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 PRESENT AND FUTURE, 
 RISE AND PROGRESS, 
 “STRANGE EARLY DAYS,' 
 
 By HENRY BROWN, Esq. 
 By JAS. A. MARSHALL, Esq. 
 By HARRIETT MARTINEAU. 
 
* 
 
 
 
 
 
 »■- 
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2015 
 
 https://archive.org/details/presentfuturepro1846brow 
 
THE 
 
 Present and Future 
 
 Prospects of Chicago: 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 Delivered before The Chicago Lyceum, 
 January 20, 1846. 
 
 BY HENRY BROWN, ESQ, 
 
 Author of “ History of Illinois.” 
 
 \ 
 
 At a meeting of the Chicago Lyceum, held at the Court House, in 
 the City of Chicago, on the evening of the 28th of January, ult. Mark 
 Skinner, Esq., Vice-President in the Cham, and George Manierre, 
 Secretary. 
 
 It was Resolved, That Henry Brown, Esq., President of said Ly- 
 ceum, be requested to furnish a copy of his Inaugural Address for pub- 
 lication, and that Dr. Wm. B. Egan, Mr. Wm. M. Larrabee, and Mr. 
 Thomas IToyne be appointed a Committee to superintend its publica- 
 tion. 
 
 MARK SKINNER, Vice-President. 
 
 George Manierre, Secretary. 
 
 CHICAGO: 
 
 FERGUS PRINTING COMPANY, 
 
 244-8 ILLINOIS STREET. 
 
 1 876. 
 
INAUGURAL ADDRESS, 
 
 Gentlemen of the Lyceum : — In entering upon the 
 duties assigned me, as President of this Lyceum, I shall at 
 present do little more than thank you for the honor con- 
 ferred upon me by the appointment, and assure you in the 
 simplicity of my heart, as every militia officer does in New 
 England, from the General of Brigade, down to the Fourth 
 Corporal, on his elevation “to rank and fame,” that “I will 
 endeavor to serve you according to the best of my abili- 
 ties.” 
 
 In order, however, that I may do so, it is necessary that 
 I speak to you with freedom. This I shall do at all events, 
 both now and hereafter, whether you hear or whether you 
 forbear. 
 
 Our Saviour while on earth, in speaking to those he ad- 
 dressed, said they were a generation of vipers, that they 
 were wolves in sheep’s clothing, and so forth. The Apostle 
 Paul used language equally plain and often as severe. The 
 elder Cato, in speaking of the Roman people, said, “They 
 were like sheep, for as those can scarcely be brought to stir 
 singly, but all in a body readily follow their leaders;” just 
 such are ye. “ The men whose council you would not take 
 as individuals, lead you with ease in a crowd.” It may,, 
 perhaps, be so with us, and, to a certain extent, it unques- 
 tionably is. 
 
 It is not, however, my intention to speak thus of you or, 
 of this people; because it would give offence, and I am 
 unwilling, especially on this occasion, to say anything which 
 can by possibility be tortured into disrespect, and so long 
 as it shall be my fortune, good or ill, to preside over this- 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 o 
 
 Institution, I hope and trust that nothing will be said in 
 discussion here, or even attempted, which ought to offend 
 the most delicate ear. It is better for us, gentlemen, sit- 
 uated as we are, and living in a singular age, to imitate the 
 forbearance of a distinguished clergyman, who being invited 
 to preach before the Royal Court of France, in a by-gone 
 age, at the conclusion of a thrilling discourse, told them if 
 they did not do so and so, they would go to a place he 
 forbore to mention in that courtly audience. While the 
 oak, whose sturdy arms resist the tempest, is uptom by its 
 roots — the pliant reed, that yields. to the blast, escapes un- 
 hurt. The human tongue, as Plutarch expresses it, “accus- 
 tomed to speak with freedom in the cause of Justice,” is 
 an instrument of great power. It is the lever of Archimedes 
 that moves the moral world. With truth for its support it is 
 irresistible. The most stupid and exalted of our race obey 
 its impulse and feel its power. Flow important then that its 
 use be cultivated, and its efforts be aright directed. Such,, 
 gentlemen, is in part our object in coming hither, and so 
 long as we adhere to such intentions, so long we shall 
 deserve ahd without doubt meet with public approbation.. 
 
 In order, gentlemen, that our efforts may be useful, an. 
 addition to our number will be necessary. learned divine,, 
 on being told by one of his parishioners that he had thought 
 for sometime of joining the church, knowing the appli- 
 cant to be unworthy, informed him that the church was 
 full; and that they had pretty much concluded not to take 
 any more. It is not so, gentlemen, with us. The Lyceum 
 is not yet full, we shall therefore be happy to receive 
 additions, provided the applicants be worthy. AVe wish, 
 however, to have it understood that admission here are 
 not of course. The wisdom of ancient Persia has fre- 
 quently been extolled. In her renowned Capitol there 
 was, as we are informed, in olden times, an institution in 
 some respects like ours. The number of its members, how- 
 ever, was limited ; and being very select, the learned, and 
 the wise, the patriot, the hero, and the sage, the most dis- 
 tinguished courtiers, and the most accomplished scholars 
 in the realm sought and obtained admission thither. As 
 a perpetual memento that its numbers were thus limited, 
 and in no event whatever to be increased, a vessel filled 
 with water to the brim, so that a single drop additional 
 would cause it to overflow, was placed beside the chair; 
 
4 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 around it were vases of the choicest flowers, whose fra- 
 grance filled the apartment, and whose beauty delighted 
 every eye; at the time of which I speak, there was, we are 
 told, in Persia’s Capitol, a youth of rare attainments. His 
 mind just then emerging into manhood, was the delight of 
 Persia’s Court; the Prince saw him and was charmed, the 
 courtier, the scholar, and the statesman were all delighted, 
 and with one accord desired that he, against their rules, 
 might be admitted among their number. He was accord- 
 ingly invited to attend their meetings, and a request at last 
 to be admitted was preferred. It was seconded by the 
 Prime Minister of the great King, but the President, point- 
 ing to the vessel, then before him, already full, the motion 
 was withdrawn. The youth, however, still persisting, and 
 in his zeal, forgetting where he was, with a step lighter than 
 any fairy, advanced towards the chair, and plucking from 
 the choicest flower the vase contained, a rose-leaf of sur- 
 passing beauty, he placed it with gentle hand upon the sur- 
 face of the sparkling element, where it floated a monument 
 of his triumph, without causing a drop to overflow. I need 
 not inform you, gentlemen, that he was at once admitted 
 by acclamation. I mention this not with a view to induce 
 the gay world to join us, and thus contribute a little to our 
 library, our funds, and to our moral and intellectual capital, 
 but to show that perseverance is all-powerful, and that by 
 proper efforts, the case of those as yet excluded from our 
 number, and the enjoyment of privileges which ought to be 
 highly valued, is not entirely hopeless. 
 
 Since the establishment of this Lyceum in 1834, I have 
 been. invited frequently to speak before it. I was invited 
 so to do early in 1837, and chose for my theme “The pres- 
 ent and future prospects of Chicago.” My remarks, how- 
 ever, though well -intended, were by some unkindly taken. 
 The speculation then in vogue, by which so many had been 
 enriched, was not commended quite so highly as many sup- 
 posed it ought. Besides, some doubts were then expressed, 
 whether the system would endure, and whether speculation, 
 with neither industry nor economy to aid it, would exalt us 
 as a people. I then supposed, and still suppose, as Shakes- 
 peare says, that — 
 
 “He’s a bad surgeon, who for pity spares 
 The part infected, till the gangrene spreads, 
 And all the body perishes.” 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 5 
 
 The Lyceum then was held in a dilapidated building on 
 Clark street, between Ogden’s Building and the Sherman 
 House alley, used as a church; a building which led a 
 stranger, as we are told, when passing through Chicago, to 
 remark, “That he had frequently heard of God’s house, but 
 never saw His barn before.” Our circumstances since, 
 have somewhat changed; some sixteen, seventeen, or eigh- 
 teen churches, vying in splendor with houses of public wor- 
 ship in the Atlantic cities, now stand triumphantly before 
 us as mementos of piety and the arts, nowhere in towns of 
 equal magnitude scarcely equalled, certainly in none ex- 
 celled. 
 
 We are permitted also to hold our meetings in a Court 
 House, erected on public credit, and to our shame be it 
 spoken, wherein the prospect of its redemption is distant 
 and uncertain. 
 
 On the 1 6th of June, 1831, twenty-four lots in the City 
 of Chicago, given by the United States, among other lands, 
 to the State of Illinois, for the use of the Illinois and Mich- 
 Canal, were granted by letters patent, bearing date on that 
 day, and executed by the Governor, to the County of Cook, 
 “to aid said County in the erection of public buildings, 
 and to the use and for the purposes before mentioned.” I 
 quote from the deed of trust, which is on record here. The 
 lots in question are among the most valuable in Chicago; 
 six of them are upon Lake street, and five upon Water 
 street. Of the twenty-four lots thus patented, sixteen have 
 been sold, worth at the present time $100,000, not for the 
 purpose of erecting public buildings, but to pay current 
 expenses. The remaining eight are yet unsold, and consti- 
 tute what is called the Public Square, the block on which 
 we now are assembled. Whether the State erred or not, in 
 making the grant, I will not pause to enquire. The County 
 of Cook being the grantor, and interested in the trust, it 
 behooves us not to scrutinize the act too closely. Inasmuch, 
 however, as it has been proposed to sell the public square, 
 not for the purpose of erecting public buildings and execut- 
 ing thus the trust, but for the purpose of paying the County 
 debt, prodigally contracted, a few remarks upon the subject 
 seem now appropriate. 
 
 It is needless here to say that such an act would be an 
 act of double treachery, because it is to all apparent, though 
 men often “ love the treason who despise the traitor.” A 
 
6 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 deed like this would not, I apprehend, be sanctioned or 
 approved. Reserved for public use, and embellished as it 
 ought to be, with trees and shrubbery, it will be an orna- 
 ment to our City, and generations now unborn will yet arise 
 and bless us for having spared it. 
 
 But to resume the subject from which I have thus di- 
 gressed. In 1842, I was again requested to address this 
 Lyceum, I chose on that occasion for my theme again the 
 subject for which I had been abused, the (then) present and 
 future prospects of Chicago, and promised in my discourse 
 to resume the subject five years thereafter. That time has 
 not arrived, I am, however, requested to anticipate a little, 
 and redeem a promise which has a year to run. Expecting, 
 as I do, a discount on the debt for paying in advance. I 
 undertake the task with pleasure, and will endeavor to dis- 
 charge its duties without fear, favor, or affection, as each 
 Grand Juror swears. 
 
 In 1842, Chicago was exceedingly depressed. Never 
 perhaps more so. Our public credit was then exhausted, 
 and labor on our public works had nearly or wholly ceased. 
 The opinions I had expressed in 1837 were then repeated, 
 and however strange it may appear, without offence. In 
 1842, when everyone desponded, I took occasion to re- 
 mark as follows: 
 
 “Canal or no Canal, Chicago will advance. Her pro- 
 gress will be onward, and nothing, save some great calamity, 
 can arrest her course, or the consumate folly, depravity, or 
 imprudence of her people.” Again, “You have been told 
 that Chicago depends for her prosperity on the Canal. 
 While I admit the Canal’s importance, and look forward 
 with the utmost confidence to its completion, I deny all 
 such dependence. So long as yonder inland seas bear on 
 their surface the wealth of every clime — so long as yonder 
 fertile prairies bloom with verdure, and ‘the cattle upon 
 the thousand hills’ shall graze their herbage, and so long as 
 yonder interminable fields shall wave with their golden har- 
 vest, an effort to blot Chicago from existence, or to depress 
 her rising consequence, would be like an attempt to quench 
 the stars.” 
 
 Having on that occasion prophesied a little, permit me, 
 gentlemen, on this to prophesy a little more. There are 
 persons now living (though not present) in Chicago who 
 will see 5,000,000 of people in Illinois, and 200,000 in this 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 7 
 
 City,* a larger number than the Metropolis of England, in 
 the reign of Queen Elizabeth, contained. This to some may 
 problematically appear. It is, however, not only possible 
 Tut probable, and I will tell you why. The State of Illinois 
 contains 56,158 square miles of more fertile soil than any 
 where exists. It is larger than New York, Ohio, or Pennsyl- 
 vania. It contains more arable land than all New England, 
 and more than England and Wales together. It is larger 
 than Portugal and Denmark, and has more acres than Hol- 
 land, Belgium, and Switzerland united. Twelve such States 
 as Connecticut could be carved out of it and a fraction still 
 be left. W ere it as densely settled as Massachusetts is, it 
 would contain that number now. Is it then, I ask, improb- 
 able that Illinois “in three score years and ten,” will be as 
 densely settled as Massachusetts is at present, and should 
 the State contain 5,000,000, is 200,000 for Chicago an over- 
 estimate? 
 
 In order, however, to insure her growth and her pros- 
 perity permanently secure, some effort will be necessary. 
 Man is born to toil. Industry is essential to health and 
 happiness, also to moral and intellectual improvement. 
 Tabor is a blessing only in disguise. 
 
