The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-06-19
Northern Notes.
BY V. VI. METCAaFE.

far as jacksonville in the persons of
Esq. Peay and Capt. Bell, who were
just starting out to see the dear peo-
pie, to induce as many as possible to
vote for our good friend and fellow
citizen for senator. lie appears in
good trim for the race and looks like
he might devour his adversary like
friend Bell can wax. have known
Mr.. Peay since boy and never
knew trucr, nobler and better man.
OF course we want good men to make
laws for us and rule over us, yet |
always fear when 1 see Christian
men go into politics, most of them
"gain cross and lose crown" But
/ must not stop long as | am on my
way north and have many notes to
make, crops must be mentioned as /
pass. Observations from the car
windows are imperfect, yet they give
us some idea of the general outlook.
After passing Evansville but little
wheat was headed as far as Vim
ccnnes, from there through Indiana
and Illinois AS far as Chicago, in fact,
| saw but few fields that looked well
through the entire center Of Michi-
gan to Detroit. 1t generally looks
like our fields do in Christian county
in early May. 1t is backward and
thin on the ground and 'sickly from
late frost and heavy rains. The corn
too looks no better, yet things grow
very fast in the northern climate and
there will be large outcome. l
stopped a day in Chicago, the great
queen city of the West, and although
l am here often, yet | never tire of
seeing and hearing of her mighty
strides in progress and wonderful
developments. Chicago is situated
on the western shore of Lake Michi-
gan. The city occupies an inclined
plane, rising westward from a swamp
to an elevation of twenty-cight feet,
giving good drainage. Most of the
city is built on the swamp, but by
the energy of her widc-awake people,
most of it has been filled in with
earth some fourteen feet above the
level of the lake. In 1901 u swamp
in 1911 a small military post, soon to
be abandoned and to be the scene of
terrible Indian massacre; in 1921
again an insignificant military sta
ton; in 1881 village of twelve
small huts, without mail routes or
post Office in 1871 a corporated city
of 5000 inhabitants; in 1851 rapidly
assuming commercial importance,
first railroad connection with New
York its grain shipments increased
to four million bushels, its popula-
ton increased to $4,000; in 1861 its
grain, pork and lumber interest all
enormously developed, its population
quadruplcd, its shipments increased
tcn-fold within decade; IN 1871
rich, proud and dictatOrial, bidding
iair to outstrip any city in the old or
new world, in point of commercial
Importance. But Solomon said that
pride has its fall. So on the memo
rable night of Oct Sth, almost the ell
tire city was laid in ashes. 1t arose
however from its dust, in more than
its former splendor, the old an I'M
slightly buildings being replaced by
magnificent marble and stone struct-
ures; in 1881 it is the greatest rail-
road center. live stock, grain and
lumber market in the world, the
scene of ccaselcss activities Of half
million eager, restless toilcrs in 1888
still advancing with rapid strides in
everything that makes her great
city. Such, in brief, is the history of
Chicago. 1t would be out of place
for me to attempt a description Of
many Of her great enterprises, but
whoever comes to Chicago and fails
to visit the Union Stock Yards, fails
to see one of the greatest wonders of
the age-the largest stock market in
the world. These yards were first
built in!lS65. The hotel and other
buildings connected with the yards
occupy forty-five acres of ground,and
the stock yards and pens about one
hundred and sixty acres. The pres
ent capacity of the yards is $4,000
head of cattle, 100000 head of hogs,
$4,000 sheep, 500 horses, making to-
tai capacity of nearly 10000 head of
stock. One day / was there one firm
killed $500 head of hogs. These
yards are connected with all the
railroads coming into the city. The
company has 25 miles of track laid
with steel rail; 80 miles under drain
age; 5 miles streets..and alleys; 1900
gates 1900 open pens; 800 covered
pens for hogs and sheep; in con-
struction of buildings and pens they
used % million feet Of lumber, 100000
pounds of spikes and nails. The cost
of constructing these mammoth yards
was over three millions of dollars,
and they are being enlarged from
time to time TO meet the wants of the
ever increasing trade. But enough
of the stock yards now. Go with