Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-09-23
Correspondence of the Beacon.)
ST.. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 1875.

Correspondence Of the Beacon)
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 1875.
Mr.. Editor Not having seen or
heard Of your valuable paper for some
time. but thinking when in days of
yore" used TO read every week the
valuable news you always have in it, af-
forded me the most extreme pleasure
which i have not forgot to this day
Your correspondents from abroad were
a feature which was particularly inter-
esting to me, and Judging from my ap-
l'recIatlon Of them then, | thought, be-
ing that | was abroad, something from
my pen might be equally interesting TO
your readers now. | don't claim to be
writer, but knowing great many
people, readers Of your paper, and their
generousness, know they will look
over all imperfcctions and find no fault,
or if they do, | can't help it, for / will
try my best and put things down in a
plain, matter of fact way, without that
colorinJ which writers generally adhere
to, which almost oblitcratcs nature from
their works. am now in St. Louis,
justly named the king city of the West,
for it has more population than any city
this side of Philadelphia. Very few of
YOUR readers would imagine that this
comparatively new city had over half Il
million souls in il; but such is the case.
At the close Of the commercial and iu-
dustrial disaster, more severe than any
country has experienced for thirty four
years, it would not have been strange if
u great commercial and manufacturing
city had sustained some loss of trade
and population. 1t is therefore, the
more gratifying TO find that st. Louis
has no loss 10 record, but has even made
marked and rapid progress during the
disastrous year of 1874. Although, as
III almost every city, some branches of
manufacture have been greatly dcprcs-
sed, others have developed so rapidly
and increased so largely in production
that decided aggregate gain results.
The temporary closing of many large
establishments has driven thousands Of
workmen to employment elsewhere for
time, but the growth Of the city i'll
other respects has been So rapid that
there has been considerable increase
la population. The opening of the pew
iron and steel bridge over the Missis-
sIpli river here, the finest IN the L. s,
in July, 1874. with lines of horse ears
connecting with those of the city, and
the extension of horse ears into the
country on this side Of the river, has
tended To draw population during the
last year. especially to residences of less
costly living in East st. Louis. H.,
and beyond tue city limits. The fv,
years OF progress since 1870 has been
remarkable, and the growth in build.
very conclusive character of gain. \
short time makes heap of differenc,
with things generally. particularly il
these Western States. Persons that
had the pleasure of travelling thr ougt
here ten or fifteen Years ago woulj
scarcely recognize it now, things hay,
undergone such panoramic change i'll
the development of civilization. The
great steamboat business on the Mis-
sissippi, which had such sway few
years ago, is now most entirely defunc'
Railroads have usurpcd their place, and
they are on every hand all over the
country, there being no less than eigh.
teen different lines coming III here
which. as u natural consequence, makes
the now olu-fashioned way of travelling
by boat most entirely dead. You cam
get an old river man to say word OF
encouragement for railroads. Years
ago hundreds of boats could he seen ut
one time leaving here daily, but now il
wont average six. And So it is with
most everything. for when keelev. tha,
Philadelphian. gets his moter to work, a.
they will have TO lay steam engines and
locomotives upon "A back shelf. This
town is also the natural lay-off q,
cumming" place for all kinds of peo-
pie. from the wellknown town swell
and dandy To the backwoodsmau. Hun.
tiers, miners, borlermen, cattle herders
and Indians of all kinds can be seen
any day perambulating the streets in
their dirty buckskin costumes and leg.
gings. Most all Of them when they
come in bring money with them, but
they don't have it long. for Us they come
across faro bank (by-the-way, they
are plentiful here "they 60 for en-
rs the saying is, and the consequence i.
thev are left without q nickel 10 30 bach
with to get more, and repetition is sur
to follow.
The latest hobby out here among th,
newspapers is on ''tramps," or foot.
pads, as they are generally called. z
the law is broken in any way now what
ever, or n man killed, beat or robbed
the cry is the tramps did it. All thes,