DEscRrPTIVE LETTERS.
Returning, and looking through the house,I found almost every-   For a quarter of a centurythe growth of the villa
thing changed. Two American, and three Irish families had occuped  Slow, as shown by the fact, that, in 1830, there wer,
it since we left, and each, evidently thinking that they would soon  in the village, with three suburban residences on
leave, did not pretend to make any improvements for their successors entire population, whites, half breeds, and negroes
to enjoy. To sum up the description of the house - It has never been  hundred. That was forty years ago.
painted since we left; the door yard fence is gone; the wood-house  I should have told you that Chicago has a river,
has been removed; the out-door c,llar has caved in; the wagon-   the cause of the wonderful commercial growth o
house leans so badly it is liable to fal over at any time; the house years, which, at the time of its discovery, was two
itself, in a few years, will go the way of the fences; and most of the  and twenty feet deep, with banks so steep, that yes
out buildings are already gone. Nearly every American family that  to the water's edge, and receive their lading. A
once lived here has gone West: the population of the vicinity, at the  from the mouth of the river,he stream divides;
present time, being largely made up of Irish. Another generation,  of the stream, being known as the North Side; tha,
and, it Is probable, scarcely an American will be left to tell the tale.  the West Side; and that south of the river, the S
Though sorrowing to see the wreck of our old home, I'am greatly    At that time, the North Side was covered with a d
enjoying the visit. The scenery is truly beautiful; though, unfortu.  walnut and other trees, in which were bears, wolv
nately, the people here know nothing of Its b(auties, and it takes us  deer and other game in great abundance; while tI
some years on the level plains of the West to learn to appreciate it.  the business center, Nas alow, swampy piece of grou
One thing must be said of the people here, however, especially the  of wild geese aundducks.  ere the court house i
Americans that are lift - they take their full measure of enjoyment,  which was navigable  all boats. On the 1
With continuous snow four months in the year, the winter is made up  among the sedgy g     a wild onion, which
of sleigh-riding to parties and festal occasions; the sunshine of  Chkago, and hence       of theciy-
spring is the sigpal for maple sugar making, and sugaring-off parties;  On a summer day   , the first vessel un(
the hard work of summer is broken up by fishing, berrying, and fr-  mouth of the river,   the first frame house
quent excursions to various parts of the country; the fall is charac-  W. Dole, and stood  southeast corner of D
terized by apple parings and corn huskings; so that with their maple  Waterstreets. At a n  for township rustees
sugar, berries, cream, trout, honey, and pumpkin pies, they are about  one years since, thre twenty-eight voters.
the best livers and happiest people I ever met. I never knew till I  less than 5,000 people  place. Thus you set
returned that they enjoyed themselves so well.                  fifth in the order of the population in the United
I will continue the record of my visit in my next.             from 5,000 to 300,000 in thirty-three years.
Yours Affecti(Mately,           It is needless for me to describe the wonderfully i
ALFRED T. WEEKS.         the city since the fire. You have heard all about
tell you more especially is concerniDg our relati
William and James, you recollect perhaps, all o
They worked that summer for diff         es,
Descriptive Letter.                         spring when, In the summer of I    each of t
labored for failed, uncle John had due him $150.,
From a Young Lady Visiting Chicago, to her Parents in the       thought, he was able to settle the claim at fifty cent
East.                                with the $75, he left the place in disgust, and went t
in Dupage County, a little distance west of Chcag.
CDEAio Inn, June , 18NS                                     could not get a cent. He even proposed to take $
were due him, but cash could not possibly be ob
Having been the rounds among our relatives here, I settled his claim by taking six acres of swampy
I seat myself to give you something of an idea of this wonderful  Side, which he vainly tried to sell for several y-
city, in many respects ohe of the most remarkable on the face of the  leave the city, but, unable to do so, he continued t