Year: 1872

NEW CHICAGO At CHRISTMAS TIME.


Though the material evidences Of the progress


which has been made in rebuilding Chicago


have been fully chronicled by the newspapers at


every step, and though the process OF re-estab-
liahment has been gradual enough to grow i'm
pezceptib1y upon the residents of the city, mo-
ment's thought on q bright, crisp morning OF
these CHEEKY Christmas times will arrest the at


tention Of the most phlegmatic citizen, and he
Will incur the danger Of freezing his ear-tips to
contemplate the busy scenes Of our new city.
sanguine and patriotic as all Chicagoans are,
there we're few Of US who did not LOOK forward
to the present winter for repetition of much Of
the d1earineHs which was felt during tho dis
NAL cold, and amid the desolate ruins
ths@ succeeded the fire. It WAS
scarcely to be. hoped that the second
winter would find q new order Of things equal
in activity and animation to the ante-ire regime


We expected to see ha1f-built houses, unroofed
walls, frozen mortar, chilled workmen, and blue
capitalists. We we're inclined to pity the iso-
lated condition Of those pioneers who had the


courage to take their places in the burned dis


trict, and re looked forward cheerlesaly to tho
ice, and snow, and sleet that would render tho


deserted streets OF the desolated region almost


impassable. The picture which the croakers


held up to view Vas too natural to be discredited


as whole, though every individual was working


to the contrary. The aggregate result of this


individual labor is more marvellous than


any series OF descriptions can por-


tray. It may have occurred to the


reader, On some occasion when ho has


freed his mind from the absorbing interest OF
his own business, that the busy and brilliant
panorama OF New Chicago has passed before his
eyes. He may have taken in at single glance
the magnificent blocks, the mass of moving life,
the gorgeous stores, ths rush and tumble of
prosperity that are to be seen in these merry
Christmas times. He may have been suddenly
and Unexpectedly impressed with the scene as if
ho had gone away from Chicago one dreary Octo-
ber morning little moro q year ego, and re-
turned to find beautiful and busy city mag
disheartening waste. It is only by some process
Of this kind that the full measure Of progress
can be estimated.


The social features of life in New Chicago,
moro striking evidences OF our prosperity than
the marble fronts OF our material progress.
Last winter, those who had been accustomed to
home luxuries and social entertainments gave
them up. Their places OF amusement had been
taken from them; their money-what was left
was needed for other uGes; their spirit for en-
joyment was crushed; and the popular channels /
Of anusements were nnonopoliZed by class Of
entertainment far below the standard OF metro
politan life. The present winter finds the
theatres rebuilt, with larger capacity, greater
comfort, and more elegance than ever; and the
run OF famusoments includes all that the resources
OF tho country afford. Society has opened its
doors once more. The Jenkinses Of tho period |
tell us Of more e1travagant expenditure md |
more elegant toizettes than they hare ever hsd /
the pleasure Of describing before. The retail
stores reflect en- gross the revival OF social taste
Never before in any Western city WAS there 80
much capital invested in stocks Of jewelry, toyR,
and fancy goods. Never before, outside Of New
York City, has so much money been expended
upon rendering the repositories themselves !
brilliant and attractive. Tho very ADVERTISE
ments that are to be found from day to day in
TIE TRIBUNE will suffice to indicate degree of
social progress that is without parallel in tho
history OF old Chicago.


,..t t,,k k1.n4
spending more money than they ought to spend.
But, II they are doing this, NO cannot expect
that they will stop to listen to sermons in the
evi! Of extravaganza just before Christmas. We
have abundant ASSURANCES that the poor OF the
city were never in better condition. The 1u-
dicious application Of the Relief funds so mag
unanimously contributed from all parts Of the
world has left 4 surplus with which to provide
for the wants Of those who have been unable to
work more satisfactorily than ever. It does not
appear that the crowds which besct the toy
and fancy shops are made up Of the rich alonc3
the children Of the mechanic and artisan who
live in Chicago Will fare better this Christmas
Than those Of any other city. In spite OF the
cry OF "Hard Tines'' that has been uttered
throughout the land these three months, Christ
mas times in Chicago seem to have almost ef-
faced the recollection of financial stringency
and our great calamity. The Christmas stock
ings will be well filled, the Chrstnas-boxes will
give out a :" du1cet jingle" and the Christmas
carols will have q merry ring among us this
year; for, though pater tamitas may bs hard up,
he believes that Chicago il bound to prosper
when the spring time comes again.


CREDIT M0BuIER.


It is evident that the Congressman caught
With Credit Mobilier cream on their whislers in
tend to justify themselves by affirming and de-
Tending their right to buy any stock OF property
they choose, the same as private Individuals.
This defence w1ll not answer for those who denied
hat they ever had any Credit Mobiier stock, if