The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-12-31

mont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connec-
ticut, New York, New Jersey, and Penn
sylvania.
CHICAGO.
The Chicago Tribune has a very lengthy
resume of the present condition of Chicago,
and the impress the past year has made upon
it. The rapid growth of the West, its ex-
pansion in the elements of strength and pros
perity, is illustrated by the growth of Chica
go. We gather some interesting facts and
statistics from this article As Introductory,
the Tribune says;
Chicago has been more highly favored than
many other sections OF our broad land; she
has felt the full force Of the blessing, while
the curse sat lightly upon her. True, she has
given of her sons to the war, and the money
OF her citizens has been poured out lavishly in
the defence Of the Union the voices Of the
mourners has been heard in her streets. asthe
news came often that some loved one was
sleeping the sleep that knows no waking, on
some Southern battle field. But the charge
of the rebel hordes was never Witnessed on
our streets: our houses never given up 10
plunder and raplne; our little ones murdered
in cold blood by the ruthless destroyer. We
have mourRed, and never more bitterly, than
when the body of the lameuted Lincolp Vas
borne through the streets OF this city TO its
long home- But city we have grown,
even in consequence of the war our trade
has been stimulated and enterprise has flour
lshed; our population. has increased with
rapidity unprecedented, even IN the palmy
days of peace, and now that that sweet mes
senger has settled over the land. and the de-
mon of war has departed, let us hope never to
return, that wonderful impetus has continued.
Still in our workshops is heard the sound of
the implement as welded bv the skilled arti-
san it shapes and fashions the nseful dr. the
beantiful still along our docks and in our
warehouses were seen the busy ihrongs OF
workers all through the year, and the vessels
vf a hundred ports bore away our precious
treights for the feeding of the nations. Our
houses have been and still are filed with resi-
dents, and nothing of that panic, which many
expected would follow the close of the war.
has visited US. As q city, We are prosperous
III the highest degree, and though much of
want and suffering exists among us, in the ag
gregate our wealth rs our population has grown
apace during the year now closed and we can
now proudly point back TO it as one of the most
prosperous in the short term of our wonderful
municipal history
The more noticeable portion of municipal
Improvement is its buildings. In this matter
the Tribune says:
In the erection and improvement of build.
ings, the city has done as much as in any for
mer year, notwithstanding the fact that build
ing interests of all descriptions have ruled
very high, and the wages OF all classes of ope-
ratves have been lar IN advance of those de-
manded In any previous season for years past
hxra ,.tt
parts of the city with scarce exampied rapid
ty, both for the habitation of our merchant
princes, and of the secondary class Of bus-
ness men, as of operatives and laborerA In
the suburbs in particular n wonderful change
is apparent, and the former verdure clad prai
rie now in thousands of little spots teens
with humanity. In the business portions of
the city, the hand of improvement is also
manifest, in the metamorphosis of low, rick.
ETY. shanties into massive marble and brick
buildings, stored with merchandise and goods.
In relation to this class of buildings, the
greater number were commenced in the latter
part of 1884, though probably the lion share
Of the expense was incurred in their compile
ton during the past year.
The style Of our civic architecture is, too,
very much improved. The former hetoroge-
neous assemblage of buildings, withoutregard
to the correspondence Of parts or coGtgrui-
ties, is giving place to the harmonized series
OF structures, the architect having regard not
only to the requirements of his art in the de-
tails OF his own building, but to the character
OF its surrounding edihces. Hence. though
the erections OF 1865 are not, perhaps. vastly
superior to those OF former years, the higher
uniformity attained is much more pleasing.
The establishment of the grade has, too, at
tracted much more attention than formerly,
and within year great number of buildings,
among them some Of our largest blocks, have
been raised to place. Among these is the
large iron block on the corner of Wells and
South Water streets, weighing nearly thirty
thousand tons, which was raised some two
feet seven inches during the summer
Then follows description of the principal
public buildings erected during the year,
which we omit
The number of buildings erected during the
year was nine thousand, at cost of six mil
lions nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Notwithstanding this, it is said more buildings
are greatly needed. Houses are renting for
nearly what it cost to erect them in 1853 g.
Sales of building lots in the city limits range
from $50 to $500 per foot = "a
Summing up its review of real estate, the
Tsibsae says:
Un the whole the real estate market has
been in . very satisfactory condition during
the past year. and we look forward to steady
demand = hrn prices for the year 1866.
The Laka Tunnel, which is to supply the
city With &SsA wstsr, viii be completed within
. year.
We rass ossr the examination of Public
Works and ths Chicago Railroad systems and
connections - !. &zssE
The total vslpa4ion of real and personal
properly IN - eity for 1886 Is ss4 800, ,l77,
With : tax Of -, les -. The 7sibxns
gives its opinIoa hat the total value 81 the
property in the elts Is not less than two hum
dred millious q dpllsrs, sbout one thoussnd'
dollars to eaeh a wesnan and child 10 she
city. The ely - county paid during tie
ys1r, - esvs 2ss,npa, $sysuD, ,ooos
The u = operation during ~
pat yz ~ - ~ Ds6iucs1'
eMoal = eeAcoe1inea6an.