The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-09-08
MODERN TRAVEL
Advantages Over the GA Moaee
OF TranaiA
The Marked Contrast Bsevesn eAo Moth
ods q TsanspoeeaAion Yiny Years A
Ago end Those Of the


tween 81. Louis and Chicago, owe,
which passengers are 10 be conveyed IN
less than three hours. e1cites a,naie.
ment when contrasted with the methods
OF transportation IN existence ffty years
ago.
As contrast, the following instances.
found IN the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
among hundreds more of like charac.
ter may be cited IN illustration Of the
great changes In transit that have re-
placed those Of pioneer dayss
In 1926 twenty-five companies Of req
ular troops which had been for some
time stationed on Green bay, some
seventy-fave miles north Of Chicago, re-
ceived marching ORDERS 10 proceed TO
st. Louis With the present facilities
od transportation The trip could be
made IN ten or twelve hours, but at
that time It consaill.cd more than twice
that number Of days, though made
wholly by water. A suitable number
OF boats were constructed for the ex-
petition. The troops embarked on the
bay. through which they proceeded,
then up the Fox river to Q portage Of
twenty-five hundred yards, over which
the boats were carried into the Wiscon-
sin river. whence they again embarked
and proceeded without interruption to
the Mississippi, and thence to position
on its banks ten miles below st. Louis,
where Jefferson barracks was soon after
established. .'-'.s
Coming down to Q later period, q
Scotch agriculturist Of East Lothian.
Patrick Shirreff, gives an Interesting
account OF his tribulations In journey
from Chicago to St. Louis In 1884. On
reaching Chicago he found the mail
wagon that passed down the Illinois
river had set out q few hours before
and was the only conveyance In that d.
rection. He could not think Of remain
ing week waiting for the wagon"
and. not finding q suitable horse to pur-
chase, he engaged Chicago man to
take him portion of the route, but the
latter, on reaching the door of his ho-
tel the next morning, insisted on rails
ing the fare, when Mr.. Shirreff, indiQ-
nant at this attempt at imposition,
shouldered his knapsack and trudQed of
on foot, depending on chance rides and
such conveyances as the country afford
ed He waded streams, and at length
arrived at Pekin-on-the-Hill For three
days he had been without shoe-ties,
both having broken after leaving Chi
cago, and the bark Of trees was substi-
tuted. He made application for sup
ply at different stores In Pekin, but
without success. In one instance he
found the storekeeper stretched at full
length, with his back on the counter
and his feet touching the roof. He an
'wered inquiry about shoestrings dryly
without altering his position.
At Springfield he boarded small
stage. leaving at nine a. m., and
reached Jacksonville about sunset The
next day the stage reached Alton after
1ightfall. The hotels were crowded,
Ind the passengers stretched them
elves on the chairs for the night. He
proceeded to ST. Charles, where he
ound a conveyance to st. Louis, visit
ng the mounds and the markets. He
ounted sixteen steamboats, on the
liver, exclusive OF the one plying as a
erryboat The town then consisted of
wo streets Of brick houses, running
arallel to the river, and a row Of
torres built OF stone fronting the river.