, 1860-10-29
Il APhi1adc1phian's Impression of CHI


The North american and United States Gaz-
ttte, Of the 25th inst, contains letterftom this
city, written by one of the Philadelphia cxcur-
sionists who were here last week, from which
VIC make the following extracts:
But fewpcrsons residing in the cast can form
an accurate judgment of the marvellous "go-
ahcaditivencss Hof the American people un-
less they travel. In what direction it will be
hardly necessary to say, since the celebrated
line Of Bishop Berkley holds good, that
'.Westward the Star Of empire takes It way.''
Think Of the various cities Of rittsburg, Gin
ciunati, Louisville and st. Louis, all OF which
IA few log-huts exccptcd) arc the creation Of
but little more than lifetime And more as
tonishiny than these, contemplate Chicago,
with her 100 coo inhabitants, as per census, the
production, of yesterday, as it were. Her stores
are palaces-hcr vessels and warehouses form
the grauery Of II nation, while her beefaud pork
packing, establishments are enormous, sending
forth supplies to all parts Of the Ul.-
ion. We could diecant at length on the
elegance and substantial character of the Cd
ices around, built Of brick and Joliet stone
one slab Of which laid down i'll q sidewalk is
quite curiosity, measuring 81 feet by II, and
. inches thick. It lay horizontally it the
quarry, ready for The use Of man: and 1t may
be safely predicted that tue Joliet freestonc
will soon render Chicago one Of the hantlsom-
est cities on the continent. We could enlarge
upon the beauty and grandeur Of hike Niclli-
ean, and write long descriptions of the ttrtili-
ty Of the neighboriny lands; hut rs the object
Of the excuIei0nists is exclusively business
to extend the qualifications Of Philadelphia
commcrce-wc forbcar. Therefore, ,1t,~nons q
nos moutozs. No city within our broad boun-
darics suffered more by the panic Of 1651 tllau
the Spirit Of enteElrizo was carried to fever
heat. People 1ockcd to Chicago as if It were
4 modern Ell Dorado-as If here, and here
alone, was to be found tie cornucopia Of For
tune-as If the houses were built with gold,
and the streets paved with virgin silver. Alas
for the delusiou. When the crash came, trade
was benumbed, property and rcnts fell one
half and more, and hundreds, peEldyenturc
thousands, were suddenly ruined. But think
you, gentle reader, that the citizens were over
whelmcd with despair! No. Nothing ut all
| Of the sort. Except 4 few that wcro irredeen-
ably sunk In the slough Of dcspond, they soon
| caused Chicago to riscaSain, Phnni1-like, from
tile ashes Of 1857. And now, things here n1e
| in far more healthy condition-placed on a
| prudence has been gathered from the thorny
! tree Of experience. Rents Of stores which,
! prior to tie panic, were from 200 to IS 600
per annuu1, orc now from s, 500 to s., 600, and
! even less. And so also with those Of smaller
value. Goods, too, bring fair, but no longer
excessive prices, The handsomest blocks"
have been erected since 1S511-c7.pitalists natt1-
rally ayailing themselves Of the low rates Of
| materials aud labor shortly after that disas.
t trous period, and their Investments now bring
/ good and wholesome returns.
Business at the present time is very active
here, and is placed on an improved footing,
shorter credits being given to country dealers,
trade is transacted, especially in dry goods and
groceries. One try :toods firm sells more thai,