24–26 February 1855 • St. Louis, Mo.
(Muscatine Tri-Weekly Journal, 9 Mar 55, UCCL 09994)
St. Louis, Feb. 24, 1855.
An arrangement has been made by which our California mails will go direct from St. Louis to San Francisco without being [overhauled ]at New‐York as has heretofore been the [case]. By the new plan, considerable delay will be avoided. Hereafter, our California mails will be made up and dispatched eastward on the 15th and last days of each month.1
Washington’s Birth‐day passed off rather tamely here, a military parade and a speech or so, making up the transactions of the day.
A heavy Banking House will be opened in St. Louis in a few days, to be called the Missouri Savings Institution, by Messrs. Chouteau, Harrison, Valle, Pratte, [Berthoud], Sam Gaty, Giles F. Filley and Chas. S. Kennet—all [gentlemen ]of high standing and wealth. It is supposed that this Bank [will ]wield a great influence in the commercial affairs of St. [Louis].2
Messrs. Smith, Kennedy & Co., who were fitting up an extensive clothing and furnishing store on fourth street, were arrested and committed to jail on the 22d, charged by their Philadelphia creditors with obtaining goods under false pretences. The goods were sold at auction on the day following for the benefit of the creditors.3
A man was found lying on the [side walk ]in [Main ]street yesterday morning, badly frozen, and apparently in a dying condition. His nose, [feet], ears and hands were entirely frozen. He was taken to the Police office, and from thence to the City Hospital. His name could not be ascertained.4
It was reported yesterday that a riot was in progress among the laborers on the seventh section of the North Division Railroad, the result of a “strike” for higher wages. A Deputy Sheriff with a [posse ]of policemen was dispatched to the spot to quell the disturbance; but finding that nothing serious had occurred, ten men were left to keep order, and the balance returned to the city.5
A panorama of Australia, China, and the Japanese Expedition, is now on exhibition at Wyman’s Hall, which far exceeds any thing of the kind in beauty, interest, excellence, and truthfulness to nature, which it has ever been my good fortune to witness. One portion of this painting in particular, (and it was all good)—a sun‐set scene in China—was [enchantingly ]beautiful: even more so than Muscatine sun‐sets in summer.6 This is a home work. It was commenced, [carried ]through, and [finished, in ]St. Louis, by a St. Louis artist, Mr. Boneau, a worthy follower in the [foot-steps ]of Pomarede and [Banvard]. If ever you have the opportunity, do not fail to visit the panorama.7
The negro girl Chlo Ann Harris, who was arrested and brought before the Criminal [Court ]as a runaway slave, some three weeks since, and discharged by that Court, on the ground that the proper forms of law were not carried out in making the arrest, was yesterday taken before the Law Commissioner’s Court on a writ of habeas corpus, tried, and again discharged. It was proved beyond a doubt that she was a free girl. She had entered the State without a license, and was passing as a slave to avoid the consequences of this breach of the law. She will doubtless be more careful in the future.8
[Highly ]important news was received from New Mexico this morning. The Indians are becoming worse and worse, and seem to have things pretty much their own way on the frontier. Fourteen men were butchered, and a number severely wounded at the Pueblo of Arkansas, and the women and [children ]carried off by the savages. The work was perfect, the whole settlement being broken up and the inhabitants murdered. The Utahs and [Apaches], the tribe said to be the perpetrators of this massacre, seem determined upon the destruction of the whites, and unless a check is put upon them soon, terrible consequences will ensue. The people of Texas and New Mexico are greatly alarmed and excited, and a general breaking out of hostilities is anticipated.
Capt. Newell of the First Dragoons fought a band of Muscarilla Apaches at the Sacramento mountains, on the 20th ult. Four white men (Capt. H. W. Stanton and three privates,) and twelve Indians were killed in the skirmish.
General Garland has called into service against the Indians five companies of volunteers, for a term of six months, and has asked Congress to defray the expenses.
Maj. Cunningham, Paymaster at Santa Fe, was attacked in his [quarters ]by robbers, who, after taking from him the key, unlocked the safe and took therefrom $40,000, Government money. A Mr. Chavis was also robbed of $2,000.9
Our eastern mails are again delayed, on account of snow on the Chicago route.
st. louis market.
Very little produce in market. A little doing in wheat for future delivery. Not much flour in market—tending upward. It is said $9 were declined for a lot of city extra, to be delivered in thirty days. In bacon and buckwheat small sales are reported; 75 bales good undressed hemp sold at $100; 20 do prime $105 per ton. Galena lead, soft, $5 55, Missouri [do, $5 50]. Flour—sales [at ]$9; $8 refused for city mills superfine; 25 bbls unbranded $7 50. Wheat $1 50a$1 65; corn—mixed 65; white 70c. Oats 50a60c. Whisky advancing—no sales. Bacon—shoulders 5c; ribbed sides 6c; hams 8c per [pound]. Hogs 4 1-2a5 3-4c. Freights to New Orleans—flour $7 1-2; pork $1 25; whisky $1 50; corn 60c per sack. Pound freight 45a55.—Stock $11.10
S. L. C.
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
No colored person could live in this State without a license,
and these licenses were to be issued only to certain classes
of them; moreover, bond, not exceeding a thousand dollars,
had to be given in security for good behavior. The negro was
not allowed to retain in his possession the license or other
free papers, though he could obtain them in the event of his
moving from one county to another, as they had to be filed
with the clerk of the county court where he resided. No free
negro or mulatto could emigrate into the State or enter the
State unless in the service of a white man, or for the
purpose of passing through. In either case the time that he
could remain in the borders was limited. If he stayed longer
he was liable to arrest, a fine of $10, and
expulsion. If the fine was not paid he was further liable to
not more than twenty lashes, and the court could either
order that he immediately leave the State or else hire him
out until the fine, costs and expenses of imprisonment had
been paid for by his labor. (Conard,
5:604–5) Chloe Ann Harris’s release came on 23 February when her papers
arrived from Mount Pleasant, Ohio (St. Louis Evening
News: “Slave Case,” 1 Feb 55, 3;
“Interesting Slave Case,” 24 Feb 55, 3). Clemens
probably had the 1855 laws in mind in 1876, while writing chapter 6 of
Huckleberry Finn. There Pap Finn inveighs
against the “govment” for refusing to sell
“a free nigger” from Ohio “till
he’s been in the State six months” (see HF, notes to 33–34).
Source text(s):
Previous publication:
L1, 50–53; Branch 1984, 4–5.
Provenance:unknown. The file of the Muscatine Journal in the P.
M. Musser Public Library, Muscatine, Iowa (IaMu), presumably the one kept by the publisher, does not
include this issue.
Emendations and textual notes:
overhauled • over-|hauled
case • casc
Berthoud • Bea-|thoud
gentlemen • gentlem[e]n
will • wil
Louis • L[o]uis
side walk • side wall
Main • Main Main
feet, • feet‸
posse • pesse
enchantingly • enchnntingly
carried • carriEd
finished, in • finished. in
foot-|steps • footsteps
Banvard • Bauvard
Court • Cour[t]
Highly • Htghly
children • chidren
Apaches • Apachas
quarters • quartsrs
do, $5 50 • do‸$5, 50
at • a[t]
pound • pouud