Beyond the Atlantic;

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 286, 2 December 1893, Page 4 (Supplement)

Beyond the Atlantic;

OR, 'Pen and Ink Sketcees of Men and Things American. Br Rev. Dr., Whitelaw.

jr. Chicago ■*- Ita Ma/velloua Development with Remarks upon the Growth of America's Great Cities Generally—The Character of Ch/cago and its Population —The Mason£ Temple—The Young Men'e Christian Association—Tho Art Institute — Ijfternational Congress of Charities, Cojrection, and Philanthropy— Palmer's Souse—Hotel Life in America— The Infanta Eulalie— Armour's PigSbicking Establishment), Ii was expected by Chicagoans that all the world would risit the World's Fair that had licked creatim ; and, though on arriving in America ro> found that for a variety of reasons tl*B expectation was more than likely to^e disappointed, we concluded ib would n'ver do for us to return home without having seen the show. Accordingly! on bh©sth of June, we starbed for The Garden City of the West. Satlfcg up bhe Hudson and shopping ab Niagara on rhe way, concerning both of which nexb article will treat, we arrived ab oyr destination on the 7bh. Sibuabed ca the soubh - western shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago (pronounced She-kaw-jgo and signifying • wild onion ') may fairly challenge the world to produce another ciby thab can rival her in respecb of beautiful location, looking out as she does upon the placid waters of a great inland sea. The firsb person to bring Chicago bo bhe knowledge of the civilised world was Perrob, a Frenchman who stumbled on it in 1671. Previous to 1831 ib was a mere frontier post, with a stockade fort near the river, called Forb Dearborn, in connection with ■which 'ib is inberesting to note thab bhe old pioneer minisber who preached in bhe I'orb before the ciby rose, Jeremiah Paber, died the other day in hi 3 90th year. Ab bhab bime fewer than 300 inhabibants lived in the place, and bhe old preacher was wonb bo bell how he mighb then have bougbb the land on which Chicago is builb for a dollar and a quarter, or about five shillings an acre. However to be accounted for, the fact is undeniable that for rapidity of growth Chicago is bhe mosb remarkable ciby in bhe world. About the date of its erection into a city, 1537, bhe population was a libble over a bhuusand. When bhe fire occured in 1871, by the over turning of a kerosene lamp, bhe thousand had swollen into more than a quarter of a million. To-day the city counts a million and a-half of people, collected, according to the lasb America census, from all quarters of the globe, from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the West I Indies, Atlantic, Pacific and Sandwich Islands; from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Sweden, etc., etc. In this respecb, however, it Bbands nob alone, upon the American continent, the sama commingling of races taking place in New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Indeed, the phenomenon observable ab homo, the rapid increase of urban and decrease of rural population, is becoming as conspicuous across the water. During the decade 1800-1890, the urban population increased by 6.55 per cent., while the rural decreased by 6.55. In 1880 the urban was 22.57 por cent., the rural 77.43 per cent, of the whole ; in 1890 bhe urOan was 29-12 and the rural 70 "88 per cenb. of bhe whole. During tho past decade Chicago increased by 118 per cent1. Probably bhe causes of Jihis immigration from country to town which is proceeding, nob in Scotland and England alone bub in America and all over the world, are n\ore recondite than to yield themselves up to superficial investigation. Yet any intolligenb student of social economics can put his finger on one or two forces that are operating powerfully in tbi3 direction. .(1) The invention of improved machinery has diminished the demand for human labour to culbivate the Boil, (2) The same advancement in mechanical skill when applied to manufactures, mostly established in towns, has led to an abnormal dovolopment of industrial enterprise, which in bura has tempted the rural populabion citywards. (3) The higher wages usually paid for mechanical and manufacturing than for agricultural work has by a natural law attracted to tho cities those who have labour to sell. (4) The monotonous and in some instances dreary and unexciting character of life in country has driven multitudes of persons, young and old, into town, in this connection bhe following ebory bells ibs own tale. A poor, half-starved Irishwoman in New York was senb into the country by come benevolent people where work bad been provided for her, bub after a few weeks was found again in her old haunts. Being asked if she couldn t find work enough, she replied, ' Vis.' • Didn t yon have enough to eat and to wear, and weren'b you comfortnble ?' was next put to her, when again the response was Yi3. •Well, then,' inquired her benefactor, «why did you come back here to starve rather than live in comfort ?' ' Piples is more company than sthumps ' (of trees) was the answer; and, cays Dr. Strong, from whom the story is taken, 'ib contained whole chapters of philosophy on Che origin and growth of cities.' (5) The depression in agricultural values, fostered