The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-04-30
GOrrtspuHorurrs
CRIcAeO cORREspokpENcF.

CHICAGO CORRESPONDENTS.
First Cargo Of rea via san Francisco
a Oo.--Lawt Of nlinois for IsSS--
money@--Trade---Muste matters--
ADJUSTMENTS.
Cmolao, April ~, 1903. THE merchants OF
Chicago, last Saturday, held jubilee over an
event-trivial TO the superficial observer,
but significant as tho herald Of an entire
change in the course of trade and the first
installment Of Chinese products from the
West, viz, the arrival OF the first shipment
OF toa direct from China uid San Francisco
and the Pacific Railroad, instead OF coming
from the East through the New York Custom
House. This 10 the beginning Of a traffic
which Is likely to reverse, Al no distant day,
the whole course Of Western trade in teas,
silks and apioos.
TUE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
The eyont Of tho week, in the literary
world, is the publication, in Chicago, Of
remarkable book-a Western book bya West
ern author-entitled "Tho Mississippi Val
low" by Col. j. W. Foster, Of this ecify. He.
is known To- the scientiac by his report. m
connection With Prof, Whitney, on the geolo-
BY OF the Lake Superior region, ~ President
OF American Association for tho Advance
mont Of Science, and as lecturer on Physical
Geography, &c. In the University of Chica-
go, The book comprises aC0 pages, illns-
trated by mape and sections, and treats OF
the Physical Geography OF tho Mississippi
Valley. it's Topography, Botany, Climate.
Geology, Mineral Resources, and lie increase
in wealth and population He divides North
America into five vegetable zones, viz: Tho
region Of mosses aud saxifrages, In the north,
the donsely wooded region. where the rain IL
equally distributed, with great variations OF
winter and summer temperature; alternate
wood aud prairie, between Lake Michigan
and the eastern slope OF the Missouri BASIN
In Ioya lxyhQrs rain Ia lnaa naftn lie Italrf6.,-
ted; the vast plains between tho Missouri
River and the Rocky Mountains, where there
is but little rain, and the arid plains between
the Rocky Mountains aud the Sierra Nevadas,
without moisture. The distribution OF mols-
ture, modified by atmospheric currents and
isothormal lines, he shows, explains all the
phenomena Of forest, plain and desert. His
chapters on the origin Ofth prairie, and tree
planting, having the uses of trees absorbing
.~noxious gases, promoting health, modifying
climate, preventing drouth and preserving
fruits are peculiarly interesting and instruc-
tive, as are also those portions devoted to
the iron and copper regions OF Lake Superi-
or, the lead regions Of Missouri, Illinois and
Wisconsin, and the coal formations of I'LL
nols, Missouri and Michigan. The work is
written in q plain, terse style, Ineligible 10
tho general reader, and free from the techni-
%calities which impair the usefulness OF 40
many scientific works. 10 contains q mass of
facts arranged and digested 40 az TO eluci-
date principles al tho highest Importance 10
we peopio OF th3 No..nwest ana lts general
value to the material interests Of half the
Union. Embodying the results Of the
observations OF a man Of rare attainments,
whose official position and duties gave him
singular opportunities for gathering the ma
Velieia ~ sus"a " y ~ NVrIylhB inc
sohoiuIGns ny nus Ioimou, the Dook must
nave q VIDE circulation, ana hold a. promi-
nont place among the most valuable and
Practealy uSVLul SOhtrlouiohs 70 science In
oSass 40 grov1 wbsrn mi ono orow koInran ~
worthy Of public recognition, Col. Foster. by
his book, has made himself a public benefac.
tor. The mechanical execution OF the work
is worthy Of It's contents, and SUI passes any
thing heretofore produced In the West, Tho
publishers are
q O. aRIaas y. On. M ASn 10 sr,rp an
vhoIeaale and retsi hooksauor. and .t.,ta,
ers, whose splendid store OF three aoors' 70
by i5O feet-equai To- nearly az souare rods
or over half an acre-has more room by half
than any other bookstore In tho West. Til
senior partner, Mr.. 0riaRs. has been m
the business here twenty years, and bis
name Is a synonym for enterprise' Integrity
and fair dealing, both IN this country and in
Europe. The other partners, Messfs, jan
sen, McClurg & Smith, have grown up with
the business, and arc familiar with its de-
tells. Their sales are larger than those Of
any bookstore west of New York, extending
over all the Northwest TO the Rocky Noun
tains. Reside all the standard works and
latest pnDneauohs, history, biography, Nc
toh scho0ll mGalcal anu solen.lhe books,
aha eEerytnlng mine statlonery department,
they nave y splehuin stook OF English DOORS,
III hho EngHsn DIhulhg, superior 10 anything
yot dohe IN this country, anu u Very. large
supply OF the nnsst Az books IN Amerlca,
fairly Won tRe cbief Mace 40 booi, snS 80.