north america-2-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　Pittsburg。　　Now　he　must　again　reach　Pittsburg　too　late　for　his　further　journey。　　But　nevertheless　he　seemed　to　be　well　pleased　with　his　position。　Pittsburg　is　the　Merthyr…Tydvil　of　Pennsylvaniaor　perhaps　I　should　better　describe　it　as　an　amalgamation　of　Swansea；　Merthyr…Tydvil；　and　South　Shields。　　It　is；　without　exception；　the　blackest　place　which　I　ever　saw。　　The　three　English　towns　which　I　have　named　are　very　dirty；　but　all　their　combined　soot　and　grease　and　dinginess　do　not　equal　that　of　Pittsburg。　　As　regards　scenery　it　is　beautifully　situated；　being　at　the　foot　of　the　Alleghany　Mountains；　and　at　the　juncture　of　the　two　rivers　Monongahela　and　Alleghany。　　Here；　at　the　town；　they　come　together；　and　form　the　River　Ohio。　　Nothing　can　be　more　picturesque　than　the　site；　for　the　spurs　of　the　mountains　come　down　close　round　the　town；　and　the　rivers　are　broad　and　swift；　and　can　be　seen　for　miles　from　heights　which　may　be　reached　in　a　short　walk。　　Even　the　filth　and　wondrous　blackness　of　the　place　are　picturesque　when　looked　down　upon　from　above。　　The　tops　of　the　churches　are　visible；　and　some　of　the　larger　buildings　may　be　partially　traced　through　the　thick；　brown；　settled　smoke。　　But　the　city　itself　is　buried　in　a　dense　cloud。　　The　atmosphere　was　especially　heavy　when　I　was　there；　and　the　effect　was　probably　increased　by　the　general　darkness　of　the　weather。　　The　Monongahela　is　crossed　by　a　fine　bridge；　and　on　the　other　side　the　ground　rises　at　once；　almost　with　the　rapidity　of　a　precipice；　so　that　a　commanding　view　is　obtained　down　upon　the　town　and　the　two　rivers　and　the　different　bridges；　from　a　height　immediately　above　them。　　I　was　never　more　in　love　with　smoke　and　dirt　than　when　I　stood　here　and　watched　the　darkness　of　night　close　in　upon　the　floating　soot　which　hovered　over　the　house…tops　of　the　city。　　I　cannot　say　that　I　saw　the　sun　set；　for　there　was　no　sun。　　I　should　say　that　the　sun　never　shone　at　Pittsburg；　as　foreigners　who　visit　London　in　November　declare　that　the　sun　never　shines　there。　Walking　along　the　river　side　I　counted　thirty…two　steamers；　all　beached　upon　the　shore；　with　their　bows　toward　the　landlarge　boats；　capable　probably　of　carrying　from　one　to　two　hundred　passengers　each；　and　about　three　hundred　tons　of　merchandise。　　On　inquiry　I　found　that　many　of　these　were　not　now　at　work。　　They　were　resting　idle；　the　trade　down　the　Mississippi　below　St。　Louis　having　been　cut　off　by　the　war。　　Many　of　them；　however；　were　still　running；　the　passage　down　the　river　being　open　to　Wheeling　in　Virginia；　to　Portsmouth；　Cincinnati；　and　the　whole　of　South　Ohio；　to　Louisville　in　Kentucky；　and　to　Cairo　in　Illinois；　where　the　Ohio　joins　the　Mississippi。　　The　amount　of　traffic　carried　on　by　these　boats　while　the　country　was　at　peace　within　itself　was　very　great；　and　conclusive　as　to　the　increasing　prosperity　of　the　people。　　It　seems　that　everybody　travels　in　America；　and　that　nothing　is　thought　of　distance。　　A　young　man　will　step　into　a　car　and　sit　beside　you；　with　that　easy　careless　air　which　is　common　to　a　railway　passenger　in　England　who　is　passing　from　one　station　to　the　next；　and　on　conversing　with　him　you　will　find　that　he　is　going　seven　or　eight　hundred　miles。　　He　is　supplied　with　fresh　newspapers　three　or　four　times　a　day　as　he　passes　by　the　towns　at　which　they　are　published；　he　eats　a　large　assortment　of　gum…drops　and　apples；　and　is　quite　as　much　at　home　as　in　his　own　house。　　On　board　the　river　boats　it　is　the　same　with　him；　with　this　exception；　that　when　there　he　can　get　whisky　when　he　wants　it。　　He　knows　nothing　of　the　ennui　of　traveling；　and　never　seems　to　long　for　the　end　of　his　journey；　as　travelers　do　with　us。　　Should　his　boat　come　to　grief　upon　the　river；　and　lay　by　for　a　day　or　a　night；　it　does　not　in　the　least　disconcert　him。　　