The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-06-16
LErTER FROM ST. LOUIS.
The ~TmpreBBtops Of . Flsit0P-HOW
10 LOOEB-Iss TFsde, Streets, River
Street Cars Prospective Greatness

vas on Saturday last, when 1 passed
through it, Yesterday / returned to
do it up as the country boy did,
who, with ginger cake IL his INST,
went e" gawkiDg about. Well I've
done considerable gawking' but
the ginger bread has been eaten else
where than upon the streets.
Of course, the first impression IS
this is q great city; and, after you 90
your own private wondering, and talk
with some of its communicative busl-
ness men, you are satisfied this IS. 10
deed, Il be the Empire clty Of the West
or the Tadmor through which IS to
pass the wealth and travel not only of
East and West, but a great deal of
that from North to South.
Ii already extends over IN immense
area. I have been told that 1t Is
twelve miles along the river and some
three miles back from it. It's wharf
age and steamers greatly exceed, L
should judge, that of Cincinnati, as
also the number of its business
houses, though it seems to me there
IS not the same amount of push
as 10 Cincinnati, l.. e they do not
seem TO rash business here as they do
there. This seeming may arise from
their not being crowded together in
the same narrow limits as in Cincin-
natl.
Pity here, as in nearly all our grow
ing cities at the West, that so few of
The streets are broad enough to &C
oommodate the travel. Even now, in
st Louis, there is constant stoppage
and ENHANCEMENT of vehicles on the
most %frequented thoroughfares.
Street railroads are, of course, a
main feature SIS they are also a neces-
sity in a large city. What. would we
poor people. who cannot on every
occasion hire a hack, do when wanting
to make a call on a friend, first In one
end of the city, and then another,
and miles apart, but for the street
cars2 Along with the man that in
vented sleep, blessed be the man that
invented street railroads and horse
cars. On the Fifth Street ears you
can ride eve miles for five cents,
which is at the rate of about twenty
cents from Evansville to Princeton.
On this line they have a kind of can,
opy ears-You have only a light
frame with canvass top and light mus
lin curtains to keep off the suns rays.
They look pleasant; you feel free IN
them Of course they will not an
swer for stormy weather.
Fifth Street is the grand downtown
promenade, and has on 1t stores rival
ing those of Eastern cities. From
here, at the corner 81 Washington
Street, you see the ruins of the LiR-.
dell Hotel, burned some fifteen months
ago. 1t looks grand, even In its ruins.
No attempt has been made to rebuild
il, its owner having died. In the rear
of these ruins, facing upon Fifth
Street, they are putting up their first
enclosed market house. 1t will be an
ornament to the city.
In the way of pavement Is, both Of
street and sidewalks, they are making
experiments of all kinds. OF the
streets, the principal make material is.
macadamizing with limestone. But
this ear through and powders under
excessive travel, and thus the dust
deep. and, in a breeze or gale of wind.
terrible, Is worse than our Evansville
dust ID August. The Wilderness also
causes a glare, painful and peruicious
10 the eyes. 4
Iron IS eabout played out, although
stlIl untsken up IN many parts. 1t Is
dangerous, not only to horses, but
also to pedestrians. The Nicholson
pavement is a favOrite, because Of its
smoothness and noiselessness. though
they are complaining already of It's
early decay under constant use, and the
difficulty, practically, OF properly re-
pairing il. A new experiment IS be-
ing tried. 1t Is the use of prophecy
rock, brought by rail from the neigh.
Sorhood OF Pilot Knob. Used as a
MdcQdcBg, it is almost as hard as
granite. Had they bOWliers, it is
thought by many, II would be prefer
on all streets where the travel, or
rather heavy carriage il incessant.
And that reminds me to say that |
never saw such immense loads drawn
az ! see here; FIVE hogsheads of to-
baeco, or three or four tons of coal,
OF a perfect mountain of bacon
clear sldes"-in a single wagon, and,
as you may suppose, the show of fine,
heavy built horses and mules is per-
maps reater than any other Ameri-
can city. OF course, with these for
heavy draught purposes, and the
matches that are driven by the
ar~lstocratical, is correspondingly good
and ' fancy"
st. Louis Is certainly bound to be a
vast centre of commerce and business
Of all kinds. / never read Parton on
st. Louis. as Published IN the 4tIon-
TIC, but it needs little reflection n
conclude that Chicago can never ont.
rival it. Through this place mnst
come the commerce Of the PacifC
shore and its islands, and also of tbf
East Indies, China, japan, &c. II,
y hridres over IL MissisSinni viii r.