THE GROWTH OF CHICAGO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2510, 11 August 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE GROWTH OF CHICAGO.

Chicago, by the cud of last year, had a population loiknncd atneurly 800,000, or, including its suburbs, 950,000. The value of its trade in 18S7 is set down at £227,000,000 ; its aggregate bank clearings were £012,000,000 ; the amount of its bunk deposits, £5,000,000 ten years ago, was £1G,•'500,000 in December last. The city post-office handled 248,000,000 missives within the year ; its stores and elevators received 101,000,000 bushels of breadstuff* ; its stockyards of •2,352,000 head of rattle alone ; the valuo of the goods turned out of its factories was estimated at £53,000,000. During the year twenty miles of frontage of new buildings, costing in nil £-1,000,000, were constructed. A. now tunnel four miles long is tcirig run out nndor Lake Michigan to bring in a supply of- pure water for the growing needs of tlio population, and the existing tunnel will he extended two miles. There was an increase of 50 per cent in flour and 25 per cent in wheat receipts compared with 18SG, the cattle receipts "beat the record" by nearly 500,000 head; the value of the output of the Chicago iron foundries rose from £9,647,000 to £12,015,000, and the city sprang into the place of the second publishing centre in the States. But a poor trade was done in Indian corn—little more than 50,000,000 bushels were shipped ; the hog-packing business was nought—a miserable 55,000,000 porkers only being handled. Notwithstanding, Chicago, is, on the whole, pretty well pleased with the figures of the year ; and in this respect Chicago is not easily pleased. But in the present year it expects to beat all previous experience in growth of population, and in growth of trade and profits, if monopolists and strikers will but give it a chance.