Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-07
Correspondence.
Chicago Correspondence

CHICAGO, July 28.-Small items of fact gen
orally give more evidence of the growth O
towns and cities than columns of assertion
and bombast. Instance; When the Chicago
tunnel was bored under Lake Michigan,
short time ago, many supposed we had pro
vided an unfailing supply of water; and yer,
properly, for the tunnel has capacity for de
hverlng "a, 100000 gallons every twenty-foul
hours. Yet water is getting scarce in the
c1ty-is cut OH for hours every day in the
week-and we are actually contemplating the
erection OF new tunnel Additional ma
chinery is to be purchased at once, to keeI
up the supply from thepr 7ent tunnel, and ere
long another great bore wa be in existence
As now worked, the tunnel l. capable of Civ
us only 1S, 0C0,0 600 or 20,000,t00 gallons pei
day, which is not sufficient fol present use
and as water pipes are being laid at the rate
Of about mile day, it is evident we must
soon have additional facilities for procuring
water, or go thirsty.
And speaking of tunnels, any person who
has been in Chicago lately, and been com.
PEELED to wait for an opportunity to cross the
numerous bridges which should span the
river, but are generally open to allow vessel:
to pass through, will rejoice with us to learn
that the tunnel under the river at Washing.
ton street is rapidly approaching completion
and as 1t promises TO be complete success
will doubtless be the fore-runner of others
until the bridge nuisance viii finally be abol
ished, ana people can get about the city with.
out the delays now rendered necessary bv oul
extensive commerce. The Washington street
tunnel viii cost about half a million, and viii
be formerly opened in November.
Among the improvements going on Iust
now, which will ada much to the beauty OF
our city and the comfort of ollr citizens il
the widening of Wabash and Michigan Ave
nues, at the south end of the city to uniform
width of one hundred feet. When completed
each will be four and half miles long, and the
a a nf mir ias
as can be found in the country.
And while on this subject OF improvements
let me mention new and most important ar
ticle, introduced by the Rock River Paper
Company, Is La Sale street. 1t is called
sheathlng and roofing board, is made of pa
per, and Is intended for covering houses
either on the inside or outside so as to keeI
out both the cold of winter and the heat Of
summer. The company assert that by the use
of this material frame building can be made
warmer than brick one, and it costs only
from SIS TO 80 TO completely cover any ordi-
nary structure. The sheathing may be applied
on the studs, directly on the sheathing boards.
on the inside of the studs, instead of plaster
ing, under floors, under slate or shingles and
for graveled roofs 1t is made plain and sat
urated with tar, and is sold by the pound,
costing from five to seven cents per square
yard. The plain board weighs about II pounds
to the square yard, the saturated Ia to II. The
saturated sheathing keeps out vefmin, and
both kinds are highly recommended by some
of our leading architects and builders, and
others who have used it. Circulars and sam
pies are Sent free.
Many may wonder that paper can be manu-
featured into an article such as is here re-
ferred TO, but when we reflect upon the many
and various uses to which it is being put now
a-days, the fact will not appear so strange
and it is very certain that this sheathing is as
tough and solid as rock.
The report of our Sanitary Superintendent
shows that nine-tenths of the deaths which
have occurred this summer were among the
poorer classes, and three-fourths of them
among foreigners. The crowding together in
filthy tenements, lack of cleanliness and want
of proper food, are assigned as probable
causes of much mortality. There were 1S9
deaths among children during the week, OF
whom 81 had no medical attendance.
An item in q Chicago paper, regarding the
number Of publications issued from the press
Of this city, is very likely to create false i'm
preston. The dailies are put down at 10.
Now, there are nineteen daily publications in
the city, but only seven of these are newspa-
pers. The balance are advertising sheets,
programmes, &c, and ought not to be classed
among daihes, as that word is generally used.
The following IL a correct statement OF the
publications of Chicago: Daily papers, 7-of
which are English and German; weekly
papers, %; monthly magazines, 8, and one
quarterly magazine. Total, 81. PHeNIx.