The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-01-12
From an Occasional Correspondent.
CHICAGO JGTTINGg.

5HA4lA0Sa
4 Palatial Flower E%IOuse-Ciiy Prison
and Inmates - WeatheF-Ihe Res
suit OF the Reform Movement.
From the sublime to the ridiculous
is said to be only ore step, and it is
but a few steps from Palace to Prison,
as l know by actually measuring the
ground. This reflection was INDUCED
in after a visit, first to the county
Jail, and in the afternoon of the same
day to the magnificent Crystal Palace,
which the heirs Of the late Peter
Schuttler have erected on the grounds
where, a few years since. Mr.. Schut-
tier erected the finest residence in the
State of Illinois. Mr.. Schuttler died
without a will, but his son Peter,
knowing what had been his fathers
intentions, has, with Mr.. Holz. his
brother-in-law, e~ndeavored to carry
out those intentions. and the erection
Of this magnificent greenhouse is in
accordance Herewith. Mr.. Schuttler
amassed great wealth in the manufac-
ture of the celebrated Schuttler
wagons, and, with a true sense of the
obligations which wealth brings, he
kept his means actively employed in
improving and identifying his prop
erty, and extending his business, CIV
- --,-I1-,n A. 7nIr11u ~ mon
instead of locking it up in real estate
or other speculatIons.
The green house, Of which it was
my purpose to write. is a structure,
except the stone foundation, gallery
floors and hand rails, entirely com
posed of iron and glass, requiring 81
tons Of iron and 1900 square feet of
glass, nearly 5000 days WORK in
its erection, exclusive of Ia days
which Mr.. George L. Lett expended
In drawing plans for and superintend-
ing the work. The house is IS feet
long, 81 feet deep, aud AZ feet from
the ground to the pinnacle OF sthe
dome. The entrance is IL the center,
and projects - feet from the main
bull ding, making it Il feet deep at
this point. At each corner OF the
entrance and main building are little
turrets, which, with the dome, arc
Moorish in style, and gives One an i'm
preston of Oriental m~agnificence
that makes the beholder revert to the
| fairy stories Of his youth. The build
ing cost $50, 900 aud occupied a year
in Its erection, but the appearance OIL
lightness and brilliaDcy, the soft, warm
colors thrown round by its stained
| glass windows, its beautiful plants
might make one believe it was called
into being by the power of some en-.
chantment. Details Of plants would
be tiresome, therefore / will but say
that from the modest violet to The
majestic palm. the sweet forget-me-nO'
to the venerable century plant, thC
collection is complete.
The woHE was done by Messrs.
Lett & Son for the Schuttler estate
and was under the especial charge Of
Mr.. George f. Lett. the junior
member of the firm, who, with tht
assistance of Mr.. Hotz, Of the Schut-
tier family, whose taste and expert
ence lent effective aid in beautifying
it. From the opinion of several
gentlemen of my acquaintance, whC
have travelled extensively In Europe
this is the finest, although not the
largest, structure Of its kind either
In this country or Europe.
Mr. Schuttler, the founder of thu
estate, and the elder Mr.. Lett, @
Letz 4 Son, the builders of the house
Il both self-made men, came to thu:
. country at an early day from Ger
bringing with them as their sol
II fortune, their skill as artizans, anC
'e 10th have risen to wealth, and werl
r many years near neighbors anC
Inmate friends, until the death 0
w \. Schuttler; but the results of Mr.
10 Stuttler's skill and industry re
:. ma, as will those of Mr.. Lett, a
moments to their honesty, skill
andeTseverance.
FIN palace to prison, from ligh
to dkness, from beauty to misery
the tAsition is terrible. While con
70 tempting the beautiful we are unabl
to rea.e the miserable until it i
ne thrust gon US, yet here in the mids
Dv Of mag4cence stands our stupendou
le Court huse. in the basement o
which arI75 miserable Wretches con
hned on 4 manner of charges, from
:" larceny tomurder. [ had seen tn.
LdmO VI arson WhCm SuppOS6u
by knew, pubshed in the papers a
e. having beenrrested, and made a tril
: to the Jail t0dentify him. / did no
- find him, butound instead one WHOM
l had KNOWN my schoolboy days
at as the son of prominent merchan
n Of my native ~, with everything t
= make him haR. The entres to th,
"a best society, he best education
our schools Qld give him,
s. fine musician, ecellent accountant
master of severalanguages. He wa
by nature a sc0Ialsg, and in spite Q
10 all these surrounngs he sank lowe
I. and lower, until nv he is often re
peatedly being sentto the Bridewel
= for drunkenness aneagrancy-book
TX ed for Joliet for Nrceny-a petit
is thief. Out OF the Eliminates of th.
it Jail, over two thirds Se for larceny
!" three or four for murar, and the res
2 fer assaults of various kinds. foreer-
and the various gades Of swindiing