Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-06-04
FROM CHICAGO.
CLIFTON HOUSE, CHlCAGo,l
May 3lst, 1874.

You and others told me to stop at this
house while sojourning in tho city of
the West. We are all proud of Chi.
cago; not for her many schemes of
Fleeing the "Grangers," as well as
many Of our business men and would
be capitalists; nor her political and
other kinds of prostitution nor her
church quarrels; nor her Times and
Tribune; nor her magnificent parks
and Tivoli gardens ; but forh her sndom-
stable pluck and energy in rising,
Phoenix like, from her ashes. And
what pile OF ashes Other and abler
pens than mine have described that
wholesale destruction. Never mention
It more!
commenced to tell you of some
things that l have seen during the
trip, and since my arrival here, and
not to criticise or philosophise. Hav-
ing been thought smart enough by
some Of my friends to be entrusted
away from home, packed my valise,
and "quietlv stole away, Fl believe
II was an Aya6 who done tho same
once before.
I took train No. A Cor rather it took
me,) at s p. m, It being one and a half
hours late, on yesterday, and arrived
here at z 80 this morning, without:
any accident. The C. B. & @. and d.
& NJ. havc NO serious accidents to pas
senger trains, they being among the
best and most carefully managed roads
in this big country. When one gets
on the cars to 60 anywhere, the FIRST
and most natural thing in the world,
is to look around to see whether they
know any Of the passengers or wheth-
or any one from his town is "aboard."
This I soon did. ] discovered well
known gentleman, with whom am
sligAtly acquainted; but I did not 60
and ask him where he was going, as
he was engaged in what seemed to be
. very confidential conversation with
good-looking, pert young lady. They
got off of the train s0mewhere between
Burlington and Ottumwa. What hap
pened after, could not say. At Fair
field nice young lady came aboard,
and seeing another young lady, better
looking than herself, gave piercing
scream, kissed her, and said, " Why,
Suse, hosc came yon heye9"
Notwithstanding all this, the train
sped on and arrived at Burling ton
one half hour after time /; making up
one hour between the two points. At
Burlington ! was Joined by my viii
lom friend-Dr. Howell Of Moulton
who IL 3 prince of good follows, and
long for this world-six feet two in his
stockings. My kind and considerate
friend, Mr.. Lee, agent at Ottumwa,
had telegraphed to Burlington and Sc
cured Us each berth in the best loca-
ton in the sleeper, which wo proceed
ed deliberately to occupy by the time
we reached Galesburg--the town
founded by the friends Of the crazy
man who has organized company,
with unlimited capital, to crush out
oil secret societies--and yet he has a
wife and family!!
No serious accident happened to us
after this, except, inasmuch as con-
ductors were changed at the above
mentioned place, we had to be ava
kened to share oar tickets punched"
Alas! what . lack of confidence 10 be-
ing constantly manifested from man
to his brotacr man. Yet we do not
understand the ways of some men
when, clothed with a little brief au-
thority. cut such fantastic tricks" etc.
Among the many changes wrought
in the city for the better, is the con.
duct ofthe runners and buss men upon
the arrival of trains. We heard but
one fright across the way-the best
two dollar house in the world"
That house got nary victim. After
getting the sand and cinders ont Of
onr eyes and ears, We ate Z good break
fast, Hlit" our cigars and sailed out TO
"do" new Chicsgo. The 'sfirst object
Of interest which attracted our atten-
ton" was the watcr-works-not that
water within itself 10 attractive
in Chicago, but the machinery which
Is Hecessa.y to force this healthful