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17 Tuesday Jany 22d

   At 6½ O'clock after paying our bills at the meanest Hotel we have been in yet we start for Chicago - go as far as Freeport on the Illinois Central RR distance about 60 miles - here we take the Galena and Chicago line which passed through some very flourishing towns - one in particular Rockford a most delightful place. - at 5 o'clock after rather a hard days ride we are in Chicago - stop at the Briggs Hotel the first Hotel in Chicago kept by messrs French & Floyd - Mr Floyd was formerly  a conductor on the Norfolk County Rail Road afterward Superintendent of the Boston and New York Central and proved himself equally acceptable as a Landlord. - we find that he has just gone to Boston, so that we shall not see him. -

Wednesday Jany. 23d

   Arose at the early hour of 8 o'clock and after sitting down to splendid breakfast we take a stroll about the city. - visit the music [?Warerooms?] as Morse wishes to go to work - does not succeed very well. - all supplied at present. - Chicago is a very large and thrifty city, and probably growing faster than any other inland city in the country - it seems alive with business of all kinds - there are some elegant Wholesale Stores down next the river. and then come the retail Stores which are equally as good particularly on Lake Street which will compare very favorably with Boston or New York - but the Streets and sidewalks are decidedly behind the times. there is great danger of ones falling at almost every crossing. and in the night as they are covered with ice I consider it extremely dangerous.  there is a fast sett of people here who I should think from appearance mean to "go it while they're young". - Sleighing is pretty good here now and the way the Horses are put through is a caution. - fast Horses, and fast Women. seem to be the leading articles here. - in the evening we visited Higgins Bros music store and heard them gas awhile. - mercy to hear these western people talk one would think that