catholic. But the pro-
-srse AL ,,g.rs,,aifrto, spsfs...4s,,.,.- q, -.