To most foreign visitors and even to many Americans the growth of Chicago is its most impressive feature. Within a little more than 100 years Chicago has grown from a settlement of 14 houses, a frontier military post among the Indians to a great metropolis, the second city in America and fourth in size among the cities of the world. In 1829 what is now the business centre was fenced in as a pasture; in 1831 the Chicago mail was deposited in a dry goods box; the tax levy of 1834 was $48.90, and a well that constituted the city's water-system was sunk at a cost of $95.50. In 1843 hogs were by ordinance barred from the streets. There are residents of Chicago still living who can remember the early days when the first village school stood on the ground now occupied by the Boston Store at Dearborn and Madison Sts. Some even insist they remember when wolves were trapped on the site of the present Tribune building. In the early period the streets of the little town were thick with mire in the rainy season, and it is said that signs were placed at appropriate points with inscriptions such as "No Bottom Here," "Stage Dropped Here," etc. The first improvement of note in Chicago was an inclined plank road in Lake St., arranged with a gutter in the center for drainage. It was the only safe route over which stage coaches from the west could enter the town. In 1830 with a population of less than 100, in 1840 with 4,479, the increase by percentages in succeeding decades was as follows: 507, 265, 174, 68, 119, 54, 29, and (1910 to 1920) 23. Approximately 75 per cent of Chicago's population is of foreign birth or parentage. This foreign population is made up principally of Germans, about 50 per cent, Irish 12, Austrian 13, Russian 10, Swedish 6, Italian 4, Canadian, including French Canadians, 4, and English 4. It has been said that Chicago is "the second largest Bohemian city in the world, the third Swedish, the fourth Norwegian, the fifth Polish and the fifth German (New York being the fourth)." This ought not to be construed, however, as a reflection on the fundamental Americanism of Chicago's citizens. The growth in area has kept pace with the growth in population. As originally plotted in 1830, the town had an area of a little less than half a square mile; today it covers an area of practically 200 Sq.M. Its greatest length (north and south) is 26 M., and the greatest width (east and west) is 9 M. The Chicago River with its three, branches divides the city into three sections--the North, South and West sides. Technically the downtown or "loop" district (so-called because of the elevated railway which encircles the central business section) belongs to the south side, though usually it is classified separately.