The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-11
Extensive Preparations Being Made for
The Worlds Fair.
Miles Upon Miles Of Boulevards and Drives.
Houses Twenty and Thirty-four Stories
High-The Car System.
sTeCisl TO THE SUNDAY GAIL.

being neatly folded, the clean sheet out
ard sealed with a wafer, and the postage
l.iug paid in cash, either by the sender or
receiver, the amount of postage, % cents, in
tse above case, being marked by the Post
master on the corner at the time it was
paid. The largest amount of postage to the
most distant point in the United States at
that time was 37l2 cents, the distance regu-
latins prices.
Chicago claims q population of million
ana a quarter, having grown so rapidly as
10 have gathered into its grasp all the
suburban villages which have clustered
about II for many years.
One hears constant talk Of the Columbian
EXpo-itlon-as they call it-ln the parks, IN
the SHOPS" on the streets, in the street
cars, in hotel corridors, in tact, every
where There are within the city limits, Ill
fact forming a SORT Of Chain about the city
proper seven large parks, all the way from
500 t. 5000 acres in extent; the suburbs OF
tie city are still outside of these. They
are grand breathing places, ably supple
W6n,ed by smaller parks; on each sue,
too. of many of the magnificent
baulevards are lawns or street parks.
The bouleyards are, perhaps. $50 feet
~Alvide the main drive is ab0nt 60 feet
. lde. the lawns each about 30 feet ana
the two outer drives are also about thirty
feet each, The lawns extend for dozens Of
|Eth1 Uu SOllt VI blG bUultftlNA4 anu III
tlem are a few hardy plants and stately
trees, silver beech, elms, mountain ash or
naples. These trees, in fact, with the
native graceful white or black oak. are
about all the trees used in any Of the parks,
Or in their gardens for ornamentatiOn.
IMPROVEMENTS.
OF the $1,000, 900 bonds which have just
been obtained to be used in Worlds Fair
Improvements large portion Is 10 be used
in making a boulevard around the city, CON
Meeting the seven parks. Commencing at
the axe front or city front proper, it is
already under way. aud will be extended
north through Lincoln Park and follow the
lake shore on TO Sheridan Fort, distance
If perhaps ten miles then 1t VIII turn west
90 Humboldt Park, which is already con-
ueeted with the next one to the southwest
Garfield Park, and the next also, Douglas
Park. and will then be built on through
Washington or South Park to the eXpOsi-
lion grounds IN jackson Park, TO the south
uf the city on the lake shore, and thence
back to the city front, eight miles or more.
l. is proposed 10 obtain, If possible, permis-
sion 10 build an elevated driveway over the
water front, which viii doubtless be done.
The scheme is one that must commend Itself
TO every SiGhtseer and will be OF lasting
benefit to the great city.
beginning at the water front proper one
may drive by the wharVeS, on through the
edge Ofthe business portion, miles upon miles
10y the like shore, through park after park,
with extensive waterways, encircle the city,
driving through its very best residence Sec
tons, taking Ellmpses OF the suburbs, into
Ile exposition grounds and back again
another lew miles to the city by the gentle
waters OF the blue Michigan tossing the
-cri-d pleasure craft on its bosom, or safely
e.tering in Its handmade barbOr diugy,
iHlug tugs or busy sails. The boulevard
W.l make one continuous drive of thirty
miles, and is Of macadam, as smooth as San
.raugiscU's best park drives, Is seventy or
let wide, with a raised stone walk ten feet
lty vide on tie lake side. and trees
each side. Between the footpath and the
water, the ground slopes, perhaps, for fifty
feet, and IS all no grass.
