The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19

The nfst thing about western town that strikes the stranger is it's evident newness. There is nothing staid about 1t, and nothing to indicate the hoary re- spectability of age. The houses are new and, in many cases hastily constructed. A big, overgrown brick building looms up by the side of a one-room shack, perhaps sheltering a Chinese laundry a restau- rant, and the small shops are numerous. A western town always bears the im- press of the vigorous, stirring life which is so characteristic of that wonderful country beyond the Mississippi. It is free, open and full of hustle. The charac- ter of a town is largely determined by its population, and the people of western towns are always picturesque, always in- teresting. The spirit of action seems to permeate the very air. There is usually something going on, and even on the dull est days, one can see that the town is far from being dead.
 Some western cities are pretty, but a western town, never. A great many of the small towns of the west are pic- turesque places. but they could not be called beautiful, neither are they attrac-
 
 which they offer to the person tired of the sedateness and restrictions of the east. few boast of paved streets, but such improvements are rare, and in the winter season most of them present a dreary aspect of mud
 These coming cities" as the real es- tate men designate them, are built in such rush that strange as well as Judi crous dispositions of the primitive and up-to-date are some times seen. Ere quentiy the buildings are not numerous enough to house the various institutions of the enterprizing citizens so that they are hard put to it to find accommoda- tions for their municipal and commer- cial concerns. In one forlorn little town out on the bare plains of Wyoming this is capitally illustrated. The most conspicu- ous building In the very limited collec- tion is a one-story frame store house which is adorned by the following legend, painted in big black letters Saloon, Bil- Hard Hall and Board of Trade"
 Ogden Representative.
 Of the Western towns, Ogden, Utah, Is one of the most representative. At first glance one would think that it had ar most 5000 inhabitants, but 1t boasts of about 15,000, and is therefore entitled to rank among the cities. A population of 15000 means a lot of people in the west and Ogden Is the second town in Utah, Salt Lake City forty miles distant be- ing the first. These two cities are all that Utah possesses.
 Even in Ogden, which puts on the airs of city, and claims to be a railroad cen- ter these characteristics mentioned are much in evidence. In the first place, the passenger station is finer, larger and bet ter acquipped than those of many south ern cities, but you have to wade through a sea of mud to get to 1t. Passing along the street, you pause before not very inviting shop which displays a restaur- ant sign. You enter with misgivings and find yourself In a handsomely furnished cafe, where every delicacy is served and also where you can spend $5 for a meal before you know it. Next door there is probably a cheap saloon or foul-smel1- ing junk shop. The order of business es- tablishments in Ogden, along one of the streets, in particular, is something like this Saloon. restaurant pawnshop, sec ond-hand -clodings," saloon, Chinese laundry, pool-room, and another saloon,
 Broad Streets.
 As there is plenty of room, western towns are laid off with broad, regular streets when they are laid off at all, and Ogden is no exception. After leaving the handsome station, which Is also a hotel one comes across another elegant little hostelry, and then the series of cheap shops, saloons, etc, just next door. Turn Ing a corner the visitor is startled to find himself on a broad, busy thoroughfare crowded with people and well filled with handsome brick stores, conspicuous among them the huge establishment of the Mount Zion Cooperative Mercantile company, branch of the Mormon store at Salt Lake City. For a moment one could almost imagine himself in a large city were it not for the open plain visible a few blocks down the street and the bleak mountains near at hand.
 Ogden has several fine hotels, very good theater, one or two bobtailed electric cars and even a small public library but withal 1t Is rather woody in some respects and there are many conveniences of life which it lacks. Also 1t Is one of the most picturesque towns to be found in the west
 The most striking feature of all western towns, and of Ogden in particular, is the population. It Is strange mixture of all kinds of interesting characters. There are young mining engineers from the east, broad shouldered, sun-burned, genial fellows, who love the free, independent life they lead. and declare boastingly that they would rather live in mining camp than in the best city of the land. Then there are always a few of the former ''bad men, characters almost ludicrous now since the strong arm of the law has humbled them. These boosting fellows,