Daily Republican., 1882-01-10
CHICAGO LETTER.
The Unprecedented growth Of the
Western lis-lnsesesting
Experiment wish Motive Power
for street Cars.

Special corr spondence Of the Republican.
CHICAGO, H., Jan. 9TH, 1882.
Once more in this busy, bustling
mart by the sea.shore, that in progress
has ne parallel, in methods unique and
successful, whose history reads more
like fairy tale than matters of every
day life, and from II city on paper in
1910 IL has grown to number more than
half million ofinhabitants in $780,
! Viewed from q Delaware standpoint
it was thought to be the result of a
western fever, of excited brains, using
methods OF securing men and means
that we did not understand, and ocCa-
sionally selling corner lots in distant
auction at good round price. having
bo,tomiess pond in 1t and frogs sutti
cent TO fence IT, but it is on good solid
| bottom now and not finished by any
means as we shall show from figures
published last week for the year Just
| closed. Building permits $500, cover.
ing frontage of over $4,000 feet OF the
city limits. Suburban enterprises have
been going on. Two miles out Pull
man built city around his new car
works, and now 5000 inhabitants, hav-
ing gas and water works, churches,
schools, bank, hotels, good payements,
and all that goes in with city comforts.
Another enterprise just inaugurated by
q company OF capitalists is called East
Chicago; who in addition to building
an attractive town, intend building
two Of the best Railroads around the
whole city TO facilitate more rapidly
eastern bound freight, which has been
more or less delayed on the city side
tracks; hauled in as the days doings OF
two thousand locomotives of the vari
GUS branches that permeate the coun-
| try in all directions from this as u
common center.
Besides the above the commerce on
the lakes is immense. Both added to
gether give the following figures: cere-
| ais, l4S, S2J, 900 bushels; flour, 4, ,957 900
bbls.; lieu hops, i, 410,0 600; cattle, ,5i6-
$50 head, valued at Slo2, 900, 900, pro-
duce valued at S377 100000; lumber, O.
So, 3,0i0, 900. The total trade of the
year amounted to 81 ,0l5, 900, 900, being
a gain of l2.S per cent.
Chicago is a dashing city, fond of
buncomb, and now in addition to her
costly buildings, fine hotels, and water
crib five miles out in the lake, she is
putting in her South Division, the
Cable Railroad for street cars, dispens-
ing with horses. The cars are drawn
by clutchiug and loosening by means
of a lever, a constantly moving cable,
kept in motion by stationary engines at
one common point If double track, or
one engine for two streets side track
BY this means the cars will run faster
by night than by day, az there is less
danger from crowded thoroughfares.
The enterprise is immense and will cost
over two millions of dollars for an ex-
pertinent that will probably prove to
be worthless In snowy, sleeting wealth
er. Tie cable is out Of sight having
its own chamber under the ground
with an inch opening just above it.
The first OF next month this novelty
is to be put into operation on State
street, and so far as the street is con-
cerned, they e&pec1 to turn old Sorrel
out, spank him and let hin Go(to the
highest bidder.)
Winter delayed his coming in time
for Christmas greeting, but put in an
appearance before New Years calls
were made, in substantial manner,
with his mantle of ermine. Snow fell
again last night but not in sporting
quantities. While enroute to this
city through Western Pennsylvania
and Ohio we saw snow deep enough
for sleighing and heard the merry
bells.
Truly yours, RAMBLER.