The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-14
MODERN TRAVEL
Advantages Over the Old Modes
Of Transit.
The Marked Contrast Between the Moth
DDS Of transportation Fifty Years
Ago and Those Of the
Present.

The projected electric railway Be.
| tween ST. Louis and Chicago, over
which passengers are to be conveyed in
less than three hours. excites amaze
| ment when contrasted with the methods
| of transportation in existence fifty 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 10
| placed those of pioneer days:
In 1896 twenty-five companies of req
ular troops which had been for some
time stationed on Green bay, some
seventy-fve miles north of Chicago re-
ceived marching orders TO proceed "a
ST. Louis. With the present facilities
OF transportation the trip could be
made in ten or twelve hours, but at
that time it consumed MORO than twice
that number of days, Though made
| wholly by water. suitable number
of boats were constructed for tho ex-
petition. The troops embarked on tho
bay, through which they proceeded,
then mp the Fox river to 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 it's banks ten miles below St. Louis,
where jefferson barracks was soon after
established.
Coming down to . later period, .
Scotch agriculturist of East Lothian,
Patrick Shirreff, gives an interesting
account of his tribulations in q journey
from Chicago to ST. Louis In 1884. On
reaching Chicago he found the mail
wagon that passed down tho Illinois
river had set out q few hours before
and was the only conveyance in that di-
rection. He could not think Of remain
ing week waiting for the wagon"
and, not finding suitable horse to pur-
chase, he engaged q 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.. Shirren, indig-
nant at this attempt at imposition.
shouldered his knapsack and trudged off
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 a 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
swered inquiry about shoestrings dryly
without altering his position.
At Springfield he boarded q small
stage, leaving at nine a. m, and
reached Jacksonville about sunset. The
next day the stage reached Alton after
nightfalL The hotels were crowded,
and the passengers stretched them
selves on the chairs for the night. He
proceeded to st. Charles, where ho
found a conveyance to St. Louis, visit
ing the mounds and the markets He
counted sixteen steamboats, on the
river, exclusive Of the one plying as a
ferryboat The town then consisted of
two streets of brick houses, running
parallel to the river, and row of
stores built of stone fronting the river.