The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-08-15


NJ DEAR ISrELrIGEscER :-In my hst letter
Of August lst mentioned our arrival and re-
csptiOn in thik the Queen City Of the Lakes
Since then, we have spent our time in sight see
ing and pleasure seeking To see even 1.-THE
of what is curious and interesting in Chicago,
would take weeks where we have only spent
.daFs. To describe a 1.-THE of what one does see,
would take more time than man can spare, who
has anything else to do. II nust not be expect
ed, therefore, that what have described en-
braces more than "begnning of the end
The "Union Depot building, into which we
were drawn by the iron horse, and within whose
walls our feet first touched Chicago soh, is, in
ITSELF sight worth many miles travel to Sec
1t is the Depot, in partnership, OF the Illinois
Central Alton & Burlington, and Michigan Cen /
trail Rail Roads and it is in every way, an hon.
or to them 1t is built of gray stone from the
Prairies, and is three hundred and eighty-five
feet in length. and one hundred and thirty-five
in Width. The entrance for cars is in the end
fronting the lake. Opposite, are the ticket Of
fees and reception rooms Of the different roads
Above these. is the Land Office of the Illinois
Central Road, where are attended to the vast
landed interests Of this, the most richly endow-
cd road in the world il We except the Southern
Pacific, of Texas. On the left OF the car-en-
trance, is the real entrance; and along the wall
inside. between the different doors, are ranged
little stalls where hot coffee fruits books, news
: papers and various nicknacks are exchanged
for the "pcnnies" and "shings' of the weary
= traveller.
z This vast building is covered with single
!. roof. that is, roof of one span. The magnlfi-
, cent arch is held together by numberless iron
l. clasps, amid whose intricaccs the wandering eye
r is lost A busy multitude may be seen winding
y in and out increasingly, coming and going to ana
from the different trains. Tho rush is like that
of crowded mart in large city. Scattered
$ here and there may be seen the baton and silver
4 badge of the Policemen who are employed to
10 watch about the Depot The cost of this hugo
ne house. we understand, was something more than
a two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 1t is
a merely passenger Depot. The three compa-
ne MES have separate freight Dcpots in different
Ut parts of the city.
mr. What is more wonderful to many, is the fact
III that the Depot stands on what they call "madc
10 land" II is meant, by this, that the land, now
cs occupied by the Depot, was once under water
We and has been rescued from the miser grasp oil
ne the Lake, by the daring skill and patient indus
es try of man. 1t is wonderfully true. Chicago
Mt was already quite city when the roads, above
8, s, mentioned, were projected; and to have pur
chased the right Of way, through its mass o.
he houses, to the Lake, and to have secured LAND
=, for Depot buildings, would have involved an ex
penditure Of capital r,inous to the infant corpor
10 atoms So they determined to make pathway
=, on the waters, and TO snatch from the Lake
m land crough for their purposes. They built
pi first, a brcakwatcr, some distance out into The
Nv Lake. and for several miles parallel with thu
shore. Putting railway on that, they proceed
ell TO I'll up such portion Of the Lake intercept
ed between the brcakwatcr and the shore, as was
'N sufficient for their purposes. They gradually
succeeded in making not only land enough fol
all their uses, but enough to sell. Whole blocks
and streets Of buildings have been erected upon
it; and. in fact, a large part of the city stand
upon this "madc land" The fremont House
from the fourth floor Of which | am writing, l.
on "madc land;' and, every year, the Lake i
forced to yield still further portion of its bot
tom to be Rehabilitation of men, instead of fishes
Hearing all this, you would say "Surcy, thu
laborcr is worthy of his hire; and these compa
;! mics deserve to receive not only thanks, but dol
IN lars in return for the benefits they have confer
- red upon the city of Chicago" But, alas! fo
Va III. WIN owned thl
- land upon the bank Of the Lake, as 1t stool
originally has we were informed, brought sui
&c against the Rail Road companies, claiming tn
to recovered lands as his own; and the technical
nd tics Of the law arc so many and 50 scrpent-lke
there is no telling how the suit will terminate
To- The dispute about the title to these "mad
,al lands" is very similar to that about the "wate
&C. fronts" at San Francisco, California. There
is the city itself first built, out into the Bay wild
L. and lengthy wharves, by driving piles into tn
on bottom, and covering with floor. The bust
nc ness advantages of locations on the wharye
were evident, and the city sold rights to many o
RS its citizens to erect houses thereon, till, finally
,et regular streets were formed and the Bay was 81
he filled up by gradual deposits, that the "wate
al fronts" became a part OF teFf" Hfhad, anu IN
re- most valuable city property was there. The ci
on tv-or those who managed its afairs-had mad
ed "a good thing" Of these "watcr fronts. But
m at last some inventive genius discovered the fac
re- that the State was owner Of all "overflowe'
lands; !" and that tothe State only, therefore, be
en- longed the power to sell rights to reclaime'
he lands from the Sea. Here commenced the dis
las pute, which vcxed the Courts for a number Q
lit, years, costing State, city and individuals vas
in sums ofmoney. The suit was finally decided il
I'D favor of the State, with compromise clause
we believe, by which the rights and titles of cit
izens who had purchased of the city were to b
guaranteed We hope justice will be melted out
by in a somewhat better style than this, in case Q
ew the Chicago lands.
to Reaching the city at late hour, on Wednes
ry day night, nothing was done at the time, but t
in receive us, and let retire, after bathing an
$" supper, to seek the sleep which the fatigue Q
Mt travel made so needful. Thursday was rainy
IL ugly day, till almost sunset; at least, hear