, 1879-02-16
OURSELVES.
a Most Flattering Tribute to Our City
from Over the Water.
Chicago's Marvellous Progress as
Viewed by English Eyes.
It Is Declared to Have No Parallel in
the World.
Our Municipal Administration Is, How
ever, Sharply Criticised.

Our Municipal Administration Is, How.
| ever, Sharply Criticised.
S1eciQl Dtspotch 10 The Tribune.
New York, Feb. l5-The leading editorial OF
the London telegraph OF Jan. 81 is highly eulo.
gistic OF the City of Chicago. The paper in
question reached New York to-day, per steamer
Batavia, Of tile Cunard Line. The 1e'eqyap1,
after stating that nothing is moro common tam
for travellers to take their stand upon SOME
hight or tower ovcrianging great city, and to
ask themselves what its founders could have
seen in its site that they should choose such a
place, goes OIL to say that "T The
| MOST MARVELLOUS Or AMERICAN CITIES
I Chicagb-ought, according to some modern
writers, to have grown on the spot nov occupied
by an insignificant village called Michigan City,
| which stands at the foot of Lake Michigan Be
that rs 1t may, tue happy accident which placed
J Chicago on the banks OF the little river beariur
! the samc name, and running into Lake Michi-
gau, was apparently wiser guide thau the
| prescieucc Of the spectators who bought town
lots at Michigan City. Reviewing the statistical
! details respecting the commerce and population
| Of Chicago at the end Of 1875, re do not hesi-
| tate to affirm that the past history of mankind
CAN SHOW NO PARALLEL
! to the amazing figures therein produced. Fifty
years ago there stood not single human habita-
| tion upon the spot now covered by city with
| population Of ct least SOC 600 souls. In 1881
! small stocladcd fort was raised at the mouth of
the Chicago River to protect few white settlers
and other families IRON the attacks Of the red
| Indians. The butfalo-herds wandered In count
! less swarms over the prairies Of Illinois, and
! Fort Dearborn was the first home Of the white
| race upon the western shore Of that mighty
| frcsh-water lake which Is now covered for eight
months Of the year BY
] swARMs OF 'GRA1N-cARRrNG STEAMERS AND
sCHOONERS.
In 1913 there were fewer than 100 inhabitants in
San Francisco, and in 1858 the population had
grown to 100, ,0c0; but the record Of Chicago
lceavs San Francisco, st. Louis, Cincinnati, and
Melbourne far in the lurch. 1t is, indeed, the
proud boast OF some among its aspiring citizens
that, within the lifetime Of children recently
born, Chicago will in population be the second
city of the Anglo-Saxon race, and will be sur
passed in this respect BY London alone. New
York. they allcgc, has 1atter1y grown SO slowly,
and has suffered SO much from the
WITHDRAWAL OF COMMERCE
SlllcE LIE tlD5E VI LIE RiEaL A4f1l war, tuaE tQE
Empire City will be oyertaken within the next
half-century by the stupendous Capital Of the
State Of Illinois. In confirmation of this start
ling prophecy, it is maintained by the statists
Of Chicago that their young city had about
100000 in 1885, and that in 1878 more than half
million souls were included within its confines.
Chicago, moreover, is at this moment :
THE GREATEST EMPORIUM IN THE WORLD
to the statistical exhibit Of the sGardcn Ciry's'
commerce in 1878, We find that, during.the twelve
month which has just closed. more than 13o Oo0,-
600 bushels Of grain, 1,10o, 100000 feet Of 1utn~
her, and $780, 600 hogs were brought to market
The Union Stock-Yards of Chicago exhibit, es-
pecially upon the mornings Of each successive
Monday during the packing season, such swarms
Of cattle, sheep, and hogs as can nowhere be
paraaed, and are we'll worthy Of q visit from
those who, like Mr. Cobdeu are OF the opinion
that the young Illinois city is the
MOST INSTRUCTIVE AND INTERESTING
spectacle to be seen On the face OF the earth.
When Prof. Goodwin Smith was about to repair
for the first time to the United States he was
told by his friend, Mr.. Golden, that the two
American sights which had most deeply i'm
pressed him, and would never fade out Of his
memory, we're the Falls OF Niagara and the City
Of Chicago. Little more than siI years ago
the Capital of Illinois was visited By
the most tremendous confagration which |
had been known since the great fire OF London.
In ntwenty-fOurhours the flames driven By astrong
wind trom the southwest, destroyed about |
25,W0 buildings and houses, leaving nearly
100000 persons homeless and destitute, and |
sacrificing more than $50 lives. Tic area over |
swept BY the fire covered four square miles, and |
the property consumed was estimated in value |
at s290, ,000,000. Without moments hesita- J
tion
TIE uSDAuSrED INHABITANTS
set to work to rebuild their much-foycd ctr, |
which arose from its ashes with rapidity scarce
II less astonishing than the magnitude Of the I
disaster. In the place Of WOO den huts and frame
houscs, stone and marble were lavishly en- |
ployed, and nowhere in the world is a hand |
souler city to be seen than that which now |
stands upon the spot laid waste in 1871 by an |
Irresistible coulagration. The Civil War, which |
scattered money broadcast over the Northern |
States. conferred enormous advantages upon |
Chicago to the detr1ment OF her two great West
ern rivals. Cincinnati and St. Louis. The lead |
then taken by Chicago gave her such start |
that neither the terrible fire Of 1871 nor the /
enormous burden Of debt which it cnta1led has |
been sufficient to arrest
HER UNPARALLELED GROWTH.
It Is continually asserted by her inhabitants
that all the prime necessaries of life are to be
found at Chicago in unexa1np1cd profusion, !
and at rate which for eheapness can nowhere
be equaled. Under these circumstances. it is
maintained that more human beings will gravi-
tate naturally to Chicago than to any other t
centre Of commerce in the United States. Vast,
however, as are tile figures recently exhibited !
by the chronicles of the Chicago Board OF Trade,
it is startling to observe that the banking
capital which supports them is still marvelously
insufficient for the demands made upon 1t. We !
read without surprise that the City Fathers !
have piled up so big a municipal debt that, in
community as sanguine and progressive as apy
in the world, no more money can be borrowed !
On any terms"
After referring to the abortive attempt to ar-
dit or supervise the city accounts, the editorial
goes on: "Furttermore, the question asked
again aud again by our Chicago contemporaries,
Have We police forcc!'
DERIVES ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE t
from the street robberics, which seem to be Of
constant occurrence. Every vaticinatiou in |
which the citizels of Chicago love to indulge