Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-10-20
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENTS.

Destructive Ffre--Business-Pag Br
& Co.,-Ross & Goss8se's Fall Open
ing-The EIections-The Weather
Amusements.
CHICAGO, Oct. 8, 1869 The most destruc-
tive fire. since the great fire on Lake street,
IN the winter of 67- 8-occurred YESTERDAY
afternoon, ON the North Side. Fifteen build
ings were destroyed on North Clark street.
and three either destroyed or greatly dam
aged on Ontario street, involv ng a loss of
S65, 300, on which there was an insurance of
but s36. $50.
shows more activity as the season advances,
though it is not as lively as was expected
The late financial explosion among the gold
and stock gamblers of New Yc TX has had the
effect of causing a. stringency in the money
market and lowering the price Of grain, and
this checks the currents of trade materially.
High prices for agricultural products send
the llfe-current through all the arteries of
trade and commerce, for when the farmers
have plenty Of money, the merchants, me-
chan cs aud laboring men prosper. The most
hopeful sign, at present, is the activity in
those branches of trade that supply the
wants OF the producing classes, which shows
that the heart of the country is sound and its
exchequer solvent. And those houses are
the most active which supply the necessaries
of life, such as grocery, hardware, leather
clothing, dry goods, &c
The importing and wholesale leather house
PAGE, BRO. CO., 50 LAKE ST.,
Take the lead here in the sale of leather and
findings and everything connected with the
French calf and kip skins and domestic
leather of all kinds is unusually large, and
their manufacturers goods for shoe makers
and harness makers use, exhibit the latest
improvements in these branches Of industry.
The amount and quality of their goods indi.
tt1n oh IF hi 20
sagacity and thrift, and accounts for their
large business and he Increasing number of
new customers.
FALL OPENING OF DRY GOODS, ETC.
This week has been holiday to the fair
danes If Chicago as the opening OF the sea-
son for fashionable trade in Dry Goods, Mil
linery, etc., and the streets have been lively
with ladies in carriages, in the cars and on
foot fastening Co the centres Of fashion and
taste. But the chief attraction of the week
was the two days opening Thursday and
Friday-of
ROSS GossAGE, 106-S STATE AND SOS WASH
z.. INGHON STs.,
which exclipsed everything of the kind here
tofore seen in Chicago. Their spacious store
was visited by thousands of the best citizens,
who greatly admired the rich display of new
goods IN the latest styles. Here were pat
tern suits, and suits of their own manufac-
ture. for the street and for evening and OPP
era wear, varying in price from $50 to $500;
camePs hair shawls, from 5000 to 81 900; loves
Of cloaks for S175 and less; opera cloaks and
Jackets, mantles and morning robes, laces,
silks and satins of rare beauty; dress goods
IN every kind of material, style and price;
chlldrens' dresses, underwear-ln fact, ev-
erything which should be found in
the best dry goods store of Chicago.
[ noticed, as an excellent feature, room
lighted only with gas for the display of party
dresses to show the effect of shades and col
ors by gas-light. And though the marked
feature of this opening was the large display
of rich and costly goods, yet this house is as
muchnoted for the durability and excellenceof
the cheaper class of goods as of those of more
costly fabrics, andare equally attentive to the
wants of both rich and poor. And, by cour-
tesy to all, by quick appreciation of the pub
lie taste, by beng in advance of all competi-
tors IN procuring the choicest goods ana the
latest styles, and selling at the lowest rates,
they have built up an immense trade. and
take the lead Of the retail dry goods trade in
the Northwest.
THE ELECTIONS
for city and county officers to come off the
second of November, are producing no small
excitement among politicians, and the contest
promises to be heated and bitter. The salar-
les, fees and prequisites to be disposed of by
this election amount to $500, 900 year, and
the tierceness of the struggle is proportioned
to the greatness of the prize. TO an impair
tlaI IOokcf-on the strlfe reminds him OF the
fable of the fox and the flies, and whichever
faction wins, imagine the administration Of
city and county affairs will go on about the
same as before. Human nature is pretty
much the same in all parties. AS long as
the present system Of fees and high salaries
is maintained there is little hope of reforming
city or county politics.
THE WEATHER
has been magnificent for a few days. Vege-
tation Is still green, and flowers bloom as in
summer.
ADJUSTMENTS
are lively at present, with Grip Van Winkle''
at the Opera House, "The Woman in Red
at Woods, 'Arrah-na-pogue' at McVicker's,
and the MINISTRIES at the Dearborn. B.