Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-03-24
Trio Of Cities.

A Trio OF Cities.
During our recent trip to the
Bastard" we spent few days in
each of three cities-Chicago, Pitts
burg, and Cleveland-which, in
their growth, development, enter
prise and business activity, afford
fitting index Of the civilization, anda
sure, indication of the great future
of the interior region of our coun-
try. 1t is not our purpose, even if
we had the time, space, and ability,
to go into detailed description of
the growing greatness of these in
terror cities, but simply to give
some gossiping incidents of most
enjoyable journey to and sojourn in
each.
At midnight, Feb. Goth, divesting
ourselves of all thoughts and ankle
ties respecting types and copy, we
grasped our well worn and filled
satchel and started for the depot.
The train was on time, and the ear
ly gray of the morning found us
under the bluffs which keep watch
and ward over Dubuque. Wespent
pleasant half day in the city, Wis.,
iting the Times and Herala estab-
lishments, and renewing acquaint-
snces among county delegates to a
grand Masonic festival which was
to come off in the afternoon.
One O'Clock P. NJ. found us in the
cars bcaad for Chicago ria Mendo-
ia and Central Illinois. We spent
two days in this latter region, Wis
iting the long drawn out city Of
Princeton, and adjoining towns.
The deep SHOWS which fell during
the winter in this section of Illinois
were fast departing, and high wa
tiers, undermined embankmcnts
weakened bridges, and other peril
GUS adjuacts of travel were the con-
sequences. For about two weeks
the average record of ditching or
collisions of trains on the Chicago,
Burlington 4 Quincy X. r. was
about one day. Fortunately the
accidents were mainly to freight
and stock trains. The loss of hui
man life was not large, but during
those fearful weeks hundreds of
horned beasts anticipated by few
days or weeks the period for their
transition to a state of roasts and
steaks.
We entered Chicago OF, Friday,
in q gale "a reception not accorded
every stranger as we were inform
cd), and depcsiting our baggage
and sign-manual at the counter Of
the Briggs Ke~se, sailed forth to
take the measure of the town. We
saw Chicago at her worst. On both
sides IF the streets, piled high and
broad, ike the earth-works of
fort, were entertainments of dirty
SNOW, the remains Of the white
dcluge which 80 nearly put an EN-.
barge on travel and traffic few
weeks ago. These, slowly melting
under the Influence of an occasional
sunbeam, kept the accumulated filth
of the winter in state Of semi-fu
idity highly favorable for the dec
Grafton of the luckless pedestrian
who should brave the peril Of the
crossings. Two of the institutions
of Chicago have come in for a large
share Of abuse from the city press
the police and the court house.
On every recurring visit to the city
we have reason to be grateful to
both. Until we get the ''hang of the
town" we occasionally lose our
bearings. In this case the court
house, with its dingy body and
white wings, serves an admirable
purpose as landmark from which
70 take a new line Of departure; tie
s.olice being equally invaluable as a
means Of ascertaining the locality
- Of the court house. Something was
said a few lines back respecting a
gale of wind. Oar Iowa readers
nay Hstter themselves that they
know all about the freaks Of the
wind from seeing it's manifestations
on our breezy prairies, but they
should see the "blustering railer"
on high in Chicago. From the
whistling, and the roaring, and the
banging, the hurting of all manner
of missiles through the air, and the
general scene of disorder and con-
fusion on the memorable Friday we
spent in that city, we derived a very
vivid, and, we doubt not, a very
correct idea Of = battle. There
were no casulties. but numerous
narrow escapes. We saw box
about the dimensions of a candle
box come sailing down from the up
per regions and aiight squarely on
the caput of bald-headed man.
We know he was bald, from the
circumstance that he Immediately |
squatted on the pavement, took off
his cap, and, with rucful counte-
nance, rubbed the place where, en-
phaticaliy, for emergencies of this
kind, "the hair ought to grow" at
A. co,,o t;,na o.Stinr an apnrahnu-