Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-15
Letter From Chicago.
Chicago, April IL,

To the EdtfOT OF me journal:
.sOut West" like down East i. loca-
ton of no definite longitude. Some of US
who are not old men, remember when Ohio
was ''far West" Later, that indefinite coun-
try was located in Wisconsin, Iowa and Min
nesota; now, those states are in the eastern
half of the Union. To go West means, out
here, to Colorado OF Dacotah, and when
one gets there the occidental country is still
beyond, where the Pacific layes the shores
of California and Oregon. One needs to
travel over thousands of miles of longitude
and hundreds of latitude, to get any appre-
hension of the vastness of this country. its
wealth of soil, forest and mine, and its varied
productions. The growth of states and the
up,pringing of cities is truly wonderful.
Chicago is one of the marvels of the age.
In 1910, a village of less than FIVE thousand
souls to-day, forty years later, claiming a
population of five hundred thousand-neary
as large as the population of Maine. And
Chicago has had great obstacles to overcome
largely built with eastern capital, secured
by mortgage. paving high interest then
came the terrible fire which almost annihia-
ted the great city. But her enterprising peo-
PIE Tailltu- tuc ltuu was oiiSdStQ. anu
eastern capital flowed in again, and the
Greater Chicago" was built almost in day
and cxtravagantlv, too, Then came the
panic, the palatal stores would not
rent for the interest on their cost. No won
der that the city is nearly bankrupt; any
other city or people would have succumbcd
Chicago is bound to live and grow; the pro-
auctions of three States pay her tribute as
they pass the south end of Lake Michigan on
their way East. The great West is hardly
opened vet. But Chicago is. to some extent
ovcrgrown. The expectations of population
and wealth rivalling New York in the next
decade of years are not well founded. Should
these coming years be prosperous ones. Chi
cago will grow wonderfully: should they be
'.hard" years, the city will suffer greatly
The business competition is intense, often
Having no scruples as to means. The life is
fcverish, the faces of the business men thin
and care-worn.
\ week ago | met some scventv-fivc of the
Sons of Maine residing in Illinois An or
ganization was formed to keep alive memo
ries of the past c. II. Miliken. formerly of
Augusta. and C. P. Kmball, formerly of
Portland, were there.
Chicago has the advantages and dsadvan-
tages of being built upon a low plain. The
streets are level and straight for miles. The
heavy wagons and horse cars have no hills to
climb. But there is lack of variety; no ele-
vations from which one can get extended
views. Drainage is difficult. The two great
problems which engineers are trying to solve
are how to get pure water into the city and
impure out of it. The drainage is into lake,
river and canal.
The Lake.having no tide or current. it must
purify the waters by slow oxidation. The
water OF the river and canal being sluggish
becomes exceedingly filthy. The city is sup
piled with water from Lake Michigan. A
tunnel runs under the bed OF the lake termi-
mating III a crib two miles from shore. Pumps
drive the water to all parts of the city. When
strong wind blows from the city towards
the crib several days, the sewerage is carried
out into the lake, communicating the water
which flows through the tunnel The COM
merce of Chicago from Lake Michigan is i'm
mense; hundreds of vessels and steamers ar
rive and leave daily; though navigation IS
hardly opened. nearly fifty vessels were
seen on the lake yesterday
The advance in bread stuffs. iron and lum-
Der. has given great impetus to business in
the West. and necessarily Chicago feels the
revival of trade: though the streets are wide
many of them are frequently blocked with
teams. Many draw-bridges frequently open
for the passage of steamers and vessels, and
greatly impede travel.
The spring has opened early. grass is quite
green, and farmers are blowing and sowing
though the lake winds are cold. causing the
temperature to range from 10 to 80 degrees
within two days The farmers are expecting
a demand FOR wheat and corn, and more land
than usual will be put under cultivation.
G. T. FLETCHER.