 Among the means essential to our prosperity, good roads 
 from here in all directions are pre-eminent. Not plank- 
 roads existing on paper only, or on the pages of the revised 
 ■Statutes of Illinois, like that from this City to Rockford, 
 
 * The writer was present when this Lecture was delivered at the ‘ ‘ Old 
 Court House,” being one long, oblong apartment, capable of seating 
 about 200 persons. And when the extravagant perdiction was made 
 ‘ ‘ that persons ivere now living ( though not present ) in Chicago who will 
 see 200.000 people in this City!'" An uproarious laugh of incredulity 
 convulsed the entire audience. And yet, the Orator so far doubted his 
 own statement that he could not venture to say, that the persons then 
 Jiving , who would see this City contain 200,000 people, were in Chicago 
 ■ or in his hearing. 
 
 But time, has not only verified his statement, that the persons were 
 then living who should see this; but further, and far beyond his exceed- 
 ingly, what seemed extravagant prediction, there were then listening to 
 .his own lecture, in that room, at least twenty or thirty persons, who, liv- 
 ing in Chicago then, have lived to see it contain over 400,000, or double 
 the number of people estimated, and that too, before the lapse of 30 
 years. 
 
8 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 about which much has been said and little done. Nor 
 railroads, such as were made a few nights since, at a 
 meeting here, which it is feared will sleep the sleep of 
 death; but plank-roads, railroads, and good common roads,, 
 upon the earth’s broad surface, which common people 
 delight to travel. 
 
 It is, therefore, gentlemen, to be regretted deeply, so I 
 think, that our Legislature at its last session should have 
 repealed the law, requiring labor during the last year to be- 
 performed on public roads, as also the law, authorizing the 
 imposition of a small tax for their improvement. This factr. 
 is not generally known. It is nevertheless so. 
 
 In 1841, a law was passed, authorizing the County Com- 
 missioners’ Court, to require from one to five day’s labor 
 from each able-bodied man, between 21 and 50, in Illinois, 
 to be laid out on the public highways. 
 
 In 1843, a law was passed imposing a small tax for their 
 improvement. 
 
 On the 28th of February, 1845, these laws were both 
 unfortunately repealed. Another was substituted in their 
 stead, but so imperfect in its provisions, that it became 
 entirely useless. It gave no authority to collect a tax or 
 penalty. 
 
 The general road act, passed March 3, 1845, made no 
 provision for that year. Of course, the State of Illinois,, 
 during the whole of 1845, was without a road act. 
 
 Fortunately, however, it was of but little inconvenience. 
 The laws of Illinois, like some of the fixed stars whose light, 
 it is said, has not yet reached us, and like others, although 
 extinguished some time since, continued yet to shine on, so 
 exceedingly tardy in their progress that their passage and 
 their repeal is not essential in every instance till months, and 
 sometimes years, we are told, thereafter. Besides, the peo- 
 ple of this State are “a law-abiding people.” The repeal,, 
 then, of a salutary statute, had it been known, would not 
 have prevented labor from being so essential to our pros- 
 perity. 
 
 When the Parthenon, or temple of Minerva, at Athens* 
 was completed, the oxen, which for years had been accus- 
 tomed to draw stone from the quarry to the Acropolis, were 
 discharged from further service, and, as a mark of special 
 favor, thenceforth permitted to graze on the public com- 
 mons. Sometime thereafter a celebration took place in the.- 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 9 
 
 city, and a procession was formed from thence or the lower 
 town to the Acropolis. — In that procession, a large number 
 of oxen in their yokes were introduced, to fill the pageant. 
 The oxen before discharged perceiving others about to per- 
 form a task which had (as they supposed) for years de- 
 volved on them, took their position without drivers in the 
 line, and performed the route as regularly as before. It is 
 just so with the people of Illinois. Accustomed to “mend 
 their ways,” without a legal requisition for that purpose,, 
 they have hitherto, and it is hoped will continue thus to do, 
 “law or no law.” 
 
 A writer (an enthusiast of course), some years ago, in. 
 speaking of rivers and their use, observed, they were de- 
 signed to feed canals — and Talleyrand, Napoleon’s prime 
 minister, for many years, is represented, though perhaps 
 untruly, to have said that “ language was invented to con- 
 ceal our thoughts.” Northern Illinois, by our Creator, was 
 designed for no fictitious purpose. It is adapted in a pecu- 
 liar manner for either railroads, plank-roads, common roads, 
 or canals; and nothing but an effort in behalf of her people 
 is required to complete them altogether. Of the Canal it is 
 useless now to speak. A promise, a mere promise by our 
 Legislature, (accompanied by a grant which renders its 
 violation impossible) to withhold their sacrilegious hands 
 from its remaining funds, has not only its completion per- 
 fectly secured, but the payment in half a century or so of all 
 the debt hitherto incurred for its. construction, and, in part, 
 the redemption of our country’s honor. Two years will 
 witness its completion, and the wealth of other realms in 
 triumph floating on its surfafce. 
 
 The question having frequently been asked, whether the 
 completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal will benefit 
 Chicago or no. Allow me, gentlemen, here to say, it will, 
 in a thousand different ways. Time will not permit me now 
 to illustrate this position. I hope, however, the question 
 will, sometime during the season, be debated here, and then 
 each one will have an opportunity to be heard. 
 
 There is another subject, gentlemen, which, at the pre- 
 sent time, bears heavily upon us. I now allude to a rail- 
 road from Chicago to the Mississippi. It is. not my inten- 
 tion here to speak of Whitney’s road, because his views 1 
 upon the subject are, I think, erroneous, and his plans 
 wholly impracticable. A railroad, however, from the Atlan- 
 
IO 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 tic cities to the Mississippi, and westward thence,* is just as 
 sure of its completion in our day and generation as the 
 sparks are to fly upward. That road must, of course, pass 
 around the southern extremity of Lake Michigan; and, un- 
 less we are wise, it may perhaps go further south, and 
 escape Chicago altogether. If a railroad from here to 
 Galena, or to the Mississippi, was now completed, or in 
 progress, is it not more than probable that such road would 
 be a connecting link between the East and the “ Far West?” 
 The progress of empire, since the morning stars first sang 
 together, has been westward. The Euphrates’ banks re- 
 ceived from the Almighty Earth’s first tenants. Greece 
 . shortly to power and fame succeeded. Rome afterwards 
 .supplanted Greece in her career, and Western Europe, on 
 her ruins, thereafter rose to empire — 
 
 “ Rome heard the Gothic trumpets’ blast, 
 
 The march of hosts as Alaric past.” 
 
 England, the land of scholars and the men of arms, is 
 rotten ere she is ripe — 
 
 “A Queen upon a throne of Gold, 
 
 A Parliament of drones; 
 
 A Nation’s voice that’s bought and sold, 
 
 While every cottage groans.” 
 
 Our country, gentlemen, is destined shortly to become 
 
 * It is a singular verification of this Orator’s statements, that in this 
 ■very year 1846, the Whitney project, for a Great Pacific Rail- 
 road from the Mississippi, was proposed to Congress by a Memorial. 
 This was referred to the Committee on Public Lands, of which Judge 
 Breese, of the Supreme Court of this State, was then Chairman. That 
 lie made a Report thereon, which was published. This Report favors 
 the construction of the Road, though not on the Whitney project. 
 The Report is remarkable for the accuracy of detail — knowledge — it 
 manifests, in tracing out the lines upon which it has been built through 
 the great South Pass of the Mountains; and in suggesting the practical 
 means which were adopted long afterwards, in 1863 ; when the gigantic 
 nature of the undertaking seemed feasible to Congress : Though, at the 
 time, the Report was made, all its facts and details, as well as the 
 enterprise itself, were treated with derision and ridicule, by as great an 
 authoi'ity in the U. S. Senate of those days as the late “Thomas H. 
 Benton, of Missouri.” And yet, while Breese wears no garland, is 
 honored by no memorial — a statue , in marble, of Benton as author of 
 the Road to the Pacific — honors his memory in the St. Louis Mer- 
 chants’ Exchange. 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. II 
 
 the seat of wealth, the source of power, the home of learn- 
 ing, and we hope the abode of virtue. And Chicago is 
 destined also to much honor. Her position is commanding 
 and her progress sure. I saw, in an English paper, a short 
 time since, New York, Chicago, and New Orleans put down 
 as three of the most prominent points in our Republic. — 
 The Rev. Sidney Smith, now deceased, prebend of St. 
 Paul’s, the projector, with Lord Brougham and others, of 
 the Edinburgh Review , better known in this country for his 
 remarks in relation to some Pennsylvania bonds, of which 
 he had unfortunately became the owner, in a letter dated 
 at London, on the 28th of August, 1845, directed to a gen- 
 tleman in this city, says: “The spot from which I write 
 (London) was considered by the Romans as the end of the 
 world — the spot from which you write (Chicago), remote as 
 it seems, may become hereafter the centre of civilization.” 
 And why, I would ask, gentlemen, may it not be so? It is 
 but a short time since, and within the recollection of many 
 of us now present, when the population of those States was 
 mostly on the other side of the Alleganies. Where is it 
 now? A majority of the whole is west thereof, and that 
 majority rapidly increasing. In order, however, that we 
 may fulfil the destiny that awaits us here, much is to be 
 done. Industry and economy are not only the parents of 
 every virtue, but the cause of a nation’s, as well as of an 
 individual’s, prosperity. 
 
 The City of Chicago, since her incorporation, the County 
 of Cook, since known as such, and the State of Illinois, 
 since her admission into the Union, have erred exceedingly 
 in their financial operations. I hazard nothing, I believe, 
 in saying, that one-half of the moneys raised by taxation, 
 by each, and borrowed, for which we are now indebted, had 
 it been juduciously expended, -would have effected more 
 than the whole has done under our present system. Of 
 this, gentleman, I speak with confidence — and in some 
 cases with knowledge too. In others, I speak from facts, 
 which cannot err. 
 
 The exposition of fraud and error — of wrong and outrage, 
 and the suggestion of improvements to correct those errors, 
 and remedy those wrongs and outrages, is at times an un- 
 gracious task, and not unfrequently with danger is attended. 
 
 When the great Earl of Chatham, “’mid England’s peers, 
 arose and said he would not sit quiet when his liberty was 
 
12 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 invaded, nor look in silence on public robbery,” it was' 
 thought by many a bold speech — and the event the asser- 
 tion justified. Relying upon his own resources, the petty 
 knaves, the acknowledged fools, and the conceded villains 
 throughout the realm, were from his counsels totally ex- 
 cluded. They, of course, combined against him, and, by 
 the aid of England’s aristocracy, more corrupt if possible 
 still, ousted the patriot and statesman from place and 
 power. Posterity, however, reversed afterward their judg- 
 ment, and did him full and ample justice. 
 
 “The eagle flies alone, the geese in flocks; 
 
 Sheep herd together, and wolves and jackals 
 In packs their prey pursue.” 
 
 Time would fail me were I on this occasion to investigate 
 the origin, and trace the progress of our enormous debt,* 
 
 * We have looked up the records for this “ mormons debt,” of which 
 the eloquent orator is speaking, and find that the debt of Chicago was 
 In 1838, - - $9,996-54 In 1842, - - $16,337.01 
 
 " 1839, - - 7,182.25 „ 1843, - - 12,655.40 
 
 11 1S40, - - 6,559.63 11 1S46, not over 15,000.00 
 
 ,1 1841, - - 12,387.67 
 
 The State debt of that time, to which he refers in the text, was 
 about $20,000,000; two millions of this had been borrowed abroad to 
 complete the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The State failed to pay 
 her interest on the debt in 1838-9, and the work on the Canal ceased; 
 contractors failed; and the construction was for the time abandoned, it 
 was not again resumed until the year 1845. In March of that year, an 
 Act was passed, providing/ that if the holders of Canal bonds would 
 advance a sum sufficient to complete the Canal, the State would con- 
 vey to trustees, for their security and the repayment of all moneys 
 advanced by them, all the Canal lands remaining unsold, which Con- 
 gress had donated to aid the State, in the completion of the improve- 
 ment : the Canal itself, so far as it had been constructed — and, all tolls 
 to be received after its completion, until the whole amount of all moneys 
 borrov r ed, known as the Canal debt, with interest, should be paid to 
 the holders of Canal bonds. 
 
 Under this Act, the property was conveyed to Trustees — two on the 
 part of the bond-holders, and one State Trustee, by whom the Canal 
 lands were sold. The Canal was finished in 1847, and opened to busi- 
 ness in 1848; and the whole debt has been paid from the moneys 
 received from sales of land and tolls, and the Canal has become a 
 source of revenue to the State as well as its property. As regards the 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 13 
 
 which, like an incubus, hangs heavily upon us, or show how 
 and for what purpose a million and a half or more of our 
 bonds are now, like Milton’s angels, floating upon the vast 
 abyss, without a parent, a patron, or a friend, for which the 
 State has yet received no compensation, and for which 
 none, I believe, is expected. Our whole financial system 
 seems to me, gentlemen, like 
 
 “The application 
 
 Of homoeopathic medicines to 
 
 Arrest the earthquake and to quench volcanoes.” 
 
