The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-12-04
Notes from Aunt Chats Portfolio.

Goodbye to Got'saan-nack to Chicago by
way of fAIoatreal--Encounterin Customs
Ofacials-Chicaso's Wonderful Enter
prise-d;igantic achievements or Mans
Genius and Money-4Advantages and
1 slseautics of the Lake Gity--A Noted Ply
sfcian-The Founder of the Z. N. G.. A.
Anecdotes Of Gen. Ben. Eutler.
CHICAGO, Ill, Eey..-, 1880.
EUrToR CHlEF:
With sighs of regret and hearts full of
sweet memories, We left New York, to
retnrn-ah, who knows if We will ever
returni Who can divine the. future
Hope promises we'll, but hope is a flat
terer.
Hopes, what are they f-Bea.ls of morning,
Strung on slender blades ot grass
Or /. spiders web adorning
In q strait and treacherous pass.
We came to Chicago by way of Mon
trcal and Detroit, circnitons but de-
lightful route except for the go-easy, go
as-you-please style of running trains
through Canada. We went ut snaiPs
pace, took a long rest at each station,
reached Montreal two hours behind time,
and had to remain there twelve hours.
We did not ulind the penalty ut all
and set about improving our time. We
walked up town through a feathery snow
storm and as a pleasant change from the
lunch basket took nice hot brea kfast
in restaurant. Then we engaged a
carriage by the hour and, wrapped in
ulstcrs and ftlrs, went sightseeing. We
rode up tho mountain and the way the
driver ercpt along to stretch ont the
llonrs was aannsing as well sproyokiug.
Nature presented a beautiful spectacle
in lfcr sheeilT robes Of white Il sight
rare indeed to Louisianians. The drive
is II fine one aud the view very grand, no
Doubt when the atmosphere is clear, but
it vas too cold for us to enjoy it under
any circumstances and VIC were glad to
return and take refuge in the Roman
Catholic Cathedral. Service was being
held in one of the chapels, itself Il good
sized church. The bnilding is grand and
beautiful but not so large, l think, nor
nearly SO beautiful as st. Patrick's in
New York. The English Church Cattle
dral.is handsome but not ut all imposing.
Going in and out of Canada VIC. en-
countercd the Customs House. officers and
found those of the States much the more
strict. When they. went into the sleeper
to inspect baggage it was fun to watch
the pehple. Some fanciel Themselves
insulted, got yexed and showed real
genius far resistance OF course they
received worse treatment, were obliged
to see their satcfcciis zeiltireIy selnpticd of
their contents; while others, who dis
played Il willingness to comply with the
law, were unslisturbed. Resistance at
sncl times is certainly bad policy.
am perhaps 1nole pleased than ever
with Chicago. In enterprise, energy and
industry she has nc equal. The progress
of thirty years seen,s like encllantncnt.
Yes, thirty years ago, this was miscr-
able mud hole, and nothing gives Il Chi
cagoan more pleasure than to tell of the
difficulties that came near sinking the
city into insigniiicancc, and of the wo,-
lerful skill, energy, pcrseverance-to say
nothing of the money-wlth which those
difficulties were overcome. The city was
too low. The water of Lake Michigan,
by some conyulsion Of nature, arose near
two actually to within q foot of
the level of the city-and there was fear
Of inrndation. The drainage became
bad, because, in consequence of this rise,
the Chicago river which divides the
city and which had been its chief drain,
could no longer discharge its water into
the lake. Tho water near the lake shore
bccamc too impure to drink; and epi-
denies threatened frequent recurrence,
How to remedy all these evils was !,
problcm-a problem which the people
determined should lc solved ut any cost
+ The city and all the buildings ,cere raised
eight feet The Chicago river was forced
to run up stream by digging a canal and
connecting it with the Illinois river at a
point lower than tho lake, atfOrding an
opportunity to the pure water of the
. Lake to run UP the Chicago river, through
the canal into the Illinois, thence into
, the Mississippi and on down into the
Gulf of Mexico. The crib-a circular
, stone wall, extending to the bottom OF
, the lakc-was built three miles out. The
> water was pumped out of the enclosure
, aud Il shaft sunk therein to Il great depth
aud from the bottom of this a tunnel w;.t
excavatcd to the shore, where it was
| tapped by another shaft. By means o.
: powerful pumps pure water is forces
through this tunnel and abundantly sup
, piled to the city.
> These three gigantic undertakings
t the raising of the city level, the improve
: ment OF the drainage By changing th'
| current of the Chicago river, aud til,
g conduct Of pure water from the body 0
D the lake, have immortalized Chicago an,
rendered her the most remarkable o
1 modern cities. II she has a heavy debt
| she has much to show for it and ma,
e point with just pride to her fine com
r merce, public buildings, parks. etc.
S The people of Chicago are genial an,
: warm hearted; receive YOU into thei
hanna. as if Il ,srre :, raal nlaaa,,re an,