The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-01-17
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM CHICAGO.
A Baltimore Countian in the Great City Of
the West.

CHICAGO January 18th, 1885.
Messrs. Editors The first thing that attracts
the attention of one who has never seen this very
successful mechanical continuance, is the cable
railway cars. At first sight the cars appear to
run along of their own accord no motive power
visable. One comes to the conclusion that there
must be something beneath all this, and he is
right, as further investigation proves. Under the
street, midway between the rails runs powerful
cable wire II inches in diameter. All that is Wis
able above ground is lever on the car, worked
BY the driver, and on the street in the centre of
the track, parallel rails laid about inch apart
so as to form groove in which runs the lever,
attached to the car, connecting with the cable
der ground. This cable is continually running,
being driven by two engines of 500 horse power
combined. The car is attached to the cable by
means of a clamp, operated by the lever in the
centre of the car and when it is necessary to stop
the car motion of the lever releases it from the
cable and the car comes to q standstll. Other
are coupled to this car, called the grip-car, and
run in trains of three cars, usually. While this
mode of conveyance is very convenient to those
who travel on the street cars, anyone there
is great deal of danger to life and limb by its
use, and it not for the fact that the streets
here are so wide it would not be possible to run
without colliding with vehicles at frequent inter-
walls. AS most of Chicagos population resides
some distance from the business Streets the city
passenger cars crowded night and morning.
You cannot ride from end to the other of the
city without using two lines of cars for the north,
east, and west side lines each controlled by
different companies and all terminate about the
the centre of town. For instance if you wish to
reach point north of the river from point
south, you must change from 'south side'' to q
"north side" car, paying two fares. The rate of
fare is the same as in Baltimore, five cents.
What Chicago needs and must have in the near
ia tran ha oil tod
road seems to be the only feasible plan. There
are no public markets here. The citizens depend
on the provision stores, here called markets. for
the necessities of the innner man. Passing down
the streets occupied by the wholesale provision
houses you will see the sidewalk hundreds of
rabbits in piles, while hung up in front of the
stores are strings of turkies geese, chickens game
birds, &C., and two or three deer hanging in front
of each place. There is certainly enough food
here for all residents and strangers also.
must not neglect to say that the folks one
meets on the streets or cars exceedingly polite
and seem to take pleasure in giving any informa-
| ton stranger may request.
| The streets here are wide and generally level
and straight, so that you can see up or down as
far as the eye can reach. The boulevards, which
are all four sides of the city, are macadamized
roadways, with large fiat stones for sidewalks.
| Nothing but pleasure wagons use these streets,
no traffic vehicles are allowed on them. Elegant
mansions adorn either side of the boulevards and
| to take drive on them is a rare pleasure. They
extend from one public park to another, maxim e
thirty or forty mile drive from start to finish,
which is not considered to far to drive horse,
there being no hills to tire them.
| Since writing you 1 have visited Lincoln and
South Parks. The former situated northeast is
considered the finest park here. 1t must be a
beautiful place in summer. 1t has not the natur-
al beauty of Druid HILL but all that art can do has
been done resulting in making this place, which
was cemetary not so many years ago, hand
some park. An artificial lake extends throughout
nearly its whole length, and just now this affords
great deal of pleasure to the skaters, who are
out in great numbers. At night it is very pretty,
being lit with electric lights.
There is a fine conservatory here and propogat-
ing houses for raising plants to set out in spring
also fine collection of wild animals, which are
confined in parks made very picturesque by hav-
ing rough stones placed to represent rocky piece
of country. Concerning South park will speak
| in my next. KNARF.