, 1874-05-16
The Appearance Of the Professo
Of Music.
The Excitement Of the Town---Hi
Courtship.
Organization OF the Brass Band--. The
Grand Discovery.


When the railways began to overrun the broad
prairies Of the West, and to fasten together tho
hitherto somewhat Helf-snbslstent communities
in bonds Of general interest, they dealt 3 DEATH
blow to many Of ths aspiring inland towns,
which hid up to that time preserved sort OF
feudal mastery over the section in which they
are located, while, on the other hand, the ne"
order OF things, coming III with the locomotive,
inspired othor places with vitality aud life.
Among the old towns Of the Vast, old only by
comparison, however, that realizedin themselves
the damaging effect Of the new methods Of civi-
lixetion and progress, as oxemplaod BY the xail-
way lines, was
noted in an early day as the centre Of the "Dig-
gings" or lead regions Of Northwestern illinois,
and drawing to itself. from its location and un-
portance. and its river connection, the lon'a
share Of tho traffic OF the surrounding country
and the Upper Mississippi Wiley.
Tho town lies inland only few miles from the
Mississippi River, With which it is connected by
stream which was then navigable. Fever 1hv-
er. OF Galepa River, as it WAS subsequently
named at meeting OF seh-reapecting towns
men, has no ambiguous courae, but Winds lts
placid way over the level bottom lands turning
bithar and tLitLer to compass the projecting
bluffs that f1own at each other across it's mild
sarface,-which wears perpetual smile, as If in
vain effort to appease the giant hills that sur
round it,--and finally finds an uueyentful isaue
in the hrosd boaou OF the Father Of 1Vatsrs
Itself.
THE BLUFFs
eroken of-and they are sto1ehouses Of hidden
mineral weaIth-were found so obstinate thai,
whom the railway was projected, rle contractors
found their easiest method OF dealing with them
to be in the nature Of compromise, znd there
fore they followed the course o. the river. dig
ging only deep enough into tho sides of the hills
to secure safe loagment for their tramways.
not attempting to cut through their strong
bosoms.
Their sides, however, we're richly covered with
soil, and as this was cut away and fell into tue
river below, and was followed By tho vaahings
from tue long rains, it gradually filed up the
channel Of tho stream. debarrlng the entrance Of
the larga steamboats,, then Of tie smaller - stern-
wheelels." as they ara called and finally of any
steamcraft whateTer; 60 that, watle the railway
itself was practically demonstrating the system
Of navigation to be unequal to iho wants Of the
age. it paralyzed the commerce OF Galepa By de-
slroring its feeder, whose decnte antcnnB
stretched to the great river, and thence 20 nl the
nor1d, for town built upon nayigable stream
is on tho llchwav to nj portf.
DECAY OF THE TOWN.
And 30 Ga!eoa, under this double blow. psssed
into decay and forgetfulness, many cities have
doue before. Ii rag robbed,~bY thn RAILWAY. not
QUIZ OF its COMMERCE which 1t ha1 gained. but OF
its hirthright which it had by nature. Prior to
this time it had led all its compearsin enterprise
and thrift. Its businessmen were noted far aud
neae for sagacitv and fair dealing and it's society
WIS held to be the best in the West. 1t wxs not
an unusual sight in those days to see dozen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS they were frequently
termed By their imaginative omners-on the
pacards which announced their time Of de-
parturo for Northern or Southern portH-sunnlng
their noses on the long, low-lying 1evep, where
cords Of rig lead, and bales, bagB, and boxes Of
home produce lay ready for shirment. while
rccres Of stevcdores or deck-hands brought
forth from tho capacous depths OF the hold and
lower cabins OF tho steamers the f1it8 and pro-
ducts Of MANY climes.
But from this enlivenins ecene the town hna
now turned quite away. It's present aspect is
houses clustered along the levee are now vacant
and abandoned to the rats. The rattle OF
cobblo-sfoue etreets. Tho sigma that
still bang over the doornars are
Of the raet. From thriving and ANIMATED In
land port it has passed into demure village
destined to be looker-on at the new order OF
progress, and finding its CHIEF glory in the past.
It enjoys IN fact; sleepy oid age, IKE one VINO
has done l,l5 work Well a1a. secure IN ms ne1Gh-
bors' good wall, gives little teed TO what the
modern generation has to attend 70, oeinE rstnef
car.'oas 1han otneE"lf5 u. noAtoIs.
In the DAYS OF lte prlue II looked oo"n WIN
eomo contempt on such pretent'ona npstarts as
Chicago, which had indeed l., ilttle 10 commend IT.
being nut sort OF eana-h:il stat'on On tne greas
stage route to the Eldofauo o. the Heet' ono
may even imagine the look OF surprised 1nd!ena-
ton With "h'ch the Old T1rer Captain ea2ed upon
the first railway tram as 1t passed MS ploodng
vessel putting its slow way to port AZ 1t rushed
bv with shrek OF dlsoa'n md passed
cut OF sight in an instant, anna
wliTl OF dust, much as Il 1t were . rude boy
kicking mp his heels at his venerable graodaire
and calling upon him to resign 10 bis favor. 1t
must have Impressed him with an idea OF ne"
and strange things, and be may have even out
lined upon bis imagination the great teening
railroad city Of the future. aLd hare seen in the
DIM perspective tho crumb1ing ruinG OF the aua-
bilious and important river town.
HER soSs AID DAUGHTERS.
Bnt, though the rcialimnortance Of Ga
lena has suffered lea change" and it's star is
on the wane, it cannot be said that its influence
is lost or has even become enfeebled. Its cons,
who have scattered to all quarters Of the couu-
trY. have many Of them become famous in camp
and council, and itE women occupy 10 less high
social ,,oyitions It vab once the proud Boast OF