 The time, however, it is hoped, will come when some 
 one will be to Illinois her guardian angel — who, as a dis- 
 tinguished senator and statesman (Col. Young, of NewYork) 
 observes, “will confound and paralyze the congregated 
 energies of corruption, and rescue from the lowest depths 
 of degradation the lost credit of the State; who will, from 
 under the huge mass of documentary rubbish, disinter the 
 enormous skull, the disjointed vertebrae, and scattered 
 bones of the mammoth debt that has been accumulated 
 by millions, 'and bonds therefor poured out (sometimes 
 without consideration) like water, till the drunkenness of 
 financial debauchery has eventuated in delirium tremens — 
 some one who will collate, describe, systematize, and ar- 
 range the repulsive fragments of this fiscal anatomy, so that 
 its frightful skeleton may be seen at one view, and held up 
 in all its enormities to the public gaze, as a memento of 
 the past and a warning to the future.” 
 
 I have heard it frequently stated, and in Chicago too, by 
 men of wealth and standing, from whom much better things 
 are, or ought to have been, expected, that we must not 
 scrutinize these things too closely, for peradventure friends 
 may suffer. Gracious and eternal God ! why are thy bolts 
 withheld when doctrines such as these, without excuse and 
 without apology, escape from polluted lips? — Such doc- 
 trines, however, (thanks to heaven!) meet with countenance 
 from none but knaves. They are not the principles of pure 
 democracy, and I hope not of whiggery. Let no such man 
 be trusted. He is an enemy to his country, and a traitor 
 to his trust — a nuisance to his party and an outlaw from his 
 God. No honor, surely, can await him here. Let him 
 
 City, in the years 1840 and 1841, Mr. Thomas Hoyne, who was then 
 the City Clerk , says : that he kept and revised all the Tax rolls of those 
 two years; and the -whole amount , real estate tax or revenue, in 1841, 
 was Syooo!! about $8000 or $9000 in 1842. 
 
14 
 
 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 then go to where he belongs, where his talents will be duly 
 appreciated, and feed for hire the half-starved swine that 
 prowl about hell’s dormitory, or the backdoor of mammon’s 
 cellar kitchen. 
 
 ‘‘Six thousand years of sorrow have well nigh 
 Fulfilled their tardy and disastrous course,” 
 
 Since the Almighty, by a deed of trust, gave Adam and his 
 posterity the globe we inherit, and the appurtenances there- 
 unto belonging — including every herb, and every tree — save 
 one, and every fowl, and every fish, and every beast, and 
 every living thing that moveth on the earth. For what 
 purpose? That he might replenish it, and subdue it — that 
 he might, as in the case of Eden, “dress it and keep it.”’ 
 How, gentlemen, I ask, have we discharged that trust? An: 
 answer to this inquiry can hardly be expected in one dis- 
 course. Our business, therefore, is at present with that 
 portion of Adam’s posterity which has taken up its resi- 
 dence in Chicago and its vicinity. 
 
 The red man of the woods, who preceded us in posses- 
 sion here, violated, it seems, his trust, or rather neglected 
 it, and when the bugle notes of civilization sounded in his. 
 ears, he fled far away. After a possession (as presumed) 
 of several centuries, he left nothing but the names of lakes 
 and rivers — of mountains and of plains, to mark the spot 
 o’er which he wandered. I think, therefore, of savage man 
 but little — and of the white man, who is a savage, less. It 
 is mind alone that “makes the man, the want of it the” — 
 animal. 
 
 That portion of Adam’s posterity residing here is now 
 composed of matter various and discordant. A writer, of 
 some eminence, once, as we are told, divided mankind into 
 two general divisions — those who are in the penitentiary 
 and those who are out. This division is too unequal for 
 any use. Were perfect justice done on earth, they might 
 perhaps be more equal. But, as it is, other divisions must 
 be adopted. I have, therefore, thought of another equally 
 absurd, and, as some pretend, equally unequal — those who 
 are are , and those who are not , their own worst enemies. 
 
 The last, to-wit : those who are not their own worst ene- 
 mies, I need not speak of. Of them, Christianity has care 
 — a name how glorious — its founder in rags — a mountain, 
 as Whitfield said, for his pulpit, and the whole arch of hea- 
 ven for his sounding-board. Its apostles uneducated fisher- 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 1 5 
 
 men — with poverty for its throne — a staff for its sceptre — a. 
 crown of thorns for its diadem, it went forth conquering and 
 to conquer. Thrones and dominions, principalities and 
 powers fell before it, and Paganism, at its approach, dis- 
 solved as “flax at the touch of fire.” It reached at length 
 Chicago, and sixteen, or seventeen, or eighteen churches 
 mark its triumph. 
 
 “ Who is this that comes from Eden? 
 
 ’Tis the Saviour, now victorious. 
 
 Traveling westward in his might; 
 
 ’Tis the Saviour, O how glorious 
 To his people in their sight. 
 
 Satan conquered, and the grave, 
 
 Jesus now is strong to save.” 
 
 Those who are their own worst enemies are like the poly- 
 pus : — divide it and it becomes two polipi — divide it again, 
 and yet again, the same result succeeds. Hence the divi- 
 sion of mankind into moral, political, and religious parties. 
 Religious parties — that is, pure religious parties, it is true, 
 are anomalies. We mean by them such only as are religious 
 by profession merely — those, as Pollock says : 
 
 “ Who put a sixpence in the urn 
 Of charity, and take a shilling out 
 To keep it sounding.” 
 
 To treat of each would far exceed the time and space 
 allotted me. I therefore must be brief. 
 
 Public opinion, we are told, is not like the maiden wooed, 
 but like the widow won. It is also like the nettle — touch 
 it lightly and the finger bleeds; grasp it firmly with a giant’s 
 grasp, and it to the pressure yields, and in the hand “harm- 
 less as dreams of babes become.” The politician’s temple 
 stands, we are informed, upon base built on sand, in the 
 centre of a wide extended prairie, accessible only to eagles 
 and to reptiles. "While the former attain its summit by the 
 boldness of their flight, the latter reach the same object by 
 tortuous paths, themselves with slime all covered over, and 
 they in their turn covering those who aid them to ascend. 
 
 “ Unblest by virtue, government a league 
 Becomes — a circling junto of the great, 
 
 To rob by law.” 
 
 But, gentlemen, of this enough. I may hereafter resume 
 the subject. The field is ample, and the laborers few. Its 
 portals, however, are so guarded that no one has dared, as 
 yet, to enter it. It is time for some one to begin. A vic- 
 tory would be certain. 
 
1 6 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 
 When Suwarrow commanded a Russian army of some 
 20,000, upon the Turkish border, he was told that an over- 
 whelming force was gathering to attack him. Without 
 waiting for its concentration, he issued an order, as follows: 
 
 “ I understand there are but 50,000 Turks opposed to 
 us, and 50,000 more within a day’s march. It were better 
 were they all here, so that they might all be beaten on the 
 same day, but as it is otherwise, we may as well begin with 
 these.” 
 
 An attack was made next morning, and the 50,000 Turks 
 cut to pieces; the other 50,000 arrived in the evening, and 
 w“ere cut to pieces also. 
 
 Northern Illinois has never been so prosperous as now. 
 Industry never so abundant; and economy (except adver- 
 sity compelling) so prevalent before. This prosperity, how- 
 ever, is owing not to speculation, nor legislation, but to the 
 might, as Cowper says, “ that slumbers in the peasant’s 
 arms.” The efforts, the united efforts of a whole people 
 judiciously directed. 
 
 I may, and probably shall be, charged “with using up all 
 the big I’s in this discourse, and leaving, therefore, none for 
 you.” The allusion some may, and some may not, under- 
 stand. Permit me then to explain: 
 
 Some years ago, Governor Reynolds, of Illinois, usually 
 called “the Old Ranger,” became a candidate for governor 
 in this State. Gov. Edwards, who had been elected some- 
 time before, became also a candidate, at the same time, for 
 re-election. Reynolds, it is said, was illiterate; Edwards, 
 “a gentleman and a scholar.” The former, in a letter, 
 speaking of himself, used, we are told, a small i instead of 
 of a large I. This being public, became a subject of no 
 little merriment to his opponent, and was, unfortunately, 
 alluded to in a stump speech, by Gov. Edwards. The old 
 Ranger, however, in his reply, observed that his opponent 
 had used up all the big I’s, and left none for him; he had 
 therefore used the small i from pure necessity. It needs 
 no prophet’s ken to tell who gained the palm. 
 
 It is not, however, true that all the big I’s are yet ab- 
 sorbed. Enough, I apprehend, remain for all. You will, 
 therefore, 1 hope and trust, come forward this evening, and 
 take the “ Sheridan Oath.” 
 
 This allusion may to some be as inexplicable as that 
 already made to the “Old Ranger.” Allow me, then, to 
 
PROSPECTS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 1 7 
 
 •explain this also. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who after- 
 wards became one of the most finished orators in Britain, 
 in some of his first attempts was unsuccessful. On “break- 
 ing down” the third or fourth time, and being rallied by his 
 boon companions, he tartly replied : “I know it is in me, 
 and, by God, it shall come out.” 
 
 Few know their capacity for public speaking, until the 
 .attempt is made and frequently repeated. The opportunity 
 here presented is a good one. The whole world (for sub- 
 jects) is before us, our room convenient, our audience re- 
 spectable, and those who neglect it must, of course, be 
 exceedingly reprehensible. 
 
 A few words, gentlemen, on the philosophy of human 
 life, and I will close. 
 
 Charles James Fox, the celebrated English orator and 
 ;statesman, in speaking of this world, observes: 
 
 Tis a very good world that we live in. 
 
 To lend, to spend, or to give in; 
 
 But to beg, to borrow, or get a man's own, 
 
 'Tis the very worst world that ever was known." 
 
 I do not, gentlemen, subscribe to all this. The above 
 must, I think, have been written by Fox in his desponding 
 moments. My sentiments upon this subject are better ex- 
 pressed in the following lines, which have just been handed 
 me to read on this occasion; to the views therein expressed, 
 I subscribe and recommend them to you for deliberate con- 
 sideration. They are entitled “ The World as it Is.” 
 
 This world is not so bad a world 
 As some would like to make it; 
 Though whether good, or whether bad. 
 Depends on how we take it. 
 
 For if we scold and fret all day, 
 
 From dewey morn till even, 
 
 This world will ne’er afford to man 
 A foretaste here of heaven. 
 
 This word is quite a pleasant world, 
 In rain or pleasant weather. 
 
 If people would but learn to live 
 In harmony together: 
 
 Nor cease to burst the kindling bond 
 By love and peace cemented, 
 
 And learn that best of lessons yet, 
 To always be contented. 
 
 This world in truth’s as good a world 
 As e’er was known to any, 
 
 Who have not seen another yet. 
 
 And these are very many. 
 
 And if the men, and women too, 
 Have plenty of employment, 
 
 Those surely must be hard to please 
 Who cannot find enjoyment. 
 
 Then were the world a pleasant world. 
 And pleasant folks were in it, 
 
 The day would pass most pleasantly, 
 To those who thus began it. 
 
 To all the nameless grievances. 
 Brought on by borrowed troubles. 
 Would prove, as certainly the}'' are, 
 
 A mass of empty bubbles ! 
 
 Dr. Raley, a celebrated divine, the author of “ Moral 
 Philosophy,” “Natural Theology,” and several other works 
 of the highest reputation, used to say, that “A man must 
 play the fool about one-half of his time in order to avoid 
 being a fool for the residue.” 
 
 The celebrated Robert Flail, whose sermons many of you 
 
iS 
 
 PRESENT AND FUTURE OF CHICAGO. 
 
 have doubtless read and, if so, admired, being once repri- 
 manded by a dignified though simple clergyman, for his 
 levity of manner out of the pulpit, replied, “There, brother,, 
 you and I differ ; you talk nonsense in the pulpit and I out 
 of it.” 
 
 “Gravity,” says a distinguished French author, “is a 
 mysterious invention or contrivance of the body to conceal 
 defects in the brain.” 
 
 It is hardly worth our while then to affect gravity or dig- 
 nity in cases where it is not required, and where an attempt 
 to do so would make us only ridiculous. On proper occa- 
 sions, I have no doubt both will be regarded by every 
 member of this Lyceum, not only here but elsewhere, and 
 “dignity of soul” always. 
 
 I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the patience you 
 have manifested on this occasion, and promise never more 
 to offend in like manner, so long. 
 
 I have now, as Cowper observes, 
 
 “ Roved for fruit, 
 
 Roved far and gathered much: Some harsh ’tis true. 
 
 Plucked from the thorns and briars of reproof, 
 
 But wholesome, well digested." 
 
 And can I think with Scott, surely say, that 
 
 ‘‘To his promise just, 
 
 Vich-Alpine hath discharged his trust. 
 
 Hath led thee safe, through watch and ward. 
 
 Far past Clan-Alpine's outmost guard." 
 
 I propose now, gentlemen, to leave you at Coilantogle 
 ford. 
 
