Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-07-02
A KANSAS o1rY LETTER.
KANxAs CITY, June 18.

{ other portions of the city, shows J
ne SO many sights that l am COM +
,letely bewildsred. but hope, ere q
lose my letter, to extricate myself t
rom my confusion. try to appear l
to {
CITY LIFE, Is
md whenever q friend shows me any {
hing which he seems to think {
hould regard as something unusual
,r marvellous, as for instance the
,clectric light-which, by the way, is
. wonder-I shrug my shoulders, and
lnconcernedly say, "fooh; l saw
hat when 1 was in st. Leuis," and at
,ther things he may point out, in
form him that I saw them in Chicago.
Ny acquaintances here endeaver to
show me behind the scenes of city
life, and though appreciate it l pre-
tend to have seen it all, as 1 don't
like to be thought "gray." l ask
them why they tell me of whom and
of what to beware. as I lived for six
years in New York city but am
careful not to tell them it was the
first six years of my life.
Scarcely any one, at this late day.
talks about
THE FLOOD, 1
which, recently. WAS the principal
theme of nearly everX.body's con-
vsrsation yet evidence of the great
damage it did, is still plainly visible,
particularly when looking at Harlem,
Just across the river from here. Most
of the houses which are to be seen
are wrecked and are heaped up. here
aud there, in piles, the debris not
having been cleared away; and on
this side of the river there is also suf-
fcient evidence to show that great
damage was done-mostly to the
poorer class who lived along the river
bank, aud many of whom were left
in destitute circumstances after the
raging waters had subsided. gre
Ihave talked with quite number
of persons about the extent to which
smallpox really exists here, aud 30.
MATERIALLY DIFFERENT y.
are their answers to my question:
that can give you no definite in
formation gu this point. don't be-
iieve, however, any great danger neeG
be apprehended, for, Though the dis
ease is undoubtedly here, 1t is no
epidemic, aud every y,precaution is be
ing taken to prevent its spreading
Many persons whs feel indisposed he
come unnecessarily alarmed, for fea
tho dread disease has attacked them
: which. in my oplmion. accounts, to
great degree, for the grossly exas
xerated reports as to the number o
persons afflicted with it.
A building beom seems to hav
taken possession of the place, an
everywhere business houses and res
licences are going up. There are,
think, some as elegant establishment
here as there are in many of the large
cities, chief amoug them the new
RIDGE BLOCK,
built by DR.. j. M. Ridge, who
known i'll your county, being relate
to the Ridges there. 1t is really a
elegant structure. and one of whic
Kansas City feels proud. DR.. Ridg
owned property on Ninth and Wa
nut streets, opposite the site of IL
custom house, which he disposed I
for handsome sum. His new bull,
Ing is on Main street.
If work progresses as rapidly
the future as it has progressed in IL
past, 1t will not be, am certai
more than seven or eight hundrt
years before the
CUSTOM HOUSE
is completed. Now, the average eli
zen doesn't seem to know that GO
lie ernment building is to be erecte
here, but the at present unborn ge
erations. after those many years ha,
passed, will view it, no doubt, wi
pardonable pride.
Running in opposition to the sire
60 cars is line of the
HRRDIC WAGONS.
These vehicles are more inviting
the weary pedestrian than the sire
cars, a. they are much cleaner al
appear to be more comfortable. Il
fare is the same on them as on {
ears, and enc thing which can
greatly urged in their favor is, tn
you are not likely to be crowded. 4
each side of the drivers seat is
board bearing the word "full." viii
hangs on hinges, the word being h
den from view so long as the wag
is empty, or nearly SO; but as so
as it is comfortably filled, the bes
is lowered, aud the word "full,"
two-inch letters, stsres you in
face, aud the alternatives left you a
wait for the cars. the next Herd
hire carriage or walk. My idea
that il you wish to see anything,
latter is the best means of LOGON
tion. and as l always like to IL
about me. L generally travel owe
city Oh foot. would travel more
rail. were it not tor the fact t
every time I'd meet the train wo
have to leave the track. But the II
die is the boss, and will, am cert,
prove profitable 10 the oompa
Since their establishment there
noticeable improvement in the IN
ners of the car drivers.
The lower end of Grand ave
lip doesn't present the most attrac
appearance, as the buildings ther
are principally dilapidaled shant
One building here, however, wi
is a perfect model of beauty, is
: Grand avenue depot of the
CHICAGO & ALTON R.R.
1t is a two-story brick, tinishe
modern style, and shows that "
ever the q. & A. does it does =,
Its arrangement is convenient. al
is, in fact. just such depot as
who knows the Alton road woul.
n con rho altcn3a IN,