New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-07
BOUNDARIES.

Those who have sympathy TO 0ier 10 ChcaSo
should prepare to offer it now. Chicago Is al
orphan or something of that kind. Chicago ap-
ncars 10 have been changed in the cradle uay
or two ago there came dispatch whlch salu thaC
Lake Michigan was falling rapidly, and there
was fear that it would dry up and leave the CITY
standing alone on the prairie. Now there COMES
Another saving that the new Government survey
il going to throw Chicago into the State OF
Indiana. To Chicago. at present, this world
must indeed seem but feeting show for mans
illusion given. Only the Chicago River remains
,rue 70 her-and that, since the low water has
hecun to run the wrong way--into the lake, In
stead of out into the prairie
The only consolation which it seems possible
for Chicago to get out of the new turn which
affairs have taken would seem to be the same
that came TO the old lady who long lived In oouth
Carolina near the northern boundary line. One
day a new survey was run which left hcr mouse
in North Carolina, whereupon she sald she WAC
clad of it, as she had always heard that South
Carolina was an extremely unhealthy State. III
the rate of mortality is lower in indiana IMAM
it is in Illinois we congratulate Chicago. vi
course she may not be transferred to INDIANA
after all. though everything points that way now
H. is "a good as settled that Ohio Is to take
dozen-mile strip from the eastern side OF Indiana )
this so we are told will give Indiana claim
on a similar amount or land from
the eastern edge of Illinois, and TINS
will include Chicago. Chicago's only hope seems
to Lie in fight. Let her pack up and move up
the Chicago River-that is. up the chicago
River geographically, down il hydraullcally the
Chicago River being the only stream in the world
which when in its normal state runs up hll but
Chicago will probably not move.
tt.fnr ina nh
present astonishing condition of affairs is not that
Chicago is going to find herself in Indiana, but
the way in which the various States are going TO
got even- Ohio takes slice from Indiana ;
Indiana indemnifes herself with piece of
Illinois; Illinois will naturally help herself to a
section of Iowa ana Missouri. But here we come
to the Mississippi River, which is supposed to be
the boundary. Apparently, the new boundary
will have to be established few miles west of
the Mississippi, if the river is the irrevocable
boundary, then the river will have to be moved
This will be a bigger undertaking than the trans
fer of Chicago, Auditorium and all,
but we suppose that Western enterprise is equal
to it, Great changes have occurred in the
Mississippi River, scientists tell us. Professor
Twain has taken the figures Of the Smithsonian
Institution in regard to the Mississippi and shown
beyond all manner of doubt that two thousand
years ago it was eight hundred miles longer than
il is now, and stuck out over the Gulf of Mexico
like iishing-p pole. Beyond the Mississippi the
adjustment of boundaries will continue, through
Kansas and Nebraska Wyoming, and so forth, till
it comes to California and Oregon, which, it APP
pears are going to be the real losers. since it
will not be practicable to annex strip of the
Pacific Ocean. Perhaps. too Pennsylvania may
take the hint and move up OH Ohio, which would
of course start New-Jersey, New-York, Connecti-
cut and so forth. which may, in the end, cause
California to lay claim to Coney Island and the
coast north and south, and perhaps establish
orange groves and ostrich farms in this neghbor-
hood.
Take it altogether, it is a most curious con-
ditiQn of things, the settlement of which will be
watched with the greatest interest by the entire
country.