The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-03-18

ance OF being any ones prison or temno,.., ...,
ping place. Aurora annually spends Iarns s 49,
VI money IN gravelling the strests and IT, 80
son over eight miles Of the principal street, ss.
graveied, to say nothing Of sidewalks hs;,. nc
!ne citizens. There were expended in all On ~.
Improvement OF streets last year $22, OOO ~
.;anS " E Ts came from private subscr,p.
uons' Inc total cost of running the citv eov.rr.
ment was $4,000. $1,000 of which 1 st 80.
police and %, QUO for gas. Aurora bss 150 .t-sot
lamps ana does not keep them exclusiv.lv for
ornament out usas them on every evening during
the year, when light is needed. 1''"s
BUSINESS HOUSES.
The majority of tho business h,ool.
hne. They are built of brick. .rs 80 ~
three stories high, of elaborate corn;.s ,,;~S.S.
and door Gaps, and glass fronts of a v.rv .ostis,
cha. acter. Some Of the fronts are connno.oS sc
single pane Of glass for each window and 49,
the window lights measuring g.. feet w;ds h.,
~ feet 10 inches high. There are over a dozen
o'ocks so lighted, these panes being of the best
imported French plate, and costing from S5MO
to $500 for each light or pane MANY Of tboss
blocks cost from $4,000 to $4,000, and ali arc
beautiful in design and finish, eclipsinp the hsst
OF our Ottawa efforts in this direction. Anon.
these we noticed fine new block by Miller e
Plain. "
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
These are many and their uses are varied
Aurora enjoys the distinction of having the best
public schools in the state, we'll a. some of the
hnest buildings. She is proud of her reputation
In this particular, and merits it. and Tho
thousands and hundreds Of thousands Of dollsrs
expended for educational purposes annually paw
her more than the scriptaal ten folds proportion.
The public school building on the east side ia az
brick, .4x96 feet, and four stories hivh. with a
| spacious basement. The first story ia 10 feet in
height, second and third each IA feet and the
upper story ID feet, and will accommodate 1856
pupils, and there are now in regular attendance
about twelve hundred children The building
cost about $4,000. Everything 10 done vith q
SORT OF military or clock work precision ~ must
needs be where there are SO many. Prof. Powell
Is now the principal we'll a. Of the other public
fshools on the east side of the city.
On the west aide, Dist No. 4-ths city 10 diyi.
ded into east and west Aurora, by the riyer-is
another large building, two story stone struc-
tare, costing S35,OOO. Another building in the
south part, on the wes1side, costing $4,000
The stone building was enlarged, costing nearly
SoOOoO more. There is another large brick
building. exactly on the plan of the first mon.
toned. but smaller, on the north side, east OF the
river, that co-t $4j 600. Clark's Seminary is an
extensive private seminary, running under the
| auspices OF the Methodist church, . splendid
structure, l25 feet by 40 feet wide, FIVE stories
high, and rear building 70x45, four stories
high. 1t stands on II slight emnencs in the
southern part Of the city. The cost of the build.
ing and ground WAS $1,000
The Young Mems Christian Association have
put up u beautiful building at cost of $4,000,
across the fs,t iron bridge going west, on the
island.
The City Hall is an immense brick structure,
afording room for the city council, city clerk,
book and news depot, and the post Office, furn.
ished up IN the most excellent and convenient
style fer the use Of which Uncle Sam pays Aure.
IA $500 per year. Above the pos, Office il o
large city hall, where the recorders cour. me,es
out justice TO all who violate the laws. and
above again is another public hall, with room for
sou people. The two halls and the story below,
all having lofty ceilings, and the building itself
standing On the island. on u very elevated base
inent. 10 get clear OF the spring floods thu, often
csme that way make the building o very lofty
and imposing structure. In its tower il large
bell OF superior tone which is used only on such
extraordinary occasions as fire, or a vsi, from
reporter from another city, the city clerk kindly
allowing ms TO hear its powerful yet melodious
voice.
CHURCHES.
Aurora has many churches, some Of the build.
ines being venerable from age and associations,
aud many new and grand externally, and elegant
internally. In II drive around the city with
Dudley Randall, OF the BeIrO, aud Il. W. Gates,
Esq, city clerk, the following church edifces
pointed out TO US:
Nsw England Congregational Church. Size,
32x4j feet.
Universa.t Church. A grand building of
the Norman style, rough finish with dressed
joints 1t is GO feet wide by 1lG feet lsng.
Height to caves 40 feet, and TO the ridge SO feet
Steeple, $50 feet. Audience room, 91155 36
feet to extreme height Of roof Splendid organ
Of manuals OF % notes compass and pedal
of % notes; IS manual stops; 90 draw stops,
and ll55 pipes. Cost Of church, $4,000 The
celebrated DR.. FORESTER formerly Of Chicago, is
pastor.
The First Baptist Church is large and hand.
some edfce
The Catholics had a fine building on the west
side, but it vas destroyed by fire last year. and
new one stands partially completed on tho east
side, and now work has ceased upon it, it is said.
for want of funds.
Church of St. Nicholas, on High and Liberty
streets, 50xl00
Pirst NJ. f Church, an old patched and added
structure, about to give way for a new building.
Second NJ. Il. Church is on the west side.
The Free Methodist Church is fine building
, on Lincoln Avenue.
A large and elegant structure on the east side
being erected by tho Episcopal society.
And lastly, but not leastly, 18th Amendment
| church, run by colored Baptists. There is
another coored church, which we did not see. az
we'll as number whose members are not plain
people. Aurora is we'll provided with large and
| stately church buildings and il they are attend
ed IN proportion to their united capacity, Aurora
may be set down AS moral town.
| Though the city is regularly incorporated as