The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-12-18
Chicago.

%" Sdi ~ ~ tlf Is fPfRGi7
is considerable stir, not little moving
|, 10 ana fro ard hnrryi1g on THE part Iof
j her . population, but none of those
solid, steady and compact manifesto
tiens that charaeterize the business
of an old and well-esta blished com
mercial ,0emporiuh1. 1--WE speak of
4 Chicago, after navigation has qlosed.
We do not doubt that, during tile
Summer. months, when her, shipping
interest is active, her grain moving,
her immense warehouses and,h ele-
vatorsibusy, that, the so-called Garden
City presents very different appear
! ance, and is much more imposing to
the casual visitor than at the present
season of the year.
Her manufacturing interests are
far below the general impression.
Her buildings, large majority Of
them, are very inferior to those Of
most other cities Of her population
and commercial pretensions. They
4 do not compare with those Of Cincins
natl Chicago boasts ola few really
= Splendid blocks Of buildings-some
that are scarcely excelled any where
but, we repeat, the majority of her
bailding s. are Inferior in size and
quality.
Chicago has added largely to her
reputation Tor energy and enterprise
by her daring in undertaking and her
success in completing works of mag.
nitude in civil engineering. The ele-,
waiting Of whole sqp.res of brick and
stone buildings four and five stories
high, from TIVE to -four feet, in order
to raise the grade Of her streets, and
accomplishing this too, withodGdis-
turbing business or injuring the
buildings, is a work peculiar alone to
Chicago ana ole fof Which She de-
serves great credit. Her tunnel, too,
is conception of which she has rea-
son, t5 be proud, and Its, successful
completion plac6s5hef among the first
cities of the land for public spirit
The tHqppP P Ga. can hardly fail to supply,
Chicag0 with the pdresf water tur1
nished any city on the continent.
fl f Although business Is dull in Cal
cage, amusementso flourish. Opera
Houses, Theaters, Concert Halls. Am
phitheatfes, AaFe iahhn0 blast, and
most of them are literally patronized.
But Observation-Disclosures places in the
city seem to be the Skating Parks and
Kinks. The latter, especially, afford
attractions to. TIE qld and young alike,
and are so thronged by skaters that
itheagoity presents thee appearance of
Z having been originally settled BY Hol-
handlers who brp4gh t. t, 4their II oskates
with thema' sAa Skating Rink is "a
large building, shaped somewhat
Ike a. western depot build
ing. The interior Of the building
is flooded with water from the by
drantss which freezes smoothly, and is
transparent as glass. The artificial /
pond thus formed being under cover,
the ice is free from snow or any
other element calculated to interfere
with its smoothuess. Around this
pond seats are arranged in the form |
of an aniphitheatre, steps at various |
points leading to the ice. on
these the skaters. descend. The |
whole building is brilliantly illumina-
ted with gas. Here, all who are fond |
ofthe exercise, are permitted to come,
on paying reasonable admittanc e
fee, and enjoy themselves to the
utmost. Refreshments are provid-
ed in one of the rooms in
the building set apart for
that purpose, and all that can enhance |
tbs, attractions Of the place is. pro- |
vided These Kinks are generally built |
under the auspices of associations of |
citizens, and hafe managed with care. |
During the. Summer season temporary |
floors take thea place of the ice, and
parlor skates take the place of the ice
runners. They are also elegantly ar
ranged for holding large festivals or
fairs, and much used in that way. |
Nothing is more pleasing to the eye
than to see one of these Kinks bril-
.liantly lighted up and crowded with
graceful skaters Of both sexes. They
go far TO- reconcile one ia. the terrible
6ldiwestHer that wraps Chicago I'm
ice during so many. inaathso In tile
.hiGt fifVswhst ,fiild hufs iIlitfi
yRar,91i4i eauloia g1tuuuD 10 sbu -
Business IN Chicago, this Winter, is