A TRIP TO ST. LOUIS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8098, 29 September 1904, Page 2

A TRIP TO ST. LOUIS.

AT THE WORLD'S FAIR.

(By "F.H.H.")

(Continued.) Yesterday (Sunday) we visted the town for the first time, and the suburbs are very nice, good houses, fairly wide streets, all planted with trees and nice lawns coming right down to the edge of the pavement; but the business part of the place has narrow, dirty streets, smoke-dried houses, and a generally miserable appearance. The population of St. Louis was in 1902 621,000, and is now considerably more. It is situated on the west bank of the Mississipi, and extends for about 20 miles. The town proper is really 17 miles long, north and south, and six miles wide, east and west. The streets arc in blocks (100 houses to a block) and are all numbered, starting from Market street. ifor instance, 401 N. Broadway would indicate that it is located four blocks north of Market street, and the same to the south. The numbers on streets, £. and W., stand west of the river. The fair grounds are numbered 6QOQ W-, just- six miles from the river. The tram ride for this distance is 5 cents, the cheapest thing in the country. In the afternoon we went for a trip down the Mississipi river for some 20 miles, putting us somewhat in mind of our trip on the Monuwai in Wanganui, only that these boats arc somewhat larger accommodating 4000 passengers. It has three huge decks. The lower has a bar, also an orchestra, and dancing; the middle floor has a promenade, with gambling and other slot machines doing a thriving trade; also bars, curio shops, etc. On the upper deck chairs are provided and black waiters flit about singing out "Drinks and refreshments." Upon starting they toll ,a big bell that sounds like a funeral knell. The name of the boat is the "Cowin H. Spencer," and we had the whole trip for 25 cents. It pays them well too, lor it took us half an hour to get clear of the boat, going down the gangway six abreast. • 1 have only come across three New Zealanders here, and neither can I' come across many names in the visitors' book in our court. Am afraid that our people omit this important item, which is the best way of letting your friends know you aro here. While I think of it, let me advise male visitors to wear a celluloid collar in this country; he will find it cooler and more pleasant, and it won't be a dirty wet rag each evening, and it will be a great saving in washing.

Really, up to now I don't think much of this "great and glorious country," nor do I think they can give us many points in smartness; and, to tell you the truth in all its bareness, 1 have been rudely disappointed in the Americans and in their country.

I sent through my portmanteau from 'Frisco, and gave up check on landing here to a so-called up-to-date carrier, had to wait two days before I got it, had a fee to pay of 40 cents and carriage 75 cento! If you go in to buy anything you will pay all prices for the same' article. I haven't had (scarcely) a decent meal in the place. '" They half-starve you with their silly dishes, and you often have to wait pretty well an hour before you can get what* you want. There is no tobacco in the country but chewing kinds and a cut-up mixture in bags. None of the American tobaccos available in New Zealand are to be had for love 1 or money here. v

If Mr Donne could only have had a representation of Whakarewarewa or Milford Sound, with good surroundings;' fixed up here, he would have paralysed 'em.; but ho wjll know what to 'do in future, 1 11 bet. .We visited Burns' College, and saw many historical and valuable relics of Scotland's great and revered poet— a caste of his skull taken by Mr Kerr, puwttter, of Dumfries, in 1834, and one ot the only two taken; pewter mugs that he drank out' of , some- furnjtur.e, etc. We. wSnt into .the "Holland" house, and saw Rerhbrandt's famous picture, "The Night Watch," siise 15 x & feet| « and the largest, on the grounds j saw th« "Alaska" house, and had -a hurried look through the exhibits— a piece ot ambexgris, looking like beeswax, be^iijjlwn 60 dollars up, gojd and othei minerals, etc, etc. ' <*«V • Accidents an&sj*jbg]y occurrence. On Saturday a moot^iKfci one of the can got knocked off, WWkcar took charge "» d wiHg?* » ipS^Sfeiber of people a ciftefcm? &to 3!S; '?P*^ rf *y' trough rttn *o Jscjj!iessly here 'foajt itwa «»U «t B S" ! lFy^ Mfc ourselves get home ings of Austria, Belgium, and others, with tlieifc various rooms of beautiful and instructive exhibits. TW of the British a * ver y large and fine building, •nd garrisoned by a staff of Londp^