The Portland daily press., 1863-06-09
Editorial Correspondence.

Portland elegation-Liberatity ofthe Grand
Trunk - Detroit to Chicago = Prince Of
Wales cGr--Michigar Centrdt-Ventildted
cars-Approdch to E.icago-Grand Union
Depot
CHICAGO, June 2, 1853.
A large portion of the Portland delegation
to the Ship Canal Convention took the cars
Of the Michigan Central, at Detroit, Monday
morning, June LIST, with every promise of one
of the finest days of the season, to ride through
one of the most delightful portions OF our
country, over a road unsurpassed for its
smoothness and good order, and in cars as
| comfortable and as free from DUST smoke, Gin
dcrs and foul air as a well ventilated parlor.
| At Detroit we learned for the first time that
arrangements had been made with nearly all
the railroads leading to Chicago, to pass the
| delegates to and from the Convention for a
single fare; and one of the most accommodate
| ing facts connected with this arrangement was
that under which gentlemen holding Conven-
ton tickets, and having paid full fares to the
Convention, could be returned free not only
over the particular route which they had trav-
eled in reaching Chicago, but over any other
route leading to their first starting point. The
Grand Trunk road, so far as have been able
to learn, is the only one over which delegates
have received free passes both ,cays. This is
an indication of liberality on the part of the
management of this extensive road that /
take especial pleasure in recording.
The distance from Detroit to Chicago is 2S4
miles, and is made in ten half hours. The
road passes through several large towns, such
as Ann Arbor, where are extensive Touring
mills; Jackson, the seat of the State Peniten-
tiary; Marshall, where the passengers stop to
dine; Kalamazoo, Niles, &c. The last forty
or fifty miles is through desolate region,
Astounding in sand hills similar to those along
the margin of Old Orchard and Fort Popham
beaches, and the view of the lake differs in no
noticeable respect from the appearance of the
open ocean.
The train in which we took passage con-
tanned the delegations from New York,
Buffalo, Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit, and per-
haps some others. The Cleveland delegation
occupied the same car with the delegation
from Portland, and they had come we'll pre-
pared for the route, with baskets of refresh
ments, cases of crab apple cider, and very
likely some other articles that would be con-
traband under the "Maine Law" The car
directly behind ours was the "Prince of Wales
Garland the same car fitted up expressly for
the accommodation Of that august English boy
and his suite, when he made his visit to this
country. 1t is a magnificent carriage, and
fitted up with all the convenience and comfort
that good taste and lnxurant ease could sug-
gest. 1t was occupied by the Detroit delcga-
ton, who seemed to have prepared themselves
to do honor in a glass OF wine or anything
stronger, to the associations connected with
the vehicle in which they were temporarily
located. The small room fitted expressly for
the Princes personal use, seemed devoted to
purposes more spiritual than any matters
legitimately connected with railroad construc-
ton or canal engagements. Many OF the
western boys are evidently of the "gay and
festive" order and do not intend when they
are "on time," to 60 either hungry or dry.
The Michigan Central road is one of the
most popular, best managed and best appoin-
ten roads in the country, and withall 1t is, as
thing of course, one of the roads whose stock
stands the highest in the market. r. N. Rice,
Esq, of Detroit, is the General Superinten-
dent, and he is one of the most active and
accomplished railroad managers in the whole
Most The cars are of the most approved
make, with the patent ventilating apparatus,
by which the smoke and dust are perfectly ex-
cluded, and the air is entirely changed in from
four to six minutes. The windows do not
open. A small glass wicket in each window
may be opened, but the draft through them is
outward, SO that no dust can find its way into
the car.
The arrangement for warming in winter is
also upon a new principle, so that ones feet
cannot be cold, no matter in what part of the
car situated. The feet rest upon slightly ell
evated platform, under which the heat passes,
giving to the car through its whole length a
nearly uniform temperature.
A short time before reaching the depot at
Chicago the track unites with the Illinois Gen.
trail, and runs along for few miles on the
edge of the lake, or on pilings in the edge of
the water, with breakwater upon the out
side, giving the traveller view of Michigan
Avenue, which is to Chicago what Beacon
Street is to Boston, or the Fifth Avenue to
New York. The Grand Union Depot" be-
longing to the Illinois and Michigan Central
roads, on the edge of the lake and at the foot
of Lake Street.-The Broadway of Chicago-is
probably the largest building in the world that
is covered by single selfsupporting roof,
without pillars or any other supports from be-
meath. The building is 600 feet long, and 100
wide; the walls are of stone and the roof of
iron, and eight parallel tracks run nearly the
length of the building. With its curiously
constructed roof, its offices, baggage rooms,
saloons, news rooms, refreshment rooms, land
offices, private rooms, and its constantly arriv-
ing and departing trains, its jostling porters,
starred policemen, and general din and COM
motion-there is no confusion - this depot
constitutes noticeable object of the city, and
will interest the stranger for hours.
find the city all alive with business and
excitement, the hotels in a perfect buzz, but
after nights rest will tell you something
more definite about it. G.
GB-In a recent speech at Cleaveland, Post
master General Blair remarked that the work
of emancipation was settled for all time, that
| 1t was beyond revocation by either the civil