New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-22
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.

Chicago. Feb. 20 (SpeciaD.-Samue1 W AIler-
ton. one OF Chicag0's leading capitalists and a
foremost citizen, has sublime confidence in the
future greatness Of the city IN fact his faith
in Chicago is immense Ieateats the devotion
Of the rest Of his fellow toVnsmen in a degree
that can hardly be estimated. While some are
content 10 picture the Western city as the COM
ing metropolis Of the country, perhaps or the
world Mr. Al1ertol shoves their petty dreams
to one side with wave OF his hand puts on his
prophetic goggles. and makes this tremendous
prediction We shall see the time. and il VIII
not be much longer than one hundred and 1fty
years from now. when Chicago viii have To-
100000 inhabitants" This means seventy-hvs
times the present population OF Chicago. 4
city thirty times large as the present London.
Supposing the population OF the country keeps
pace with Chicago. using Mr.. AllertOn's figures
as a basis OF cor1putatioa we should have
100 years hence. 6.31J,tto1So Inhabitants
II may BE-. though. that Dir ! l@TrOn figures
that Chicago VIII go II alone in this marvellous
increase. and simply expand untu IT'S Doln-
diaries are co-extensive with those Of the United
States II is very sensiOly appreciated by the
most enthusiastic Chlcagcans that this ls Dig
city. but they fail 70 realize the full greatness
OF the Windy City until a man OF wealth and
leisure like Mr. AIlertOn takes paper and pencil
and boldly plUnges into the domain Of specuIa-
tive statistics Truly. Mr.. AIIertOn puts to rout
the fears Of President Roosevelt and DIT. Shrddy
regarding the danger nenaeiHg the country.
The removal Of the public telephones from the
police stations by the telephone company has
aroused the wrath OF the citizens not against
the corporation. but against the police, who. Z
appears. are responsible for the action II must
T. explained that these phones, slot machines,
were placed IN the police stations chiefly for
the convenience OF the general telephone sub
scrihars and users. They were not intended for
use by the police except tor strictly police 0Usi
ness. When members OF the force used them
Sz1v-
dividuaIs. and 70 pay lor the service Just the
same any ordinarZ citizen But il seems the
police provided themselves with a supply OF
sIugs that would operate the machines They
not only used these themselves, but distributed
The SIUgS among rhel- friends and acqualnJ-
anCes with the broad invitation 70 come IN and
help themselves When the telephone company
asked the Police Department 70 redeem the
slugs with nickels the Chief refused He vas
willing 20 make good a reasonable number OF
sIugs. on the supposirion that the phones were
, used fOr departmental business, but the guam
t1ty turned IN BY the company appalled, hiIll ana
he ordered The instruments taken OFT Public
criticism is that the police acted in the telephone
matter IN a manner not consistent Win a correct
understanding OF theu duties and a proper con-
sideratIOn for the interests OF the public. Be
cause Of the removal OF the slot telephones the
cf+v will have to expend several thousand dol
lars additional for maintenance OF the regular
public telephone service IN twenty stations. "
taxpayers are not likely 10 forget where The
blame belongs when the bluecoats ag1Late again
/ for an advance OF salaries
| Opponents Of municipal ownership OF public
! utilities or anything else believe they have
( found a strong argument for their position in
the failure OF the citys recent attempt 20 retail
coal 10 the needy OF Chicago. Where the real
fault lies for the failure IS not YET apparent.
Various explanations are offered, though there
has been no question OF the Legality Of the En-
terprise- II is held by some that municipal IN
capacity as well as Indifference can BE blamed
for the fasco- There we're many worthy poor
who we're unwilling TO ask aims, but who were
glad 70 avail II lselves OF the opportunity 70
purchase fuel at reduced rates; but there seemed
70 be something lacking IN the methods EN-
pIoyed at the City Hall in the distribution As
IL turned OUT, q good deal OF the coal which
actually was sold and delivered was OF the most
inferior kind. dear At any price. and II many
cases people who paid in advance have a yet
received no coal and on application nave not
been able to get their money back From THIS
interesting episode in city government the rOeS
OF municipal ownership argue that a city gov
eminent which cannot create and enforce
working plan for the sale and delivery or coal
at cost would make sorry work OF the manage
n1ent Of the traction lines