Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-12-12
WESTERN CORRESPONDENCE.

| CHiCAto, NOV. Q, lcc-.
Editor Democrat:
In our last letter something was said
about writing again sometime during the
next fortnight, and here 1t is nearly a
month, and am just getting at it. The
only excuse | have to offer, Is that we
have been running on an old almanac at
our house the past year, that was calcu-
lated for the year so or 81, l forget which
anyway we had IL when we were in Lead.
vile, and In ''hggerin' time ahead from
IL We have made mistake OF nearly TIVE
weeks-you will please excuse US Mr..
Editor, and We promise that the thing
shall not happen again, and will purchase
new almanac very soon.
Yesterday and today were lovely warm
dsys--real ''Iudian Summer" weather. Yes
terday was election day, and 1t was very
quiet day at most OF the polling places.
In the ninth ward, there was brutal
tragedy committed by one OF Mayor Har-
rison's special policemen. u. S. Marshall
Jones appointed Deputy Marshalls for ali
the polling precincts so as to insure fair
election as is always the case. The
Democrats knowing that in the event at 9
fair election they were 10 be beaten Mayor
Harrison (Democrat) rsved and sworc
and tore himself all up about 1t and so be
appointed 1000 special police to see tina,
the thugs, bummers and repeaters could
vote as often as they wished or the exl-
gencies OF the case demanded. One OF
these specials deliberately and withou,
provocation, walked up TO ticket distrib-
utor and shot him through the heart. Ed.
Flaherty was the murderers nsme-very
suggestive name too-and George Nelly
who was member OF Hook and Ladder
Co., was the party killed. Flaherty was
n notorious rough and was fair specimen
OF the men appointed yesterday by Mayor
Harrison, who is without doubt RESPONSE
BILE for this mans death. Harrison has
made perfect ass of himself all through
this campaign, and has very much injured
his chances for another term as Mayor.
he is in close communion with Mike Nc
Donald, the boss gambler and fence" for
murdereus and thugs, and the only chance
he has for an election is through the ma
chine" which Is run by Mcdonald and his
henchmen. They pack the iuries and run
the courts OF this town just as efYectually
as any farmer in your country runs his
| farm, and IL Is most impossible 10 convict
a man here for any crime. Since last jan
uary Mike Mcdonald has been surety on
bonds for criminals in nearly two hun
bred cases, nearly sll OF which were set
free TO 90 about their old business OF muir
der and robbery, with almost perfect safety
as far IS conviction is concerned. These
are the kind OF men that are running all
Chicago.
The city government here is very differ
ent from that OF New England city,
Boston for instance-has a Mayor Board
| OF Aldermen and Council. Here, there is
the Mayor and Aldermen, who are also
the Council. The city is also divided into
three towns" North, South and West,
towns, each OF which has its Assessessors,
Collector and clerks &c. There is board
OF Park Commissioners for each OF these
towns. They have charge OF the parks
and streets. The most horrible streets
and sidewalks on the earth think are in
Chicago. There are not a dozen good
streets in town. | mean what we call
good. in the Hub" OF course there are
many streets OF wooden blocks covered
with asphalt and gravel Just put down
that are nice for the time being, but in a
year they will be like all the rest. A red
squirrel would break his neck trying 10
cross one of them. The sidewalks are all
made of wood, and such \ rotton mess ]
think is not met with, anywhere else. Ev-
cry building too has its own grade. Some
times you are even with the street, some
times two feet above it, aud then again
you are from three 10 six feet below the
street. There Is not an inch OF brick side
walk in all Chicago. On the south side
right in the business part OF the town are
very nice lime and sand stone sidewalks,
but outside Of that there are none but
wood. When say ''none" | mean COM
IL rnH 10 ha
mile on an average. Aside from Washing
ton street and some few crossings on the
South side, there are no flag stone cross.
iugs or any other kind OF crossing, than
the pavement, and the dirtiest aud most
flthy street at the North End in Boston,
is clean TO what State st. is, in front of
the Palmer, even. don't ask you TO take
my word for anything, / say refer you to
any daily papers printed in Chicago.
In the matter Of hotels. They have as
good here as anywhere probably, except
as regards catering. They cannot do up
the food In the shape that Young and
Parker OF Boston do, or any Of the first
hotels of that ''culchawed" puritanic town.
The Grand Pacific probably, is the best
house between New York and ''Fris-
co." and Bostonians, who have sat at Mr..
brakes board say "by jove, it is the next
thing to Young's or Harvey Parker's."
These were the exact words OF our Coz,
when he was on here from Kansas last
winter to attend the Harvard Alumni Din
49, ~ ,ha Grand paftar hotals cannot ha