The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-05-23


Now that this great gathering is over, it
is due to the whole souIed and public-spir-
tied Chicagoans that an acknowledgement
he made of their unparalleled liberality i'll
preparing for and entertaining the vast
crowds of strangers who tLronged the pub
lie places of this beautiful and enterprising
city. No other city on the continent would
have made such complete and splendid ar
engagements for accommodating the Conven-
ton and the people attending it, Not only
were all the public measures carried out on
Il scale commensurate with the occasion, but
the study seemed to be to throw as many
enjoyments in the way of the visitors as
possible Hundreds of them were invited
from the crowded hotels, to private resi-
dences. In this way, the writer found an
old Hoosier friend whose heart, hand, and
home were open to him.
Chicago is magnificent city. In and
around it, everything is done n grand
scale II is proverb that whenever Chi
cago applies her energies to any work, it is
bound TO succeed For evidences of her
enterprise witness her numerous lines of
railways; her magnificent edilices her eff
icient system of public schools her steam
fire department her complete water and
gas facilities; her miles of break water,
dock, and pier structures her lines of street
railways penetrating To the suburbs OF the
city III every direction her efficient police
department; her vast lake and canal naVi-
cation; her immense commerce aud the
| thousands Of other signs of prosperity
Tie location on which Chicago is huilt
was ut an early time marked one III the
| topography of the West. 1t was the site
of Fort Dearborn, and possessed great ad-
vantages Of communication. Chicago river,
which flows into Lake Michigan here,
branches about three quarters of a mile
from the Lake, one branch penetrating the
city in a southerly direction, the other in a
| north westerly. The commerce of the city
hence has about eighteen miles of dock
room on tn lake, the river and its
branches. Vessels run far up the river and
branches into the heart of the city. Pivot
bridges are used at the street crossings.
The south branch of the river is connected
with the Illinois river by the Illinois and
Michigan Canal, and down the Canal are
| extensive qnarries of excellent building
stone But time and space prevent me
from saying anything further Of this inter
esting locality, except to mention the great
disadvantages the people have had to con
tend with ia building their city, on account
of the lowne>s Of the ground aud the in
domitable perseverance they have displayed
The ground was originally low, wet
prairie, without wood or building stone.
The extensive pineries of Michigan across
the Lake, in course of tiqe supplied the for
mer, and the Joliet quarries the latter. But
the ground had to be filled up to afford
proper drainage, and this Troublesome lie
dious, and expensive process is now going
on. The grade of the streets is being slow
Is raised in this way, and if honse-no
| matter whether it is frame, brick, or stone
large or small-is too low down, screws are
! applied under it and up it goes. SAW a
whole block OF four and five story brch
| houses, some with splendid stone fronts,
which were raised bodily four or five feet
and SO quickly aud quietly was it done that
| business was carried on in them us usual
| Printing presses, which require To he kept
| perfectly true in order to work at all, were
run while the raising was going on, and
| ~ A.,
| gree! Pedestrians Travelled over the wood
en- sidewalks all the time, and new stone
| pavcments are being laid under the feet of
| persons as they walk over the wooden side
walks over the heads of the workmen!
From all | have said of this model city
wish to draw some reflections which may
| he of use TO Evansville The latter has eX-
| traordnary advantages for great city
| She hats the advantage Of river canal, and
railroad communication. She has plenty OF
coal right ut her door. She has good wharf
age, and Il productive country tributary to
! her. No oycIshadawiug city is near, and
none larger thar herself is likely to I've
built closer than 200 miles Her climate is
| good neither too hot nor too cold. She
now has the start, and it will be her own
| fault if she does not attain an enviable
/ prominence in manufactures, mining, com
merce, and trade, over any other city in the
| State, and even the West. then say to
the people of Evansville, he true to your
/ selves and your best Interests Keep up
! your canal; encourage your steamboat
| lines put III new ones wherever proms-
ing trade presents itself; sustain home
manufactures and home mechanics buy
| nothing abroad when you iu As we'll ut