unhappily in America by the protection extended to the manufacturer, has rendered the cultivation of land in some casea wholly unprofitable. That this immigration will not be arrested there is ■ every reason to fear. ■ There is a natural limit,' says the jusb eited-aufchor, 'to the growth of agricultural populabion, bub nona to that of the ciby. Tho great bulk of the I vast population which th« United States w capable of conbaining will aome day live in cities. And if the rate of growth and movemonb of populntion from 1880 to 1890 continues until 1920, the city will then contain upwards of ten millions more than the country.' Into the dangers consequent UDon such a crowding together of men and women into cities, in our own country as well aa in America, space will nob permit me to enter; bub no thouehtful citizen can regard this depletion of the counby dis tricts which is going on without a certain measure of apprehension, and all interested in the welfare of their fellows should coneider seriously whether svy, and what, measures should be adopted to remedy tlo evil. The Population or Chicago resembles thab of any other large city. It 9 worab features are aggravated by the presence of numerous foreigners with different habits, characbers, and tongues, bub all alike in having one ambibion, viz.. to push their fortunes and make money. I obeerve thab Walter Besanb, who came over with me in bhe Servia, bhinkf? Chicago will ultimately be bo America what Babylon formerly , was to Asia, and no one can walk its streets? without perceiving thab while it has push, determination, and wido-awakeness, its piety and principle are not so conspicuous. Its Stock Exchange is reputed tobea scone cf wild excitement, fully aa bad as, it not worse than, that of Wall-street, New York, which I described in a previous article. Immense fortunes are made in its warehouses. Ib has the largest dry goods etore in the world-Marshall, F^ld and Co'a. Laab year this firm is saicf bo have Bold upwards of 70 million dollar? worth ot goods. And yet Chicago has ita prole- j tariate, • oub of work?,' and idlers, who aro massing fast around its palaces and crying oab for work and bread. Only a few week* ago the Mayor of ,fche town had to solicit pecuniary aid from the United States

Treasury to feed the 200,000 men and women who were starving in its streets. 1 ihis la a sample of the consequences whicn are sure to follow if the problem above indicated is not attended to but heartlessly given the go-by. Drunkenness, of courao, must ba credited with a fair percentage of the misery in large towns and cities, and Chicago has a plentiful supply of saloons and bars n,b which the wretched may exchange bheir scanty coins for a thimbleful of liquid misery; but drunkenness will not explain it all. Francis_ E. Willard speaks of 'women in Chicago who make twelve shirts for 75 cents (3s), and furnish their own thread ; about women thab finish off an elegenfc cloak for 4 cents (2d) ; about children that work 12 hours a day for a dollar (4s) a week ; about some women who are glad to get the chance that offers 6 cents (3d) for 4 hours' work. Some who read this article will be able to state whether elavery like this exists in Kilmarnock—we all know it can be found elsewhere. Wherever ib exist 3 the slavedrivers ought to read the words in James v. 4. (Turn them up.) And as this occurs in a city which has The Highest Commercial Building in the World. The Maaonic Temple, belonging to the • ancient and honourable fraternity' of Masons, is a majestic and artistic pile of stone, terra cotta, marble, and steel, 322 feet above the side walk and 21 stories high, a splendid mouument of " the power of human intellect and of the patience ot human perseverance," and valued ab the immense figure of 4£ millions of dollars. Ib is daily visited by large numbers of people, and of course my companions and I in this reapecb followed bhe crowd. In one of the fourteen passenger elevators, which have a carrying capacity for 100,000 parsons per day, we ascended to the glass roofed rotunda above the highest story and surveyed the scene—towards the norbh, ' the life of the great rumbling city, rolling like a mighty ocean beneath ;' towards the east the placid \ bosom of the Michigan L*ke ; towards the ! south the grounds o f the World's Fair ; I and towards the west the suburban dis- J tricts of Chicago ' with their beautiful parks and natural surroundings.' The ele- j vator system in this gigantic pile surpasses I that of the greao Eiffel Tower in Paris and | of the ' World ' offices in New York. The Temple wan devised for business purposes, and has offices, club-rooms, halls, and suites of rooma for banquets, committees, and. meetings of any and every description. While in the domß a young lad invited us to be photographed ab the highest eleva- ] tion in Chicago—l am nob sure that be did j nob say in the world—bub as already we I had been twice immortalised in this fashion, j on the summit of the Tennessee Mountains, j 5,000 fo9b above the sea, and again iv tar- | paulin costume ab Niagara, we respectfully • declined. Descending with some little trepidation—though the elevator cars aro I warranted to run ab nine mile" an hour i without killing anybody, and bo be capable