Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-28

FOUnteerlH9 IN IH5hO1S.
CHICAGO, Dec. %, 1868.
The staple production of Chicago at the
present time is hogs-hogs dead, hogs alive,
hogs squealiug, hogs hams, hogs lard; in
fact, hogs in all styles and conditions. You
have them in droves in pairs, singy, by the
wagon load, or in any quantity you may de.
sire. On every street they may be seen; but
as you approach Bridgeport (Which answers
to some extent the Pine Meadow of your city
you have the acme Of perfection in the hog
line. The Jews would call it an "uncleau"
subject to write upon, and any Of your read
ers would be willing to take an oath Gin more
than one sense) upon that point. Filth, mud,
and hogs, meet your eye on every hand. In
fact, the hogs don't always wait to have YOU
meet them. They are an affectionate race.
very; and your eyes must be opened wide, or
they may like the cut of your clothes well
enough to rub their bristly sides against your
garments. 1t isn't always pleasant to take a
morning ramble in the neighburhood of the
cattle and hog yards. The perfume is not
agreeable TO delicate constitutions, and have
seen men Weighing a strong two hundred, that
couldn't take long breath within a mie of
Bridgeport. But the drovers, the butchers,
and the packers, are in their element when
surrounded by hogs, and if your readers could
our friend PeaSlee, who once drove a
Furnishing trade on Pleasant street, as he
moves around a drove of hogs, they would
think he knew pork from beet, at any rate;
AMI he can see as many hogs at once as 'any
other man"-and "that'S what's the matter"
ChlcagoanS have been passing through
season of atfliction in the shape of Impure
water. Old residents have got used to it, and
can smack their lips over decoction of
stepped rats and blood, with Il little water
added, as readily New Highlander can
take his glass of good, pure, and wholesome
well water. But newcomers stop to SMELL
and that's the end of the glass. It's like
smelling OF glass of the OIL school me,cine:
it's hard to take, after it, 1t is periodical
affair here, and everybody takes to lager, as
soon as the symptoms appear. But there is
now prospect of an Improvement in this re-
spect, for the work has been commenced on
a tunnel, which is to extend two miles under
the bed of Lake Michigan, by which means
pure water can always be had, no matter
what is the state of the river. Now our water
10 DulDpGu lTOlI GllG ldkG at Tue mouth OF the
river, and the river is only sluice- for
the blood, offal and filth of the numberless
packing houses which line its banks With
the blood and ofal from ten thousand hogs
daily being filtered into our drink, it can be
imagined what must be the extent Of its puri-
ty. We are all waiting patiently for the good
time coming, when we are not dependent on
the DRAWINGS OF packing houses; and as the
WORK has already commenced, we have hope
that within year or so pure water will be the
rule, and not the exception, as
Your correspondent has heard the subject
broached of having general gathering OF all
former residents OF Worcester county now in
Chicago. 1t would undoubtedly form IL most
intestlng occasion, aud bring together hun
dreds who are not known to each other, but
who would gladly form the acquaintance of
those who came from tile same section of the
country, knew the same people, had visited
the same places, often been to Del. Browns,
had taken glass of cider with old Captain
Smith many time, had often stopped to see
the splnSter Miss JeruSha, and had, when
boys, driven the COWS over the same road
All these old "reminiscences brought into bold
relief by such gathering has been sug-
gested, would prove ii most agreeable as well
as instructive occasion. Our largest hall
which does not begin to equal Mechanics Hall
in size or beauty-would be none too large to
contain the hundreds who would be present.
If the matter proceeds to a successful issue,
shall endeavor TO give the particulars if |
can learn them.
A terrible explosion and consequent loss of
lite occurred here last Thursday, through the
careessness of the engineer in charge of the
works large distllery in the North Diyis
ion was blown to atoms, and several men at work
therein lost theirlives by the explosion of one of
the boilers caused by low water. new boiler
was just being put into the building, and sew
eral men from the boiler works were engaged
in it when the explosion occurred. Onytwo of
them escaped. In all there were twelve per-
sons injured, and seven have since died, in
cladlug one of the proprietors, who was terri
bly, scalded and bruised. The clothing was
entirely stripped from the bodies by the force
of the conclusion, and the steam scaldcd them
50 intensely that their fellow workmen could
scarce recognize the bodies ten minutes after
the accident. The coroners jury have found
verdict that the accident was the result of
the carelessness of the engineer; but L have
seen no account of the arrest OF the party,
who escaped injury
| see it stated in the SPY that the sanitary
fair at Boston realized $4,000 for the object
for which it was held. That was a great
cess but the northwestern fair has realized
$75, 600 50 far-mUre tnan $4,000 having been
received for articles sold since the fair closed.
There is now a fair in operation in Cincinnati
which promises to overtOp all others in its pc
cuniary results. None can object to a COM
petition, the result OF which is favorable to our
noble soldiers, and all can cheer on the good
work in whatever section il is located
Enlistments are taking place here with
something of the vigor of the old war spirit of
81 and 81. This is the only place in the
state where draft is likely to occur, and the
people are straining every nerve to avert it,
and they will probably be successful. Chica-
go has some 2500 men to raise, aud as they
are, and have been, enlisting at the rate of one
hundred per day, there is but little doubt but
we shall escape the draft again. Ii Chicago
had been credited for the men she has paid for
going her quota now would have been trifing.
But Other counties were credited with the men
Cook county sent, and so we do double duty
in the cause--sending our own quota and pay
ing out money to men who ill the quota Of
other counties. L.
PENSION AGENCY AT BosToN.-There is an
attempt to remove Isaac o. Barnes, the pen
sion agent. | have no idea that it will sue
coed. Barnes is connected with Blair, Fox
and the Woodburys, and they hang together,
without regard to party Barnes Is very