The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-05-15
THE CITY OF LUMBER.
A "Bazoo" Reporters Visit to
Hannibal Brings Forth q Few
Suggestions.

Suggestions.
A BAzOo reporter accidentally happened
into the city On the father of waters, at the
north end of the X. Il T. railroad, recent
ly, and as great deal has been said OF
Hannibal as q competitive point of Sc
daiia, perhaps a few notes of the business
and dOings Of the town may net be amiss,
al the same time the reporter pens the arti-
Gle with trembling hand for fear he may
incur the wrath Of The cosmopolitan jour-
mails published in that city.
In entering Hannibal from this point,
over the K. & I. road, the stranger is not
favorably impressed With the appear
ance OF things. After passing the stock
yards, which are located about three miles
from the union depot, in the suburbs of
the city, the route is through one continu-
Gus lumber yard, which shuts of all view
of the city proper, and alter this weary So
journ Of three miles, the unsophisticated
passenger is let loose at the union depot, a
very beautiful and imposing building,
wherein is found hotel, a restaurant and
other avenues of accommodation. Rut it
is necessary to say right here that except
you be wealthy you need not apply. Seat
yourself at the counter in
the union depot restaurant at Han
nibal, call for anything you want. which
you have to choose from an ocular perusal
Of what is set before you, and then, even if
YOU have only ordered cracker between
two brickbats as a sandwich. begin to feel for
your pocket book for a cyclone is brew
ing which will bring about great change
in matters, you becoming poorer indeed and
the aesthetic restaurant clerk growing fat
upon your hard earnings, for which he
gives you nothing in return except, per-
haps, the photograph Of a chicken, phan-
tom soup, ETC., etc.
Leaving the Union depot, the next place
of note is the Park hotel, kept by the Bliss
Bros, and in fact this is the only 6rst-class
hotel in the city of much lumber, though
several other houses are there that claim
the name of first class" hotels. Of these
the reporter shall not speak, for it is
well known fact that they are unworthy of
notice, only the writer wishes to do Justice
by saying that the Hotel Kettering is q
number one hotel, but situated so near
the railroad that it is rather q dis
agreeable abiding place when
one wishes sleep and rest.
NEWSPAPER.
Hannibal is properly designated as the
newspaper graveyard. AT present the only
two publications there are the Journal,
democratic, and the Courier. republican.
though many an organ has been srted
and found grave in the town that has no
love for the average journalist. Hallock
and Russell, of the Journal. are good news
paper men, both, but tor the want of the
associated press report, their paper is not
up 10 the standard OF the daily paper of
the day. But in justice to these gentlemen
the reporter wishes to impress the reader
with the fact that they are rot responsible
for this low ebb in journalistic enterprise
The people there are easily pleased, and
the business of q Hannibal newspaper
would not justify the expenditure necessary
to secure the press report. Men are always
governed by their interests, and the news
paper men of Hannibal are like other
people-they live for the money they make
and not for the mere glory of the thing.
But while this city is behind
in the newspaper world and
her hotels and restaurants are edu-
Gated in extracting the almighty dollar
from the purse of the unsophisticated
stranger, yet, in some respects, Hannibal is
wonderful young city. She boasts an
opera house second to no city of her size in
the state; she has magnificent churches
her schools are first-class; her retail bust
ness is good, and in the lumber business
she stands second to no city on the banks
of the Mississippi. And taking
it all in all, being quite railroad center,
her lumber business will continuously in.
crease, and ere long place her in the cate
CORY of wealthy city Of much import
ance.
Though Hannibal has not the thrift and
get up Of Sedalia, yet she has more money,
and II her citizens will keep their eyes
open, the reporter predicts for her grand
future. But one thing certain, il she wish
es to become inviting to the stranger, a
general overhsuling in the management of
her hotels and restaurants is necessary, or
the same will continue to give her bad
name. However, the BAzOO wishes her
the fullest extent of prosperity, and looks
forward to the day when her lumber inter-
ests will be noticed by the whole west.