Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-06-20
New western correspondence

CHICAGO, ILL.,, June 9, 1856.
| DEAR CHRoNIcLE-Chicago is truly an
euterprising and flourishing ci'y-a regular
specimen of Young Americas gc-aheada-
tiveness-aud may, We think, be justly
styled the MAGIC CRY, for everything
connected.with it appears to have gone up
as it were by magic. But few years
ago this spot, where now SO extensive
business Of every kind is carried on
where now all is hurry, activity and con.
fusion-was one wide extended prairie,
very little known to any others than the
red men here, where now stand these
princely mansions-these magnificent, tow
ering palace. of the wealthy-could then
be seen but the few scattered cabins of the
daring pioneers; in short, the little village
of eighteen or twenty years ago is now the
beautiful and prosperous city of ninety or
a hundred thousand Inhabitants.
Property here has increased in value
with such astonishing rapidity, that per-
sons, who came hither not long ago with
no greater expectation than that Of gain
ing the means of support for their families
find themselves suddenly become immense.
ly ,.s.l.hy; and this. not through any
hard labor or shrewd management on their
own part, but their wealth having been
forced upou them, in . manner, in conse-
queuce of the increase in value of the lands
they were at first compelled to take up in
order to pursue their respective occupa-
tions. Among such We find the early far
mers, dairy-men, brewers, and many others
worth their tens aud hundreds of thou
sands in fact, there are not few in
Chicago who can boast their million and
altogether there are more wealthy men in
this than in any other city Of its size aud
population in the United States. As ex-
amples of this increase in the value Of
lands, we were to-day shown numerous lots
which eight years ago sold for three or four
hundred dollars each, and now are worth
from $500 to $4,000 per foot
| The city is situated on both sides Of the
Chicago river, at its entrance into lake
Michigan, upon plain sufficiently eleva-
ted to prevent its being overAowed, the
streets are laid out at right angles running
nearly north and south and east and west,
and are from two to five miles long, afford
ing most beautiful sight from one end
towards the other. They are generally
very wide 4; in many instances are adorned
with small grass plats and shaded with
rows of trees placed between the sidewalks
and the streets, and in most cases the
houses arc so built as to allow room for
planting trees and shrubbery in front of
them, thus serving very much to beautify
the city. Being situated on so level plain
and on comparatively low gIound, the city
would naturally appear to be rather un,
healthy on account of the stagnant water
in the streets and cutters, but this is about
being remedied by their raising the streets
by filing them up, and by digging sewers
and drains.
l started out this morning to see the
elephants of the place, and went first tc
the depot of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company, a building of vast extent aud
astonishing dimensions, surprising every
thing of the kind l had ever beheld. l,
is built of large blocks Of stone, callec
Athens marble, (from the place where il
is obtained } which very much resembles
marble, is easily worked, and is very dura
Bile and the roof is supported not by pill
lars or columns, which would be verJ
much in the way, but by enormous iror
bars firmly and wonderfully arranged. Th'
building was erected at great cost upol
ground some distance from the main shor
which has been "made" at immense labo
D and expeuse BY hauling it thither from
=. different parts Of the city. The railroa
D here runs considerable distance on th
!, lake upon piles driven in, the COmpan..
). not having been able, at least without pay
;. ing an enormous sum, to procure the righ
J. Of way along the shore.
' Near this railroad depot, there is larg
$ siz-story grain depot or forwarding house
a Of which kind there are shout twenty
4 the city, in which grain is raised to th
d uppermost story BY means Of steam elev'
4 tors, and il there weighed, before 1t
q shipped, on scales espable Of weighing f'
n HUNDRED bushels at 1 time. Some ide
|. may be formed Of the grain shipped fro'
I, this city from the fact that 1t is not un'
"a sual for one Of these houses to load on
. average one vessel pet day carrying IT
IL quently about 10000 bushels each.
,s The next buildings Of importance viz
,. ted we're the Marine Hospital, Merchant
Exehsnse, Coust House, and the Bic