 “And thou must keep thee with thy sword.” 
 
 Let me say to you, on this occasion, as Campbell does 
 on another: 
 
 “Wave Munich, all your banners wave. 
 
 And charge with all your chivalry." 
 
 And should you in the contest fall, remember with old 
 Homer; 
 
 “ Such honors Ilion to her hero paid, 
 
 And peaceful slept the mighty Hector’s shade." 
 
 But, gentlemen, with proper efforts you will not fail. It 
 is impossible, wholly impossible. Allow me then to close 
 in one of Scott’s beautiful strains, which describes your 
 situation, condition, and duty, as well as mine: 
 
 “‘Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on!’ 
 
 Were the last words of Marmion." 
 
Rise and Progress of Chicago.. 
 
 The moon shines dimly just after the sun has set. To 
 give reminiscences of the early history of Chicago in a 
 form that would be likely to interest you, particularly after 
 having listened to the lofty aspirations and eloquent dis- 
 coursings of a Wentworth, Bross, Balestier, and others who 
 have favored us upon this subject with gems from the 
 well-filled storehouse of their polished and cultivated in- 
 tellects, is a task that I might well shrink from, and be a 
 silent admirer of the rich developments of these faithful 
 biographers, rather than attempt any elaborate description 
 of its early progress myself; but, however much may have 
 been said, there is still room for the further unfolding of 
 its primitive doings and wonderful strides to popularity 
 and greatness. 
 
 It is not our purpose to trace the present popularity and 
 important advancement of Chicago, from the early explorers 
 of the great North-west, down through past ages, to the 
 probable discovery of a point on Lake Michigan, that was 
 destined to be, in the distant future, the Metropolis of the 
 Universe, that, to our mind, would be too chimerical, and 
 fraught with too much uncertainty to command respectful 
 consideration; but, as near as memory will permit, to “hold 
 the mirror up to nature,” and relate some of the more promi- 
 nent features of its progress within the memory of its “old- 
 est inhabitants” now resident among us, many of whom 
 deserve honorable mention; we might also name those who 
 have done much toward enhancing the growth, importance, 
 and prosperity of Chicago; but where all have done so well 
 it would be invidious to particularize, we will, therefore, 
 content ourself by at once giving our personal experience 
 of the early rise and growth of the City of the West. 
 
20 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 Let us, for a moment, remove the veil, and take a re- 
 trospect of the past forty-five years, we will then have 
 disclosed to view a barren waste, the abode of the timid 
 fawn, the deer, the wolf, and tawny Indian, whose bark 
 alone skimmed along these majestic lakes, claiming the 
 ownership of their pure and limpid waters. Now mark 
 the change ! These lofty spires that rise to their graceful 
 and giddy heights; the busy mill and spacious warehouse; 
 the stately mansion and lowly cot, around whose slender 
 portals the woodbine entwines its caressing tendrils, We 
 might extend the view, and admire the dottings of civili- 
 zation and culture in the innumerable cottages and pre- 
 tentious farm-houses that nestle among the tall grass and 
 fringe the borders of our rivers and woodlands, but our 
 purpose just now is a review of the early history and 
 doings of Chicago. 
 
 When we first landed on these shores, our impression 
 was that it might be a place of some importance, were it 
 not so low, and I ventured to record my hastily-conceived 
 views upon the register of the hotel where we remained 
 for a few hours; my entry ran something like this: “April 
 20, 1832. James A. Marshall, Ogdensburgh, New York; 
 this might be a place of some importance, but the ground 
 is too low." Two or three hours afterward, I chanced to 
 look over the quire of paper dubbed a register, and found 
 added to my remarks, “Solomon 2d.” I looked wise for 
 a moment, but felt that my talent had been over-estimated, 
 and have never since undertaken to be wiser than my 
 friend, whom, I afterward learned, honored me with that 
 illustrious appellation. I found the place too small for me 
 to hope to make anything by my profession (a physician), 
 the garrison being supplied with one of the best in the 
 country in the person of Dr. Philip Maxwell, so we shipped 
 at once for Navarino, Green Bay, Wis., where we landed 
 in time to see three soldiers branded and drummed out 
 of camp, also to see the payment of 7000 Indians by Col. 
 Boyd. I remained at Navarino until August 5th, 1834, 
 when 1 sailed in the Schooner Nancy Dousman, Capt. 
 Saunders, for Chicago. After a very boisterous passage, 
 we arrived on the 15th of the same month, where I have 
 resided, with the exception of one year only, ever since. 
 
 To undertake the recital of all, or even many of the 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 21 
 
 prominent causes of Chicago’s rise and wonderful progress 
 within the past forty-five years, and do justice to the sub- 
 ject, would occupy more time than could be devoted to 
 one lecture, unless it were prolonged to an unreasonable 
 length, and thereby losing much of its intended usefulness; 
 we will, therefore, to relieve our subject from the dull 
 monotony incident to the recital of statistical forms, for 
 the time being, fancy ourselves in an artist’s studio, invit- 
 ing him, with canvas, paint, and brush, to create his ideal 
 of a great and marvelous city, of less than half a century’s 
 growth, drawing from the resources of his imaginative 
 genius all that could give it eclat and beauty, his subject 
 a low, uninviting marsh, a sluggish stream on one side, a 
 bold, majestic lake in front, an extended prairie behind; 
 with this unseemly background we will watch his progress 
 in filling out the picture. On the right, as you face the 
 north, is a group of one -story block houses, surrounded 
 by a high fence; the two-story buildings at the east of the 
 hollow square are the quarters of the commandant and 
 officers; that hip-roofed, square block-house, with a row of 
 small port-holes, is the look-out, where sentinels are placed 
 to watch the approach of hostile Indians, the lower part 
 used as a guard-house — that is Fort Dearborn; the river 
 meandering its way around the east side of the fort, run- 
 ning southward, mingling with the lake at Madison street, 
 east of which is a peninsula connecting the north and 
 south sides of the river (and was the only point, forty-three 
 years ago, of ingress and egress for vessels to and from 
 Lake Michigan, until March, 1833, when the spring freshet, 
 accompanied by a violent storm, forced a direct channel 
 to the lake, which was afterward dredged and piers run 
 out, by direction of the Government, and which now forms 
 the fine harbor for the white-winged messengers that enrich 
 our country by their precious burdens). We will accom- 
 pany our artist a little farther; at the left of the fort, and 
 running west, are a few modest structures, designed, appar- 
 ently, for the double purpose of stores and dwellings, ex- 
 tending west as far as Dearborn street (there the business 
 portion of the village, for a time, rested; south of Lake 
 and east of Dearborn streets, for three or four blocks, was 
 a corn and potato field. The principal forwarding business 
 was done on the north side of the Chicago River for several 
 
22 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 years, but the personal interest and enterprise of a few gen- 
 tlemen residing on the South Side, who had considerable 
 real estate unoccupied, changed the channel of business by 
 building warehouses on that side of the river, after which it 
 was transacted there; indeed, the North Side never recovered 
 its former business prestige, but contented itself by build- 
 ing palatial residences, and being considered the place par 
 excellence , and the home of the elite of Chicago). We next 
 observe a ferry crossing the river at Dearborn street, con- 
 nected by a rope attached to a windlass at each side of 
 the river, and a scow in the centre, propelled by hand 
 power, placed there for the convenience of the residents 
 of both sides of the river. This rude piece of mechanism 
 remained there until a Mr. Norton erected a draw-bridge, 
 spanning the river at the same place where the old scow 
 had done such good service for so long a time, but whose 
 occupation, like Othello’s, was now gone. It was igno- 
 miniously torn from its moorings to make room for the 
 unwieldy structure that supplanted it. From this time 
 onward the city grew rapidly, and from this time may be 
 dated the commencement of its now universal popularity. 
 We will now leave our artist to finish the picture as it 
 may best suit his own ideality. Some new beauty is now 
 developed — some wonderful advancement made in the 
 growth and importance of the painted city; the unfinished 
 streets show marks of improvement, lined with palatial 
 business structures, ponderous warehouses, elegant and 
 elaborate places of worship, halls of justice clothed in 
 Oriental magnificence, school -houses with substantial ex- 
 teriors are brought to view, avenues laid out and lined 
 with, costly marble mansions, parks and boulevards gem 
 the environs with rare exdtics and elaborately ornamental, 
 varied, and beautiful foliage, the streets are as smooth as 
 parlor floors ; nothing is left undone that imaginative genius 
 could invent to make a city that would be the wonder 
 and admiration of the civilized world. The picture com- 
 pleted is heralded beyond the seas, sent broadcast among 
 the cities of the east, and presented to the wealthy, the 
 intellectual, and the enterprising of our own land; they 
 shrug their shoulders knowingly, acknowledging its great 
 beauty and the consummate ideality of the artist, but 
 think that he has devoted too much to the imaginative 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 23 
 
 to assume a reality among the cities of the world, turning 
 from what they supposed the visionary imaginings of a 
 fertile brain and elaborate brush to something more sub- 
 stantial and real. The artist invites their presence to 
 witness the last finishing touch, then with unbounded con- 
 fidence in himself, he traces the name Chicago. The 
 multitude exclaims, “It is no ideal, but a veritable reality, 
 and now stands the wonder of the universe.” 
 
 Thus we have presented, in a feeble way, but a bird’s- 
 eye view of the germ of our present great Metropolis; its 
 early outlook by no means calculated to encourage the 
 enterprising explorer, has been brought to view; and 
 watching with marked interest the unparalleled improve- 
 ment on every hand, we are awed into silence, and dare 
 not prophesy its future greatness. As the sturdy farmer 
 scans his field but lately cleared of a cumbrous undergrowth 
 of shrubs and thickets, the ground untilled, the seed un- 
 sown — glowing prospects of a rich harvest are least sug- 
 gesting, but, when with implements of agriculture and deter- 
 mined will, he delves and toils from morn till night, faith 
 spurs him on, and slowly, but surely, the planted seed, 
 the budding stalk, and waving grain, insure a harvest, and 
 recompense is nigh. So to the early settler, Chicago stood 
 desolate and alone, the undergrowth of uncivilized Indian 
 habitation lent an uninviting aspect to the eastern world, 
 and advancement, for the time being, seemed impossible; 
 but the rich soil of natural advantages was unearthed by 
 the foresight of our pioneers, the seed planted, then arose 
 in plenteous harvest, the wonderful products of a new-made 
 vineyard, until now, after a growth of forty years, the City 
 sketched upon the canvas, loses its primitive indentity. and 
 stands before the world a marvel. 
 
 This picture, however, portrays but the outward part of 
 Chicago's greatness, it is the internal workings that have 
 given it the wonderful celebrity that it now enjoys. Let us, 
 for a moment, glance at some of these causes which have led 
 to and done so much toward its advancement. First, its 
 location, being at the head of lake navigation and the only 
 prominent lake frontage that the State of Illinois has for 
 the receipt and transportation of her vast agricultural 
 and mineral resources, thereby enjoying some State pride. 
 Again, the immense lumber interests form a large share of 
 
24 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 consideration; from a beginning, within the time indicated 
 at the commencement of these remarks, of 100,000,000 
 feet, it has now increased to more than 1,500,000,000 feet 
 per annum. The cereal products, too, which here find a 
 market and outlet, have increased from 5000 bushels in 
 the year 1834 to more than 15,000,000 bushels per annum; 
 nor is this all, the pork product advancing from 500 to 
 over 1,500,000 hogs packed every year, aside from those' 
 used for home consumption. In our monetary exchange, 
 how wonderful the advance, from $25,000 per week, which 
 at that time indicated marked progress, it now requires 
 more than $20,000,000 to do a week’s financial business. 
 The advancement in general business, too, is well calcu- 
 lated to amaze the mere casual observer, from an insignifi- 
 cant sum of a few -thousand dollars required to transact 
 our annual business forty-three years ago, the enormous 
 sum of more than $200,000,000 is now necessary to sat- 
 isfy the demands of the thousands who look to Chicago 
 for their supplies. Out of the fifteen billions of dollars an- 
 nually required to feed and clothe the people of the United 
 States, one hundred and twenty-five millions of that sum is 
 necessary to feed and clothe the citizens of Chicago for the 
 same time. 
 
