, 1872-10-27

AA0eA~ @~~oo~@---.-".
why immediate steps Were not taken 10 Iepullo
the city in circular form, with the Court House
in the centre, and the main streets rad1at1ng
from it. The author OF the suggestaon 1gnotea
the miles OF beau1nully paved stree!s "ncn Suss
so many thousand dollars, and which survived
the fire almost without injury.
Another gentleman suggested the use OF neat
ing apparatus on the gas works principle. he
advocated the laying down OF supply pipes 1rolu
some given centre, and thought there was no
time like the then present to put his suggestions
into effect. Fifty blocks. he thought. couia os
heated in this way from one boiler, ana ne calioo
upon tho energetic men who had made Chlcaso
what it was, to tako hold OF the thing ana VOTE
his words lave been treated with neglect,
nn to Il saniehdren Of the young men
who we're too busy in the giant work OF rebuild
ing, for their consideration when They had 1e16-
ure with instructions to report when they
thought right and proper.
A year has relieved many OF us from fearful
anxicties about missing friends, about pecuniary
troubles. how tho terrible winter was to be en-"
dured, whether ones salary would be reduced,
ployment elsewhere, whether the price of coal
would rise as the price Of meat, and meat IN
proportion to the ayarice of the coal dealers:
But it has relieved LIS of one anxiety and that at
is with regard to our insurance. Then we all
thought wo might realize little money from
TINT we never shall. ......
Advertisers were not SO we'll OIL year ago as
they are to-day. The limited press 1acillsles 9i
the daily papers were sorely cxempEheu. Col
r!nns aud columns Of advertisements nau 70 oe
refused because there was not space enough
for them. Display adyartisaments we're not
possible for short time: all had to be UNIFORM
l., order to- give ali parties fair chance. Grada-
:.!ly, as the pressure continued: more room was
1aado md q double sheet issucu for while.
Iara 41riant accommodate
the advertising public, and print the news for
which the intelligent community SO davoutly
loneed. Advertising was q necessity then as it
is now, ard was tho manifestation OF tho deter
nination Of the citizens to 60 forward l. WITH a3l
their work The advertising columns Of the
daily papers OF year ago are IN
teresting reading, and the future hlsto-
rian OF the future metropolis OF the world,
which every good citizen believes Chlcago TO De,
will pore over the nes OF IHE CaicAao lRlBuSE;
and weave from those dlsJolnted fragments OF
information g thrilling ldyll OF mighty people
fighting successfully against fearful odds. The
same columns to-day are interesting reading
matter, and Q comparison OF to-day's issue with
that Of the Sunday corresponding last year,
showing the advance IN the typographical su-
periori1y OF the former over tho latter: tie ill.,
formation conveyed in each; with scarcely any
point Of similarity except in the spirit OF enter
prise and determination eylnced IN both, would
be an interesting study. The future historian
has plenty OF material here for o poem that
would make even Homer open his blind eyes
and fling away his 1liad as unworthy place be-
side the history Of Chicago.
With half : dozen drst-clsss theatres, richly
attired audiences, we wonder how We contrived
to pass away last winter, when the Globe Thea
tre and its then meagre attractions. and the
minstrel hall in Rice i Jackson's building, con-
etituted our only places of amusement. So
rapidly have the vnrious theatres replaced those
t1,oA% 1aa kflet fha
public have dropped into their old seats just as
i nothing had happened, and as if when the
curtain fell on Saturday, Oct; 2, 1871: It had not
dropped for . twelyemonth, but merely for the
reopening of place Of amusement after all
ordinary Saturday nights performance. And
now we really do wonder what We did do on those
long drcary winter evenings; what could have
filed in our time? It is true that Standard Hall
filed vacancy. and the Academy OF Music hur-
OF the Eecson. Then came the Star Lecture
Course. under the management Of the
notorious Steiner; and late in the season
Charlotte Cushman electrified us. But there
was still an enormous hiatus to be bridged over,
and the aforementioned amuscments only
formed the piers. Each individual probably can
furnish the superstructure for himself. Now
there is go much competition in catering to the
public appetite for amusement, that the diff
Guilty is to find g leisure evening
patronize theatres. Hard work necessitated
proportionate rest, and no time was allowed for
amusement. The brief abstinence from recrea-
non, ano INC unnlncnl3as struggie 60 reonlla me
city and It's business, deserved the reward when
it has achieved: The theatres are all rebuilt
but one: better than before, two new ones have
been added to the List, and those who wore sack-
cloth last winter did so that to-ony they may
deck themselves as becomes them.
A year ago the streets we're uncomfortable
thoroughfares. To journey through the burnt
district was pennance. To visit the unburnt
portion Of the South Division from the business
centre Of the West Was pilgrimage, to which
the famous journeys of Mecca were pleasant
walks There was no sidewalk On Madison
street. There we're horrible brick heaps, dust
heaps, heaps OF charred lumber, heaps Of sand,
among which one was compelled to steer with
great caution. Teams we're navigating the same
channels, and when teamsters and pedestrians
met in the streets, the advantage was not with
the wayfarer. On the contrary, the wayfarer
had an unpleasant time OF it. Tie streets were
in O chronic state Of blockade this time last
year. The lots we're all vacant and the streets
I'll filled up. A. year had wrought .
decided change for the better IN this respect at
least. shoe-leather and patience were the great
est sufferers. and bptl found themselves utterly