He　seats　himself　upon　three　chairs；　takes　a　bite　of　tobacco；　thrusts　his　hand　into　his　trowsers　pockets；　and　revels　in　an　elysium　of　his　own。　I　was　told　that　the　stockholders　in　these　boats　were　in　a　bad　way　at　the　present　time。　　There　were　no　dividends　going。　　The　same　story　was　repeated　as　to　many　and　many　an　investment。　　Where　the　war　created　business；　as　it　had　done　on　some　of　the　main　lines　of　railroad　and　in　some　special　towns；　money　was　passing　very　freely；　but　away　from　this；　ruin　seemed　to　have　fallen　on　the　enterprise　of　the　country。　　Men　were　not　broken　hearted；　nor　were　they　even　melancholy；　but　they　were　simply　ruined。　　That　is　nothing　in　the　States；　so　long　as　the　ruined　man　has　the　means　left　to　him　of　supplying　his　daily　wants　till　he　can　start　himself　again　in　life。　It　is　almost　the　normal　condition　of　the　American　man　in　business；　and　therefore　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　when　this　war　is　over；　and　things　begin　to　settle　themselves　into　new　grooves；　commerce　will　recover　herself　more　quickly　there　than　she　would　do　among　any　other　people。　　It　is　so　common　a　thing　to　hear　of　an　enterprise　that　has　never　paid　a　dollar　of　interest　on　the　original　outlayof　hotels；　canals；　railroads；　banks；　blocks　of　houses；　etc。　that　never　paid　even　in　the　happy　days　of　peacethat　one　is　tempted　to　disregard　the　absence　of　dividends；　and　to　believe　that　such　a　trifling　accident　will　not　act　as　any　check　on　future　speculation。　　In　no　country　has　pecuniary　ruin　been　so　common　as　in　the　States；　but　then　in　no　country　is　pecuniary　ruin　so　little　ruinous。　　〃We　are　a　recuperative　people；〃　a　west…country　gentleman　once　said　to　me。　　I　doubted　the　propriety　of　his　word；　but　I　acknowledged　the　truth　of　his　assertion。　Pittsburg　and　Alleghanywhich　latter　is　a　town　similar　in　its　nature　to　Pittsburg；　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　of　the　same　nameregard　themselves　as　places　apart；　but　they　are　in　effect　one　and　the　same　city。　　They　live　under　the　same　blanket　of　soot；　which　is　woven　by　the　joint　efforts　of　the　two　places。　　Their　united　population　is　135；000；　of　which　Alleghany　owns　about　50；000。　　The　industry　of　the　towns　is　of　that　sort　which　arises　from　a　union　of　coal　and　iron　in　the　vicinity。　　The　Pennsylvanian　coal　fields　are　the　most　prolific　in　the　Union；　and　Pittsburg　is　therefore　great；　exactly　as　Merthyr…Tydvil　and　Birmingham　are　great。　　But　the　foundery　work　at　Pittsburg　is　more　nearly　allied　to　the　heavy；　rough　works　of　the　Welsh　coal　metropolis　than　to　the　finish　and　polish　of　Birmingham。　〃Why　cannot　you　consume　your　own　smoke？〃　I　asked　a　gentleman　there。　〃Fuel　is　so　cheap　that　it　would　not　pay；〃　he　answered。　　His　idea　of　the　advantage　of　consuming　smoke　was　confined　to　the　question　of　its　paying　as　a　simple　operation　in　itself。　　The　consequent　cleanliness　and　improvement　in　the　atmosphere　had　not　entered　into　his　calculations。　　Any　such　result　might　be　a　fortuitous　benefit；　but　was　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　make　any　effort　in　that　direction　expedient　on　its　own　account。　　〃Coal　was　burned；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　founderies　at　something　less　than　two　dollars　a　ton；　while　that　was　the　case；　it　could　not　answer　the　purpose　of　any　iron…　founder　to　put　up　an　apparatus　for　the　consumption　of　smoke？〃　　I　did　not　pursue　the　argument　any　further；　as　I　perceived　that　we　were　looking　at　the　matter　from　two　different　points　of　view。　Everything　in　the　hotel　was　black；　not　black　to　the　eye；　for　the　eye　teaches　itself　to　discriminate　colors　even　when　loaded　with　dirt；　but　black　to　the　touch。　　On　coming　out　of　a　tub　of　water　my　foot　took　an　impress　from　the　carpet　exactly　as　it　would　have　done　had　I　trod　barefooted　on　a　path　laid　with　soot。　　