The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-12-09
A glimpse of Chicago as IL now Appear.

Notwithstanding the fearful exaggerations OF fright
ened correspondents, Chicago is yet q city Of magnif-
cent proportions. II any stranger doubts this let
him stand uDon the steps of the new Briggs or the
new Sherman and look to the west, to the north or
south. Was ever anywhere Witnessed, even In old
Chicago, such scenes of busting life as are presented
on Randolph or Madison or Canal street The rush
and roar Of traffic and travel, intensified because
contracted into narrower limits. is seen and heard ON
all sides. Vehicular professions reaching out as far
as the vision reaches crowd the thoroughfares, while
the sidewalks are lined with h~urrying pedestrians
sll aglow with business. Eastward from the position
named the stranger sees the river crowded withcraft,
and even beyond, amidst the DIST and debris left by
the fearful visitation Of flame, he beholds such mira
cles Of labor as can be wrought only by cool heads
and willing hands directed by an energy that meets
obstacles only TO surmount them. The demon Of
destruction has scotched not killed Chicago.
The g magnificent leveer, - as some persons have
been pleased to call the great oonfagration, has
wrought wondrous changes in business locations.
The West Division teens with unwonted activity.
Canal street has become a thoroughfare ~partaking OF
all the characteristics Of old Water, Lake and Clark
streets. Printing Offices and wholesale stores, tele-
graph Offices and insurance agencies, commission
men and stationers, are ali gathered upon IL, Ia a
very hodge-podge Of mercantile cobgruities. The
streets farther west feel an unwonted activity, while
West Lake, Randolph and Madison streets are
crowded with new busihess in a way that two weeks
ago would not have been dreamed Of
The mercantile gregariousness--the gathering in
close proximity Of like business and professions
which was beginning to mark the metropolitan char
acter Of the city, and which was noticeable only la
the South Division, is not lost there even now. With
q fellow feeling characteristic Of advenced sociality
in matters mercantile, the banks have all or nearly
all located upon Wabash avenue, making il a tempo
rary Wall street. The Wholesale merchants have
gathered upon the lGks front, looking westward upon
Michigan avenue, with only thin pine boards between
them. With what Wondrous rapidity those wooden
buildings reared their pine fronts Aladdin's tower
might be more imposing, but could not more quickly
have sprRng into existence. Such OF the railroads as
lost their depots in the common ruin have their
general Offices established on Michigan avenue, near
Sixteenth street.
The ruins are alive with workers. Teams laden
with rubbish are filed up and borue away. New
foundations, broad and deep, that the superstrticturos
may be massive and magnificent, are being laid.
There is click Of trowel and noise Of hammer. People
who came to gaze upon ruins find them, but they find
also a ceaseless activity which shames their idle curl
osity. They see the ashes. but they feel them
pregnant with the phoenix which soon shall rise
Chicago Posi-.