The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-10-07
Chicago Gossip.
DEAR COURIER:

4
B.& 9, q gentleman cxclaims, "an'
this is the wonderful city Of Chica
gol" one is fairly challenged to holt
awhile, and contemplate the might,
changes that man has wrought here
upon the margin of Lake Michigan
Old history may unfold tho grca
deeds Of mighty men ofoldcn times
and enchain our attention with tn,
story of her great cities. down BY
the eastern sea, but it was reserved
for the nineteenth century to pro
duce Chicago, the most wonderful
example Of progress thai we fine
jottcd down in the book of Time.
Besides being the greatest grain
lumber, and pork market Of the
world, it contains the richest pear
this side the Atlantic ''Pond," accor
ding to q Wisconsin paper. New
York jewellers have pronounced it &C
valuable that no man in America eau
buy it, so it is proposed to exhibit il
in the principal Railroad centres Of
the West. 1t is not certain about
going to Ottumwa, ,tmay be exhibit,
cd at Fairfield.
Since the completion of the Pacific
Road, Chicago is more aggressive
than ever; is actually compelling the
Great Wost to pay tribute to her,
and she is entitled to the vast trade
that she enjoys, for while st. Louis
is "Slow Cosch," Chicago lots no
enterprise lag. Whilo she builds
hugo tunnels for the accommodation
of her people, she pushes with ener.
gy her vast network Of Railroads
into every part of the west. She
has brought old Brigham, the "Lion
of the Lord" to lay his surplus cash
at her door, and his agent now re-
sides here, and buys for Young's
Utah tribe; she courted California,
and like the "Girl of tho Period
she smiled upon the brave, and pours
into the mart of industry her gol.
den charms. One is beginning to
see here, what is true of New York,
the Capitalization of trade and finan.
cial power into few hands.
+. The past season has boom one Of
great prosperity for the largest
houses in the city, while smaller
houses find it slow going. The
house of Farwell & Co., sold more
goods in September last, than in any
one month in previous years. The
evidence of this power is seen in the
erection Of vast Marble piles devo.
ted to trade.
While noting the extension Of the
city, visited a 10 acre tract of land
five miles from tho Court House,
that was mine in 1857. I bought it
subject TO mortgage Of $4,000, 90.
The panic came, swept our western
money, and I lost what to day is
worth $4,000 per front foot. What
| lost by losing tho landl l hope
lam not worldly minded enough to
calculate it, but it is another evidence
of the truth, that it is difficult to
hold a "soft thing" l was assured
to-day that lots eight miles from the
Court House are worth over twenty
five dollars q foot. So unexpected
has the growth Of the city been,
that not many years ago, q large lot
on Lake st.was leased for 80 years at
100000 year, the lease alone is
now worth over one hundred thou,
sand dollars. Birch built . fine block
Of stores on it.
l hope no one who comes here will
fail to visit the Chicago water works,
to sec the ponderous engines that
force the lake water ali over the city.
AS pecics of workmanship and for
size, the engines arc not exceeded by
any in the country.
! took q stroll over on Washington
street, passed down and through the
tunnel under the Chicago river, over
my head vessels were passing to and
fro, bearing the products Of States
on the other sides OF the lakes. One
feels an awe thrill him, as he imagines
what would become of him il the
brick arch should give way. This
tunnel is said to be finer and better
than the famous Thames tunnel, per
fectly dry and clean at this time bar
ring what it used to be.
A sight of Robt. Laird Golfers
church, both outside and in will am
ply repay . walk to the North side.
Collieris a Unitarian. Aside from his
views, every one who loves true clio
qucnce, and can tell it from clap
trap will certainly 60 and hear him.
The: Methodists have many good
churches, and but ono Hatfield.
Chicago is really becoming famous
for good ministers. none stand high
er than Rev. Alvin Bartlett, of the
Plymouth Congregational church.
AS mono of my friends in Ottum-
wa drew the Opera House, and as
the man who did draw it, died after
that lawful draw" am perfectly
satisfied that Crosby should own it,
since he bis doing SO much for tho
Fine Arts. Goupstairs and see those
studios, where our western artists
are ut work after their summer
sketching Old Vesuvius, you will
find in the Gallery, and by gas light,
awakens similar feelings to those
experienced while standing at it's
base in its far Off sunny home.
The 100000 picture, Yosemite
Valley is also here, beautiful and
grand. Soon we may expect to see
those wonderful canons along the
Colorado river, with walls over one
mile high, transferred to canvass, on
exhibition here. j. G. M.
Discriminating r. r. Tariffs