Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-08-15
Things We Saw.

lie passage ILoui %. aui CaS'-
ward over the road of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway
Company is one Of the most enjoy
able incidents of the journey. The
route lies for large part of the
distance to Chicago, 40 miles,
along the western bank of the upper
Mississippi river. At this season of
the year it is charming ride, even
to those who have Just made the
long trip from the Pacific Coast, the
landscape being SO different, the
conditions SO changed from wha:
one has been accustomed 10 or just
passed over. Tie route barriers the
State line of Wisconsin till Lttrosso
is reached, al miles from $. Paul.
Here we lass fine farms in r,n sue
cession, and the evidences OF erna-
nency and thrift ale everywhere APP
parent. 1t is observed that the
lightning rods increase in number
as we progress eastward, and almost
ever, door and window has mos
quito net easily attached when the
hours for the bloodthirsty marauder
approach. But, as some compensa-
ton for these troubles, we note that
the watermelon grows larger and
the corn taller. The timber all along
the route is small, scarcely large
enough to cut up into cordwood, but
we are informed that it grows larger
near the headwatefs of the Missis-
sippi, and quite soon We had occu-
lar evidence of the fact. A stern
wheel steamer came in sight, push.
ing along before her what seemed to
be a mass Of drift-wood, but which
upon closer inspection turned out to
he boom OF saw-loss. But such
logs! What would Ben Turner say
to such a sight? Scarcely any were
80 large but that two stalwnrt men
might lift them, taking o firm hold
at either end. Their lengths varied
from Is to IS feet. Still they were
considered valuable timber and
lowed many hundred miles TO the
mills at Winona and La Crosse.
The river seemed to be fairly alive
With these RATS, each with its puff.
ing, wheeling steamer, going at
snail's speed down stream.
Milwaukee and Racine we've passed
at such an early hour that we OBJ
tanned but glimpse of them from
our berth windows, but they both
seem to be up to the progressive
spirit of the aye. Chicago (Gov.
Solomop's Cailawick) is, however,
the Queen City of the west. Her
progress has been phenomenal,
when We consider her great losses
from fires. She stands to-day in the
lead Of all western cities. Her pub.
lie buildings are massive and grand,
while the private edi6ces are mainly
of ornate design and modern finish.
The great fire doubtless contributed
much to the present 6ne appearance
of the city, removing a. it did those
unsightly excrescences which exist
in all cities until some great confa
grafton levels them, when their
place is Immediately supplied by
structures in consonance with the
spirit of the age. Chicago is divided
by the river into three distinct parts
known rs North, West and South
sides" These are connected hy
thirty three bridges and two stone
tunnels under the river-bed. The
city is regularly laid out with streets
aud avenues generally from 80 to
100 feet in width, and many of them
from three to ten miles in length
crossing each other at right angles
One of the most attractive features il
the great number OF trees and the
shrubbery which ornament the resi-
dence thorous hfares, and the ex'en'
and number of the parks. The
streets are nearly all covered with
wooden pavements. The geograph'
ical situation of Chicago accounts
for its rapid growth from small In
dian trading station forty years ago
to a city of over half a million in
habitants, and the prospective site
OF the greatest railroad center in the
known world, as we'll as the creates,
market for grain, lumber and live
stock, and other essential commodi.
ties of commerce. It is located
on the west shore of Lake Michigan
at the mouths of the Chicago and
Calumet rivers. 1t lies IA feet
above the waters of the lake, having
been raised to that elevation by the
enterprise of her citizens, the site
having originally been on q level
with the waters of that great inland
sea. This work was begun in 1856
and completed since the great fire
of 1872. which destroyed one.hali
the city and resulted in q loss OF