The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-07
A few ImpressiOns-Tho Chica gOan
ana his Great ExpectatiOnS-A Few
statistics, DC, &C.

CHICAGO, July LIST, 1869.
A live city has always attractions
for the tourist. He enjoys the evil
dences Of steady, healthy growth ap-
parent upon every hand, whether
or not he has any personal interest
conferred there. We are no exception
TO The general rule. Ou- impression,
however, has always been that the
growth. of Chicago has been too rapid
and ftful to be called a steady one
yet despite the opinions of many
writer's, who have at different times
come here to write up the wicked
city, its progress has been of the most
substantial character.
We had occasiO to be in Chicago
during a portion Of 1S63-64, and
though the city was fast growing into
importance, and more, the air and
hustle of AlUch larger place, we
were not favorably impressed. Why,
it is impossible to tell. 1t was EVIL
dent that right here was destined be-
yond per adventure to be central
and commanding metropolis; yet
/ there seemed In all the rush and
/ hustle apparent upon every hand
something unharmOnsOus. 1t is,
| probably, to a certain extent, explain
/ able in the fact that It's site rises to
| the dignity of the horrible. 1t seemed
to us that all who had. up to this
time, gravitated here, came with the
| single purpose of making money and
| then returning to their homes. The
city then was emphatically place to
get rich, but no place to enjoy riches
| Outside of few splendid business
palaces, the city was composed of un-
broken rows of cheap and film
sey frames; the sidWalks and
streets were half the time swim
ming in mud, and the rest loaded
with a dust peculiarly suffocating and
| binding; giving the whole a general
aspect of frOwziness and nastiness,
indigenous to the poorer quarters of
prairie town. We do not now find
this disagreeable state of affairs so
prevalent. Within a very few years
the city has gained a symmetry and
strength, which In the first years of
its rapid growth could not be impart-
ed, and is still developing into more
perfect stature; swelling into new
vitality under the care and eXertiOns Of
the proper authorities and the inces-
SAINT ware of immigration.
| Much has been said and written of
the Chicagoan and his great expecta-
tons. and it Is pretty generally con-
ceded that owing to- his brilliant in
tellect and the Unusual fortune in
store for him, he has wisely been re-
moved jot above the plane of gen.
eral mankind. He is, indeed, a shin
ing genius-an enthusiast on the
subject Of municipal growth. He wants
his city to extend her limits daily; to
double In population with every de-
cade; he wants crime to hold high
carnival that terror may be inspired
abroad. He encourages everything
that gives notoriety to the place.
Should he read this letter, he would
no doubt be one of the most enthusi-
astic admirers of its author. While
we notice all these minor affairs, it is
plainly apparent that Chicago is fast
outstripping all her rivals. Cincin-
natl is beautiful, but tame In COMPARE
son. William Morley PuncheOn's
3 figure on the characteristics of the
3 two places is good. He says that at
2 chicago everybody seems to be going
3 some place; at Cincinnati they Look
r as though they had been there and
returned
All things considered, Chicago en-
T joys many unusul advantages. She is
{ surrounded by boundIess nrairias RI
till and build railroads on-an advan-
? tage she does not hesitate to embrace
t This necessarily makes her deveion.
ment rapid. Her railway system to-
2 day is more complete than that of anv
: city on the continent; yet she is nor
9 content to stonand await the result Of
e former energy With every demand
j from the interior of the country for
? new market outlets, she always takes
: position at the head of the van Of feel
2 ers, and throws, with astonishing ra-
+ pidity, her immense arms in every d.
2 rection. The problem of her unpre
] cedented growth has, to rival cities,
2 been a hard one; but the solution is
e easy to all who take a common sense
? ; NOW 0f # Were we asked what