Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-19

located here on the shores of Lake Michi--
gan. serving as great national gateway
between the Pacific and Atlantic. and be-
tween the occident and the orient The
National Association of Merchants and
Travellers was organized and incorporated
under the laws of the state of Illinois, about
eight years ago. The object of the organi-
cation was to invite friendly. cordial re-
latfons between the shipping interests and
the transportation lines centering In and
radiating from this market, and also to de-
velop ways and means of exploiting the
strength of the Chicago market in terri
tories directly and indirectly tributary. 1t
is our present purpose to broaden our scope
of activity. by establishing a much larger
and more carefully organized merchants
association, comprising, so far as possible,
the progressive, enterprising, public-spirit-
ed manufacturing and wholesale industries
of the city.
I'VE intend to demonstrate in thorough.
practical ways, the fact that Chicago is
the national central market of this Won
derful country; that 1t is the actual center
of competition and price-making, and that
If not at present it soon will be the center
of gravity in the manufacture, distribution
and transportation of American merchan-
disc of all kinds. Some of us believe that
at this moment Chicago bears the same
Of the world that our nation bears to the
other great world-powers and for the same
reasons"
Mr.. Hypes OF Marshall Field & Co. de-
in New England, and that, in a few years,
her merchants will have customers east Of
the Hudson river and west of the Rocky
mountains. He insists that already Chi
cago has the greatest variety and the larg-
est stocks OF certain lines of merchandise
In the world, not excepting London and
New York; and that, while New York out
ranks Chicago in the volume of trade. Chi
cago surpasses New York in the production
and handling of the finer grades Of mer-
chandise.
New Subway for Freight.
One Of the most remarkable improve
ments in Chicago is the new subway for
handling freight. and relieving the con-
gestion of the business section of the city.
which is limited to an area two miles
square. Between o'clock in the morning
and o'clock at night more than three
quarters of million people are at work in
that area, and an average Of $4,000 tons of
freight are hauled through the same streets
every week day. The cost of teaming alone
to the merchants of Chicago in 1903 was
more than $5O,000,0OO, and the teams and
trucks hauled through the business district
nearly 4O,OOO,OOO tons of merchandise; more
than 420.0OO,O0O packages, which were
brought into the city in 1612,OO0 railway
cars. That would make a freight train of
1000 cars every day. This does not include
the tonnage that was handled by the belt
line railroads, but only that which reached
the central, business section Of the city,
bounded by Van Buren, street, the river and
the lake.
The actual number of trucks employed to
deliver freight in that section of the city
was something over 10000, and it is not
necessary to describe the consequences to
any one who is familiar with Chicago Not
long ago. by actual count, 1,041 loaded
trucks passed the corner of 9Th avenue and
Randolph street, which is not of the
most congested sections of the city. At the
corner of State and Madison streets 151 600
pedestrians were counted going in various
directions within one hour
To relieve this congestion, twenty-one
miles OF tunnels, underlying the business
section OF Chicago, have been constructed,
and now connect the railway termini and
the docks upon the river and the lake with
the wholesale and retail stores, and the
warehouses in the business section This
is matter of great economy, as we'll as
convenience. Millions of dollars will be
saved every year in teaming, and the pedes-
TRANS will be relieved of one of the greatest
objections to Chicago-the crowded and
dirty streets.