Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-17

perhaps as fine passenger depot here as any
other In the country, save that describe above.
Whole blocks of FIVE and six story houses, built
OF the same beautiful material, are going up in
all directions around me as though the city's
commercial Importance having grown up in the
course Of yesterday it has been resolved to COM
plete it enthusiastically ere the sun goes down
to-day Not less striking is the vastness of
Chicago's hotels, half dozen of which appear
to be as large and substantial as the Astor
House in New York city.
The number of her passenger Offices man.
moth grain-storeing houses, doggeries of all de-
grees. and boarding houses, struck me most
forcibly, and is the result of the immense num-
Der of strangers always here-emigrants, set
tiers seeking homes in every direction through
out the Northwest, people of means from the
East engaged in gambling in Western lands,
sight seers, persons running on the lakes, &c.
The doggeries seem to rule the city; and if the
brutal impudence to an unprotected lady &C
companied by three little children saw prac-
ticed by gang of rufianly bloated porters and
runners a few moments since is a fair illustra-
ton of Chicago-doggery manners the worst
description of rowdy rufians rule her dogge-
ries-so far her most remarkable institutions
May she soon possess others in their stead, of
which she can fairly boast
Property (real estate) is held here at fabu-
lous value. A little one-story plank shanty, of
not more than four or five rooms, built off
business street, rents for $3.50 per annum.
Money rents for three per centum per month,
On such security as Chicago borrowers have re-
naming theirs to pledge; for most of which, by
the by, would not give pinch of snuff. Her
real estate, which is said to be assessed at
S4S,0Oo,000, is mortgagcd, 1 am told, for the
nice little amount of $500, OO0, 00O Or, in other
words, Chicago is owned, body and breeches
out of her own limits, by capitalists, who, if
they should attempt to realize their advances
upon Chicago city property could not get back
% cents in the dollar.
This season her merchants are pretty gene
rally under protest in New York and Philadel-
phia, and they seek to /" run their faces" in
Baltimore. If Baltimore is sufficiently pleased
with their 'muggs" to stake their goods upon
them at this time, they will deserve the losses
that she will thus surely reap. The money that
should have gone to take up the notes of her men
In business has been invested in wild lands.
either by their customers or themselves know
not which are entitled to the credit of having
bankrupted Chicago; but that she cannot now
pay % cents in the dollar, is as certain as that
folks in these diggings who would hang faro
dealer on sight, are playing in Western town lots
and lands west of creation, a more desperate and
equally-in my judgment at least, when prac.
ticed by men who owe the money thus being in.
rfah 10
cago property now, will find it selling under the
hammer all round him after the next United
States Court set hereabouts, at perhaps half
Its present nominal value. 1 pity the man who
has bought it lately on credit and still more
do pity the man who has purchased Chicago
property of late, paying for it in legitimatelv
earned ard cash
The population, rs the reader NAV well i'm
agine. shifts here every two or three years. for
the most part; for business has never vet been
upon healthy footing in Chicago. Men have
male fortunes here almost entirely by land OPP
erati0hs. Most of these fortunes remain to be
realized; for they sell city property on ten
years time here How many of them will be
realized is a question the answer of which is
past my knowledge. The competition for trade
here is great reminding one of the competition
between steamboat lines on the North river at
times, when passengers are carried by one line
for nothing, and the other seeks to under bid its
rival by throwing in a fine supper also, with
out charge. population of fifty thousand, at
most, can transact properly all the Legitimate
tpresent) business of Chicago. The cost of feed
ing, clothing and liquorng the rest of its I25 900
IL.
end, from the pockets of confding creditors in
the east
We shall see, in due time, what we shall see,
In connection with Chicago. W. ID. WI.