, 1875-04-25
SUBURBAN HOMES.
VIEWS OF A CORRESPONDENT.
IL fra Fftfoy NJ Thf fIhIc1hp Ts.71ttrs.

CHICAGO, April 24.-For mora than geneta-
tion I have benu familiar With the life in Chica-
90, that had grown from village to town and
city life It is rare thing in human existence
to Live and experience what q generation has
brought forth in Chicago I pastured hy COW
on the prairie between Madison and Twelfth
streets, and built the third wooden dwelling that
STOOD On the school block whero The Tribune
Building now is. Yet Chicago. like the church
down in Vermont, has grown until it is full and
with Others of the old settlerB1 have been crowd
cd ever the brirn and outupon it's borders. Ih2ve
taken up with suburban Life. I am beginning
sort OF new existence. It may be An expert
ence as unique as the thirty years. life within
the city As begin it am anxious to note
down my experience and put it upon record, that
may profit by it in the future; and perhaps
some others may take hint or heart and improve
from my mistakes OF expectations. should
like to see the legitimate expansion Of my OWL
notions, az I begin this suburban life.
find myself planted on fiat prairie, and On
that kind OF soil that was considered whom
first settled in Chicago swamp. or u marsh, al
most unit for cultivation, and certainly such
ground as never could be used for the habita-
tons Of men- 1t might do for beavers or rats.
We generally then considered that Chicago was
surrounded by an area OF mud that must be
jumped over in the process OF settlement. We
never expected Chicago to be full; but when it
had grown large enough, after: some generations,
for its dwelers to seek country life,
population would spread out north and south
on the lake shore, and leap over to the high,
rolling prairie beyond the Desp1ainea. But
find myself in suburban town On this fiat
prairie. Now, this must be so, it we are to
have su burban sites anywhere within distance
that is possible in which 70 have such towns.
learned bow 70 build great city on the Slough
OF DespJnd, so We must learn how to maze
pleasant homes for the convenience Of city LIE,
whexu once frogs sported and PUSHES grew.
ground on which hare built my houee. But the
whole village is also eieyated alike. We are
reilly all on high ground, for tho rains from our
summer showers go out to the upper WATERS Of
the hiss.ssippi or the lakes. to flow down
over the surface Of Continent to the
level Of the ocean. Bat unfortunately, We
are on Q Hat, and are deficient in the most i'm
portant OF all variety, namely, surface undu1a-
ton. There is sntiicent incline of tha ground
to the water-level OF the lake and rivers 10
go, it the water could be gotten away To rea-
sunable time. It lies upon the ground to satu-
rnte and make the soil into sponge to hold ths
moisture indsdnite'y; OF, It finally dried out in
d stakouI u AIOA&Ats W 16af6 tAe STUuuQ
baked and cracked like underdnne earthenware.
What is wanted to make the suburban sur
roundings Of Chicago dry and pleasant is undu-
lation- THIS is proved by the natural prairie.
Very slightly rolling is sufficient to make the
land dry. The water will run into the low places
which form the natural sloughs; the balance is
dry, suitable for any Kind OF cultivation, and
pleasant as 3 lawn or park.
Now, on my little domain OF single block,
which Inst fail took possession Of "a q plat /
am trying to carry out 3 single experiment
which, 7 think, will 70 far to remedy the great
defects Of our suburban villages. My first con-
test is for tho aunihlsatfon Of the mud. I ex-
pect to get up my own little premises few feet
above tho general level bv getting tho water eur
face father down. II all my neignbors did the
same thing We should hare high rolling prairie
the line OF the water course. and that on an
average is not more than half mile distant.
Let every neighbor scrapa and build over against
himself. 1 am reducing the level OF the edge OF
my block, eidewalk and street, and carTy1ng the
Garth on alightly-incined line I'd the centre OF
the block. This will produce in singla season
= dry ridge Tint viii nj, ind drain;
Row of mora freely, and the lower
level of the road and walks be no more muddy
than the average surface has been. and that wilt
gradually improve every season, for the water |
has found freer outlet and the cutters will get
eodded over as the sloughs naturally form them
selves INTO perpetual waser-course that never
needs repairing. l Am presunaing that many Of
ei, and that We know how to plauk or gravel our
walks and carr1age-waye, 80 as to keep our feet
aud wlleela ont of the mud. We want to turn
our whole village plat into public parz, and No
must do it At the least possible expense.
.UaBAsus.