Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-07-22
correspondence OF the Unzetlt
FOR FRIENDS AT HOME.

Correspondence Of the Gazette.
FOR FRIENDS AT HOME.
CHICAGO, June sth.--Left Davenport at Q
p. NJ, yesterday Saw nothing of the coun.
try for I took the sleeping car. Had ar
ranged the pillows and composed myself for
good zine reading, and had read few pa.
ges, when young gentleman Of color came
to me with expressions Of regret for the
painful necessity that required him to turn
down the light. responded to his polite.
ness by submitting with the best grace
could assume. Soon went to sleep or sleep
came to me. When awoke we were near.
ing Chicago. A broken truck had delayed
us and We were too late for the morning
train eastward. The sleeping car is great
relief on long journey. Always take a
double or whole berth, if you can get it, es-
pecially in warm seasons. To accommodate
friend who was overburdened, took lit
tie boy in with me every night (three nights.
As he could sleep at the foot and was quiet;
we got along finely. The charge for double
berth from Davenport to Chicago was one
dollar. The second night, paid 81, 25.
Third night, 81 so. The sleeping cars are
fairly ventilated though not thoroughly.
There are separate wash or toilet rooms, one
for ladies', one for gentlemen. If you are
very cautious you will use your own soap
and towel.
With a day before me in Chicago, I thought
l would take few observations. Met a very
old woman carrying a very young cat. Met
three. story building moving up street or
down street by two sets Of pulleys and two
horses. Heard bell sounding as deep as
the grave. Followed by the sound and
brought up at the court house, solid struc-
ture, with many court rooms and Offices 1t
was early, and as visitor has not much in.
tercst in hearing cases called or motions that
are of course motions, gave only minute or
so to each court until came to the Record
er's, where | heard German arguing in
English against the immaculate purity Of q
woman. Part Of his argument led TO discus.
sion, Of the meaning of term that had
been used by German witness. The term
admitted two constructions or interpreta.
tons. The interpreter had q SUPPOSE Civ.
en- the favorable Interpretation, that is, one
that favored the accused And that, infer,
was the meaning intended, else the prosecut.
ing attorney would have settled the matter
when the witness was on the stand. Posi-
bly,, Of course, it may have been an after
thought. OF another witness whose ties.
timony was damaging the argument was
that he was very young and did not under.
stand the sacredness Of an oath. The speak.
or was fluent, energetic, and severe, yet
courteous withal. The court rooms are neat,
well furnished, nicely carpeted, and have
good ventilation. The lawyers were for the
most part genteel and had the appearance OF
men with some selfrespcct. The judges
were attentive, and two or three OF them had
marks Of true dignity. From the dome Of
/ the building, a good view can be had OF the
whole city and harbor. There was not much
shipping in sight. | saw one schooner nn
der sail, the first had seen in eleven years
Though the day was quite cloudy, counted
/ twelve spires. The dome is reached by o
winding staircase. The courtyard in front is
quite large, with clean walks, grassy plats
and pleasant fountains. The whole is in
closed with an iron fence about 7 feet high
The cupola of the court house is 100 #. from
the lowest floor, as I judged by the pedestri
ans on the street where men appeared a:
Boys. was told afterward that it was j (
#. The diameter of the circle in which tht
spiral staircase runs is 40 feet, by eye meas
urement. There are 1917 iron steps. There
is this notice which | read while stopping
| for rest: " Persons found writing on or de
facing The walls will be fined ten dollars.
There are many names there, written will
pencil. b..
BY this time, was uncomfortably warm
And was in trouble 70: | did not like to
drink glass of soda and then ask a man te
take his pay from five dollar bill. He might
suspect that it was scheme to get the bill
changed At length entered a first clas'
establishment and passing by the clerks
addressed myself to one whom took to bt
proprietor Extending the Eve dollar green
back, as reached him. and at the same tim'
wipng the sweat from my brow, said "
am hot Want a glass of soda. Have nc
change" To which the polite druggist re
Piled in these refreshing words: think
we can change it for you, sir" The sod'
drank, stopped a moment to see and almos
to envy little boy in marble under per
setual bath from nine little streams OF 81!
yer fountain. Then went to the custom
house The post Office is in the building
The highest box number found was 6S46
I The arrangement of the office is the best
have seen. have not been in New York
late, but when l was acquainted with tina
city there was nothing in it that could be
all compared with the present post office il
Chicago. The Boston P. o. is very conve
nient yet it is below the Chicago in dimen
sons, is not as light, and is not as easy o
access However, there is no need that an!
one 90 to the Boston Office, there being pos
office boxes in every part Of tho city where
in letters may be dropped at any hour of da!
and night; while letters giving the residence
or place of business Of the person addressed
arc carried to him unless he prefers box il
the post Office. .......
The Custom House is a fine, granite build
ing, say 100 feet front, CD feet depth, sto
rics.