, 1872-11-23
The Hotels and Boarding-Houses, and
What It Costs to Live in
Them.
Condition of the New State House
aEd the Lincoln Monument.
improvement and Progress Q,
Springfield.

Springfield win soon be busy scene of acti7-
&ty. Signs Of the approaching session Of the
Legie!ature can be seen everywhere. The note
OF preparation has been sounded. and hotel and
ooarulng-house keepers are ready to sing and
dance foF joy. It has been SO long time be-
tween drinks, "a tedious and dull interval from
the end Of the last session to the beginning OF
The next; and they had to console them
Selves during the summer, with the reflection
that winter-glorious winter-was coming, with
new members and three OF four months Of busi-
ness This leads NE to say few words about
HOTELS AND BoARD1Sa-HoUsEs,
fer the benefit Of newly-aedged Legislators, who
are beginning to think where they Will live, how
theC will live, and how much it will cost. They
cao pay their money end take their choice, under
4he Constitution. It depends upon themselves
where they will take up their abode,
and how long they will stay. The
s2.!Is yeTy according to circumstances. At the
beginning OF session there is usually bull
movement in the market,-a corner on hash;
hut things ind their level after the initial ex-
citeneat has subsidized. There is always ample
accommodation. Members can "hang OUT at q
hotal OF boarding house, or can take rooms in
o2e place and board in another, or can sleep out
doos.-a roomy and weu-yentilated apartment,
-a1d chop wood for their board The hotels
are free. frank, and not very expensive; the
boarding houses, quiet, subdued, retired, cheap,
and occasionally pious. Board does not cost
more here than elsewhere; why shcnId it
Retired members delight to tell long stories Of
fabulous expenses at the capital to scare their
Successors. There is no necessity for alarm.
Ehirty-fye dollars q week is the pay Of mem
ber. He can live upon that, unless he has the
luxury of wife, the joyful mother Of smaller
lu1uries.-and insists upon having them around
him, to relieve the tedium Of legislative
monotony- For himself, he can get along. He
can reside at 8 hotel at from 50 to 81 day, or
at a boarding house at from IS q week upwards,
according to location, accommodation, and the
conscience of the 1andlady,-the latter being in
most cases, al unknown quantity. He can
equander S1oo or 81 600 3 day if he wants to-
Why not ?-the only difficulty in the way being
Lack Of the necessary funds. In ehoIt he can
spend much or little, as he pleases; dispense .
fortune, OF dispense with one.
Hotels and boazding-houses are being turned
upside down and inside out to clean and reno
7ate them. Carpets are undergoing their yearly
Ehaklng; miles Of sheeting are being made, to
enTelop the statesmanlike forms; walls are be-
ing painted, and papered by the acre; the culi-
so 4hat everything may be ready for the rocep-
ion and comfort Of the distinguished visitors.
TEE LELAND
aas been newly painted. Everybody has heard
Of the Leland. It is at Springfield what Wizards
is at Washington,-the political centre. It is
associated, in the minds Of e1-members, with
the legislation Of the past. In its Corridors the
Third House holds its sessions, and the lobby
has full sway. It's rooms have histories. Could
the walls speak, wha. tales they could unfold?
The Lake Front job was put through in that
room to the right; over in the corner parlor On
the second floor was Logan's headquarters dur
ssmusic, moody food, for those who trade in
love" and politics in the room below occurred
the famous Quincy drunk, when wine flowed like
water from hEdrant; IN the southeast corner,
free Peoria Whiskey and cigars stood daily and
nightly for six weeks, during the state-House
fight OF last session; in that upper chamber
many hundred IVES lost and won at poker and
all over the house, the genial Powell, the " end
man Of the Twenty Seventh General hssem-
bly,, informed Qnuvivial audiences taiat-
jay bird eet On hickory limb,
Jangama1Angoho.
Every room has it's traditions. There will be
more history made this winter, of course. Quart
ers have already been engaged by several mem
ber5, and large number Of permanent boarders
are expected in the house.
TIE OTHER cARAvASsERA1sE
che Chenery, the Revere, the st. Nicholas, and
the Central-are putting on the finishing
touches. They are not quite as elegant as the
Leland, but are comfortable and inexpensive.
There are numerous boardiug-houges to select
from, and, ike all cities, the boarding -houses OF
Springfield are good, Indifferent, and bad.
MEMBER's EQUIPMENT
In addition to the bills with which every new
member will feel it his bounden duty to fill his
satchel, he should be equipped with a varied as
eortment Of neckries becoming to his COM
plexion, several white vests, and swallow-tailed
coat. These are necessary to make him shine
at balls, receptions, parties, and in the House
when he is On his lega, and the !" observed Of
I'll observers" in the gallery, where ladies most
do congregate, bless their souls! "Hon."
bachelors particularly should heed this sugges-
ton. a sound constitution, clear conscience
IN umbrella, and pair Of henvy boots, are also
good things to bring along,
THE SENATE AND HOUSE
will meet in the old apartments. They are not
State House was built for another Illinois than
that Of to-day. There will be ample room in the
Senate, but the ventilation has always been de-
feoiive, and the air Vitiated and unwholesome.
An attempt WAS made last winter to cure the
evil, but it VAS not entirely successful. In the
matter OF heat and ventilation, the House will
be more fortunate, IS it was furnished
last year with tile most improved apparatus,
but it will be more cramped for space. One
hundred and seyenty-seven men we're packed
last year into room never intended for more
than d hundred, and could hardly breathe. They
generally went out doors to draw good, long
breath. This time there will be 153 members-
q less an improvement certainly, though still |
too many. There may be wisdom il multitude,
but IN this instance there is likewise discomfort,
and "The more the merrier" is not true. The |
furniture will be furbished up, and some Of it,
wo5n out BY long and faithful public service,
will be snperannuated, and new articles supplied.
The gallery will be made comfortable for the
ladies' who viii be the ornamental and picturesque
portion Of the scenery.
THE NEW SENATE
includes several former members. Reynolds. Of
Cook, served in the House some years ago.
Waite was in the last House. at the head Of the
Municipal Committee. Williamson was there,
too. Brooks, Of Will, WAS in the House, q
strong, silent member; Strong, Of Livingston,
ditto. Whiting, Of Bureau, succeeds himself.
Sanford represented Knox IN the House; Cum
mings, Fulton; and Lee vas promoted by the
Peoria District. Nicholson, Of Logan, and DON
ahue, of Dewitt, return to their seats in the
Senate; and SO de9 % y9ais Of Shelby and stalne
Of Vermilion, Chairman Of the Revenue Com
nlittce;, big Tom Casey Of jefferson; s Aineh-
ccme up from the House. There is strong IN
fusion Of trained material a. and an appalling
are mentioned for the Presidency of the Senate
il. the event of BeveEidge becoming Governor.
~ I~1Ty4 1FA