The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1883-12-08
THE MARVEL OF TUE WORLD.
4 North Caroiinian's Description of
the City of Chicago--Au Interesting
sketch.
ISpectaE forresponeieace 1

"
American continent-the site of her mag
! nificent buildings being bnt a few years
/ ago the hunting grounds for wolves and
other wild animals-and to-day she is the
/ greatest railway centre in the known
world. and her grain. lumber and live
! stock market Is without parallel
All places have q beginning, and th'ca-
I Cos beginning was surely small, for in
/ 1880 she had but twelve houses and one
/ hundred inhabitants. Ii was organized in
1888. and incorporated as city in 1887.
| The first frame house was built In 1882.
and the flr-t brick building in 1888. The
first vessel entered the har Dor Jane lltb,
/ 1884, and the first official census taken
July lst. 1887, the population then being
4,l7s' Its population i'll 1880 was 29.9G3,
and its population is to-day over c3o,ooo.
| Such immediate and continuous growth
and prosperity have heretofore been un-
known, and in the course of time this fast
| growing city will stand at the head OF he
| list of American cities.
The Chicago River runs through three
| different sections of the city. 1t is but &
small stream. but by constant dredging
has been made of sufficient depth for large
vessels, giving water communication to a
very large part OF the city, and Is crossed
at nearly every street by swing bridges.
which are thrown around in less than a
minute, and at Washington and LaSalle
streets the river is tunneled Tor the pas
sage Of vehicles and pedestrians. This
river and it's two branches give a water
frontage of thirty-tive or forty miles, and
from twenty-five to thirty miles are inn
proved with costly docks and warehouses.
The city runs north and south along Lake
! Michigan about ten miles, and westward
| on the prairie about eight miles, embracing
an area Of about forty-tive square miles.
1t would have been supposed that the
great fire would have broken the spirit
4 4. ftHy1 nf
have retarded the tide Of progress and de-
| velopment. But the spirit OF the people
was strengthened, and now not the slight
est trace of the great fire is to be observed,
and the Chicago of to-day can boast OF
more magnificent streets and buildings
than any other city in the West. Her
streets are free from filth, and are so paved
that a dozen omnibuses may pass and no
interruption given to an ordinary tone OF
conversation; and her street cars are run
without horses by an endless underground
chain.
Chicago is recognized as the greatest
railroad Ct ntre in the world. There are
sixteen railroads running into the city.
One Of these roads has SIX branches, and
another has four branches, making i'll all
twenty railroads leading into the city Of
Chicago, and there are three hundred and
twenty-five passenger trans gong out OF
the CITY daily. The freight in lumber,
cattle, hogs, sheep, &c, is immense, and
almost beyond belief. For two weeks in
October last we're brought IN the city over
these roads 10000 beef cattle. The largest
receipt Of cattle in one day was November
10, 1892, when Il, ,076 were received; and
the largest number of hogs received was
! November 25, 1879, when "a CAB were re-
| ceived. Largest numbe OF cattle received
| in any week was the week ending october
81, 1882, being A., ,2S6; of hogs, being week
ending November 20 1880, being 800, ,4SS.
! r ofn IL nd in
wear was in 1892, being ,5S2, $50. Largest
number of hogs received in any year was
1880, being 1853, 355. The average weight
OF hogs 1882 232 pounds. 1t Is estl-
mated that 1888 will far exceed the above
figures, and that the average weight OF
hogs will nearly reach 300 pounds: l saw
Que train pass consisting Of thirty-tive
freight cars, and containing sixteen tine
beef cattle in each car. The grain trade
OF Chicago is wonderful. There are nine
seen elevators in the city having an aggre-
gate storage capacity of 10, 500, 900 bushels
Of grain. Some OF these elevators ,e. can
handle easily $50 car loads a day. The
Indiana elevator, the largest in the city,
has capacity of 100000 bushels.
The water supply is very complete. The
water is very pure, being taken from the
bottom Of Lake Michigan The cost OF
the water works is said to be $4,000, 900.
The daily consumption of water is said to be
are employed in the fire department.
Forty steam engines are in use, forty hose
carts, and twelve hook and ladder trucks;
4O,2OO feet of hose pipe. The fire alarm
telegraph system has 400 miles OF wire,
and 400 signal boxes. The expenses OF
the department for the year will be over
/ S1,2OO,O 900, and for the last ten months the
city's loss by fire has been less than Sl2O,-
900.
The corn and wheat exchange is Won
der in its way. 1t costs about $4,000 to
receive a membership, and no member will
be received unless he is well endorsed, and
| its membership is composed OF the very
| best people. Here met Mr.. Claude Bar
bee, lately "a resident Of your city, who is
a member of the board. He is clever and
accommodating, and quite a business man,
and is fast rising i'll public favor. and If he
keeps On as he has started, will soon be-
come one OF the leading business men OF
this city. The grain exchange was new
thing to me, and the noise and confusion,
and strange going about and actions, made
me think [ was in lunatic asy luin, turned
loose all at once, or in den OF thieves or
pickpockets. l forgot myself and stood
with my hands in my pockets, my safest
plan, as l thought until presently heard
remark made near me: That Jol has
got both hands in his pockets; he thinks
somebody is going to rob him." | immedi-
ate1y withdrew them, and took my chances
for the balance of my stay.
The drives and parks in and around
Chicago are exceedingly beautiful and in-
viting. Drexel boulevard is the most
beautiful sight | ever saw. 1t is two nun
dred feet wide from beginning to end.
Handsome and rare shade trees adorn
each side, and in the centre Is q planting
place thirty feet wide, which is artistically
laid out in grass, flowers and shrubbery,
mounds Of flowers, fountains and rustic
seats, marble works, and is about one
mile and half long. The ornamentation
is beyond my description. 1t is modelled
from the Avenue i Imperatrce. Paris, and
is exactly like it, except that the latter IS
800 feet wide. w.
A Medieval HereSy.