Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-02-26
GRAND CROSSING, ILL.
February, II, 1888.

FGOfUOTY, IL 1000.
Mr.. EDToR,-A letter giving de-
scription of this place, it's manufac-
turing, railroads, ETC., may be OF in
terest to your readers. Grand Cross
inf is really a suburb of Chicago,
though nine miles from the center
of the great city. The place receives
it's name from the fact that most of
of the great trunk railroads from the
south, east and southwest intersect
here, or make the point of entrance
into the city proper from this point.
The Illinois Central has line which
runs direct to the city upon this the
Michigan Central and the Cincin1ati,
Indianapolis and Lafayette. The
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago !
also crosses the Illinois Central, and
on this line the great Pan Handle
route gains admittance to the city;
the New York, Chicago and st.
Louis. better known as the Nickel
Plate road, form a junction with the
/. c., here and this with the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific accounts for
all the roads entering the great me-
tropolis from the directions named
above, except the Chicago and Grand
Trunk which goes far around to the
west of this point. AS the law COM
pels all trains crossing the track of
another road to come to a stop, it
will be seen that an immense number
of trains pay us the compliment to
stop at this place. The Illinois Cen
trail being the road on which most of
the trains enter the city, the trains
upon it are counted by hundreds each
day. Beside all its through trains
the roads runs twenty-three suburban
trains each way. each day. tn accom-
| modate this and other suburban
| places in this vicinity. 1t uses two
tracks for through trains, two for
the local business, two for freights
and will soon add two more, making
eight tracks to the city. Other roads
also run local trains to this point, so
we can step upon the train at almost
any minute and run into the city.
AS have said previously, these sub
urban towns are engaged in manu-
featuring. Their names are Hyde
Park, population $4,000; Engle-
wood, 10000; South Chicago, 49,
600; Pullman, 5000; and Grand
Crossing, $500. South Chicago
was not known twelve years ago,
and the ground was broken for the
first building at Pullman two years
ago last June. But to Pullman
will devote another letter.
Grand Crossing is a manufacture
ing suburb. The principle establish
ments being: The Wilson Sewing
Machine Factory, Chicago Tack
Factory, Chicago Linseed Oil Works,
Stove Foundry, Chicago Lock Facto-
ry, and Chicago Rubber Works.
By the kindness of the gentleman
ly manager of the Rubber Works
Mr.. Reddington, your correspondent
was permitted to witness the mystic
, ries of rubber mandatory. The
crude rubber is received in large
cakes as prepared for market by the
7 producers. The rubber eXudes from
+ the rubber tree, much as the mill
7 flows from the milk weed. Natives
: make business of securing and pre-
pairing it for market. In its orignia
l state the rubber is white. Its condi
5 ton varies according to the neatnes
: and skill of those who engage in th
1 industry; just as maple sugar doe
: the neatness and skill of the farmer
y Rubber comes principally from Cen
: trail America, and Madagascar, chic
: island in the Indian Ocean.
t The first work in reducing the crud
!, rubber is putting it through tn
s 'swasher' for its cleansing. Thi
e machine consists of two groove,
D rollers, fitting into each other lik
4 cogs. A stream of cold water j
i turned on aud the rubber put throug
f again and again, until thorough
g broken and cleansed. 1t comes fror
n the washer, resembling in shape an
j, appearance a beefsteak pounded an
d mangled for the broiled, and eve
i more tough than the steak of Texa
steer. Next it goes to the dryln
: room, where it hangs in tempers
a ture of 1874 degrees above zero {
1t course). From the drying room thi
e crude rubber goes to the s'breaker
(. or ''compounder,' a machine mad
is of two polished steel cylinders heate
}, nearly as hot as a sadiron for ironin
ID clothes. The breaker very 500
le changes the appearance of the rub
, Der. The hot irons make it very so
and pliable. This machine is ais
5. called compounds" because viii
20 undergoing the process of breaking
such compounds are mixed with I'll
l. rubber as may answer the purpose
he for which it is to be used. Fro
er this machine the rubber comes
at sheets, not unlike in appearance
10 side of leather. II is, however, vel