The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-03
STREATOR.
Remarkable Progress Of New Town.

Remarkable Progress Of New Town.
About seven years ago, plat of oak openings
and hazel brush on cold clay soil on the east
ern bank of the Vermillion river, ut point
about nineteen miles south Of Ottawa, on what
for years has been known as the Bloomington
road was vicinity for which its GOODNESS ana
of soil had acquired the justly
bestowed sobriuuet of lizard Scrabble" because
those who had settled there on that sterile
ground and tried to live upon what it produced,
had found it scanty, and it was indeed "hard
scrabble" for life itself 1t is true that fine veins
of coal had been found cropping out here ana
there along the bank of the Vcrmilion river, but
no one appreciated the fact that underneath that
whole surface Of the country far miles around
was hidden an almost ncXhaustible field of coal,
Coal, black and glossy, and containing such a
rich percentage of carbon as no other coal fields
for hundreds of miles could equal; coal, repre-
sentng countless dollars-fortunes for whoever
would open and find market for it.
About seven years ago, some enterprislnS IN
diyiduals projected and carried to completion Il
railroad which was followed speedily by others,
dreams of this hitherto neglected region, and
town was started. From the nothing that was
there then in the way Of q town, has come
thriving young city of four or five thousand peo-
pie, more or less, and the nucleus for city of -
who can correctly estimate the increase for the
next ten years?
1t is not our purpose to mention now the
growth of the place as it has occurred step by
step but to mention some noted Improvements,
such as we found on the 1st of January, 1874
u. KEENAN, L co.
One of the finest buildings in the state outside
of Chicago, and one that we trust will be last
ing testimony of the energy Of a firm of live
business men, is the Ileenan Opera House block,
as it will toe known in the future, located very
near the heart Of the city and the center of bus
mess 1t is of brick three lofty stories in height,
twelve feet 1t fronts on two streets, one east
and the other south. In its construction, 70O,-
600 brick were used. The windows are archcd,
and the front on Main street ornamentcd by two
plasters In the arch over each window and the
entrance doors to the stores and stairways are
kcystoncs of sandstone, nicely Ornamented
The basement is OF stone, reaching under either
side walk to the street line 100 feet on Nam
street and SIS feet on Park street. The basement
is indeed a story of itself, since it is covered Will
flooring and has 81 feet clear to the ceiling
The cellar and store room are 70xT2 feet in size
filled with apple bins, potato bins, apartment
for earthenware, glassware, barrels OF molasses
shelves filled with canned fruits, and all the 9th
er conveniences OF a large grocery store room
The first floor is the grand store room proper
1t is the largest single store room in the county
being the entire size Of the building, viz. 70Xll.
feet, less the outer walls, the interior being di
vided into compartments only by counters ant
shelves The eastern department is devoted tC
the groceries and crockery. The array of tea:
and spices is magnificent in itself, and in tn,
rear is the section devoted to crockery. Mex
is the notion and fancy dress goods department
and in the same direction, at the western ex
| IRENE, is the boot and shoe section. Black wal
nut counters extend everywhere, fronting tn,
shelves, and goods piled up in bewildcrlng profu
sion, but all in the most perfect system, fill thi
magnificent store from side to side and from
front to rear; and corps Of active and urban
clerks are busy everywhere, and crowds Of PEG
pie fill the spacious room between the counter
on every hand. Here you will find AS great
variety of goods OF the best grades Of the seyera
lines as one could expect to see in the best retail
houses in ChicagO--the immense space and larg
custom which the house dcscryedy enjoys enah
ling it to make each department as complete a
if each were u special branch Of business, ant
in In largo ri Nuhn lnal nyplus yplN If
either of the above lines are far outdonc in thi
great combination Of special departments. Tn
office, grand display of black walnut desks an
ratings better than most banks can AFFORD is i
the center Of the store, so arranged that it is
model of convenience while atfordng the boo
keepers and cashier full view of almost ever
part OF the establishment.
The second story is reached by two commod
GUS entrances on the south and northeast con
meIs of the building. Here n grand ball cor
meets the heads of each stairway around tn
building. The hall is feet in width. From thi
are doors leading into 90 Office rooms which ar
% feet deep and Of various widths. At the rca
Of these offices, one row fronting south and tn
other east, is the grand public hall, or Oper
auditorium which is 46XS0 feet with a ceiling :!
feet above the floor and a dome in the center f.
4 light and ventilation. This hall, when scatc
and provided with stage, will be one OF the fiji
est in the county.
Above this is the third story. Two antc-room
and closet in the south east corner reached b
a wide stairway are attached to a beautiful la
I2sx56 feet for the Masonic Fraternity, occupyin
the southern side Of Che huildin@, and smallC
hall and antc-room in the east for the Odd Fc
lows, the remainder being, OF course, taken up b
the grand hall or opera house auditorium.
The windows in the fronts are very largc-tw
lights OF double thick glass each, the upper pan
circular at the top, and the lower lights - lnch'
wide by IS inches in length. Tie south easter