Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-11
Ihe freeman.
Letter from Milwaukee.
MILWAUKEE, April 90, Is

qlentlv; and in this city to-day came
across several lying with a southeastern
exposure in the full heat of the sun.
1t was not until we reached the western
part of Michigan that we saw much
high water, and then nothing serious; but
when half way to this city from Chicago
we began to come across newly formed
lakes, ranging from a few inches to several
feet in depth, and covering thousands of
acres of land.
We reached Milwaukee Wednesday
evening, and came to the Newhall House,
an East side hotel on Broadway, and oppo-
site the chamber of commerce building
1t is a well kept hostelry, with moderate
charges. Since that evening, | have been
doing the city, and have derived much
personal satisfaction from my efforts. The
contrast between its clean houses, tidy
streets, broad stone walks and parked
streets, and Chicago's smoke-stained
walls, filthy streets and dirty walks is so
marked as to cause an immediate affection
to spring up between it and the visitor
which grows rather than weakens on more
thorough acquaintance.
BY the courtesy of old-time residents |
have been enabled in brief time to see
and to know quite good deal of the city.
The city is divided into three parts and
sets upon three hills overlooking the lake
All that portion lying between the Mill
waukee river-which flows through the
city, parallel with the Lakeland the lake
is called the East side. This is the origin.
al city. All that portion lying west of the
Milwaukee river and the Menomonee
river, which joins the Milwaukee in the
city, is called the West side. All south oi
the Menomonee is known as the Walker S
Point division.
The East siGe has the best business
blocks, and its residences are usually first
class. The northern part of the West
side is the home of the employees of the
different manufacturing establishments.
The East side has until recently looked
down upon the West side, and jeeringly ly
called it Canada" But a ride up Grand
avenue discloses now finer private resi-
denccs than any the East side can boast
Of Here we find the home of Alexander
Mitchell, president of the Chicago, Mil
waukee and St. Paul railroad, president OF
the North. western national insurance
company, (ire and marine), president of
National bank and owner of the new
Mitchell block, and withal the richest
man in Milwaukee. His residence is a
marvel of elegance and his grounds are
charming beyond description. The lol
occupies one whole block between North
and Keith streets, and beshies the elegan,
house has beautiful lawn, a rich pavilion
costly conservatories and green houses
On this avenue also is the home of John
Parkinson. owner of the Parkinson
Hotel, West side. He commenced life as
a pork butcher; killed his one pig at a
time and peddled it out by slices; grew
step by step in the business until his is the
greatest pork packing business in the city
Thinking to try little speculation thi:
winter he went into the corner on pork
and in 4 few days made ST, 100000. Since
that he has tried corner on coffee, bu
failing to control the market he is now
losing about three cents a pound on the
millions of pounds he owns.
Grand avenue followed leads to the
soldiers home, which stands in the centre
Of beautiful and attractive park, which
is kept in prime order by the disabled
soldiers-inmates of the home. Sometime
there are at a time over eight hundred o
the disabled and wounded veterans of ou
late war in this home. The park is opel
to the public and is much visited il
warm weather, especially on Sunday.
To be in Milwaukee and not speak o
its breweries would mortally offend tn
average Milwaukeeite. This busines
employs thousands of men and is th
controlling interest in city politics. Th
city was carried by the republicans at tn
last election by attracting to that ticke
the great bulk of the German votin
element, but it is now thought by man
sincere temperance people that the DISCUS
of the German citizen will be so intens
at the anti-treatiDg law recently passed b
the republican legislature that it wi
result in throwing the city into the han
of the democrats at the next election. Thi
fact makes the act seem not unmixe
good to many of the temperance people c
Milwaukee, who see in the return of th
democratic party to power evil and ev
only
1t is feared that even the Milwaukee
lager beer which has stood among beer
as purity itself is beginning now to b
adulterated To those who see in the fire
use Of lager beer the sure inaugural of
temperance millennium this fact is
source of much annoyance, and as on
gentleman said to me, 4" 1t will make L
all teeJolalers, | fear, for Of course W
cannot countenance whisky"
Milwaukee as port of entry and d.
partnre lacks only million tons {
eqnaing Chicago, and it is claimed thi
Chicago and Milwaukee together excel
tonnage the ports of Philadelphia, Bosto
and New York. such is our commerce Q
these inland seas.
Milwaukee does not expect to rivi
Chicago as "A commercial city. but do'
expect to lead in manufactures, and e,
poets to control the movement of all Il
No, wheat in the north west, and th
because of the superior and establsht
honesty of the grain inspectors of this cit
who have become world. wide in fame
THIS regard; so much 50 that at Liverpool
Eng, this grade of wheat with the Mi
Waukee stamp upon it sells for a cent