The Portland daily press., 1869-05-05
DAILY PRESS.
Wednesday Morning, May 5, 1869.
81. John, Where il is, What il is, and
How 10 Go There.
PORTLAND.

anu SOME oIner things particularly i choose |
to give in this mode rather than make a let |
ter Of it, written after was somewhere else. |
The fact is / am not exactly in the editorial
harness Just now and write without me
thodical surroundings and as opportunity oc-
ours.
OF all the goodly steamers in our Eastern
waters presume it is not inapt to remark
that the New England is one of the choicest,
all things considered; and while do most
cordially hate the stereotyped phrases in
which officials are written upD by enthusias-
tic travellers who have received favors, can
not help saying that here is a splendid Field
for fine writing. May the International |
Steamship Company cherish this Field; re-
fuse to shuttle off this mortal Coyle; and save |
its Bacon. Nor must I fail to mention our |
good friends the pilots, for it would be scaly
to forget Pike and intemperate not to com
mend him who is only salt water Bibber.-
When / meet such men confess it is my re-
gret that a delicate constitution forbids the
exercise of naturally demonstratve nature,
as to the good things of this imperfect state
OF existence; but if there he those among my
readers who have beftting appetites for good
living, let me say in my profoundest way, so
to st. John upon the New England.
Imust not forget Eastport, in passing
Especially do l desire to say that the new Ho-
tel, the "Passamaquoddy," is now all ready
for tenant. The last touches, like the bell
hanging, &C., were being gwen last week. 1t
is a very fine affair, with very few excep-
tions equal to any in all this eastern country.
To the right kind of an innkeeper very lib
eral and inviting offer will be made. The
citizens have done noble work in erecting
this house and it will be duly appreciated.
st. John, as everybody knows, is the most
important town in New Brunswick and the
centre of the business of the Province,
at the mouth of the river of the same
name. 1t claims, with its outlying por-
tions, to contain forty thousand inhabitants,
which is probably a triae too large an es-
innate. 1t is too old to learn many new
tricks. but is highly respectable. 1t has one
appearance like some of our large manufac-
turing towns, being overhumg with smoke,
and here the similarity ends. The streets are
not clean and the wide plank sidewalks are
sadly decayed. The whole appearance of the
city is dingy as well as venerable, and truth
will compel any sojourner to admit that the
place does not wear an air of great thrift,
albeit it must be in all the future, as it has
been in the past, an important city. To
Portland and to New England St. John is of
the greatest consequence and the trade is
very large, forming bone of contention be-
tween Maine and Massachusetts, or, more
properly, between Portland and Boston. AT
present Portland sends by far the greater
amount of goods thither but does not bring
| away so much. When the present line OF
steamers was put on the freight from Port
land was unimportant and the passenger list
was very small. Now it is reversed This
fact is most gratifying, but there is need of a
determined effort to make Portland market
1 for Provincial exports as well as a town that
can go ahead Of Boston in selling goods to go
Eastward. We must buy what the Provinces
have to sell if we would have the full benefit
of the trade. 1t is most earnestly to be hoped
that Portland will soon fully realize the inn
| poitance Of this consideration. St John is
also getting to be very fayorably regarded by
our people as sojourning place for summer
travellers, the scenery being very fine. The
good effect of this is apparent in the city
now. Preparation is making for encouraging
this sojourning, and the people take great de-
light in showing all manner of attention to
the visitors, and they have many things of
interest. The boats to Fredericton are
beautiful and capacious and "Indian Town."
the point of departure, is lively place. The
St John river is perhaps the most beautiful
on the continent, if we except the Hudson,
and the travel upon it has increased these last
years almost immeasurably. have said that
| there are few things in St. John. Let me
hasten to say that street railway is being
constructed from the steamer landing, at the
| foot of Prince William street, to the wharf
of the Fredericton boats. some two miles.
This road win be il operation early in the
summer and will be of great consequence to
| the city.
Another very inviting theme to visitors is
the matter of buying something cheap
which can certainly be done in the line of
imported dress goods. Shopkeepers know
the weaknesses of the ladies in this regard,
AMI can ''make up" goods into wearing appa-
| rel with celebrity that annihilates time and
| space, and the way they "freeze to' strangers
is chilling to people of short purses An
other feature OF interest lis the great variety
of goods in the same shops. BARRIERS sell fish
ing tackle and toys and candy-venders dis
play brooms and backing brushes. Indeed,
it is wonderful how few counters deal in any
thing Straight"
But to me politics surpasses all things else
in interest in the Provinces. Our people do
not realize how few talk of annexation and
how firmly they have made ap their minds to
stand by the Dominion government to the ex-
tent of giving it fair trial. They groan
under the accommodating burdens of taxes.
| Think of paying $4,000 10 one man, and
other salaries in proportion! But they say
the English people do not change their minds
suddenly and they steadily refuse to clamor
for repeal yet. Were it not for our debt, an
nexation woule be popular, and it is not
disguised that they fear they may be as badly
off before long. We can afford TO wait, ii we
are really bent upon encouraging this idea We
cannot afford to press it now, and such
speeches as Senator Chandler's are full of
mischief, as well as imposition. Everything
is working well towards solution of the
question that cripples our trade and curses
| all the Provinces. Some day and soon we
must have reciprocity or we must be one, but
| it cannot come of speculation and fillibuster-
ing. Let them work out their own problem.
| It is they who suffer most, and if we love
our friends we shall let them alone as to the
annexation business. | do not think think
there is serious anti-American feeling grow
| ing up but certain it is that within the last
month the annexationists have lost strength.
Many are found who applaud Mr. Galts po-
| sition and who ridicule Mr.. Summers speech,
although they hope there may be no delay IN
the settlement of everything. A little breath
was added to the popular breeze by the order
that came to the troops in the Province to re-
main and to fit out again with horses &c. It
win be remembered that these were sold only
a few DAYS ago. But there will be no war
and no long delay in the good time coming
the integrity of interest in North America.
Nox