New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-15
TIE NEW CHICAGO.

II is characteristic, perhaps, of the American
irrcycrence, which sees the ridiculous aspect
of everything in this world, and finds SUD-
flavor of humOr in every story, be 1t OF suHer
ing. of heroism, of gallant enterprise, or OF
stupendous achievement, that we never thinK
of Chicago without the temptation to indulge
in n Joke. The great miracle of a metropolis
rising out of the prairie in the life of single
generation impresses us, of course, as strongly
az it does the rest of mankind, and In our
secret hearts we are immensely proud or the
career of the lusty young city on the shores
of Lake Michigan, and perhaps a little enVl-
ous too, of its strength, its enterprise, ana us
ingenuity. Nevertheless, Eastern citizens can
not help laughing little at prosperity
which passes all the bounds of reason, and
restless activity which borders upon the gro
tesque. There is something absurd IN amor
NAL rapidity Of growth, whether 1t be OF
long limbed boy or prairie metropolis
When Chicago was devastated by calamity
as remarkable as all its previous history, we
watched the astonishing process of its recon-
struction with mingled wonder and amuse-
ment. Palaces started out of the still burning
embers Commerce redoubled its ventures
'NDDOD'
The ashes were put out of sight before they
were cold and when the smoke lifted we saw
the new city already half built, and an army
of masons and carpenters working away Tor
dear life upon the rising walls. Nobody
wasted a moment in lamentation over the de-
struction of the labors of o lifetime. The
struggle was who should get his new house
done first, and whose house should be the
finest.
The old Chicago was the growth OF forty
years The new ono is the growth OF two.
And now that it is so far advanced that the
splendor of its great warehouses, the stu
pendous proportions of its hotels, the ele-
gance of its homes, the beautiful vista of its
avenues, begin to produce an effect, the whole
country is invited to assemble by the lake
side in June, and rejoice over the renovation.
We cannot doubt that the Jubilee will have
tremendous success. 1t is the celebration of
practical enterprise and mercantile magnifi-
cence. 1t is at once prolonged and glorlled
boast and a shout of self-gratulatiOn that will
be heard from the Rocky Mountains to the
Atlantic Thousands of travellers will halt
there to see what this extraordinary city
is like, which has raised itself out of the Gin
ders in less time than the municipality of New
York takes to build fountain; and thousands
will watch with curious interest q festival
which illustrates so well the spirit of the
people, and fits so well the occasion that called
it forth. There is TO be a concert in the big
gest hall in the world, and a ball in the biggest
hotel. Appropriately enough, the hall is rail-
way depot, and we are told that all the rail-
ways will cooperate in the celebration. Even
the locomotives will join their voices to the
general pGan, and "tug whistles and other
"noyel features of q similar character will
abe introduced as a background to the
instrumental effects.n What the instrument
tai effects are to be is perhaps sufficiently in
dicated by the announcement that the committee
have secured Mr.. P. S. Gilmore, with monster
band, batteries of artillery, and unnumbered
anvils large delegation of Governors of
States included within the gangia of Chicago
railroad lines :" committee supposed to be
the biggest ever put together; quadrille that
shall take in more dancers than ever before
shook foot together under q single roof; and
q supper surprising in dimensions every Gull
nary achievement of which there is any record
these are some of the other attractions of
the amazing Jubilee whose noise is to roll
across the prairie and the lake on the 9Th and
9th of June. Whatever we may think of some
of its features, it will certainly be hearty
popular demonstration, and quite as great
curiosity in its way as the Lake Tunnel or
even the Garden City ITSELF