Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1869 — Indianapolis. [ARTICLE]

Indianapolis.

From Moudav wonting uutil Thursday morning of la«‘ week wv I ker«*iu Um oily of Indianapolis.— Thw cirizensof thr.t city Art fond ; of calling it the “railroad city,” the “great railr.oA‘l C‘'>M<r of the Wctt,” anti point with iqauifo^tsatisfaction their broad .street*, handsome ■ residence* and extensive mercantile houses justly attributing its prosperity and wealth to (he trade and travel brought thither over the iron highways centering and crossing there, yet, for all this, they are backward in assisting the important roads now projected and only waiting their consent to add still more to the accumulation in their vaults and safes. Indianapolis made splendid progress during the war, but, unfortunately, her people seemed to think the impetus thus received would last forever and they were not prepared for the. renotion brought about by the return of peace. The sudden change fripn noise, bustle and parade to quietude produced a shock for which they were unprepared, and they have not yet fully recovered from its effects, so that to-day about the only indication of prosperity and enterprise visible to a stranger is the interest manifested in public improvements, the latest indication of which is the action es the common council granting a charter for the establishment of water works. Like all men with the consciousness of personal weakness the people are very jealous/>f neighboringcities whose prosperity they envy. This is shown by their opposition to all projected enterprises that may be of possible advantage to other town*.—lt. wag this dread of competition (whether well founded or not) that created the opposition there to the Indianapolis, Delphi and Chicago railroad project. Feeling as they do, that Chicago is a powerful rival, they feared the success of this enterprise would add to the prosperity of their 1 Him,is neighbor while sapping their own strength. In this way their jealousy becomes a stumbling stone over which they trip and bark their shins. One of the crying drawbacks to the prosperity of Indianapolis is its lack of accommodations for the traveller and visiting stranger. The lack of first-class hotels becomes a crying drawback through the efforts of the daily press. We do not remember that a day has dawned in the last three months without some one of the city paperspiaving something in its columns reflecting unpleasantly upon the hotels. This has a bad effect upon the growth and business of the city, as people not unfrequently pass through to other places where they fare no better, driven away by the continued complaints of the papers. Of course much of this fault finding may, and probably does, have foundation, we did not take any pains to investigate the subject and stopped at only one place—the Palmer House. We were well treated during our stay and found the proprietor Col. Jeff. R. Scott, (the Colonel earned his title in the late war and commanded an Indiana regiment) a very pleasant gentleman, attentive to his guests and moderate with his charges, while the clerk, Mr. John C. Woolrich, is entirely free from that superciliousness and lofty grandeur so commonly affected by hotel clerks and so annoying to plain people. Another crying drawback to the general prosperity of Indianapolis is to be found in her newspapers themselves. They are cried by weeping nosed urchins “from early •riaw-n-todewy evo,” Before it-is 1 fairly light in the morning one is saluted with “here’s yer inornin’ pa* pers; Juurn’i an’ Sent’nl;” changed late in the afternoon to “th’ Evenin’ Mirror; - ’ but woe to the hopes of spicy editorials, juicy locals, entertaining clippings, profound review*, fresh news item* or enterprising journalism buiit upon their high sounding titles. The Journal haw the best advantages of any paper in the State. Being at the capital, it in situated to learn everything of importance or interest that transpires in Indiana. At a great railroad center, it has early access to mails from direction*. It is the official of the party in power and receives nil |he State as well m the county and city patron nge, besides now and then getting • “fat take” from the Federal Government, tp say nothing of columns and pages of court advertising. It certainly does not lack the means, And (perhaps old John RoSsfer, of Lafayette, it right in saying the reason it is sb inferior is because

the proprietors are too penurious to employ editorial talent of ability, preferring cheap fledgelings nnd large income to first class writers and commanding position. T! e Sentinel is Ijkc unto rhe but deserving of more charity, as it is the orgnp of the “outs" and receives none of the “per«|n” enjoyed by its more fortunate neighbor.— The Mirror, poor thing ! is like an j ownerless dog, returning snarls for kicks, fawning and wagging its tail for crumbs. Every passer pats it through sympathy if he don't kick it for snooping. Au Ishmaelitc of journalism, its proprietors arc more enterprising than those who control its contemporaries, and it is tint most readable evening paper ever published in that city. Indianapolis hiis not a newspaper commensurate with its advantages and importat co. Indianapolis may lack hotels, as her papers say, but she lack first class newspapers. Iler importance as an inland city and great railroad center, her business, her dignity and her position with regard to the State, all demand an enterprising, first clas} paper, and we have a mind to go there and establish one. Some of our friends do not seem to understand our proposition in regard to the American Stock Journal We repeat that all—whether old subscribers or new ones—who shall pay. two dollars before the firstday of January, 1870, will be entitled to the Rexssei.aei: Union and the American Slock Journal one year.— The regular subscription price of the Union is two dollars and of the Journal one dollar—by paying us in advance our subscribers will receive the American Stock Journal one vear free. Of course persons who are in arrears for their subscription to theUNiox will be expected to pay up their indebtedness before they can avail themselves of this oiler.