OF the exposition grounds little can be
said; the park iucleses 5000 acres, only about
800 Of which have ever been improved. 1t
would hardly be possible TO make a more
delicious selection for site. 1t lies on the
lahe shore, is gently rolling, IS most excellent
soil and mas very many fine natural trees
10y careful inspection of the plans which
Can be found almost anywhere one can form
almost as correct an idea as by an inspection
Of the grounds themselves. Armies of work
men are at work with thousands Of teams
.ayelng the grounds, clearing the trees and
uudeIbrush away where necessary, and
working upon the very eXtaIdad water
ways and lakes, which is already nearing
completion, and which adds not a little to
the natural attrgctYeuess of the place. Per
Aaps a dozen mammoth buildings are in
course Of erection, and the American lag
floats from every peak as soon as the frame
work IS completed.
But A SHORT TINE.
Il should be borne in mind by Californians
that they have less than two years 10 pre-
pare for the exhibit; that wages are going
up lus tead OF down that If either or both
winters, as often happens, are rigorous,
work VIII need to be suspended, and that
really between now and the opening of the
fair IN the spring of 1898 there remains less
than one year of actual working time.
Without doubt our San Francisco fairs,
and ia fact the State fairs are fine, but there
is one bad fault that should not be allowed
IL this great coming fair. 1t takes usually
week or so, after the opening Of tide doors,
for the exhibit to be complete. Let Califor-
Mia, our far Western beloved State he
ready upon the grand opening day. She
has many competitors and must be up and
doing. Much OF the new pushing enteTpris-
Ing blood that for years has filled the State,
low overttOws Nebraska, Colorado, Wash
layton OF other new States, and California
VIII find them far ahead if she is not soon at
work
San Francisco spreads out over much
more ground than does Chicago. Chicago
towers to the sky. Buildings ten, twelve
and fourteen stories high are not at all I'M
common. One Of twenty is nearly finished,
and the pan for one of thirty-four stories
was seen by your correspondent.
The one OF twenty stories stands on the
corner of State and Randolph streets, and
is built by the Masons. Tie most al it is to
be let for Offices and the lower floor for
stores.
The odd Fellows Will build the one Of
u!irty-fOur Stories but have not selected the
site. IL is to be built after a new design; in
sections OF three sets OF squares, set at right
angles, one section over the other, the whole
surmnnnted by tower. Beside these tow
-S11g structures buildings of six, eight or
even ten stories seem pygmies.
A PLEASURE.
Shopping, instead Of being a burden, must
surely be a pleasure to Chicago damsels.
1ney need but TO enter one building to COM
plete a most elaborate outfit In many Of
the larger establishments everything from
shoe-lace to a hat-pin can be purchased, and
one need only be whisked from floor to
floor by the omnipresent elevator-boy.
Electric lights are used, but no electric
cars 10 the CITY, although several lines con-
ne I the suburbs with the city proper. Ca
ble-caTs are used exclusively and two cars
are usually attached to the dummy, making
quite a train.
With these trains running every two min
utes, morning and evening, each train car
Tyiug one hundred or more passengers, fair
idea may be gained Of the number of dwell
ers living in the outskirts who do business
in town. Such travel usually continues for
about two hours, both morning and evening"
The streets and sidewalks seem narrower
than San Francisco streets; possibly they
look so berause Of the height of the build
ings, and one misses the great thoroughfare
Market street. with the Oakland hills at one
end and Twin Peaks at the other.
Much Of the paving is Of crosscut sections
of small cedar trees laid with gravel, which
Is uneven. yet comparatively uoiseless. The
balance is laid with c0bbe stones. The
streets in the central part of the town run
nearly north and south, bat there are de-
lightlul, tree-shaded, lawn bOrdered boule-
wards again running in charming curves or
unexpected angles to all extreme parts of
tile city.
On either side are the ever-present green
lawns slOping tn the walks There are no
Fences, and so block after block is filed
with elegant mansions, which stand beside
each other in one grand garden of green.
Chicago is city of stone, more than nine
tenths of all the buildings being of sand
stone or marble. The homes Of Chicago
are so very beautiful, and indeed there are
so many other things of interest, that fur
Their description must of necessity be left
for another letter. MRS l., E. THANE.