 We might go on, ad libitum , enumerating the capacious 
 and unparalleled increase in the innumerable branches of 
 industry that are adding so much to the importance, and 
 expanding the area of our city to its present ponderous 
 proportions; but enough has already been noticed to sat- 
 isfy, without doubt, the most sceptical of its admirers. 
 But perhaps the most wonderful rise in values has taken 
 place in real estate; property that, in 1834, sold for $200 
 per lot of 50 feet, has been sold within the past year 
 for $2000 per foot, being an advance of $99,800 from 
 the original purchase; this, however, cannot be considered 
 a fair criterion of the general advancement of real estate,, 
 nevertheless, the increase has been, upon an average,, 
 since the time specified, about four hundred per cent, 
 of its original value; still, it fluctuated more or less until 
 the commencement of the Canal land sales in 1848, since 
 then, real estate has been reckoned according to prices 
 at which it sold at that time, and for a number of years 
 afterward, sales were negotiated upon Canal time, or 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 2 C 
 
 ^ j 
 
 Canal terms, as it was called — that was, one-fourth cash, 
 balance in one, two, and three years, with interest at 
 six per cent, per annum, payable annually in advance. 
 The wealth of some of our millionaires may, therefore, 
 be dated from that time, as few could boast of more 
 than their thousands until the Canal sales, which placed 
 an estimated value upon real estate, furnishing a new 
 impetus to all branches of business. To the Canal sales, 
 then, of 1848 to 1853, when more than $3,000,000 worth 
 of property was sold (all of which I sold at public sale), 
 is due the credit of advancing the pecuniary interests of 
 our fellow-citizens' more than any other circumstance since 
 the foundation of the city government. Taking advantage 
 of the low prices at which Canal property sold, they pur- 
 chased, and having the sagacity, some of them, to hold 
 on to their purchases, they increased in value upon their 
 hands, and made them rich. The peculiar location, superior 
 agricultural and internal advantages, railroad facilities, water 
 communication, and enterprise of our citizens combined, 
 is what has given to Chicago its eminence at home and 
 abroad, and not , as some have supposed, the sagacity and 
 enterprise of a few of the more fortunate of our fellow-citi- 
 zens, who, for want of purchasers at the time that they de- 
 sired to sell, were obliged to hold on to their property, there- 
 by becoming wealthy, more by reason of their misfortune — 
 or rather, their good fortune — in being unable to sell. 
 Nevertheless, great credit is due them for their liberality 
 in using their wealth in the erection of elegant structures, 
 and in otherwise lending their aid in beautifying and adorn- 
 ing our city. 
 
 Many, however, who took a prominent part in the build- 
 ing up and advancing the growth and prosperity of our 
 City, have passed away, leaving names not recorded in the 
 activities of life, but graven indelibly upon the memories of 
 their fellow-citizens, and are justly extolled for their upright 
 lives and many virtues. Those of the pioneers who remain 
 to witness the further growth of their favorite and patron 
 city speak gently of the departed, but, with pride in their 
 name and tireless enterprise, point to the vast resources of 
 our wonderful City, and say, “these are their eulogies, it 
 needs no marble column to tell of their greatness, their 
 
26 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 deeds are written in the early annals of famed Chicago.” 
 Many of them did not live to witness its sudden destruc- 
 tion and succeeding rapid progress. But, in the dawning 
 years of our City’s eminence, was established — the energy, 
 strength, and ground work of the enterprise that bid it 
 rise. 
 
 The great and unprecedented increase of our population 
 may be, and, perhaps, is, attributable to the widespread in- 
 formation given of its superior advantages, particularly so 
 since the fire of 1871. 
 
 A catastrophy that will never be obliterated from the 
 memory of those who witnessed the awful spectacle, a scene 
 of grandeur and sublimity unparalleled in the history of the 
 world’s conflagrations, — the accumulated wealth of many 
 years swept away in an hour ; the millionnaire of yesterday, 
 to-day walks hand in hand with poverty; the prospects of 
 a competence in after years silenced forever. Thus we 
 contemplated when viewing the fire of Oct. 9, 1871. After 
 the great holocaust had given way to smouldering debris , 
 with others, we strolled among the ruins, meeting at almost 
 every step some well-known friend, whose life’s earnings 
 had been sacrificed through the carelessness of irresponsi- 
 ble parties. One friend in particular, who had been one 
 of the most unfortunate of the wealthy men of our City. 
 I thus accosted, after offering my sympathy: “Mr. C***, 
 you must be one of the heaviest losers by the fire;” he 
 smiled pleasantly, and answerd, “I have lost heavily, it 
 is true, but I am not discouraged; in ten years, Chi- 
 cago will be a greater City than it ever was, and I shall do 
 my share to make it so;” and he has kept his word. From 
 that time onward, the City was the centre of interest and 
 attraction. Many who came were deeply interested in what 
 they saw, and were conquered by the veritable facts visible 
 before them, and not only remained themselves, but advised 
 their friends to come to this eldorado of the west; the result, 
 as shown, is, that since the time stated, our population 
 has increased a thousand-fold, from 500 inhabitants forty- 
 three years ago, we have now more than 5007000, accord- 
 ing to estimates recently made, and still they come. Our 
 public school-houses — or rather, our school-house — then 
 contained less than 100 pupils; now, more than 40,000 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 27 
 
 children congregate and occupy seats provided for them 
 in our commodious and imposingly-built public school 
 edifices, fitting these thousands of immortal minds for use- 
 fulness and honor, preparing them to take part in the great 
 panorama of life. Aside from this formidable array of 
 young ideas that sip knowledge from the public fountain, 
 there are a number of private institutions, colleges, and 
 seminaries, occupied by some thousands of the children 
 whose parents prefer this manner of instruction. Thus, it 
 will be seen, that while we have been engaged, and seem- 
 ingly bound to the all-absorbing influence of gain, the 
 rising generation has not been forgotten, means have been 
 provided for the ample development of their mental facul- 
 ties, intellectual aspirations, and moral culture. All honor 
 is due to our sagacious law makers for these timely safe- 
 guards. May free schools, free speech, and a free press 
 continue to be the law of the land, although the latter has 
 often been abused by the injudicious management of un- 
 thinking and unprincipled men, nevertheless, it had better 
 be so than to interfere with its freedom. 
 
 A due and proper regard for moral and religious rights 
 is incumbent upon all good citizens; the free discussion 
 of their favorite dogmas is allowable throughout the length 
 and breadth of our land, and there let it remain — further 
 recognition is dangerous to the peace and well-being of 
 our country, as well as to our individual privileges. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that these many years of pros- 
 perity and wonderful advancement have been allowed to 
 pass without some intervening incidents, which, at the time, 
 were fraught with more or less amusement and enjoyment. 
 Although time has transformed the ambitious and ever- 
 restless youth into matured manhood, and some into de- 
 clining life, yet, in calling the roll of time backward , we 
 find recorded many laughable and ludicrous incidents. We 
 will omit several amusing anecdotes for want of time to 
 relate them; there are a few, however, which I think that 
 I shall always remember. Many of our older settlers will 
 recollect the old Presbyterian Church, located near the S.- 
 W. corner of Clark and Lake streets. We were in the habit 
 then, as now, of holding Wednesday evening prayer-meet- 
 ings; that most excellent man, Rev. Jeremiah Porter, had 
 left us, in his place was a dashing, eloquent young preacher, 
 
28 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 bran-new from college, but entirely unfitted to occupy the 
 position he was called to fill. After these meetings the 
 pastor would hasten from the speaker’s desk and offer his 
 services, as a general thing, to one of the prettiest young 
 ladies present. Of course, he was rarely, if ever, refused. 
 Upon the particular evening in question, he approached a 
 young lady of exceeding beauty, proffering his services as 
 chaperon , which were accepted. At the same time, I had 
 the honor of escorting a near relative of the lady alluded 
 to, and for whose domicile we were all bound, the party 
 of the first part taking the lead; the night was extremely 
 dark, and, not having the advantage of street lamps and 
 gas-light, we had to fed our way along; it was just after 
 a very profuse rain, our streets — without sidewalks or 
 any such thing, — were very unpleasant thoroughfares. — 
 We had not proceeded far, when we heard a shriek from 
 the young lady, and an “ Oh, dear me ! Where are we 
 going?” from the reverend gentleman. Another shriek, 
 then one more, still louder, en concert , proceeded from out 
 the more than Egyptian-darkness, when the lady at my side 
 exclaimed, in alarm, “Mr. Marshall, what is the matter?” 
 
 “Oh, nothing more,” I replied, “than that Mr. has 
 
 led Miss into that slough just opposite your house.” 
 
 The fact was, in crossing the street, as they supposed, the 
 night being so very dark, they walked straight into the 
 slough that extended quite across the street and nearly 
 half way down the block; into it they went, until they 
 were nearly up to their waists in mud and water. The 
 more they tried to extricate themselves, the deeper they 
 got into the mire; finally, at the suggestion of the lady 
 whom I was accompanying, I told them to stand perfectly 
 still until I could get a lantern, which I succeeded in doing 
 in a very short time, when I held the light up, so that we 
 could see them and they view themselves, you ought to 
 have seen the look that girl gave me (in the meantime 
 the lady at my side had her mouth filled with linen cam- 
 bric to keep from screaming right out), then, half laughing 
 and half crying, she paddled her own canoe until she 
 reached terra firrna , then rushed for her home, which was 
 not moi'e than fifty feet from them, nor had it been any 
 of the time, although they had been skirmishing in various 
 directions. Meanwhile, the clerical gentleman had drawn 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 29 
 
 himself out, covered with mud. Such a countenance ! — it 
 was a perfect black and tan; he shook himself, bade us 
 good night, and left for his study. It may be of interest 
 to some to know that the slough was located on Clark 
 street, between Lake and South Water streets. 
 
 Many very amusing incidents occurred, which are worthy 
 of recital, but a few more must suffice. One, I remember, 
 was of a young lady crossing one of our principal streets, 
 the way seemed clear, so she tripped along very gracefully 
 until she had almost reached the opposite side, when the 
 crust, which had formed from the heat of the sun, gave 
 way, and down she began to go — down, down, down, until 
 she had gone about as far down as she could, and was 
 looking pitifully around for help from some source. A 
 gentleman near by, observing her predicament, hastened 
 to her rescue, and extricated the fair lady from her perilous 
 position. You may be sure she was not as tidy when 
 she again touched solid foundation as when she started to 
 cross the street. Thanking the gentleman for his timely 
 and polite assistance, she wended her way to the nearest 
 convenient place, and, taking a forlorn look at herself, 
 proceeded to adjust her toilet. The finale of this little 
 incident was somewhat romantic, it furnished the means 
 of culminating an acquaintance of friendship merely into, 
 one of admiration and affection, the result being that, not 
 long after, the parties engaged in a matrimoninl alliance, 
 which was consummated in a remote part of the town, 
 away from the thickly settled portion of the city — on the 
 corner of Michigan avenue and Madison street. Their 
 wedding tour was a drive to Hard Scrabble and back, a 
 suburban retreat containing one log house, and situate 
 about 4^ miles from town — the site now forming the 
 outskirts of Bridgeport. The wedding cortege consisted of 
 two dilapidated carriages and one buggy, all the available 
 stylish turnouts that the city could boast of, except carts, 
 and which, by the way, were the only means of convey- 
 ance for the elite of the town. A buffalo robe was placed 
 in the bottom of the carts, they were backed up, received 
 their precious freight, taken to their destination, and then 
 dumped down like a load of coal. 
 
 Notwithstanding all these seeming inconveniences, there 
 was more real social enjoyment in our pioneer society than 
 
30 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 can now be found in the elegant and costly receptions 
 given in palatial mansions of wealth and refinement; there 
 was that absence of over-restraint; the strict forms of eti- 
 quette were not so closely observed; there were no million- 
 naires — no foreign Counts to entertain ; no Parisian airs to 
 assume as a pre-requisite to initiation into the best society;, 
 invitations were not sent on highly -perfumed Paris billets 
 doux , but by oral representation, thus: “George, if you see 
 James, tell him to invite Benjamin and William, and I 
 will invite Byron and Charles, to a little sociable to-night 
 at Maria’s (now everybody knew Maria as well as Mrs. 
 Josiah Allen knew Betsy Bobbitt); you bring Andelucia, 
 and I will see that Agnes, Angeline, Elizabeth, and Rose 
 are there. We shall have a first-rate time. Old George- 
 White will be there with his fiddle,” etc. Mind you, these 
 are no fictitious names, but veritable actors on the social 
 stage at the time, some of whom are now living, and, were 
 they present, would at once recognize the truth of what I 
 am repeating. The George White mentioned was black 
 as the raven wing of the night, and was caterer for all 
 first society people. One of the necessary requisites, how- 
 ever, for attending these social gatherings, was, if the party 
 was a new comer, did he belong to the first society? If 
 yea, that was all that was required of him as a passport 
 to our social circle, otherwise no intercourse was enjoyed 
 until initiated into the first. You will observe, then, that 
 certain requisites were necessary before even the nabobs 
 of the east could enjoy these primitive receptions, unless 
 properly vouched for. 
 
 An amusing incident of the olden time, although not 
 reflecting favorably upon the morals of some of the mem- 
 bers of our early associates, nevertheless, shows to what 
 abandon a few of our most prominent citizens would submit 
 themselves under a want of proper restraint. Two promi- 
 nent legal gentlemen had left their office, and, passing the 
 old Tremont House, then located on the north-west corner 
 of Lake and Dearborn streets, they heard an unusual noise 
 in the dining-room. With much difficulty they succeeded 
 in gaining admission, and found five or six gentlemen of 
 the highest respectability having, what they were pleased 
 to call, “a high old time.” One was rolling and kicking 
 up his heels on the dining table, divested of his coat and 
 
OF CHICAGO. 
 
