The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-02-28
CHrcAoo. Feb. 90. 1866.

we're storm. landed me in Chicago long past
midnight on Saturday. The storm was
much more severe on line drawn east and
west Of the Michigan Central southwark 10
the Ohio river, than north Of il, The fall Of
snow on the line Of railroad not being less
than twenty inches in depth. Trains on
the Fort Wavne road were blocked within
few miles Of Chicago, and did not get ~
for several days. Many OF the streets We're
packed with snow drifts sufficiently com
pact 10 bear up a coach and four.
In this Queen city Of the Lakes for the
first time in thirteen years, find the city 7
expanded ia every direction and fast swai- /
lowing the pralrie for miles in the interior. /
About the mouth OF the river there has .
been comparatively few changes, and one /
readily recognizes the same business as
pect OF Water street a. thirteen years ago !
There il the old fremont House, now as
then a first class hotel ol-o the MattcsoD
House, the present Cily Hail. then built
and the same business blocks about the
fremont House on Dearborn and Lake
streets. But q short wall cOngince- ne OF
the changes The blocks OF spacious stores
from the great Union depot up Lake street
to Dearborn, Ofsymmetrical proportions, and
marble fronts, the Post Office and Custom
House, the new Chamber Of Commerce,
but Just completed al n cost Of $500 900,
Crosby's Opera House on Washington
street, aud other public buildings confirm
the opinion Of Sir Morton Peto, who 10 his
speech at Chicago pronounced the public
buildings unsurpassed by those Of any Of
the cities in Europe. There are also I'M
improvements in the system Of sewerage,
and in the elevation OF the streets by filling,
and in the system OF street railways, which
here, as in other cities, accommodates all
classes OF business. and enhances the value
Of real estate IN the outskirts of the city.
Michigan Avenue, which for about mile
and a halt is built up only on one side Ia
cling the Lake, there being park between
the street and the Lake Of twenty rods in
width, is the fifth avenue OF Chicago though
by no means exclusively the residence of
nabObs II is. however, the great drive Of
week has been constantly filed with all
descriptions Of sIeighs, from the board
jumper up 10 the bl0Oded team, with the
accomplishments Of costly sleighs, robes
and musical bells. The Lake is beautiful,
is entirely clear Of ice during this late cold
weather, and is attractive to one unaccus-
toned 10 body Of water bounded only by
the distant horizon. But the Avenue is
not yet completed, and Is very far inferior
in general beauty 10 Evelid street in Cieve-
land, Fort street in Detroit, and other
streets in far less pretentious cities. Here
is an entire block OF marble palaces, four
stories in height, with an elaborate facade
while contiguous TO it stands wooden
shell, one or two stories high, originally
costing live hundred dollars, giving the
observing stranger a panorama OF the con
trasts of wealth and poverty.
The attractions of the city appeal entirely
10 the business portion OF community. To
the lover OF nature in its higher and more
beautiful forms, TO the worn out son Of toll.
who seeks rest from labor and wishes to
find il, except in the Lake, one OF Gods
jewels, there is nothing desirable in this city
for permanent home. 1t is place where
by steady perseyering industry, or perhaps /
by single brilliant stroke, fortune may
be made, but it is not place to enjoy it,
Detroit may be called an Old fogy town /
by the side of Chicago, and her business
men may be slow to aid in the building of |
railroads, and the extension Of business ia
cilities to the rapidly growing interior cities
and villages Of Michigan, so essential to
her future prosperity; but IN beauty OF To-
cation, in fine streets aud the appearance
Of general thrlt, and Is an attractive place /
for home and home comforts, she as far /
surpasses Chicago rs the latter city has
surpassed Detroit IN the elements Of growth
and commercial prosperity.
AT present, the business Of the cry is ex-
ceedinsly dull, especially with the whole
sale trade aud am told hy business men
here, that some of the largest houses have
not sold enough goods for the past month
in the aggregate, TO pay their rent and eV-
pcnses for the same time. or in other
words, the total receipts have not met the
current EXPENSES. This Is partly owing to
the fact that merchants in the interior are
holding OIL for lower prices. and To excessive
transportation ireights charged by the rail-
roads here which destroys the margin on
grain to produce buyers. and places too
high a tariff on the goods OF the country
merchant. But there is another new as
pect to business that has much more 10 do
with II. Hitherto the merchants of interi-
or towns ike Lansing Jackson. Kalama-
ZOO and Grand Rapids as we'll Is the small
er dealers in farming towns and villages.
just sprinSing into existence, have alike
bought their goods in New York, Boston.
Detroit and Chicago, and have been conten-
ted 10 conflne themselves 10 a retail trade.
and make 4 competency slowly aud surely.
All tins Is now rapidly changing The ex-
cessye fuctuation and depression in the
prices Of goods and provisions for the past
four years, has compelled the dealers
in the larger interior towns 10 take advan-
tage Of the fall of goods. and lav in double ,
years The adjustment ofcredits by whole
sale dealers Of larger cities, has compelled Z
the dealer in small villages and non-manu-
featuring towns, to abandon that market.
and find short credits with the merchants Of
the larger towns nearer his home. Hence ,
the former retail dealers Of these larger /
towns have become both wholesale AMI re- {
tail dealers, and in some eases exclusively
wholesale. The conclusion then is. that
the results Of the war, and the CONSEQUENT
nuctuation of prices, promises to make this
temporary state Of trade a permanent one
ana the mutual system Of trade thus COM
menced between interior dealers will contin-
ue IN the future. As an Illustration. While
passing through Van Buren, and Berrien
counties, was asking a business man Of
one oil these counties if they done their
"Sue at Chicago. His reply was. that they