ROUND THE WORLD.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 34, 26 August 1893, Page 137

ROUND THE WORLD.

AN AUCKLAND GIRL'S VISIT TO AMERICA. (CONTINVKII.) Chicago itself, in the heart of the city, is very dingy, aud in that respect uninviting, the post oflice and Custom house being, in fact, quite black from heavy deposition of soot. This is caused, 1 am told, from soft coal being burned by manufacturers, although the authorities have several times attempted to enforce the burning of hard coal. Hut there are very fine buildings in the city, and some are the tallest in the world, the Masonic Temple being twenty one or twenty-two stories high, and many others from twelve to sixteen. It seems, however, an order has gone forth that no more are to be higher thin ten stories. 1 cannot say whether this is because the authorities fear the bottom will drop out of the place, but it seems Chicago has only thirty feet of sand between it and the Lake (Michigan), and water is always to be got at eight feet, so that some irate divine, who has opposed the opening of the Exhibition on Sunday, now predicts that there will be a fearful judgment fall upon the place very soon. In digging lire foundation for some big structure they will tap the water to such an extent that the whole place will be swept away by a Hood—as a judgment for the great wickedness of the people here ; and only to think of it, this place fifty years ago was composed of a swamp, a fort, and a few scattered houses. Now she is called the greatest and grandest city of her age the world ever saw, with a population of over a million and abbar,l r , and this has been accomplished by the energy of her people; but it almost seems a shame to rise onyx and marble and fine polished granites for building to be so soon smothered in soot. Some of the businesses done here are immense in extent, and take the character of general providers, where you can buy everything you want. I will only give Giegel, Cooper and Co. as an instance. The building is 400 x 150, fire-proof, and ten stories. It has a floor space of about fifteen acres. The power, plant, aud stables occupy another 50.000 feet. There are 18 elevators run by 54 steam engines. They use 65 wagons and 150 horses for delivering goods. There are 2 600 employes regularly employed, and at holiday times 3,500 are engaged. The turnover is more than ten millions a year ; and this is only one of many such like.

Out of the purely business portion of the city, the residences are, some of them, very line, and almost invariably surrounded with grass plots, without fences, as I have frequently mentioned before. Flowers are very scarce when we think of the profusion in California, but in the parks the fancy flower beds are things to be remembered. There are many parks scattered around, and very fine carriage drives. The grand Boulevard leading to Washington Park is from 24 to 3 miles long, 200 feet wide, with trees up the sides and grass plots; and it must be said whoever has had the laying out of this city has provided well and proved himself far-seeing in this respect. The country is as level as a bowling green, and to give diversity to the landscape in the parks artificial ponds have been created, and the earth dug out utilised to raise gentle mounds here ami there. In Lincoln Park (400 acres in extent) north of the city, the drives are lovely, and there are no fences enclosing it from the city, the citizen wandering all over the place as he listeth with a freedom quite pleasing to behold. There are boats for hire, and pony carts, etc., etc., aud a great free show of wild beasts, and fine conservatory. Jackson Park is occupied at present as the great show grounds, but it will revert to its former condition when all is over as a pleasaunce for the people. In Washington Park the flower beds are works of art, the equal of which I have never seen before. Large gorgeous butterflies, about 30 feet by 20, are apparently resting on a slope of ground moat beautifully imitated, and two rolls of carpet, partly unrolled, ate calculated to deceive anyone who does not walk close up to them. There are also flags and banners, anil imitation hearth-rugs, and ‘ Hail, Columbia,' set to music, the first few bars. In carrying out all these designs great use is made of the thick-leaved saucer like plant, which is, I believe, called orcaveria. But the crowning glory of the decorations are the large steps, and gates, and walls, all flowers and orcaveria—with grand carpet laid down the steps ; the calendar of the month—produced fresh every day so that all who run may read ; a large terrestrial globe, 25 or 30ft in diameter, showing the continents aud islands on this earth of ours ; and a large sun dial, which does its work faithfully and well. For the globe, sun dial, and gates, I suppose, a frame of net-work is first formed, through which the flowers and orcaveria grow. F.L.W. (To be continued).