, 1876-09-20

"ruE GREAT CTR or THE WEST nE7wEEx TIE
Two nIvERs.H
IN ne isaifor 0f TIE Trf1hnt.
GRAND CROSSING, Sept. 18.-Atany years ago
Stephen A. Douglas, standing on tue old wagon
bridge crossing tho Calumet River at "DAl.
ton's,'' said To party Of gcntlcnicn TINT tho
great city Of tho West would eventually be
built between the two tIvcrs-mcauing tic CHI
cago and Calumct-the distance between tlcm
being lcBs than 20 miles. II Indiana avenue
were extended from Chicago, It would strike
tic Calumet directly at that bridge. How we'll
the Senator's prophetic vision is becoming real
led, is being verified by the steady and pcrma-
,lent march Of the city sout1ward. AT the i,nc
Of making this prediction, Senator Douglas
was using his best efforts to induce Congress
to lend its aid In the construction Of the Illinois
Central Railroad, task he accomplished, TO
te luBtlng bcnclt Of the 9tAtc which II traverses,
after years Of harrl work and overcoming many
1lsheartcning obstacles.
It is not the purpose Of the writer as it Is
unnecessary. to sing the prAtacs Of thu dead
Senator, through whose efforts this important
work was pushed to successful Issue. for 1t ia
one of tho many monuments to his well-earned
fame, nor to rcGcassu the bcncftts which flaye
becn derived to Chicago nua the State from It's
completion, 6ut to Impress upon, the people
must do to complete the wurk begun by the
dead statesman. At this timo he Ind nothing
to base Ills prophecy upon but the natural nd
rnhtagcs, central position, md Ills lrm fnith
TINT Chtcago would bccomo the metropolis OF
the nation.
B!nce those tarJy and weary years the prog
ress III deYelopnient hus been incaac,1sable.
Besides the Illinois Central, there aro now
sI1 other trunk lines Of railroad, with
their hundreds Of trains q day, tlun-
lorlng frum tle city " between tic two rivcrs,n
fn every direction; harbor second IN ilupor-
tnnee to mono IN tho lnkcs Mt tho mouth Of the
Calumet; bright, smart, healthy villages are
seduced frutn the crowded city tho better class
Of citizens ind small traders; raroau ear-slsops,
steel and woolen works, md other Industries
abound aud I'D. sssery DESCRIPTION Of laanufaeturo,
to the subjugation Of the rugged nativc iron.
orc, arc In successful operation. II the dead
senator weru alive to-lay he would realize tint
his prophecy Of tile great city bctwecn two
rivers II was not clitlncra, but near at hand.
The northern, western, and nearly all uf tho
southern portions Of tile locality are, from
natural causes and artificial means, subject to
no drawbacks fn the Inattcr OF Development; |;
has population OF over to, 600, there ate spots
so low tint in tho springtlino they arc flooded
with water, aud check operations for fmprovc-
Ment so,ne years this overflow Is greater than
| In others, anil this year It has been unbrarablc,
80 bud the people have becoMe aroused, mud,
through, public meetings aud petitions, th1 SUBJ
icet l,as 6een taken up by the Buard OF Trus-
tees hnd {liavusaed, sng'necr'ng reports made
by parties to remedy the evil.
After tho paBt seasons trials tho citizens a re
anxious for ininlcdato avtiou, and are willing to
10 taxed for tie improvements. Why nut, II It
taxes levied IL Hyde p4rlt, Or . portion II
them, .bo applied to this obleet9 Why not de-
| vote the iancy park ald boulevard taxes, which
scarcely benefit, and, II ct all, only prospective.
l!ove this obstacle-tho only one In thu way Of
tle permanent. occupation Of all tho southern
portion OF the town-anl thousands of Acrcs,
NOW almost yaluclcss, will soon bcEal to rcpaay
10 expended. Let tue towns in this scction Of
tle county-for thcy nrc all interested-secct
members of the Legislature, to be coon chosen,
With reference to tlis object, and If atd can be
given by tue State iii the mnnnor Indicated, SC,
| cure It.
In these hitter days It Is the fashion to cry
down the Calumet region, and heap upon 1t all
manncr Of opptobrlous ep!tlcta; anai It hos
gone GU to sucll on txtcnt thut tho unthinking
some very unwIlolrsome names, such nj swamp
quagmirc, fever, ngue, cte. Now. tho In
dIans thought differently. l. Is vel, !tnows
to tho ptonsers lcreqbouts tnat tle
Lake, and down to tito mouth Of tho
river, WIS popular rendezvous Ut the pcacca
bic Wlnnebag0cs, anA tlat for years nfter thei'
| removal west they would 1nnke p!lEriuaEcs IT
s,nnll parties buck to their old iayurlte lake
and hrru "smoko their calumet" Thls was
tic lust spot near civilization which they hnd tt
Hnally give up, and they .lhl 50 with sorrowlne
hcarts as they turned tAclr steps toward th'
setting sun.
It ii plausible to suppose, In the early days
when acnRtur Duugtns yet himself about tf,t
accomplishment Ut Ills Illinois Central Rairout
sellcnsr, tllat he 'n&l s0mething to DO IN select
lug The route out Of Chicago. II he did 80, i
wis Ills thought tl!at the road SHOULD run nea
tho west sh0ro Of Calumet Lake; II was bill
tilulght tLat In souu future day this body o
water, nbuu,nllng IN fish and fowl, would b
levied Or dykcd; TINT solnc day, not lar distant
tho reclaimed shores would become u. pupula
summer rosurt, bcautlNcd with gardens ant
fountains, anu coyured with hntels, vlias, ant
drives. Arc not these tliugs plaussble1
| III. 9. III.
TIE NORMAL SCHOOL.
| III Me Editer af The Tribune.
lAKE, Sept. l0.-sometlling moro than yea