of pulling up in a twinkling should the ropes break—we reached the bottom floor withoub requiring tho safety apparatus to be put in operation. Strolling along Madison street, we looked in ab the new central building of The Young Men's Christian Association, \ another of the mor:3ter edifices for which this city is renowned—a huge erection of thirteen stories, in which everything conceivable in the way of providing for tho education and entertainment of younsr men can be obtained. As explained by its own circulars, the V.M.C.A. uf America claims to be ' the greatest religous movement of bhe nineteenthccenturay—a brotherhood that bands in one Society young men of all religions, nationalities, and vocations, an organisation that leads to heabhf-il gymnastics and athletics, an institution practically allied to business and commercial eoboiprisea am) that stands for the highest type of American citizenship, bhe boob known' association prepared to furnish practical educational advantages, tho most; popular resort in the great cities where leisure biuae can be proiitably spent, and the counter attraction to the saloon, gambling den, social evil, and every other vice which degrades and debases young men.' Allowing for the proverbial' high falubin'' of Brother Jonathan, it is undeniable that, the V.M.C.A. is a strong moral and religious force in America; and no bebter evidence ot this can be seen in Chicago than bhe j magnificer.b premises being erected for bhe accommodation of its extensive membership and numerous classes. The existence of two such powerful Christian organisations as bhe V.M.C.A. and the Young Peop'e'a Society of Christian Jjndeavour {of which I shall write later on) forms a raosb hopeful feature in American society and warrants the belief bhab in such cities as Chicago, with all their wealth and pnverby, gaiasy and misery, the attempt will nob ba wanting to solve the grave roligioua and social problems of the ago. Menu Cards The old-world visitor to American botelß is considerably perplexed by the menu cards provided for breakfast), ; lunch, dinner and supper, when asked to poinb out the dishes he will wanb and to have these all deposited before him ab onco. One gets used to it in time and learns to appreciate the rich variety of ' fat things, full of marrow, ' prepared for tho delectation of his appetite; bub if one chances to be a Scotchman with preference for ' haiesome panich 'he will groan ab the hideous compound he is expected to accepb for thab homely dish, while as for American Hotel, tea is simply unmentionable, Young ladies and old who go from this side of the water had better dispense with this beverage whilo beyond tho Atlantic. In other respocis the culinary arb is well understood by bhe people of bho West. The meal 9in h'rsb-class hjbels arc unobjectionable. If one has a weakness for ice creams or lemon aquaeh, he will gob those dainties to perfection. In short, 'a the comforts of the Sautmarket' can be obtained by any travelling Bailie Niool Jarvie in such houdeß of entertainment as the Palmer's, Chicago, if ho is willing to pay for fch&ni. This, however, is an india pensabie condition. For ten cents (or sd) he will yet his boobs chined bill he can almos* see hia face in them ; and for five cents (or 2£d) he can purchase a i paper to give relish to his breakfast. So far as I observed, the only articles going free in Palmer's, and similar hotels, if they were not included in the daily charge, were toobbpicks, a supply of these dental instruments being usually provided ou fchetobie, or handed to the guest on re-tiring-from the dining hall by a waiter ai: the door. Here, perhaps, I ought to interject that an American gentleman without a toothpick is as great a curiosity as an American lady who does not cheir—nob tobacco, bub gum.' Otherwise in America, outside as well as inside hotels, commodities of all sorts are dear; and any one from this aide projecting a toutin Columbia had better attend to lago'u ' counsel, ' Pub money in thy purse.' There ' riches take winga and flee away' with a vengeance. Dollars count for half-crowns, and"five cent pieces go for penniea. One thing, however, I must note about hotei life across the water before quitting the theme. Nothing could exceed the decorum of the visitors in general, or the sobrieby displayed by them ab bable. I scarcely ever saw a botble of wine drawn in any of bhe first-class hotels, and never except for one who looked like an Englishman or European. Indeed, to the credib of the I Sbabes, I musb record the circumstances thab while there I cannot remember to have ever seen A Drunk Man. The first encountered on my travel* vra" in. Toronto. To be sure, I did not go *«,

