The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-12-27
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM CHICAGO.
A Baltimore Countian in the Great City Of
the West.
CHICAGO. December ODD. 1884.


Messrs. Editors TO describe Chicago and do
justice to the subject is easy task. So while
here l will simply point out in my letters the
things concerning the city as they appear to a
Marylander.
Coming into the city on the Baltimore and Ohio
road, was struck with admiration at the beauty
and variety of design evidenced in the construc-
ton of the residences along the streets through
which we passed. Every style of architecture,
every variety of color is here displayed. The
dwellings are not built regularly in line, some be-
ing further in from the sidewak'than others, max
ing the general appearance very attractive. In
this city generally the tendency seems to be to
ward erecting massive buildings as regards both
business houses and dwellings, producing grand
but rather heavy effect
Chicago city is about forty square miles in ex-
tert rtso .tae oou.r throe
four miles either side, so that this city, like
Baltimore, has "belt," which, heretofore, has
not been anxious to be "annexed," but, unlike our
"belt," its affairs are conducted by the county
government in manner equal to those of the city.
1t is protected by good police force and fire de-
partment and has a water supply of its own.
There are six large parks, north, south and west
of the city, and three or four small ones, which
would be called public squares in Baltimore. Of
these will write further when I become better
acquainted with them.
The so called Sabbath breakers can here thor
oughly enjoy themselves on Sunday. All the
theatres and other places of amusement are open
and have afternoon and evening performances
The saloons are also in full blast.
The Milwaukee and Chicago beer they have
here is excellent, and the citizens warn stran-
gers to beware of the lake water, it is very par
donable proceeding to test this great German
beverage in order to know whether it excels Bal
tmore beer. Beer drinking seems general
practice here and yet have not seen very much
drunkenness.
The retail business streets are now full of peo-
pie shopping for Christmas. State street is crowd
ed with pedestrians, about as much so as Balti
more street usually is, but the sidewalk being as
wide again as on Baltimore street, there is room
for twice the number of people. There are some
very large retail stores in this section of the city,
some of them occupying a whole building. A
walk through these places is very interesting, and
may make further mention of them in future
letters.
There has been snow on the ground since the
18th inst, and the cutters are numerous on the
streets, though the sleighing is not good. Having
no hills Chicago boys and girls do not number
coasting among their winter sports, but they make
up for its loss by pulling one another about the
streets on sleds and get "lots of fun out of it.
Passing down the street the other day came to
group of children amusing themselves in this
way. One little rosy checked girl was in posses
sion of the sled and her companions, another girl
and boy, wished her to get off and give them a
chance. She refusing the other little girl said to
the boy, "Kiss her, kiss her. then she will get off, .
What difference between seven and seventeen
years.
Board sidewalks are almost universal here
There are a few pavements of fat stone in the
business portion of town, blu. only for short dis
lance.
The newspapers in size equal any in the coun-
try. The Sunday issues of both the Tribune and
Times contain from sixteen to twenty-four pages.
Would not our Baltimore people open their eyes
if the Sun or american should come out some
morning with sixteen pages? KNARF.