Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-09-30

age Is found to be utterly inadequa,e TO accom-
modate the rapidly growing trade OF the city.
II Is now proposed 10 open the Calumet kiyer,
3 reedy inlet from the lake south OF the city
and cut channel for some distance tnrough
the marshy ground in that vicinity, to connect
the Calumet with the South Branch OF the
Chicago River, thus supplying not only az
immense increase Of dockage but also afording
a circuit by which vessels entering the Caiu-
met south of the city can find an exit by the
Chicago nver, and the reverse. This amount
OF dockage Is 10 be yet further increased by
cutting large number of slips TO in;ersect the
river The brick makers will readily under
take TO cut the slips without cost for the sake
OF obtaining the blue clay that underlies the
blaCk prairie soil from twoto six feet belo
the surface. Chicago is seduiously cultiyating
the Lake Superior trade, and this Calumet
River Improvement is with sharp eve over
the right in that direction. But Chicago Is
throwing out her arms in all directions, very
m UGH 10 the disgust of her rival ST. Louis, who
occasionally wakes mp Of a morning to find
some important feeder OF her own tapped, or
diverted Chieago-ward by her wide-awake
competitor.
Wonderful Growth of Chicago.
Ii is curious fact, told me by q prominent
newspaper man of Chicago. as illustrating
how far Chicago has shot ahead of the most
inflated anticipations in her behalf, that the
first Water Board OF Chicago in 1850 provided
for population of $500 in 1sT0, and this was
deemed a wice margin at that time. Chicago
has population to-day of from 25O,0OO to
275,OO0, and at the same rate of increase will
have population Of 10000 in 1870. Eight
thousand buildings were erected in Chicago
this summer at a cost of about SI7,0OO,OOO. No
less than II church edifices were erected, or in
progress of erection, this season in Chicago,
several OF them al cost exceeding 100000
each. Palmer, the great real estate operator OF
Chicago, who owns a mile of houses on one of
the principal sUeets,-State street, believe
is erecting block at the corner of State and
Washington streets, which is rented to Letter
& Co, dry goods men, for S52 OOO per year; and
this Is but specimen Of the magnificent STYLE
Of enterprise noted in the operations Of her
business men.
The Shabby Side of Chicago.
But while these stately piles are rising in the
Lake front portion of the city, Chicago has
miles of streets OF the merest shed edifices
Take the muddiest portion of "Murder Bay"
In our city, color the mud the complexion of
blacking, put the shanties there on Suits, line
the streets with board sidewalks, also on
stills, but at various elevations reached by
y
street Improvements Of large portion of the
city OF Chicago. But the hopeful feature about
this shabby side of Chicago is that all these
mean frowzy buildings will be swept away
within a number Of years that can be counted
on the fingers Of one hand, and their places
supplied by structures in keeping with those
now being built in the better part of the city,
Chicago has a great reforEl to make in the
matter Of her foot-walks. Even upon her
handsomest streets the foot walks are q patch
work Of incongruous materials-wood, stone
brick, as the case may be, wood prevailing
This comes from the fact that every property
owner is allowed to put down his own side
walk, in such fashion and of such material as
seems good 10 him. The result is a zebra pat
tern of cheap pine boards, handsome stone
tagging, red brick and yellow brick, that DIS
figures these streets greatly. ltaffords a warn
ing to us in Washington not to adopt e similar
plan, as has been proposed, permitting indi.
style OF construction IN laying down foot.
walks IN front of their premises.
The Nicholson Pavement.
But if her foot-walks are not up to the mark,
Chicago can boast the best street pavements in
the world. No one who has driven over Wabash
Avenue, or seen It's magnificent perspective,
perfection Of pavement as regards comfort for
man and horse, beauty Of surface, noiseless-
ness and delightful cleanliness. The advan.
tages of wood pavement over stone pavement
is shown most conclusively by the contrast of
Michigan Avenue to wood paved
Wabash Avenue, parallel and adjoining streets
Michigan Avenue, fronting on the Lake and
lined with handsome houses, is in many
respects finer street than Wabash Avenue,
yet the latter simply by the advantages of its
wood pavement carries away the palm from it's
mel ghoor, and no visitor fails to notice how
much the matter Of pavement has to do as an
essential to first-class street. Wabash Avenue
is the favorite drive and promenade of Chi.
cago, but the leading business streets of the CITY
bear even more marked testimony to the value
Of the wood pavement This pavement, laid
years ago in streets where II has had TO stand
the wear and tear for years of loads weighing
from hve To seven tons, Is yet in excellent con-
diiion. In the start there was warm contest
upon the pavement question in Chicago, but
now the merits OF wood pavement have been
demonstrated SC conclusively, tina, have not
met a single Chicagoan who is not warmly I'm
favor of this style of pavement. 1t may be
proper to state here that though the wood pave.
ment OF Chicago is usually styled the Nichol
son pavement, the term is applied to three or
four kinds in use here, only one of which is
really the Nicholson pavement, and SUBJECT to
his royalty.
Good Thing for Washington
In referring TO the generally mean appear.
ance of the footwaiks of Chicago, credit should
be given for the charming style of sidewalk
or characterization adopted in Michigan and Wa.
bash avenues, where q portion OF the stree,
between the footwalk and the carriageway)
is devoted 10 grass-plats, trees, and shrubbery,
in the manner advocated by Senator Sherman
for our streets in Washington. The effect of a
line of sidewalk in front OF handsome build
gs. thus shaded, and made grateful to the eve
by the bright green Of its turf is most pleasing;
and no Washingtonian can look upon it with.
out feeling that II is just the thing needed tor
oW wide dusty streets. The hog, geese, and
cows running at large i'll Washington would.
however, play the mischief with such side
walk adornments in our city.
Chicago Newspapers.
The Chicago newspapers are conducted with
a degree OF enterprise characteristic OF the
place. The Tribune makes the most money.
having the monopoly OF the short advertise.
meats-the Wants." the Personals the
''for Sale" and "For Rent ad vertisements-
which, as IN the case of the STAR m Washing.
ton the sun in Baltimore, the Led7er in PhiIa.
delPhia, the Herald In New York, etc., etc, so
unPrringly indicates tho papar ha,;on 49,