Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-03
OLE SIRE press.
FROM CHICAGO TO BURLINGTON.
>tocK Yards a d Packing Houses
BurlingtOniansi In ChicagO-Niagara
FnlIs.


few miles south Of Chicago, of the stock
yards and packing houses just outside the
city limits, and also of the younger class OF
Burlingtonians who are doing business in the
city. In my last letter spoke of some of
the more striking points about the city itself,
so lc; us Immediately take one of The suburb
an trains which iun in all directions ont of
and into the city about every half hour and
90 along the lake shore, four miles south to
Pullman. This has been called, and the adj
ective is very appropriate the magic city.
A friend who accompanied your cores
pondent there, said that four years
ago the site of the present beauti-
FIJI little city was swamp in which he
had frequently shot ducks. The first settle
ment was made there two years ago. and
now the entire city is gravclled, terraced and
with grounds laid out in the most beautiful
manner. BY the first of the coming year
over fourteen hundred houses will have been
completed and the place will have popula-
tion of 10000. The city has been well called
the "Cily of Brick" for every building is
made of pressed BRICK which are made on
the spot from the mud taken out of the lake
90, 1000, 600 have already been laid this year,
the work is going on at q rate of 15O,OOO per
day. Every house is furnished with water
and gas and many are heated by the waste
steam from the car works. The steam is
carried 10 protected pipes to cellars where it
is connected with machinery which transfers
it into hot air and conveys il throughout the
house, maintaining an even temperature.
The economical manner in which everything
possible is utilized will perhaps impress a
visitor as much as anything. The water is
pumped into tower 1915 feet in height,
from the lake, four miles east and into an
other portion of this same tower is forced the
sewerage of the city, from whence 1t is sent
to the sewerage farm, two miles distant.
short distance south of some extensive brick
yards large piggery has been constructed,
which is at present occupied by 300 promis-
ing young porkcrs, who are fed on the swill
and garbage of the city. The yard itself is
model affair, consisting of a large area of
ground, surrounded on all sides by comforta-
bic sizes. Running water is supplied and
everything kept clean and neat. The pggery
furnishes curious combination of lavish cX-
penditure and careful economy which is
something unusual.
The largest building in the place, aside
from the car works. is the Arcade, which
may have been modelled after the Arcade in
Vienna On the lower floor art twenty-eight
stores with the postoiiice, and above an opera
house seating fifteen hundred people, pub
lie library containing thirty thousand vol
umes, n bank. a restaurant with billiard ia
bles, and a number of offices. The whole is
handsome building, most admirably adapt
ed to the use for which 1t was intended.
A new market building is in process of
construction in which the ground floor will
be devoted entirely to the sale of meats and
vegetables, willie the upper story will be
used as a hall for a gathering of not over
800 people. A fine hotel handsomely fin
ished in the natural colors of hard wood,
with maid work, and fine church complete
the pubic buildings. Among minor fea-
lures OF iulcn st aic pretty little park with
a band stand, fire companies, an armory for
a military organization, choral society,
gun-club, besides other similar organiza-
items
AS is well known the Pullman Palace Car
company, in establishing their works there,
have made the place what it is. They do
not however confine their business strictly TO
the manufacture of their own coaches, but
are constantly at work on ordinary cars for
different railroads. An ordinary freight car
costs about $780, mail and baggage
$500; passenger coach $500 aud pal
ace car Sl2. 900 to S14, 900 and may be turn
ed out in two weeks. The Allen paper car
wheel compin ny also have their works here,
this style of wheel being in use on all Of
Pullmans cars. They are made Of pressed
paper with steel rim. A foundry is also
connected with these work., while close by
the suspension car truck manufacturing COM
pany of New York, have purchased land
and will at once proceed TO erect large
works.
All the machinery in the place is driven by
the magnificent Corliss engine which was
admired by 81 many hundreds of thousands
at the Centennial. 1t looked so grand in its
new position that we could not remove our
eyes from il until the whistle of the train
which was to carry us back to Chicago,
called us hurricdly away. The MI st notice
able thing about the wonderful little city is
the evidence of design and fore,hought on
every side. The buildings all harmonic.
They are in the right position for access and
are not huddled together hap-hazard. Such
Is Pullman, the "Magic City,"
We went one morning to the stock yards
and through two of the largest of the i'm
mense packing houses for which Chicago is
noted. The former are owned by a stock conf
pany and are always occupied with ever-chang-
ing droves of cattle and herds of swine, which
are brought there for sale, the company
charging rental for the pens. Most of the
cattle come from Texas and are very wild
they are accompanied by drovers, to many of
whom the same adjective might be applied.
Some idea Of the amount of work done In
the packing houses may be gained when we
are told that during the Winter, when bust
ness is at its height, nearly 30, 600 hogs and
nearly 5000 cattle are killed every day The
meat goes everywhere and in every form.
At the time of our visit the propretors were
shipping beef to England. The quarters, fol
such was the shape in which it was sent, were
allowed to remain in immense refrgerators
which resembled small house more thar
anything else, but which were so cold tina,
frost and ice to the depth of half an inch col
leCtcd, until they became frozen. They were
then put ia sacks and placed ia refrigerator
cars for Shipment to New York or Boston
where they were transferred to steamer fol
England The cattle are driven into row
OF pens out side the building, one at time
and man overhead on staging either shoot.
them or sewers the spine just back of thu
horns with sharp steel. They are theI
dragged inside through door which move.
up and down and the work of cutting up a
once begins. Each butcher has n particular
thing to do and he scarcely stops as he walks
along the line and does his work. The worl
of killing hogs is somewhat Similar as mucl
OF the work as possible, such as the takinl
of the bristlcs being done by machinery
The men employed are, as might be expect
ed from their business, somewhat hardened
set and their loud singing, mingled with tn
roar of the machinery aud the squeals Of tn,
dying porkers produced somewhat move
and startling effect. We closed up the da,
with visit to the great lumber Yards and /,
some of the immense elevators for whcl
Chicago is noted.
We were fortunate enough to he in the cit
at the time when the Annual Exposition
opened. The building is 1000 feet in length
with an average width Of 240 feet, and
tower 1863 iret in height. It's general ARCH
lecture is modelled after the Expositio
building in Vienna, 10 1866. The displa
OF articles and the general appearance @
everything reminded ny, somewhat tamely @