 31 
 
 vest, and making the welkin ring with his unearthly noise;, 
 another was at the lower end of the room praying; a third 
 was dancing a war dance, with two Indians, around the 
 dining table; a fourth, amusing himself by cutting up capers 
 in imitation of an old-fashioned jig, all on his own respon- 
 sibility; two others were lying fast asleep under the table. 
 Thus they were all employed when these gentlemen gained, 
 an admittance. Finding escape by the doorway impossible, 
 they took the next best plan, and jumped out the window. 
 They were fined $5 each for their intrusion, by the parties- 
 having the “gay old time,” which they promptly paid. We 
 could give the names of all these parties, but they have 
 passed away, and out of respect to the departed, we will 
 refrain from so doing. We would say, however, that they 
 all became honored members of society, filling City, State, 
 and Federal offices of trust and responsibility with fidelity 
 to the government and honor to themselves. 
 
 In migrating to a new country, many interesting circum- 
 stances occur, which leave a lasting impression upon the 
 mind, notwithstanding intervening events that would be 
 calculated to occupy the popular attention. I recall just 
 now, among others, the Indian payments, which, I think, 
 occurred as late as 1835 ( a few tribes remained later, but 
 not many). Their manner of giving in the number of each 
 household, in order to receive their annuity, was in keeping 
 with their own originality. Selecting one of the more 
 prominent of their number (generally the chief) to receive 
 their payment, the “ modus operandi ” was in this wise: for 
 the heads of the family, two .large notches were cut at the 
 top of the stick, then smaller notches followed underneath, 
 indicating the number of children in each family. Curi- 
 osity led me to inquire of Col. Boyd, the Indian Agent, 
 if he was not occasionally imposed upon, or did they not 
 sometimes make mistakes. He informed me that he had 
 never detected an instance of fraud or mistake in the count 
 during all the payments he had made. After receiving 
 their payment, which was always in silver half dollars, they 
 would at once repair to their wigwams and pass the money 
 over to their squaws for safe - keeping, who would tie it 
 up in one corner of their blankets, often to be removed 
 by some adroit thief, who would lie in wait until they went 
 to sleep, then cut it from the blanket; thus' depriving the 
 
32 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS OF CHICAGO. 
 
 poor, ignorant creatures of all their worldly wealth, no one 
 interesting themselves in their behalf, or sympathizing with 
 them in their loss. 
 
 After their payment, many of them would remain several 
 days, and favor us with a display of some, of their princi- 
 pal amusements, such as shooting pennies, with bow and 
 arrow, from a stick placed some distance from them in the 
 road. They also performed a variety of dances, some of 
 them exceedingly novel, particularly the sick dance. The 
 sick person is placed at the entrance of the wigwam; one 
 of their number takes his position just in front, with an 
 instrument resembling a gong or tambourine ; the relatives 
 and friends of the invalid form a circle around the musi- 
 cian, all being gaily dressed and painted, each one holding 
 in his hand the skin of some animal, generally an otter or 
 mink; then, at the tap of the gong, and lliere is no mistaking 
 the tap, for it is given with the full strength of the Indian, 
 they all commence dancing around, singing, crying, and 
 making other hideous noises; at a given signal bow before 
 the patient and push out these perfumed skins toward 
 them, after the manner of shaking incense. This dance 
 continues at intervals until the sufferer either recovers or 
 dies, but they generally die, for the noise is so intolerably 
 great that it is next to impossible for them to recoven 
 Their war dances, too, are very unique, differing entirely 
 from the sick or peace dances, if possible, more noisy than 
 either; but enough. On some future occasion, I may have 
 the honor of presenting to you a more extended descrip- 
 tion of the social and religious doings in the earlier history 
 of our beautiful city, and enter more into details respecting 
 those who have gone to their rest, but who, while living, 
 contributed so much toward the intellectual, historical, and 
 social advancement of our present highly -refined Chicago 
 Society. 
 
CHICAGO IN 1836. 
 
 “STRANGE EARLY DAYS.” 
 
 By HARRIET MARTIN EAU, * 
 
 Author of “Society in America.” 
 
 We had already met with some delays; and there was no 
 seeing the end of the present adventure. There was some 
 doubt whether we should not have done better to cross the 
 southern end of Lake Michigan, from Niles to Chicago, by 
 .a little steam-boat, the Delaware, which was to leave Niles 
 a few hours after our stage. It had been thought of at 
 Niles; but there was some uncertainty about the departure 
 of the boat; and we all anxiously desired to skirt the ex- 
 tremity of this great inland sea, and to see the new settle- 
 ments on its shores. Had we done right in incurring this 
 risk of detention? Right or wrong, here we were; and here 
 we must wait upon events. 
 
 Our sleep, amidst the luxury of cleanliness and hospital- 
 ity, was most refreshing. The next morning it was still 
 raining, but less vehemently. After breakfast, we ladies 
 employed ourselves in sweeping and dusting our room, and 
 making the beds; as we had given our kind hostess too 
 much trouble already. Then there was a Michigan City 
 newspaper to be read; and I sat down to write letters. 
 Before long, a wagon and four drove up to the door, the 
 driver of which cried out that if there was any getting to 
 Michigan Citv, he was our man. We equipped ourselves 
 in our warmest and thickest clothing, put on our india-rub- 
 ber shoes, packed ourselves and our luggage in the wagon, 
 put up our umbrellas, and wondered what was to be our 
 fate. When it had come to saying farewell, our hostess put 
 her hands on my shoulders, kissed me on each cheek, and 
 
 * Died June 27, 1870, aged 77 years, at Atnbleside, England. 
 
34 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 said she had hoped for the pleasure of our company for 
 another day. For my own part, I would willingly take her 
 at her word, if my destiny should ever carry me near the 
 great lakes again. 
 
 We jolted on for two miles and a-half through the woods, 
 admiring the scarlet lilies, and the pink and white moccasin 
 flower, which was brilliant. Then we arrived at the place 
 of the Vanished bridge. Our first prospect was of being, 
 paddled over, one by one, in the smallest of boats. But,, 
 when the capabilities of the place were examined, it was 
 decided that we should wait in a house on the hill, while, 
 the neighbors, the passengers of the mail-stage, and the 
 drivers, build a bridge. We waited patiently for nearly 
 three hours, watching the busy men going in and out, gath- 
 ering tidings of the freshet, and its effects, and being 
 pleased to see how affectionate the woman of the house 
 was to her husband, while she was cross to everybody else.. 
 It must have been vexatious to her to have her floor made 
 wet and dirty, and all her household operations disturbed 
 by a dozen strangers whom she had never invited. She let 
 us have some dough-nuts, and gave us a gracious glance or 
 two at parting. 
 
 We learned that a gentleman who followed us from 
 Niles the preceding day, found the water nine feet deep,, 
 and was near drowning his horses, in a place which we had 
 crossed without difficulty. This very morning, a bridge 
 which we had proved and passed, gave way with the stage, 
 and the horses had to be dug and rolled out of the mud, 
 when they were on the point of suffocation. Such a freshet 
 had never been known to the present inhabitants. 
 
 At half-past two, the bridge was announced complete, 
 and we re-entered our wagon, to lead the cavalcade across 
 it, slowly, anxiously, with a man at the head of each leader,, 
 we entered the water, and saw it rise to the nave of the 
 wheels. Instead of jolting, as usual, we mounted and de- 
 scended each log individually. The mail-wagon followed,, 
 with two or three horsemen. There was also a singularly 
 benevolent personage, who jumped from the other wagon,, 
 and waded through all the doubtful places, to prove them. 
 He leaped and splashed through the water, which was 
 sometimes up to his waist, as if it was the most agreeable 
 sport in the world. In one of these gullies, the forepart of 
 our wagon sank and stuck, so as to throw us forward, and 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 o r 1 
 
 DD 
 
 make it doubtful in what mode we should emerge from the 
 water. Then the rim of one of the wheels was found to 
 be loose; and the whole cavalcade stopped till it was 
 mended. I never could understand how wagons were 
 made in the back-country; they seemed to be elastic, from 
 the shocks and twisting they would bear without giving 
 way. To form an accurate idea of what they have to bear, 
 a traveller should sit on a seat without springs, placed 
 between the hind wheels, and thus proceed on a corduroy 
 road. The effect is less fatiguing and more amusing, of 
 riding in a wagon whose seats are on springs, while the 
 vehicle itself is not. In that case, the feet are dancing an 
 involuntary jig, all the way; while the rest of the body is in 
 a state of entire repose. 
 
 The drive was so exciting and pleasant, the rain having- 
 ceased, that I was taken by surprise by our arrival at Mich- 
 igan City. The driver announced our approach by a series 
 of flourishes on one note of his common horn, which made 
 the most ludicrous music I ever listened to. 
 
 We were anxious to see the mighty fresh water sea. We 
 made inquiry in the piazza; and a sandy hill, close by, cov- 
 ered with the pea-vine, was pointed out to us. We ran up 
 it, and there beheld what we had come so far to see. 
 There it was, deep, green, and swelling on the horizon, and 
 whitening into a broad and heavy surf as it rolled in 
 towards the shore. Hence, too, we could make out the 
 geography of the city. The whole scene stands insulated 
 in my memory, as absolutely singular; and, at this distance 
 of time, scarcely credible. I was so well aware on the . spot 
 that it would be so, that I'm'ade careful and copious notes 
 of what I saw : but memoranda have nothing to do until 
 such emotions as were caused by the sight of that enor- 
 mous body of tumultuous waters, rolling in apparently upon 
 the helpless forest, — everywhere else so majestic. 
 
 Immediately after supper we went out for a walk, which, 
 in peculiarity, comes next to that in the Mammoth Cave; 
 if, indeed, it be second to it. The scene was like what I 
 had always fancied the Norway coast, but for the wild 
 flowers, which grew among the pines on the slope, almost 
 into the tide. I longed to spend an entire day on this 
 flowery and shadowy margin of the inland sea. I plucked 
 handfuls of pea-vine and other trailing flowers, which 
 seemed to run all over the ground. We found on the 
 
STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 36 
 
 sands an army, like Pharaoh’s drowned host, of disabled 
 butterflies, beetles, and flies of the richest colors and lustre, 
 driven over the lake by the storm. Chapey* found a small 
 turtle alive. An elegant little schooner, “the Sea Serpent 
 of Chicago,” was stranded, and formed a beautiful object 
 as she lay dark between the sand and the surf. The sun 
 was going down. We watched the sunset, not remember- 
 ing that the refraction above the fresh waters would prob- 
 ably cause some remarkable appearance. We looked at 
 one another in amazement at what we saw. First, there 
 were three gay, inverted rainbows between the water and 
 the sun, then hidden behind a little streak of cloud. Then 
 the sun emerged from behind this only cloud, urn-shaped; 
 a glistering golden urn. Then it changed, rather suddenly, 
 to an enormous golden acorn. Then to a precise resem- 
 blance, except being prodigiously magnified, of Saturn with 
 his ring. This was the most beautiful apparition of all. 
 Then it was quickly narrowed and elongated till it was like 
 the shaft of a golden pillar; and thus it went down square. 
 Long after its disappearance, a lustrous, deep crimson 
 dome, seemingly solid, rested steadily on the heaving 
 waters. An inexperienced navigator might be pardoned 
 for making all sail towards it; it looked so real. 
 
 On our road to Chicago, the next day, — a road winding 
 in and out among the sand-hills, we were called to alight, 
 and run up a bank to see a wreck. It was the wreck of 
 the Delaware; — the steamer in which it had been a ques- 
 tion whether we should not proceed from Niles to Chicago. 
 She had a singular twist in her middle, where she was 
 nearly broken in two. Her passengers stood up to the 
 neck in water, for twenty-four hours before they were taken 
 off; a worse inconvenience than any that we had suffered 
 by coming the other way. The first thing the passengers 
 from the Delaware did, when they had dried and warmed 
 themselves on shore, was to sign a letter to the captain, 
 which appeared in all the neighboring newspapers, thank- 
 ing him for the great comfort they had enjoyed on board 
 his vessel. It is to be presumed that they meant previously 
 to their having to stand up to their necks in water. 
 
 In the wood which borders the prairie on which Chicago 
 stands, we saw an encampment of United States’ troops. 
 Since the rising of the Creeks in Georgia, some months 
 
 x Son of Rev. Dr. Follen. 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 37 
 
 before, there had been apprehensions of an Indian war 
 along the whole frontier. It was believed that a corre- 
 spondence had taken place among all the tribes, from the 
 Cumaches, who were engaged to fight for the Mexicans in 
 Texas, up to the northern tribes among whom we were 
 going. It was believed that the war-belt was circulating 
 among the Winnebagoes, the warlike tribe who inhabit the 
 western shores of Lake Michigan ; and the government had 
 sent troops to Chicago, to keep them in awe. It was of 
 some consequence to us to ascertain the real state of the 
 case; and we were glad to find that alarm was subsiding so 
 fast, that the troops were soon allowed to go where they 
 were more wanted. As soon as they had recovered from 
 the storm, which seemed to have incommoded everybody, 
 they broke up their encampment, and departed. 
 