I　thought　that　I　was　turning　negro　upward；　till　I　put　my　wet　hand　upon　the　carpet；　and　found　that　the　result　was　the　same。　　And　yet　the　carpet　was　green　to　the　eyea　dull；　dingy　green；　but　still　green。　　〃You　shouldn't　damp　your　feet；〃　a　man　said　to　me；　to　whom　I　mentioned　the　catastrophe。　Certainly；　Pittsburg　is　the　dirtiest　place　I　ever　saw；　but　it　is；　as　I　said　before；　very　picturesque　in　its　dirt　when　looked　at　from　above　the　blanket。　From　Pittsburg　I　went　on　by　train　to　Cincinnati；　and　was　soon　in　the　State　of　Ohio。　　I　confess　that　I　have　never　felt　any　great　regard　for　Pennsylvania。　　It　has　always　had；　in　my　estimation；　a　low　character　for　commercial　honesty；　and　a　certain　flavor　of　pretentious　hypocrisy。　　This　probably　has　been　much　owing　to　the　acerbity　and　pungency　of　Sydney　Smith's　witty　denunciations　against　the　drab…colored　State。　　It　is　noted　for　repudiation　of　its　own　debts；　and　for　sharpness　in　exaction　of　its　own　bargains。　　It　has　been　always　smart　in　banking。　　It　has　given　Buchanan　as　a　President　to　the　country；　and　Cameron　as　a　Secretary　of　War　to　the　government！　When　the　battle　of　Bull's　Run　was　to　be　fought；　Pennsylvanian　soldiers　were　the　men　who；　on　that　day；　threw　down　their　arms　because　the　three　months'　term　for　which　they　had　been　enlisted　was　then　expired！　　Pennsylvania　does　not；　in　my　mind；　stand　on　a　par　with　Massachusetts；　Connecticut；　New　York；　Illinois；　or　Virginia。　We　are　apt　to　connect　the　name　of　Benjamin　Franklin　with　Pennsylvania；　but　Franklin　was　a　Boston　man。　　Nevertheless；　Pennsylvania　is　rich　and　prosperous。　　Indeed　it　bears　all　those　marks　which　Quakers　generally　leave　behind　them。　I　had　some　little　personal　feeling　in　visiting　Cincinnati；　because　my　mother　had　lived　there　for　some　time；　and　had　there　been　concerned　in　a　commercial　enterprise；　by　which　no　one；　I　believe；　made　any　great　sum　of　money。　　Between　thirty　and　forty　years　ago　she　built　a　bazaar　in　Cincinnati；　which；　I　was　assured　by　the　present　owner　of　the　house；　was　at　the　time　of　its　erection　considered　to　be　the　great　building　of　the　town。　　It　has　been　sadly　eclipsed　now；　and　by　no　means　rears　its　head　proudly　among　the　great　blocks　around　it。　It　had　become　a　〃Physio…medical　Institute〃　when　I　was　there；　and　was　under　the　dominion　of　a　quack　doctor　on　one　side；　and　of　a　college　of　rights　of　women　female　medical　professors　on　the　other。　　〃I　believe；　sir；　no　man　or　woman　ever　yet　made　a　dollar　in　that　building；　and　as　for　rent；　I　don't　even　expect　it。〃　　Such　was　the　account　given　of　the　unfortunate　bazaar　by　the　present　proprietor。　Cincinnati　has　long　been　known　as　a　great　townconspicuous　among　all　towns　for　the　number　of　hogs　which　are　there　killed；　salted；　and　packed。　　It　is　the　great　hog　metropolis　of　the　Western　States；　but　Cincinnati　has　not　grown　with　the　rapidity　of　other　towns。　　It　has　now　170；000　inhabitants；　but　then　it　got　an　early　start。　　St。　Louis；　which　is　west　of　it　again　near　the　confluence　of　the　Missouri　and　Mississippi；　has　gone　ahead　of　it。　　Cincinnati　stands　on　the　Ohio　River；　separated　by　a　ferry　from　Kentucky；　which　is　a　slave　State；　Ohio　itself　is　a　free…soil　State。　　When　the　time　comes　for　arranging　the　line　of　division；　if　such　time　shall　ever　come；　it　will　be　very　hard　to　say　where　Northern　feeling　ends　and　where　Southern　wishes　commence。　　Newport　and　Covington；　which　are　in　Kentucky；　are　suburbs　of　Cincinnati；　and　yet　in　these　places　slavery　is　rife。　　The　domestic　servants　are　mostly　slaves；　though　it　is　essential　that　those　so　kept　should　be　known　as　slaves　who　will　not　run　away。　　It　is　understood　that　a　slave　who　escapes　into　Ohio　will　not　be　caught　and　given　up　by　the　intervention　of　the　Ohio　police；　and　from　Covington　or　Newport　any　slave　with　ease　can　escape　into　Ohio。　　But　when　that　division　takes　place；　no　river　like　the　Ohio　can　form　the　boundary　between　the