The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-09-21


this memorable week in Chicago, and opportu.
nifty favorins me, resume the pen to tell you
briefly, what lave since noticed.
About 4 O'Clock yesterday, the Fawkes Steam
Plow got up steam and cavorted round the plain
in manner that indicated desire to run itself
into the ground. 1t is large, ungainly. loco
motive.constructed, goodwill looking piece Of
machinery, ugly enough to frighten the sward
off the surface of the earth, but it is rapid
and thorough worker, and in prairie countries
particularly where large bodies of land are
owned by one man, it may become practically
Of value to him, but for general use it is worth
about as much to the public as the elephant wa,
to the successful raffler. 1t drags .along eight
common plows minus the handles. and puts
them into the earth, deep or shallow, by the
depression Of q regulating beam in the hands Of
the operator. 1t fills the air with smoke and
noise and travels from quarter to half mile
in five minutes, turning eight close burrows AZ
neatly as any pillow can do it. About ten thou
sand excited individuals ran before, alongside
of and behind the machine, while it was de-
monstrating its capacity, and there was gen
eral shout at its success. Another machine,
the inventors name forget, ratified out and
proposed to tear up the earth for the amuse.
ment of the company. Its travelling power
were two large wheels resembling the wheels
Of log or mill cart, only three times the size
II wa On dad, Nth I,
ground selected for its labor, that we did not
see how it was constructed it turned l3 fur.
rows at once very smoothly, and many remark,
ed that it beat Fawkes," but as neither OF
them can ever be OF great use, l will drop
them.
The exhibition Of the military companies for
a splendid Prize Banner, took place on Thurs.
day afternoon, and it drew acres oflookers on
The Cadets of Chicago won the prize over the
Highland Guards, and for once at Fair, the
awarding committee were not complained Of
No military company which ever beheld can
excel the Cadets in the perfection of drill
which they have attained. did not fancy the
Highland kets and cold looking leg-exposure.
1t may have done in the mountains ofScotland,
years ago, but there is no more necessity to
adopt the mode of dress which marks a semi.
barbaric age and people, than there is in affect.
the blanket and moccasin uniform of the un-
tanned Apaches-I do wish our countrymen
would be themselves, instead of aping every in
fernal folly that trans Atlantic lunatic may
conjure up!
Last night, Chicago was visited by FIR E.,
such as the city has scarce seen before. The
loss is nearly 100000, the space burnt over
is FIVE squres, the locality the West side, in
Lake and Canal streets. Ten million feet of
lumber, several brick hotels, many valuable
establishments and machine
shops, numerous stores, saloons and dwellings,
fell before that terrible element which ticks up
the labor of years with greediness that is SUBJ
timely grand though horribly gloomy. The city
was lighted up like day, the wind blew half.
gale, six steam engines, two to four common
engines, and twenty to thirty thousand specta.
tors were on the ground, but the wind and the
kindling wood Of pine lumber were too much
for the noble hearts that struggled to arrest the
flames, and not until FIVE squares were laid
waste did the destroyer stay his forked tongue
The city being filed with strangers, the crowds
that surrounded the terrible conAagration were
beyond all estimation-probably thirty thousand
would not be too many to place the number at
The fire originated by some men who peddle
dropped fire from their pipes among
The hay of a stable where they had put up their
q nsht 70 be =peniAs.4s>.y esEsncc
in man to 60 into barn with a lighted pipe
or cigar in his mouth or hand The Insurance
Companies suffer to the tune of nearly $780,
300, and the remainder of the loss will fall on
people lily able to meet it. This morning, l
visited the ruins, and there realized the horrible
results Of what l had witnessed for four hours
On last evening. The blackened aid half.fall
IN walls, here and there solitary section of
Prick or chimney standing monumentally
above, the remains of what was yesterday an
elegant building filed with furniture or valua-
de merchandise, presented a most uncomforta-
,le sight but the scattered beds and bedding,
he broken chairs and sofas, the household
lying about in all directions, with
mothers and children sitting disconsolately
Guarding all that remained of their late homes,
With eyes in which tears were yet struggling
While husbands were trying to assure them that
some place" would be found to 60 to-this
'art of the picture was more than could con.
emplate without loss of selfpossession and l
,assed on.
Flora Temple and Princess were announced
o trot at 81 P. M. to-day, at the Garden City
Course, and eight to ten thousand persons paid
dollar each to enter the gate sacred to horse
acing. The time made was no time at all,
nd the crowd soon discovered that they were
old. Flora trotted a little and Princess didn't
rot any, unless spirit of few rods, then
freak, and then an uneasy prance and skip
'ould be called trottirg but the track owners
,ot nearly $4,000 for opening their gates, and
hat is what the announcement was made for.
There was an Editorial Convention here but
did not attend it; learn that it did not come
lp to expectation. There have been only 100
,ames of editors registered at the Fair grounds
ince the show opened, and many Of them COM
lain that the press has not been well treated
y the managers. received just the attention
desired, exactly. Col. CArRoS gave me
ard of admission and went where pleased,
topped where pleased, paid my bills, and to-
morrow shall start towards home. Every effort
s being made to retain the crowd tomorrow,
md hence over Sunday. Circulars pronounced
'uckulars) are freely distributed, telling of ra-
ing on the Fair Ground, speeches. sparring
matches, billiard matches by Phelan and Tie
nan, (they are both here), regattas, process
housand other rare capers, are to be cut to-mor.
ow! But if /" Long John would promise to