 Chicago looks raw and bare, standing on the high prairie 
 above the lake shore. The houses appear all insignificant, 
 and run up in various directions, without any principle at 
 all. A friend of mine who resides there had told me that 
 we should find the inns intolerable, at the period of the 
 great land sales, which bring a concourse of speculators to 
 the place. It was even so. The very sight of them was 
 intolerable; and there was not room for our party among 
 them all. I do not know what we should have done, 
 (unless to betake ourselves to the vessels in the harbor,) if 
 our coming had not been foreknown, and most kindly pro- 
 vided for. We were divided between three families, who 
 had the art of removing all our scruples about intrud- 
 ing on perfeqt strangers. None of us will lose the lively 
 and pleasant associations with the place, which were caused 
 by the hospitalities of its inhabitants. 
 
 I never saw a busier place than Chicago was at the time 
 of our arrival. The streets were crowded with land specu- 
 lators, hurrying from one sale to another. A negro, dressed 
 up in scarlet, bearing a scarlet flag, and riding a white 
 horse with housings of scarlet, announced the times of sale. 
 At every street corner where he stopped, the crowed flocked 
 round him; and it seemed as if some prevalent mania in- 
 fected the whole people. The rage for speculation might 
 fairly be so regarded. As the gentlemen of our party 
 walked the streets, store-keepers hailed them from their 
 doors, with offers of farms, and all manner of land-lots, ad- 
 vising them to speculate before the price - of land rose 
 
33 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 higher. A young lawyer, of my acquaintance there,* had 
 realized five hundred dollars per day, the five preceding 
 days, by merely making out titles to land. Another friend 
 had realized, in two years, ten times as much money as he 
 had before fixed upon as a competence for life. Of course, 
 this rapid money-making is a merely temporary evil. A 
 bursting of the bubble must come soon. The absurdity of 
 the speculation is so striking, that the wonder is that the 
 fever should have attained such a height as I witnessed. 
 The immediate occasion of the bustle which prevailed, the 
 week we were at Chicago, was the sale of lots, to the value 
 of two millions of dollars, along the course of a projected 
 canal; and of another set, immediately behind these. Per- 
 sons not intending to game, and not infected with mania, 
 would endeavor to form some reasonable conjecture as to 
 the ultimate value of the lots, by calculating the cost of the 
 canal, the risks from accident, from the possible competi- 
 tion from other places, etc., and, finally, the possible pro- 
 fits, under the most favorable circumstance, within so many 
 years’ purchase. Such a calculation would serve as some 
 sort of guide as to the amount of purchase-money to be 
 risked. Whereas, wild land on the banks of a canal, not 
 yet even marked out, was selling at Chicago for more than 
 rich land, well improved, in the finest part of the valley of 
 the Mohawk, on the banks of a canal which is already the 
 medium of an almost inestimable amount of traffic. If 
 sharpers and gamblers were to be the sufferers by the im- 
 pending crash at Chicago, no one would feel much con- 
 cerned: but they, unfortunately, are the people who encour- 
 age the delusion, in . order to profit by it. Many a high- 
 spirited, but unexperienced, young man; many a simple 
 settler, will be ruined for the advantage of knaves. 
 
 Others, besides lawyers and speculators by trade, make a 
 fortune in such extraordinary times. A poor man at Chi- 
 cago had a pre-emption right to some land, for which he 
 paid in the morning one hundred and fifty dollars. In the 
 afternoon, he sold it to a friend of mine for five thousand 
 dollars. A poor Frenchman, t married to a squaw, had a 
 suit pending, when I was there, which he was likely to 
 gain, for the right of purchasing some land by the lake for 
 one hundred dollars, which would immediately become 
 worth one million dollars. 
 
 * Joseph N. Balestier, Esq., now of Brattleboro, Vt t Gen. John B, Beaubien. 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 39 
 
 There was much gaiety going on at Chicago, as well as 
 business. On the evening of our arrival a fancy fair took 
 place. As I was too much fatigued to go, the ladies sent 
 me a bouquet of prairie flowers. There is some allowable 
 pride in the place about its society. It is a remarkable 
 thing to meet such an assemblage of educated, refined, and 
 wealthy persons as may be found there, living in small, 
 inconvenient houses on the edge of a wild prairie. There 
 is a mixture, of course. I heard of a family of half-breeds 
 setting up a carriage, and wear fine jewellery. When the 
 present intoxication of prosperity passes away, some of the 
 inhabitants will go back to the eastward; there will be 
 an accession of settlers from the mechanic classes; good 
 houses will have been built for the richer families, and the 
 singularity of the place will subside. It will be like all the 
 other new and thriving lake and river ports of America. 
 Meantime, I am glad to have seen it in its strange early 
 days. 
 
 We dined one day with a gentleman* who had been Ind- 
 ian agent among the Winnebagoes for some years. He and 
 his lady seem to have had the art of making themselves as 
 .absolutely Indian in their sympathies and manners as the 
 welfare of the savages among whom they lived required. 
 They were the only persons I met with who, really knowing 
 the Indians, had any regard for them. The testimony was 
 universal to the good faith, and other virtues of savage life 
 of the unsophisticated Indians; but they were spoken of in 
 a tone of dislike, as well as pity, by all but this family; and 
 they certainly had studied their Indian neighbors very thor- 
 oughly. The ladies of Indian agents ought to be women of 
 nerve. Our hostess had slept for weeks with a loaded pis- 
 tol on each side her pillow, and a dagger under it, when ex- 
 pecting an attack from a hostile tribe.t The foe did not, 
 however, come nearer than within a few miles. Her hus- 
 band’s sisterj; was in the massacre when the fort was aband- 
 oned, in 1812. Her father and her husband were in the 
 battle, and her mother and young brothers and sisters sat in 
 a boat on the lake near. Out of seventy whites, only seven- 
 teen escaped, among whom were her family. She was 
 'wounded in the ankle, as she sat on her horse. A painted 
 
 * John H. Kinzie. Esq. t At Fort Winnebago, 1832. 
 
 X Mrs. Helm, now Mrs. Geo. C. Bates, Salt Lake City. 
 
40 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 Indian, in warlike costume, came leaping up to her, and seized 
 her horse, as she supposed, to murder her. She fought him 
 vigorously, and he bore it without doing her any injury.. 
 He spoke, but she could not understand him. Another 
 frightful savage came up, and the two led her horse to the 
 lake, and into it, in spite of her resistance, till the water- 
 reached their chins. She concluded that they meant to 
 drown her; but they contented themselves with holding her 
 on her horse till the massacre was over, when they led her 
 out in safety. They were friendly Indians, sent by her 
 husband to guard her. She could not but admire their 
 patience, when she found how she had been treating her 
 protectors. 
 
 We had the fearful pleasure of seeing various savage dances 
 performed by the Indian agent and his brother,* with the 
 accompaniments of complete costume, barbaric music, and 
 whooping. The most intelligible to us was the Discovery 
 Dance, a highly descriptive pantomime. We saw the Ind- 
 ian go out armed for war. We saw him reconnoitre, make 
 signs to his comrades, sleep, warm himself, load his rifle,, 
 sharpen his scalping-knife, steal through the grass within 
 rifle-shot of his foes, fire, scalp one of them, and dance, 
 whooping, and triumphing. There was a dreadful truth 
 about the whole, and it made our blood run cold. It real- 
 ized hatred and horror as effectually as Taglioni does love 
 and grace. 
 
 We were unexpectedly detained over the Sunday at Chi- 
 cago; and Dr. F.+ was requested to preach. Though only 
 two hours’ notice was given, a respectable congregation 
 was assembled in the large room of the Lake House; a 
 new hotel then building. Our seats were a few chairs and 
 benches, and planks laid on trestles. The preacher stood 
 behind a rough pine-table, on which a large Bible was 
 placed. I was never present at a more interesting service ;. 
 and I know that there were others who felt with me. 
 
 From Chicago, we made an excursion into the prairies. 
 Our young lawyer-friend threw behind him the five hundred 
 dollars per day, which he was making, and went with us. 
 I thought him wise; for there is that to be had in the wil- 
 derness which money cannot buy. We drove out of the 
 town at ten o’clock in the morning, too late by two hours; 
 but it was impossible to overcome the introductions to> 
 
 : John H. and Robert A. Kinzie. t Rev. Dr. Follen. 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 41 
 
 strangers, and the bustle of our preparations, any sooner. 
 Our party consisted of seven, besides the driver. Our 
 vehicle was a wagon with four horses. 
 
 We had first to cross the prairie, nine miles wide, on the 
 lake edge of which Chicago stands. This prairie is not 
 usually wet so early in the year; but at this time the water 
 stood almost up to the nave of the wheels : and we crossed 
 it at a walking pace. I saw here, for the first time in the 
 United States, 'the American primrose. It grew in profu- 
 sion over the whole prairie, as far as I could see; not so 
 large and fine as in English green-houses, but graceful and 
 pretty. I now found the truth of what I had read about 
 the difficulty of distinguishing distances on a prairie. The 
 feeling is quite bewildering. A man walking near looks 
 like a Goliath a mile off. I mistook a covered wagon with- 
 out horses, at a distance of fifty yards, for a white house 
 near the horizon: and so on. We were not sorry to reach, 
 the belt of trees, which bounded the swamp we had passed. 
 At a house here, where we stopped to water the horses, 
 and eat dough-nuts, we saw a crowd of emigrants; which 
 showed that we had not yet reached the bounds of civiliza- 
 tion. A little further on we came to the river Aux Plaines, 
 spelled on a sign board “Oplain.” The ferry here is a 
 monopoly, and the public suffers accordingly. There is 
 only one small flat boat for the service of the concourse of 
 people now pouring into the prairies. Though we hap- 
 pened to arrive nearly first of the crowd of to-day, we were 
 detained on the bank above an hour ; and then our horses 
 went over at two crossings, and the wagon and ourselves at 
 the third. It was a pretty ‘scene, if we had not been in a 
 hurry; the country wagons and teams in the wood by the 
 side of the quiet clear river; and the oxen swimming over, 
 yoked, with only their patient faces visible above the sur- 
 face. After crossing, we proceeded briskly till we reached 
 a single house, where, or nowhere, we were to dine. The 
 kind hostess bestirred herself to provide us a good dinner 
 of tea, bread, ham, potatoes, and strawberries, of which a 
 whole pailful, ripe and sweet, had been gathered by the 
 children in the grass round the house, within one hour. 
 While dinner was preparing, we amused ourselves with 
 looking over an excellent small collection of books, belong- 
 ing to Miss Cynthia, the daughter of the hostess. 
 
 I never saw insulation, (not desolation.) to compare with 
 
42 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 the situation of a settler on a wide prairie. A single house 
 in the middle of Salisbury Plain would be desolate. A 
 single house on a prairie has clumps of trees near it, rich 
 fields about it; and flowers, strawberries, and running water 
 at hand. But when I saw; a settler’s child tripping out of 
 home-bounds, I had a feeling that it would never get back 
 again. It looked like putting out into Lake Michigan in a 
 canoe. The soil round the dwellings is very rich. It 
 makes no dust, it is so entirely vegetable. It requires 
 merely to be once turned over to produce largely; and, at 
 present, it appears to be inexhaustible. As we proceeded, 
 the scenery became more and more like what all travellers 
 ■compare it to, — a boundless . English park. The grass was 
 wilder, the occasional footpath not so trim, and the single 
 trees less majestic; but no park ever displayed anything 
 equal to the grouping of the trees within the windings of 
 the blue, brimming river Aux Plaines. 
 