search of ' drunks,' but I often see such on this side without looking for them. I know well enough bhab a vast quautity of liquor ia consumed in America. In 1892 bhe bobal production of malb liquors in bhe States was 987,555,406 gallons, and of distilled liquors, 118,436,506 gallons, making a grand total of 1,105,991,912 gallons for a gross population of 65,000/000, or 17 gallons for every man, woman, and child. The drink bill of Chicago for a single day ia also set down ab $1,000,000 or £200,000. Yeb bhe front rank in drunkenness undoubtedly belongs to Britain. Of this I was more than once reminded when abroad, and with deep regret I could not gainsay it. In fact it is the outstanding blot on Britain's escutcheon, and all who have the honour of their native land at heart should do their utmost to wipe it out. If people will drink, why should they degrade themselves below the beasts ? There is no use blinking the unpleasant fact bhab somebhing more bhan 1 moral suasion' is required bo clear oub sbreets of 'drunks and disorderlies.' Whether ' local option ' will suffice bo do ib remains bo be seen. Till bhab is obtained could nob something else be bried? Recently I heard of a large ciby in England where the custom ia to wheel 'incapables ' inbo bhe police office on a hand oarrow. An accounb of Chicago would be incomplebe wibhoub a word aboub The Union Stockyards, which I eomowhab reluctantly visited, in which bhe business of slaughbering cabtle, sbicking pigs and preparing bheir carcases for bhe market is conducbed on the mosb j scientific principles and carried surely bo i bhe highesb pitch of perfection. Messrs Armour and Co. claim, and with aome degree of jusbice, thab ' bhe enormous live j stock and packing industries,'carried on by bhem ' have more than any other laid bhe foundation for and reared bhe supersbructure of Chicago's wealth and greatness.' The botal value of hog and beef products manufactured in Chicago in 1880 was 1,693,436,300 dollars or £338,687,260, and in 1890, 13,636,450,600 dollars or £2,727,290,120. In 1892 the number of bogs killed was 1,750,000; of cattle, 850.000; and of aheop, 600,000. In addition to bhis Armour and Co. own refrigerator cars in which their beef and hog products are run Co New York, Boston. Philadelphia and Balbimore to be shipped to all parts of the world, ice houaes alon^ bhe various truak lines where the meat can be re-iced when necessary along the routes, and looal beef houses in the principal cities of Amnrica, where bhe beef can be sbored for distribution throughout the communities. As almost every stranger within Chicago's gaten counts ib a duty to visit tho Packing House, so did I, though with a feeling of reluctance. I did not expect the epoctacle of killing and dressing hogs and sheep to be either exhilarating or elevating. Of this I waa reminded ou arriving at tho stock-yards after a run of nine miles in bhe train. Waiting in an ante-room along with a company about to be ushered in to behold the * orgies,' we were startled by two refined-looking ladies who, returning from the scene, burst in upon us with exclamations of horror, Ono of them, a handsome woman, va3 much anifcated and looked half bumiliatod and half indignant in hor fine countenance. Tho 'show' had been too trying for her highly «brung nerves and deiicato feoling3. Had ehe known what it was to be, yhe said, nho had never stepped inbo such a chamber of horrors. 1 conioaa I bei*an to feel 'shaky' though not alrotrethtsr destitute of nerve, and would have drawn back at, the last moment had ib nob been bhab, as the boys say ' I did nob like.' Headed by a youthful guido provided by theCocapany, we commence'l our silent march towards the shambles. Soon the aquealings thab rent the air proclaimed what) waa coming. Bnb I must beg to ba excused from penning a detailed description of the dying agonies of bho dumb animals. The poor creatures are ce'rbainly despatched :o > hurry. In tho words' of another visitor (Mr John Flinb, of Ayr) vrith whom in this I entirely agrae • AnyChing more brumal or more repelling than the manner in which these pisrs arc put to doath ib would be difficulb to find. They really do not .Slive the animala time to die ; and there "was literal truth in the saying of an American bumorisi),' that " the pigs are stabbed and skinned and into mince-meat before thoy are done squealing." ' This, of cour&e, is a joke ; as also is bhe popular opinion that the * porkers ' are driven in at the ono end of a machiue live aniinal3 and emerge at the other end a« sausages. The carcases, when dressed, ars hung us in a cooling room for twenty-four hours in the case of hoga, and in that of oxen for frcm fifty to eighty hourp, after which they are taken dov/n and prepared in various ways for being placed upon the market. Tho whole proceaa is, through the kindness of Messrs Armour and Co.. open to inspection by visitors,, but at the best it is a gruesome spectacle. I have frankly admitted it was far from pleaaanb to behold ; yet from thab vieib bo the stockyards I gained a better idea than I ever had before of what bhe highesb act of Hebrew worship must havo been when ab bhe Passover the Temple courts were converted inbo veritable shambles. Think of Solomon ab the dedication of- hi? Temple sacrificing ' sheep and oxen that could nob bo told or numbered for multitude,' or Kinc Hezekiah consecrating to the knife 600 oxen and 3,C00 eheop, or the good Josiah giving to the peoplo for Passover offerings 30,000 lambs and kids and 3,000 bullocks. One has just to stand a day in Armour's killing house to understand what the sacrificial worship of the Old Testament meant, — of course, only as bo outward form — and to perceive whab a wide step in advance has been taken by the spiritual service of bhe New Testament Churoh. (To be Continued.) ;