Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-07-25
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENTS.
CHICAGO, July II, 1857.

1
AS the business done in the Post Office
as well as the Custom House, of sea-
port, is some indication of the impor.
tance of the place, we have taken some
pains to procure reliable statistics of our
Post Office There are 81 clerks en-
ployed in and around the Office, at an
average salary of 500 per annum, which
would amount, in the aggregate, to
Sl5,225 90 per quarter, or S60,90o 90
per annum. To this add the salary OF
the post master, which is $4,000, and
$4,000, perhaps, for twine, blanks and
stationery, and the whole expense of the
! office besides rent, would be some $685.
600, or with rent, some $4,000.
There are, in tie Office, which has just
been enlarged, 342 drawers, which rent
for six dollars per annum, making the in
come from the drawers, if they are all
rented, S2,052 90. There are 3,123
boxes, which rent for two dollars per an
mum, making the income from boxes and
drawers both $8,29
We were informed by the gentlemanly
post master, WILLIAM PRICE, Esq, that
the quarterly receipts of the Office Were
100000, or over $500, 900 per annum.
Just think of it What a remarkable
and unparalleled fact in the growth of
cities. Thirty years ago, Chicago was a
mere Indian trading post, with a few huts
and wigwams outside of the Fort Be-
hold the change. Chicago is now city
with post office revenue of almost a
million of dollars, and pays into the Post
Office department at Washington, inde-
pendent of all',expense, S65o,O0O at least,
if not 100000.
One hundred guns were fired on Wed :
nesday evening last, in honor of the safe
arrival of the Madeira Pet at this port,
from Liverpool direct, without breaking
bulk. The successful trip of the Dean
Richmond last year with wheat from the
western prairies, the departure Of the
Andrew Stevens for Glasgow, which we
noticed some time ago, and the late arri-
val of the Pet, all surely foreshadow the
future-a future of direct trade with Eu-
rope-a future of direct and immense
shipments for transatlantic ports without
breaking bulk-which will save to the
West mlllGn- nj l%s Of csllamissions and profit; 10
eastern dealers. AS we predicted on the
departure of the Andrew Stevens some
weeks ago, that, within few years, in
stead of a solitary vessel labelled for
Glasgow, there would be hundred la
belled for all parts of Europe, 50 now we
reiterate our confident belief that the
time for the full realization of that belief
is nearer than any one supposes. The
keels of Chicago will yet triumphantly
plough the waters of every transatlantic
port laden with the wheat of the western
prairies, and the great west will compete
successfully in all the markets of the old
world with the noted and hitherto unri-
vailed grain trade of the Baltic. These
anticipations are not without stable
| foundation. Look at the Indications
Captain CRANG, the master Of the Madei-
ia Pet, the first English vessel that ever
appeared in our waters, made the signiti-
cant declaration to our Board Of Trade
the other day, that he :" was building a
larger vessel, which, God willing, be
would bring to our waters next summer
And Capt. PIERCE, who sailed the Rich
mond last year, has a new vessel, bulls
expressly for transatlantic freights, near.
ly completed, which he will, in few
weeks, load with wheat and sail for Liv.
erpool
The total shipments to England of corr
and wheat, from all the ports of the Uni
ted States, for the year ending June 3oth
1856, were 1873, l06 bushels The
shipments from the single port of Chica
go, for the same time, of corn and wheat
were go, 549, ,043; being an excess over
all the shipments of corn and wheat from
all the ports of the United States TO Eu
rope, OF 5,575. .937 bushels. Supposing
now, that this amount, instead of being
shipped to Atlantic ports, were shipped
direct TO Europe, and that each vessel EN-.
ployed in the freighting should carry
100000 bushels to load, it would re-
quire over two hundred vessels, if eact
should make but a single trip. And wha
hinders this accomplishment of such ;
desideratum eventully 1t will be ac
complished, and will save the West mil
lions of dollars.
There is one hindrance to our compe
tition with the Atlantic port freighting--
the icy barrier to navigation for four O
five months of the year. But vessels Cal
go out late in the fall, do a successful
trading business during the winter, anc
back at the opening of navigation. w