 We had met with so many delays that we felt doubts 
 about reaching the place where we had intended to spend 
 the night. At sunset, we found ourselves still nine miles 
 from Joliet;* but we were told that the road was good, 
 except a small “slew” or two; and there was half a moon 
 •shining behind a thin veil of clouds; so we pushed on. 
 We seemed latterly to be travelling on a terrace overlook- 
 ing a wide champaign, where a dark waving line might 
 indicate the winding of the river, between its clumpy banks. 
 Our driver descended, and went forward, two or three 
 times, to make sure of our road; and, at length, we rattled 
 down a steep descent, and found ourselves among houses. 
 This was not our resting-place, however. The Joliet hotel 
 lay on the other side of the river. We were directed to a 
 foot-bridge by which we were to pass; and a ford below 
 for the wagon. We strained our eyes in vain for the foot- 
 bridge; and our gentlemen peeped and pryed about for 
 some time. All was still but the rippling river, and every- 
 body asleep in the houses that were scattered about. We 
 ladies were presently summoned to put on our water-proof 
 shoes, and alight. A man showed himself who had risen 
 
 * I preserve the original name, which is that of the first French 
 ■missionary who visited these parts. The place is now commonly 
 called Juliet; and a settlement near has actually been named Romeo : 
 so that I fear there is little hope of a restoration of the honorable prim- 
 itive name. 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 43 
 
 from his bed to help us in our need. The foot-bridge con- 
 sisted, for some way, of two planks, with a hand-rail on 
 one side: but, when we were about a-third of the Avay over, 
 one-half of the planks, and the hand-rail had disappeared. 
 We actually had to cross the rushing, deep river on a line 
 of single planks, by dim moonlight, at past eleven at night. 
 The great anxiety was about Charley; but between his 
 father and the guide, he managed very well. This guide 
 would accept nothing but thanks. He “did not calculate 
 to take any pay.” Then we waited some time for the 
 wagon to come up from the ford. I suspected it had 
 passed the spot where we stood, and had proceeded to the 
 village, where we saw a twinkling light, now disappearing, 
 and now re-appearing. It was so, and the driver came 
 back to look for us, and tell us that the light we saw was a 
 signal from the hotel-keeper, whom we found, standing on 
 his door-step, and sheltering his candle with his hand. We 
 sat down and drank milk in the bar, while he went to con- 
 sult with his wife what was to be ' done with us, as every 
 bed in the house was occupied. We, meanwhile, agreed 
 that the time was now come for us to enjoy an adventure 
 which we had often anticipated : sleeping in a barn. We 
 had all declared ourselves anxious to sleep in a barn, if we 
 could meet with one that was air-tight, and well supplied 
 with hay. Such a barn was actually on these premises. 
 We were prevented, however, from all practising the freak 
 by the prompt hospitality of our hostess. Before we knew 
 what she was about, she had risen and dressed herself, put 
 clean sheets on her own bed, and made up two others on 
 the floor of the same room; so that the ladies and Charley 
 were luxuriously accommodated. Two sleepy personages 
 crawled down stans to offer their beds to our gentlemen. 
 Mr. L.* and our Chicago friend, however, persisted in sleep- 
 ing in the barn. Next morning, we all gave a very gratify- 
 ing report of our lodgings. When we made our acknowl- 
 edgments to our hostess, she said she thought that people 
 who could go to bed o^ietly every night ought to be ready 
 to give up to tired travellers. Whenever she travels, I 
 hope she will be treated as she treated us. She let us have 
 breakfast as early as half-past five, the next morning, and 
 gave Charley a bun at parting, lest he should be too hungry 
 before we could dine. 
 
 * Ellis Gray Loring, Esq. 
 
44 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 The great object of our expedition, Mount Joliet, was 
 two miles distant from this place. We had to visit it, and 
 perform the journey back to Chicago, forty miles, before 
 night. The mount is only sixty feet high; yet it commands 
 a view which I shall not attempt to describe, either in its 
 vastness, or its soft beauty. The very spirit of tranquility 
 resides in this paradisy scene. The next painter who’ 
 would worthily illustrate Milton’s Morning Hymn, should 
 come and paint what he sees from Mount Joliet, on a dewy 
 summer’s morning, when a few light clouds are gently sail- 
 ing in the sky, and their shadows traversing the prairie. 
 I thought I had never seen green levels till now; and 
 only among mountains had I before known the beauty of 
 wandering showers. Mount Joliet has the appearance of 
 being an artificial mound, its sides are so uniformly steep, 
 and its form so regular. Its declivity was bristling with 
 flowers; among which were conspicuous the scarlet lily, the 
 white convolvulus, and a tall, red flower of the scabia form. 
 We disturbed a night-havflc, sitting on her eggs, on the 
 ground. She wheeled round and round over our heads, 
 and, I hope, returned to her eggs before they were cold. 
 
 Not far from the mount was a log-house, where the rest of 
 the party went in to dry their feet, after having stood long 
 in the wet grass. I remained outside, watching the light 
 showers, shifting in the partial sunlight from clump to level, 
 and from reach to reach of the brimming and winding river. 
 The nine miles of prairie, which we had traversed in dim 
 moonlight last night, were now exquisitely beautiful, as the 
 sun shone fitfully upon them. 
 
 We saw a prairie wolf, very like a yellow dog, trotting 
 across our path, this afternoon. Our hostess of the preced- 
 ing day, expecting us, had an excellent dinner ready for us. 
 We were detained a shorter time at the ferry, and reached 
 the belt of trees at the edge of Nine-mile Prairie, before 
 sunset. Here, in common prudence, we ought to have 
 stopped till the next day, even if no other accommodation 
 could be afforded us than a roof over our heads. We de- 
 served an ague for crossing the swamp after dark, in an 
 open wagon, at a foot pace. Nobody was aware of this in 
 time, and we set forward; the feet of our wearied horses 
 plashing in water at every step of the nine miles. There 
 was no road; and we had to trust to the instinct of driver 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 
 
 45 
 
 and horses to keep us in the right direction. I rather think 
 the driver attempted to amuse himself by exciting our fears. 
 He hinted more than once at the difficulty of finding the 
 way; at the improbability that we should reach Chicago 
 before midnight; and at the danger of our wandering about 
 the marsh all night, and finding ourselves at the opposite 
 edge of the prairie in the morning. Charley was bruised 
 and tired. All the rest were hungry and cold. It was 
 very dreary. The driver bade us look to our right hand. 
 A black bear was trotting alongside of us, at a little dis- 
 tance. After keeping up his trot for some time, he turned 
 off from our track. The sight of him made up for all, — 
 even if ague should follow, which I verily believe it would. 
 But we escaped all illness. It is remarkable that I never 
 saw ague but once. The single case that I met with was 
 in autumn, at the Falls of Niagara. 
 
 I had promised Dr. F. a long story about English poli- 
 tics, when a convenient opportunity should occur. I 
 thought the present an admirable one; for nobody seemed 
 to have anything to say, and it was highly desirable that 
 something should be said. I made my story long enough 
 to beguile four miles; by which time, some were too tired, 
 and others too much disheartened, for more conversation. 
 Something white was soon after visible. Our driver gave 
 out that it was a house, half a mile from Chicago. But no : 
 it was an emigrant encampment, on a morsel of raised, dry 
 ground; and again we were uncertain whether we were in 
 the right road. Presently, however, the Chicago beacon 
 was visible, shining a welcome to us through the dim, misty 
 air. The horses seemed to see it, for they quickened their 
 pace; and before half-past ten, we were on the bridge. 
 
 The family, at my temporary home, were gone up to 
 their chambers; but the wood-fire was soon replenished, 
 tea made, and the conversation growing lively. My com- 
 panions were received as readily at their several resting- 
 places. When we next met, we found ourselves all dis- 
 posed to place warm hospitality very high on the list of 
 virtues. 
 
 While we were at Detroit, we were most strongly urged 
 to return thither by the Lakes, instead of by either of the 
 Michigan roads. From place to place, in my previous 
 travelling, I had been told of the charms of the Lakes, and 
 especially of the Island of Mackinaw. Every officer’s lady 
 
4 6 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 who has been in garrison there, is eloquent upon the de- 
 lights of Mackinaw. As our whole party, however, could 
 not spare time to make so wide a circuit, we had not in- 
 tended to indulge ourselves with a further variation in our 
 travels than to take the upper road back to Detroit; having: 
 left it by the lower. On Sunday, June 27, news arrived at 
 Chicago that this Tipper road had been rendered impassable 
 by the rains. A sailing ship,* the only one on the l akes, 
 and now on her first trip, was to leave Chicago for Detroit 
 and Buffalo, the next day. The case was clear: the party 
 must divide. Those who were obliged to hasten home 
 must return by the road we came; the rest must proceed 
 by water. On Charley’s account the change of plan was 
 desirable; as the heats were beginning to be so oppressive 
 as to render travelling in open wagons unsafe for a child. 
 It was painful to break up our party at the extreme point of 
 our journey; but it was clearly right. So Mr. and Mrs. L. 
 took their chance by land; and the rest of us went on 
 board the Milwaukee, at two o’clock on the afternoon of 
 the 28th. 
 
 Mrs. F. and I were the only ladies on board; and there 
 was no stewardess. The steward was obliging, and the 
 ladies’ cabin was clean and capacious ; and we took posses- 
 sion of it with a feeling of comfort. Our pleasant impres- 
 sions, however, were not of long duration. The vessel was 
 crowed with persons who had come to the land sales at 
 Chicago, and were taking their passage back to Milwaukee; 
 a settlement on the western shore of the lake, about eighty 
 miles from Chicago. Till we should reach Milwaukee, we 
 could have the ladies’ cabin only during a part of the day. 
 I say a part of the day, because some of the gentry did not 
 leave our cabin till near nine in the morning; and others 
 chose to come down, and go to bed, as early as seven in 
 the evening, without troubling themselves to give us five 
 minutes’ notice, or to wait till we could put up our needles, 
 or wipe our pens. This ship was the only place in Amer- 
 ica where I saw a prevalence of bad manners. It was the 
 place of all others to select for the study of such; and no 
 reasonable person would look for anything better among 
 land-speculators, and settlers in regions so new as to be 
 almost without women. None of us had ever before seen, 
 in America, a disregard of women. The swearing was 
 
 * Ship Milwaukee. 
 
BY HARRIET MARTINEAU. 47 
 
 incessant ; and the spitting such as to amaze my American 
 companions as much as myself. 
 
 Supper was announced presently after we had sailed; 
 and when we came to the table, it was full, and no one 
 offered to stir, to make room for us. The captain, who was 
 very careful of our comfort, arranged that we should be 
 better served henceforth; and no difficulty afterwards oc- 
 curred. At dinner, the next day, we had a specimen of 
 how such personage as we had on board are managed on 
 an emergency. The captain gave notice, from the head of 
 the table, that he did no’t choose our party to be intruded 
 on in the cabin; and that any one who did not behave 
 with civility at table should be turned out. He spoke with 
 decision and good-humor; and the effect was remarkable. 
 Everything on the table was handed to us; and no more of 
 the gentry came down into our cabin to smoke, or throw 
 themselves on the cushions to sleep, while we sat at work. 
 Our fare was what might be expected on Lake Michigan- 
 Salt beef and pork, and sea-biscuit; tea , without milk, 
 bread, and potatoes. Charley throve upon potatoes and 
 bread; and we all had the best results of food, — health and 
 strength. 
 
 A little schooner which left Chicago at the same time 
 with ourselves, and reached Milwaukee first, was a pretty 
 object. On the 29th, we were only twenty-five miles from 
 the settlement; but the wind was so unfavorable that it 
 was doubtful whether we should reach it that day. Some 
 of the passengers amused themselves by gaming, down in 
 the hold; others by parodying a methodist sermon, and 
 singing a mock hymn. We did not get rid of them till 
 noon on the 30th, when we had the pleasure of seeing our 
 ship disgorge twenty-five into one boat, and two into an- 
 other. The atmosphere was so transparent as to make the 
 whole scene appear as if viewed through an opera-glass; 
 the still, green waters, the dark boats with their busy oars, 
 the moving passengers, and the struggles of one to recover 
 his hat, which had fallen overboard. We were yet five 
 miles from Milwaukee; but we could see the bright, wooded 
 coast, with a few white dots of houses. 
 
 While Dr. F. went on shore, to see what was to be seen, 
 we had the cabin cleaned out, and took, once more, com- 
 plete possession of it, for both day and night. As soon as 
 this was done, seven young women came down the com- 
 
48 
 
 STRANGE EARLY DAYS. 
 
 panion-way, seated themselves round the cabin, and began 
 to question us. They were the total female population of 
 Milwaukee; which settlement now contains four hundred 
 souls. We were glad to see these ladies ; for it was natu- 
 ral enough that the seven women should wish to behold 
 two more, when such a chance offered. A gentleman of 
 the place, who came on board this afternoon, told me that 
 a printing-press had arrived a few hours before ; and that a 
 newspaper would speedily appear.* He was kind enough 
 to forward the first number to me a few weeks afterwards; 
 and I was amused to see how pathetic an appeal to the 
 ladies of more thickly-settled districts it contained; implor- 
 ing them to cast a favorable eye on Milwaukee, and its 
 hundreds of bachelors. Milwaukee had been settled since 
 the preceding November. It had good stores; (to judge 
 by the nature and quantity of goods sent ashore from our 
 ship); it had a printing-press and newspaper,, before the 
 settlers had had time to get wives. I heard these new set- 
 tlement sometimes called “patriarchal:” but what would 
 the patriarchs have said to such an order of affairs? • 
 
 Dr. F. returned from the town with apple-pies, cheese, 
 and ale, wherewith to vary our ship diet. With him ar- 
 rived such a number of towns-people, that the steward 
 wanted to turn us out of our cabin once more : but we were 
 sturdy, appealed to the captain, and were confirmed in pos- 
 session. From this time, began the delights of our voyage. 
 The moon, with her long train of glory, was magnificent 
 to-night; the vast body of water on which she shone being 
 as calm as if the winds were dead. 
 
 The navigation of these lakes, is at present, a mystery. 
 They have not yet been properly surveyed. Our captain 
 had gone to and fro on Lake Huron, but had never before 
 been on Lake Michigan; and this was rather an anxious 
 voyage to him. We had got aground on the sand-bar 
 before Milwaukee harbor; and on the ist of July, all hands 
 were busy in unshipping the cargo, to lighten the vessel, 
 instead of carrying her up to the town. An elegant little 
 schooner was riding at anchor near us; and we were well 
 amused in admiring her, and in watching the bustle on 
 deck, till some New England youths, and our Milwaukee 
 acquaintance, brought us, from the shore, two newspapers, 
 some pebbles, flowers, and a pitcher of fine strawberries. 
 
 * Milwaukee Sentinel, 
 

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