The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-13


,treet railroads, public parks. opera
1onses &c, and neglectlDg as great
1ecessitv in this day as water works,
,triIres me as being the extreme height
If folly: and the people will discover
sooner or later, to their sorrow,
hat it is as improbable as it is novel.
So far has this great necessity been |
overlooked here that to-day, were a
fire to break out in the upper portion
Of the city, with strong southeast
wind prevailing, the whole town would
be destroyed, if there could be no
more potent opposition brought to
bear than a fire department, with no
supply of water. There are three
organized fire companies here, well /
drilled. but In the name of common
sense what could even we'll drilled
fremen do without a supply of water
to second their efforts? A confagra
ton of two hours duration would ex
haust every bucketful Of water in all |
the public cisterns, aud then further !
supply would be impossible, although |
the city is surrounded by water. |
The neglect on this account Is
the more deserving of con-
demnation. With the river near
at hand and numerous hills we'll
suited for the location Of a reservoir
In the very center of the city, the
work could be done with compare
lively small expense. Omaha has
some elegant residences, finer, doubt
less. than those of any city west of
Chicago; and also has two of the
largest and most conveniently ar
ranged business blocks to be found
within the same limit. 1t supports
three theatres, twelve good hotels,
three of them -class--and with a
$3.50, 600 talked ot-eleven churches.
four of them the largest ediices of
their kind west of the Mississippi,
| few fimsey frame school houses, with
what in Evansville would be the first
| Grammar school, as the highest
| grade. one Select Seminary for
Young Ladies' The City Council has,
however, lately made a donation for
| school purposes, and it Is the in
tention, early in the year, to
erect ten good, substantial brick
school buildings = one in each
ward, which will be a vast improve
ment on those now in use. There are
two hundred and twenty saloons here,
two twelve-table billiard halls, and
six two table ones, one Of which is
conducted and patronized exclusively
by negroes; and numberless beer gar
dens. Rents are outrageously high,
respectable store rooms being held at
from $50 to $3.50 per month, and these
high figures seriously cripple many of
the most active and energetic business
men. Cottages command $50 to $40
| 81 WI 1 ~
nothing less, keeps tue poor mechan-
ic and laboTing man, who receives
starvation wages for killing work
say two or three dollars per day
In a most distressing state OF
non accumulation One of this
class of persons yesterday said to US
sthat the mechanic has no business
west of the Mississippi River, which
is doubtless true. The country has not
been sufficiently developed to encour-
age and support manufactures. For
time the Union Pacific gave en-
ployment to /. 200 men, but now proba-
bly employs about 200. We would be
no friend to the mechanic were we to
, advise him to cross the Mississippi
and come westward, but for the young
man who is willing to pitch in y and
f go about rough and tumble, here
is the country. In Iowa and this
State there is room for millions upon
millions. The former is indeed al
| Empire State; it has undoubtedly be-
g fore it the brightest future of any
r State east of the Rocky Mountains
D | and Nebraska is not far behind it.
2 From Omaha south to the Kansas
D line, and west from the river for f.;
0 distance of few hundred miles, Their,
5 can be found the choicest farmin!
= lands, equal to the very best lands il
: Indiana Timber is scarce, but gOo(
t spring and running water In abund
t ance. The soil IS deep, black loan
and very productive. The climat
e has its sudden changes; yet it is no
D unhealthy as many suppose from tbi
fact. The best farming lands ar
!. lying idle waiting for. industriou
Y occupants. The greatest need of Thu
r country now, is the immigration o
e good farmers to make Nebraska on
9 among the best agricultural States Ii
d the West Fruit growing is a success
: and only needs vigorous prosecution
f to make it lead all other States. Salt
o coal, lime and good building rock il
e abundance.
Y OF Omaha itself, it might be wei
: to say few additional words befor
1t closing this letter. Financially sh
d is sound, and there is no city in til
e world OF its population and prospect
e that has better banks, more reliabl
n mercantile houses and more hon
2, orable and active business men. Their
are-tWo daily papers published in tn
Z city-one Republican and the othe
o. Democratic Both of them are larg
! and ably represent a city of 5000
/, inhabitants. There are a large mum
10 Der of monthly and weekly publica
h tons also, leading among which W
e are pleased to note the Central Uai0
. Agriculturist and Mss satri Vale
J. Farmer, edited by Jeremia
5, Benin. ESD. gentleman we
e known Ia Evansville as a cult
e waited scholar and energetic mar
. He was the founder of the presen
re furnishing institution known as tn
h Evansville Business College" an
l. conducted it for number Of years; /
at fact, until lie removed to this cit!
O. We notice no changes in him, In tn
years that have elapsed since thel
" and we are glad to note that he
IL in his proper enterprise, meetin
- with greater success than his mo,
= Il sanguine hopes had led him to e1
80 80 pect. The Agriculturist is worthy
II rank among the Oldest publication
: OF the country, and has a brillial
~ future before it. We recommend
i even to the farmers in the vicinity
"A Evansville, and especially those WI
= purpose, In the next year or two, r
IF moving to thei West. CLAUDE.
st