The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-11-24
letter from BlOomIngtOn, Illinois

Letter from BlOOmlngtOlS ILLINOIS,.
BLooMINGroN, ILL.,, Nov. Is, 1868.
Editors Journals
Having little while to lay over"
here, after attention to business, and,
may say, "sloeo bound" / could
think of no better way of passing
time, than penciling your readers
few lines. In the compass of four
short days here, we have had the
climate of each of the four seasons
of the year. Sunday it was as soft
and balmy as Summer, and the ladies
futtered about like butterflies, dis
playing their gay wealth of colors and
flowers. Monday set in with moist.
Spring-like drizzle, cooling down
rapidly as the hours passed on, until
toward evening it was chill, inhos-
pitable rain. Yesterday was stormy
and snowy; by night the ground was
we'll covered, and then the thermome
ter only some ten degrees above zero.
Talk of Evansville having a change
able climatel Fudgel Dame Nature
is feminine, and was woman, any
where or ever, other than chaDgeable?
Bloomington claims to be u live
city, in Mclean County, and near the
centre of the State; and as the fame
of sour indianapolis. particularly as a
railroad centre, has extended hither,
B. is threatening not only TO become
not only the Indianapolis of Illinois.
but that she will outstrip her name
sake of the sister State. 1t strikes US
/ Al. Il, - 40 IL, m
| the importance of the capital of
Hoosierdom. / surprised some of
the natives here when L told them,
confidently, that Evansville was
doomed to be tho first city-the Gin
cinnati-of Indiana. Some Of them
had hardly heard of US, but l told
them we were Chicago-ing in that
direction as fast as we could, and it
could not be helped.
B. is a city of about 300 inhabit-
ants, doing a good business, having
several wholesale houses, who say
they " sell at Neto York quotations, F"
and duplicate invoices OF Chicago
houses. But it is too near the latter
city, and there are too many large
towns within hailing distance to allow
any extravagant growth. 1t Is finely
| u
ing it a fue appearance as you APP
proach it. A greater number of new
residences are going up than any city
| have seen lately, besides our own.
They do not compare with us. Their
public buildings are now the princi-
pal boast. They are erecting q Court
House in the centre of the city, and
occupying the centre of an entire
| r-h tnh 000
to half million. Tt is of white lime
stone or local marble 1t is complete
to the second story. It's marble dome
or cupola will rise to the hight of 145
feet.
The Soldiers Orphans Home A" is
another beautiful building In pro
gress. 1t covers an area of about
$50 by IS feet, four stories high. The
outside walls are of massive stone
looking as if it would defy the ravages
of centuries, and as long as stands
will be grand memorial of the terri
BILE struggle through which the coun.
try passed and the herOism of the Hi.
nois soldiers, who laid down their
lives to transmit a worthy heritage tC
, their own children and ours. 1t viii
t cost over 100000. They talk, also,
OF erecting SO1uioIS mOuuuOuJ VI
} the grounds.
J The next building / think of, is {
grand Roman Cathode Cathedral
covering nearly or quite the same ares
as The Home" and costing as much
Ii is of Gothic architecture and pro
portions. The towers are 120 fee
I high and the spire 175 feet. Every
thing in astyle of exceeding grandeur
J | am told that the people Of B. have
been exceedingly liberal in their con
!, tributions to it, exhibiting a yer,
3 :" Catholic spirit, as a large numbe
of Protestant thinkers aided then
freely, one member of an Evangelical
Church giving no less than two hun
/ dred dollars.
/ BY the by, as / worshiped in tn,
{ First Methodist Church here on Sun
day evening, may say that this il
/ the church over which our good
} Brother Andrus bad charge, and tha
: his memory is still fragrant. The,
. loved him greatly-only one or TIVE
> of them told me he went away prom
Using to give them his carte de photo
1 qraphe." but didn't do it, and L nov
r say to him, on their behalf, " Hurry
! up those pictures, Brother Andrus
r You are good looking enough to bt
honest"