The Portland daily press., 1863-06-10
Editorial Correspondence.

Editorial Correspondence.
The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS = Vice President
Hdmlin- Raising the grade of the City
Observation-Disclosures Street Rdil,cdys
-River-lS,oing Bridges-Grain Elevators
= Camp Douglas = Douglas SemtsNry :
Douglas Groue and Cottdge-Ihe Craze OF
Douglas, and his deuotion to his Countrys
Cause.
CHICAGO, June 8, 1868.
The fremont House, where l am now stop
ping, is one of the great hotels of the West;
excepting the Sherman HouAe it is the largest
In the city. 1t usually has from 400 to 500
guests, but at this time there about 1900 tenn
porsrily making the fremont their headquar-
tiers. The arrivals day before yesterday were
over 600, and yesterday about half as many.
Our roam, in the fourth story the house is
six stories high-with two windows and three
beds, is crowded with seren dodgers, all from
Portland-besides an untold number of Irregular
blood thirsty border rufians that prowl
about the room in the darkness and levy con-
tributions on the unconscious sleepers. They
gain ingress at the open window. One would
suppose the best hotels in the Queen City of
thc lIakcc WOulu Dc lICc mum HuofUteocot ous
the supposition Isl delusion. The flatness OF the
land is favorable to stagnant pools, and these
become the breeding spots for these pests OF
the night, SO that to open window for the en-
trance of heavens choicest and {feest blessing
--pure airs almost sure to give admittance
restorer, balmy Sleep"
Let no one suppose that the fremont is the
only place subjected to crowd, or that Port
land guests alone are exposed to the squee-
zing process. At the Sherman House, larger
and newer but no better than the fremont,
Washburn and Mr.. Manson OF Bangor, in a
room with two single beds-a cot having been
iHprovised for the accommodation ofthe third
gentleman. The room is a large and pleas
ant one, and had been secured for Mr.. Hamlin
by his friends, but when he arrived with his
their company in his own room to having
Iew years sInce II was Iound necessary to
raise the grade of some of the principal streets
seven or eight feet. Lake St. was thus raised
nearly its entire length. This necessiated the
raising of the buildings upon the streets, and
to show how extensive ajob this imposed upon
the real estate owners Of the city, need only
state the single fact, that this enormous brick
block-the fremont = was raised up seven
feet by 5000 jack screws all in operation at
the same time, at cost for raising and refit-
ting Of $4,000 - the business of the house
going %, meantime, with very little inturup-
ton. This may give some idea of the expense
OF raising large portion of a large city. The
only pavements used in Chicago are of wood.
But few of the streets are paved, and the side
walks are in wretched condition. Street rail-
ways are in operation, and the company own
ing them is coming money so fast that they
scarcely know what to do with it. The city
Is divided by narrow, muddy river, across
which are numerous swing bridges, kept al
most constantly turning to accommodate the
numerous vessels going out or coming in,
towed both ways by tugs. The river affords
the only safe places for vessels and steamers
to lie, and the immense lake trade that centres
here makes the river margin and bridees the
most lively Of localities.
The grain elevators of Chicago are among
Its most noticeable objects. Literally they
are noticeable, for their great height and the
volume ofsnoke constantly arising from their
lofty smoke stacks, attract attention from ey-
cry stranger. There is one elevator In the
city, belonging to two Maine boys, that is ca
pable of containing 1,25OO0O bushels = about
eight times as large as Calls Elevator in Port
land. This immense building is 21O feet long,
los feet wide, and 1870 feet high.
The city is SO flat that it becomes painfully
monotonous. From the cupola of the Court
House an extensive view may be had, but
when was up there tho vapor and smoke
greatly detracted from the merits of the pam
Drama spread out at the feet of the beholder.
was indebted to young merchant of the
city-a native Of and recently from Portland
Mr.. CLINTON FURBrsH, for the pleasure of
ride about the city, and visit to its most
noticeable localities. With him, and sabse-
quently in the company of Msssrs J. J. and
and J. H. p. of our delegation, passed by
the Douglas Seminary and Camp Douglas,
and visited the grave OF the great statesman
OF lllinois-the late lamented STEPHEN A.
DOUGLAS. Camp Douglas is on the road
leading to the grave referred to. 1t embraces
a large area Of land, with extensive barracks.
which have furnished 10000 rebel prisoners
and federal soldiers with comfortable quar-
tiers. There are no prisoners here now, and
but few soldiers.
Douglas Seminary is an unfinished stone ed
ifice erected on land given for the purpose by
the man whose name it bears, with funds
raised by the sale Of portion of the granted
land. Mr.. Douglas formerly owned a large
tract OF land on the borders of the Lake.
south Of the city, embracing a beautiful grove,
now known as Douglas Grove-where he
intended to erect a mansion In keeping with
the beauty Of the locality. In the midst of
the grove is small cottage where he spent
portion Of his time with his family. On the
exact spot where he intended to erect his
house-within dozen rods and in full view
OF the Michigan Central, and commanding a
magnificent view Of the lake In front and of
the city on the north, is the GRAVE OF THE
LAMENTED STATESMAN. 1t shows simply a
mound Of earth, covered with green sod, and