National Republican., 1882-07-08
OUR TYPO DELEGATE
IN THE GREAT CITY OF CHICAGO.
Substantial Duildings-The Grip Street Railroad
and lis POpularity--The Dirty Chicago
River--Wabash Avenue-Thc Park
and the Lake, &C., SC.
Special Correspondence of TIE REPUBLICAN.


Special Correspondence OF THE REPUBLICAN.
CHICAGO, July 5.-Having escaped the storms OF
wind and rain, the "washouts" and unsafe
bridges l find myselfin Chicago-the new Chicago
the center OF the great Northwest. It's hardly
necessary in this connection to inhict upon you
anything in regard to the bosom of destruction"
Or the performances of that wonderful bird, the
"Phmnx." The bosom has done its work, and
nobody has any uso Cor Phoenix except the ill.,
Burance companies. Putting aside these incen-
tiyes to exertion, this city has outstripped all
Others in its wonderful progress to wealth. beauty,
and magnihcence. Where once the solemn bull
frog croaked, and "cnt-tais" and reeds bowed to
the prairie winds, domes, towers, palaces point
toward heaven, or give you liz in the other
direction. AS Pope once said Of Bacon calinghim
" the wsest, brightest, meanest Of mankind" so
YOU might say of Chicago the Largest, liveliest
wickedost" city of this great central portion
of the Union. But in spite ofthc swamps in spite
of the fire, and in spite of the Future Great"
CHICAGO IS LOOKING UP.
The buildings are of the most substantial charac-
ter, and of a pleasing variety OF architecture
The new city and county courthouse is nearly
completed, standing OH the site OF the old
one, and is q massive and beautiful strue-
ture. The new post. t.oflce and custom house is up
and Is peculiar loosing though substantial "a
this building, II being pointed out to me as our
great brewery" 1t Is certainly not handsome
building, ana is the butt of ridicule Of many OF
the citizens here. Like other public buildings,
however, unless another hundred thousand Is
voted for it, the money already spent Will be
"worse than wasted"
THE PRINCIPAL NEW ENTERPRISE HERE,
and tho one most likely to attract the attention OF
visitors, is the grip railroad. The motive power
for this is derived from an endless wire cable
under the street, which is kept i'll constant mo-
tion by powerful engine at the end OF the route.
Two, three, or -four. cars are placed together the
"grip" car being in front In the center of this
car is an arrangement something after the man
ner of the center board OF a boat When swell
tering passenger hallOes aud whistles for car to
stop, the man at the grip pulls sort Of throttle,
lets 20 his hold on the cable, brakes are applied,
the car stops and the cable goes on. When the
is ready to start the grip is applied, and the
small boys, pedestrians, carts, &c, mus! get out
of the, way for here comes the grip with no
horse shay"
WITH THESE GRIP CARS
rapid transit is partially solved, overcrowding is
i'll Il measure done away with, the society for the
prevention, &c, will have little to do, and most
people are happy. But there are drawbacks TO all
human improvements. Some times an uufortu-
nate hore gets the calk Of his shoe in the opening
left for the grip and is thrown down, his leg
broken,a and damages heavy damages, is the result
Some times u boy always in the way, or man or
woman is run over and killed or injured by the
ure raised to them, but on the whole they seem
great improvement over the horse cars. Occa.
sionally when an exnspcrnted individual can
make connections or can't succeed in getting the
ear of the conductor it is the fault Of the grip and
nobody is to blame Corners are turned the same same
Obliged to "jump tho loop" proceeding by
which the grip gets by the cylinder upon which
The cable is turned.
THE CHICAGO RIVER is STILL HERE
Many schemes have been devised by which to get
lid OF its contents When the river was turned
into the Illinois canal 1t was supposed that the
pure water of the lake would take the place of the
1nky blackness which now fills the river bed. But
this only exasperated the country people without
great part of the river into the lake but iastidi
Gus ones say that 1t is thus communicated TO the
water supply The last idea de- s Is to FIJI the river n
hardly liable to be done. Whatever they may do,
the scent of the river is liable to remain. |
Washington printer, G. w. Morris. had found me
out. He forthwith took me captive, put me aboard
the grip" in rain storm took mo . out as far as
plained TO me everything on the route took me
10 his house to dinner, introduced Inc TO two or
three handsome daughters, and then in return for
oil this wanted
THE HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
since 1913. "My dear friend" said ], that was
some time before was born" MIR. Morris said he
had come to Chicago from Washington i'll the
Wabash avenue about four miles from the central
ho hgong to to the country" To-day his place is on on
one of the hnndsomest streets in America, and he
has REFUSED $4,000 cash for the Ws1ssa
of the boulevard system, and, in connection with
the parks, forms u continuous drive around the
city, distance of forty miles Mr.. Morris will be
remembered by many in Washington, especially
among the older printers who worked under a. O.
building, where the last Republican Convention
wns held still stands on the lake front, but is
ISnpty and deserted. The spider now builds its
Below it is the park formed by filling in tie lake
'front.' and these warm evenings thousands seek
tho lake and the sOh nonsense of their partners.
Beyond are the government piers, between which
and the shore numerous small boats ply, carrying
out passengers for recreation ana fishing.
SOUTH STATE STREET,
after the charitable mantle of night has fallen
over it, somewhat resembles Sixth avenue or the
Bowery OF New York; Strains OF music mot very
sweet are waited TO the ears from every side, and
the soft voice of the freeze cier is heard in
the street. Numerous gardens are opened to all
who may wish to enter, and men and women foIm
promiscuous audience, where Gambrinus is
king. The painted face of the syren looks out
from gas .ilnmined mansion and hovel, where
from The country smokes his cigar, twirls his cane,
and goes to the devil cross-ots. Fifteen years ago
witnessed great rivalry between Chicago and ST.
Louis Now there is and can be none.
CHICAGO Is ALIVE, ST. LOUIS Is DEAD;
Chicago is clean, ST. Louis Is dirty; Chicago people
20 on the high pressure principle, and are forcing
their way TO recognition and greatness. The great
newspapers of Chicago reflect the enterprise and
business thought of her people. This city, once
weeping in sackcloth and ashes and depending
on the contributions of the world until her homes
could be rebuilt, is now repaying portion of the
generosity bestowed upon ner AZ lnat ume Dy
coming TO the rescue of the unfortunate people OF
Iowa. As one OF tle papers here said recently;
"ChicagO owes u debt of gratitude which can
never be paid. The only thing she can do Is to
pay 1t in installments as occasion presents ITSELF
Iowa has just voted in favor fprohibiton, and IL
may be an open question whether the fierce
storms there We're intended u give the cold
people surfet of that article or whether it was
Divine wrath against the liquor dealer But iOi
pOuIi says the victual called rum must so, which
will give much encouragement to the cause else
where If 1t wasn't for liquor and the heather
Chinee some people would be happy BIZ.