The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-01

explored country, began TO he talked about
and new settlers gradually increased.
A low me to go back in our story. IN 1914
the project OF constructing canal By
w wS tn. to 'f Ever great s. lake, AXES
tated, and in 1923 Board of Canal Commis-
sioDers were appointed, but work was not
commenced until 1885, and in 1s4s the Iili-
nois and Michigan Canal was completed.
costing g., 500 coo. and when the historian
shall have traced the life OF the years of this
famed city and written of its phenomenal
prosperity, the construction OF this canal
viii bave been found to be its greatest source
OF gain. In 1881 three vessels arrived at this
port, and the first ferry was established. Ia
1888 j ''67 vessels arrived and 20i5 went
out the great lake over. In 1854 the frst
draw-bridge was built across the river at
Dearborn street. thereby dispensing with
the ferry. To-Day there are thirty-four
swinging bridges swirling about to allow
steamers with their great black smoke stacks
and towering masted vessels TO pass and re-
pats. and two tunnels for teams under the
Chi, ago River.
In 1882 200 cattle and $50 hogs were
slaughtered and packed for the Eastern
MARKET. and in 1854 the number of stock of
all kinds made ready for the market of the
world amounted to {, 314 934 head.
In 1898 Congress appropriated S30,000 for
the improvement of the hsrbor.
One hundred and fifty homes were built
that year, and during the past year over
1000.
"Uncle Sam bethought him of a summer
re residence during the year 1888, and made it
necessary TO build pcstoffice, bat they had
but or mail week. The new Postoffice
and Custom House. built SIX years ago, &C.
cupies square, equi distant from Adams.
Clark, Jackson and Dearborn streets, aud
cost over s6000,OC0. The first paper was
started In 1885 also.
In 1912 the population of Chicago num-
bered $50, but from that time the tide of
popularity has been setting this way, and
the stresm of commerce has borne upon its
surface the vast sum of ove- 81 ,000, 600, 000,-
900.
In 1859 two railroads reached the growing
city, and Chicago saw the blue puffs of the
iron possibilities which to-day shake the air
with their sooty thunder. Chicago leads to
everywhere. 1t is the center of % 600 miles
of railroads; it has six commodious depots,
Rt which between 400 and 500 psssen ger and
freight trains arrive and depart daily. Fifty
thousand people ride upon these cars every
dsy, and 1851 COO tons OF freight are daily
transported to somewhere.
IN 1871 TIE FIRE FIESD
spread it's lurid wings over the gro wing
city, and in a few hours i 900 buildings
had gone up and out in smoke. A space of
over three and quarter square miles was
caught but smoking devastation. and $500.
GOO 0C6 wo,t tn OF property was swept out of
existence. and 200.C0 people were home
Iess. Ii was the greatest FIRE disas ter of the
present century. Even the great fire Of Lon
don IN 1866 was not so extensive. as that
covered space of less than q square mile,
and destroy ed IL 600 buildings.
Loobip backward, it seems but a short
time since the terrible catastrophe, and yet,
Ptonix ike, new city has risen from the
ashes and Lev enterprises upon a grander
Gale have been InaugQrated upon the priu-
cinle that accrue S from pluck and persever-
ance. To day the city is lined by Col miles
of stately streets. Fiftv-one miles of drive
says and continuous drive OF thirty miles
form The connecting 10 Ilevards from park
% pork that surround the city. Thirty.six
square miles are covered with tue homes,
places OF business. educational interests and
the wealth of Chicago. Endless rows of
ware houses and stores stretch away into
miles. Pala.;al hotels loom up on every
side. | heard traveller say that Chicago
was the best hotelled CITY" in the world.
The whole of the business portion and the
north side, which was destroyed, has been
rebuilt, and In the place OF the old style
of wooden buildings, one sees dwellings of
stone and brick, and great business struc5.
uTes, which are not only grand in appear
aDce, substantial in character, commodious
for convenience, but they are largely proof
against the devouriDg element OF flame,
The first great building that was reared
after the fire is the Postoflice and Custom
house at q cost of over S. COCOON The Court
house and City Hall, the Interstate Indus
trial II Exposition buildings, which are
the scene of vast assemblages; the Cham
Der OF Commerce, the Grand Pacific Hotel,
the Palmer House and score of other
places seem, almost without a parallel to
have risen from out the comparatively few
days OF a decade.
THE NEW BOARD OF TRADE,
at the end of La Sale street, is a wonder of
architectural skill. 1t is built of Fox Island
granite, and is 173x225 feet In dimensions.
The corner pavilion is $50 feet high, the rear
bnilding l72 feet, and the tower is
'O3 feet high. The main portion
contains nine stories. Its cost is
10 be sl,500,0O0. and it is expected to be
resdy for occupancy by May l. In the
vicinity OF this fine structure there are ten
immensities looming toward the heavens,
whose massive proportions are monuments
of skill and capital. Their cost ranges from
Sl25, 900 to Owe: 81, 000, 600, and their heights
range from eight to twelve storles-in re-
atty they seem rising with each other-the
architects do-to reach the very pinnacle of
fame. Each building Is made with every
Improvement known to architectural science,
and all of this and volumes more
can he written concerning the birth, growth
and history of "the Garden City" IT'S in
land, and yet port. 1t is cosmopolitan,
and yet the pride Of every American. lie Is
the gate through which millions pass to ne
broad praifies and fertile lands of the great
West. The artist is here. The scholar adds
TO his store Of knowledge from out her great
resources. The merchant coins from the
masses who must live. The pleasure seeker
dnds his quest from amidst a wide scope
IT such pursuits The followers OF
all religions are here.
The city 10 q irritable theme. 1t is full of
the chine of truth and equally as full OF the
dark CT error. It stands q monument to the
sonderiul advance OF enterprise knowl-
edge and progression OF one hundred years.