Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-19
CORRESPONDENTS.
our Chicago Letter.
CHICAGO, March Sth. 1SI

lOOhluR on 10 see Jne DuSy JnrOnR going
hither and thither, without occupying
my time in few lines to the BANNER.
am still occupying living place on the
earth, but can't say how long. AS 1 sit
in my room and look out upon the busy
world, and especially upon this busy
City, my thoughts go back into the past,
and compare the times then and the
present. Can it be possible to imagine
or comprehend the vast change that has
taken place in this last half century,
when bid adieu to the green hills of
Vermont so years ago (and does it seem
possible), the changes that have taken
place are more than wonderful to me.
What were the accommodations then to
come as far Yves: as Chicago, distance
of about 1000 miles? All things boxed
and packed, after bidding friends long
farewell, the first point to arrive at for
transportation was then only at what was
then called COmstock's Landing, N. Y,
a distance of about 2l miles from Pawlet
and Rupert, on the canal running from
Whitehall to Troy. Here at this point
was railroad running from Whitehall
to Saratoga and Troy, which had been
built but short time. 1t was quite a
surprise to me, the first railroad 1 was
ever on. The tickets l purchased at
Comstock's Landing took me to Chicago.
had very pleasant ride to Troy where
we stopped for short time at the then,
Troy House," where we found genial
friend who was once the proprietor of
the principal Hotel in Granville, N. Y.
The next move we made was to the City
of Utica where we stayed for the night.
Early the next morning we took train
for Rochester where married sister was
living, whose husbands name was Mar
tin Newton, Esq, very prominent law.
yer, being then in company with noted
lawyer in that city by the name OF Hast.
ings, who passed away quite a number of
years since.
Here we stayed about two weeks look
ing about this delightful city, visiting it's
most interesting places; and to me the
most wonderful was the Gent see Falls,
where the noted Sam Patch took his last
leap. 1 once doubted this story, but
was made to believe it when in this city
stopping for the last year. A gentleman
of years told me he saw Sam Patch take
the leap into the debths below which end
ed his life. The width of the falls, 50
years ago, was the whole width of the
Genesee river from one bank side to the
opposite, which made it a very delightful
sight to behold, next to the great Mag
ara, but it is not so at the present time.
The city of Rochester has grown ftom a
population in 1850 of 80, 900 up to 1876 OOO
in 45 years, and its business has grown
with its population, so Genesee river has
been so monopolzed in it's manufactur-
ing business, the Falls proper are not
more than one third its width. as in 1850,
but the fall is more powerful than before
being confined to narrower space. The
longer | looked about to see of its beau
ties and business, and to see, to me what
never expected to see, was some noble,
large ounces, which grew in my sisters
yard. began to wonder what a great
change from Vermont where no ounces
or peaches ever grew: thinks l, to my
self, this is the place would like to live
in, but on second thought found my
fare and transportation on my goods was
paid through to the Post of Racine, up
the lake, north of Chicago, some 80 miles.
l was very badly disappointed for the
city of Rochester is one of the most
beautiful cities in the State of New York.
Not only pleasant and beautiful but the
most cleanly city l ever visited They
have pride in keeping its streets and
alleys clean. am speaking of it as it is
at the present time having spent year
there recently. After l found l must
leave this city, we went to Buffalo.
There was no railroad to the West from
Buffalo. No other way to go but by the
Lake. Boats in those days were called
Floating palaces" but the dread of these
to me was terrible. had not forgotten
the great loss of one of the largest and
most beautiful steamers on the lakes at
that time, the steamer Atlantic" In
the year 1S49 this steamer was sunk in
about 300 or 400 feet of water near Erie,
Penn, with 200 or 800 passengers on
board, coming in collision with another
vessel There was little sleep for me
while on this lake. We were the next
day in the city of Detroit. where we put
up for the night. l. was happy to know
we were once more on terra-frma, but
even here there seemed to be no chance
to sleep for the hotel was filled from the
fist floor to the sky parlor. Luckily we
we found bed. The sight of baggage
in that hotel was wonderful. | said to