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Chapter II. What Poverty Threatened: Of Granite And Brass

           Itwasacityofover500,000,withtheambition,thedaring,theactivityofametropolisofamillion.Itsstreetsandhouseswerealreadyscatteredoveranareaofseventy-fivesquaremiles.Itspopulationwasnotsomuchthrivinguponestablishedcommerceasupontheindustrieswhichpreparedforthearrivalofothers.Thesoundofthehammerengagedupontheerectionofnewstructureswaseverywhereheard.Greatindustriesweremovingin.Thehugerailroadcorporationswhichhadlongbeforerecognisedtheprospectsoftheplacehadseizeduponvasttractsoflandfortransferandshippingpurposes.Street-carlineshadbeenextendedfaroutintotheopencountryinanticipationofrapidgrowth.Thecityhadlaidmilesandmilesofstreetsandsewersthroughregionswhere,perhaps,onesolitaryhousestoodoutalone—apioneerofthepopulouswaystobe.Therewereregionsopentothesweepingwindsandrain,whichwereyetlightedthroughoutthenightwithlong,blinkinglinesofgas-lamps,flutteringinthewind.Narrowboardwalksextendedout,passinghereahouse,andthereastore,atfarintervals,eventuallyendingontheopenprairie.

           Inthecentralportionwasthevastwholesaleandshoppingdistrict,towhichtheuninformedseekerforworkusuallydrifted.ItwasacharacteristicofChicagothen,andonenotgenerallysharedbyothercities,thatindividualfirmsofanypretensionoccupiedindividualbuildings.Thepresenceofamplegroundmadethispossible.Itgaveanimposingappearancetomostofthewholesalehouses,whoseofficeswereuponthegroundfloorandinplainviewofthestreet.

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