Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-06-13
TOWARD SUNSET.
From Washington to Omaha.
PRELIMINARY.

considerable variety, in experiences well a.
in scenery; and, for the entertainment of ths
can't-get-aways, il seems only fair that an occa-
sional one of the vast throRg OF travellers should
note down few of the impressions formed on
the hurried trip. Not that the undersigned pro-
poses to bore the readers OF The STAR with a
regular history of the journey. Nothing of the
sort. He only designs to jot down a few notes
en- route, as time and opportunity allow, leaving
to the responsible editor the pleasant duty OF
interlining, striking out, or chucking the whole
lot into the waste basket, and 10 the reader the
choice Of reading or not, as inclination may
dictate.
TIE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.
In travelling, as in nearly every other phase OF
existence, the weather and the crops for a
staple topic ofconversation. Imay be pardoned,
therefore, If refer to the subject here, AMI say
that the present season, like every one that has
preceded 1t, and like every one that will prob
ably follow it, has been entirely unparalleled.
They are all without precedent for something,
you know. This time it is for dry;--at least
through the states of Maryland. Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Indiana. In Illinois, Iowa and east
ern Nebraska they have not suffered 50 much
for want of rain; but in the four states first
named the drouth has been both prolonged and
damaging. The fields there are literally parched,
the streams are dried or drying up, the growing
crops are scorched and stunted, and in many
places the woods were on fire as we passed
along. Indeed, unless there comes rain soon,
there is positive danger not only that the
crops will be failure in those sections this sea-
son, but that we shall have a repetition of the
awful confiagrations of last year. In Ohio
was told they had not had what is called good
old-fashioned soaking rain for more than two
years. To be sure, they have had showers from
wi ua1 60 lran, ~.
more or less moist, and to bring along the an.
nual crops of grain, grass, and small fruits
But there have been 10 long continued rains
that 60 deep down TO the roots OF the forests and
orchards, and keep alive the sources of the
springs. Many persons entertain the gravest
apprehensions as to the future i'm consequence of
this long continued deprivation, and not few
are prepared to accept the theory of the sdrGat
Recius: that we have now actually entered upon
one OF those geological epochs of protracted
drouth which have all along at regular inter
walls marked the history of the earth, aud which
essentially change the character OF different
Notwithstanding those that have been most
fruitful to be barren and unproductive deserts,
Whie other causes change desert wastes to fer
tile fields.
Were prepared to accept such theory in a
general sense, would still have doubts as to
whether We have yet really entered upon a dry
epoch in this country, or rather, perhaps,
whether its influence is extending over the whole
continent, after riding from Chicago to Omaha.
quent recently, and the surface of the earth is
as green and beautiful aud promising as eve or
heart could wish after weary ride OF five hun
dred miles through cinders and dust. The
crops promise well at present all through the
prairie sections, and L feel satisfied that any
short-comiDg in the yieldin the middle and east
ern states Will, for this year At least be fully
met by the productiveness OF the west. And
this fact may possibly verify to some extent the
theory OF Reclus above referred to. As the rain
belt or wave seems to be working its wiy slowly
but surely westward each decade, and as the
broad plains heretofore considered irreclaima-
bic deserts are fast becoming fat pastIlrage and
arabic ground, it may be that an elemental
change IS actually going on, and that while the
heretofore productive lands on the Atlantic
slope are becoming parched and barren the
future eianary and garden Of the country will
be found in the great desert basin OF the jnte-
riOr. But the subject Is little heavy for letter
written to vile away the tedium of railway
IaVei, and dismiss IL with the remark that
certain facts which arc known to exist and
marked climatic or meteorological changes
which have taken Place within the memory of
comparatively young people afford ample food
Don'tstart, gentle reader. / do not prop ose to
write history OF the great Chicago fire, nor yet
will attempt description of the picture of
desolation painted by the red hand of fame
during those awful October days and nights of
1871. Leaving Washington at 7.i5 in the evening
and arriving at Chicago at O'Clock OF the sec.
ond morning, one has ample time. before leav-
ing for Omaha at 1879, to take a drive through
at least a sample portion OF the burnt district
and see in cursory way what is being done in
the work of restoration. This opportunity of
course we availed ourselves of. All through the
portions heretofore devoted to business the click
and hum of busy artisans are heard, and the
streets are everywhere blocked with teams haul
ing materials for building. There seemed to be
no end to the army OF men hurrying along in the
early morning with their little dinner pals TO
engage in the work of raising their chosen city
from her ruins, as, indeed, there seems to be no
limit to the demands for their labors. By the
way, Ii the coming President ~ would advise
the poor people Of his over-crowded city to buy
a pick or hod and 90 to Chicago Just now,
instead OF damning their souls and telling them
to go west and buy farm, it would seem like
more sensible advice. But, being farmer him
self, his predictions doubtless incline that
way, and thus his judgment is warped. Twas
ever thus.
In spite of the brave words all along spoken
by the excellent journals with which Chicago Is
favored, and notwithstanding the encouraging
predictions made by her friends everywhere, L
could not resist the feeling that it win be many,
many years until the city can become what She
was before the fire. may be mistaken in this
as / hope am; but will give my readers tae
reasons for my fears, and let them form conclu-
sions for themselves. In the first place. hardly
need remark, there was great fire: much yall-
able property was destroyed; most OF the insur-
ance companies failed to pay their losses; large
fortunes were utterly swept away; and MANY
men still ranked as wealthy "a large per cent
age of them being non-resdcnts) are rich only
in the desolate lots which the hot fires failed to
consume. They have no means with which TO
improve without selling portion OF their PROD
erty, and comparatively few persons are at
present prepared or willing to both buy and
improve. This much everybody knows
/ Now, what made Chicago what Il was? Not
alone her unriyalled position and her immense
trade in grain and lumber, vast and valuable as
they were and still are. Save New York, per
haps, no city in the country made 20 much mo-
ney during and out Of the war as CHICAGO.
While Cincinnati and St Louis were both cut
on from aiarge portion Of their markets during i
the rebellion, her rich trade was uninterrupted
There was no end to the demand for her lumber.
her pork and her grain, and in turn there was
an eyer-increasing req listion for her merchant
disc BY the instantly growing and -apidiy de-
vslopfng country Surrounding her on every side.
Then the traffic In army supplies was simply
enormous. Am told that for the item Of horses
and mules alone the government paid out over
nineteen million dollars In Chicago during the
war. Out of such colossal transactions MANY
avzAf v,u, Ho~<r,v A.