USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > History of Chicago : historical and commercial statistics, sketches, facts and figures, republished from the "Daily Democratic press" ; What I remember of early Chicago, a lecture, delivered in McCormick's hall, January 23, 1876 (Tribune, January 24th) > Part 1
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M. L.
Americana Collection
REFERENCE
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02482 4960
Gc 977.302 C43bro Bross, William, 1813-1890. History of Chicago
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HISTORY OF CHICAGO
HISTORICAL AND COMMERCIAL STATISTICS,
SKETCHES,
Facts and Figures,
REPUBLISHED FROM THE
"DAILY DEMOCRATIC PRESS."
What I Remember of Early Chicago;
A LECTURE,
DELIVERED IN MCCORMICK'S HALL, JANUARY 23, 1876,
( Tribune, January 24th,)
By WILLIAM BROSS,
Ex-Lieut. Governor of Illinois.
+ 330.9773
B 79h
CHICAGO :
JANSEN, MCCLURG & CO., BOOKSELLERS, PUBLISHERS, ETC.
1876.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, BY JANSEN, MCCLURG & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
RAND, MCNALLY & CO., PRINTERS, CHICAGO.
INTRODUCTORY.
1 1186769
$7,50
Car
The records from which I prepared the "History of Chicago " for the Democratic Press, in the winter of 1854, were all burned in our great fire of 1871. Though at first sight this history may not seem to be of much importance, it may interest somebody " a hundred years hence" to read what was recorded by our earliest settlers. They may like also to see the names of our pioneers, who in spite of every discouragement made their homes in Chicago. For several years the Democratic Press published annually an exhaustive review of our railway system and its progress ; also of the Commerce of the city, and other matters tending to illustrate its growth and future prospects. From those which I prepared myself I have made a few extracts, simply to show facts as they then existed. The brief addresses are inserted for the same purpose. In that at Des Moines, Jan. 22, 1873, will be found a short description of the proposed Georgian Bay Canal. I believe I have the only complete file of the paper in which these articles were published ; the others having been destroyed by the fire of 1871. This is another reason for republishing them ; and, besides, as I said in my recent lecture, "I recognize the duty of placing on record -as myself and others doubtless have often been urged to do-what I know personally of the history of Chicago. Though this may require a too frequent use of the personal pronoun, if each citizen would do it, Chicago would have what no other city has-a history from its earliest times by its living inhabitants." Need I make any further apology for any appa- rent egotism that may appear in the following pages ?
1
W. B.
CHICAGO, March, 1876.
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CONTENTS.
Address at Montreal-Opening of the Grand Trunk Railway
Canadian Water Routes-Address, etc.
Commercial Statistics, 1852.
Commercial and Railway Statistics, 1853
Commercial and Railway Statistics, 1857 Commercial Statistics, 1875.
Georgian Bay Canal
Great Fire of 1871
Interview of New York Tribune
Growth of the West, (Address)
History of Chicago, 1854.
Yankee Clock Peddler
Illinois and Michigan Canal
Black Hawk War
P. F. W. Peck
Sumptuary-Price of Whisky, etc.
First election, 1833 Taxes in 1832
Indian Treaty
Census of 1837
First " Loafer "
Real Estate
Churches
Banks
Labor
Manifest Destiny
History of Chicago-Address Jan. 23, 1876
Mayors of Chicago
Population of Chicago
Railways, etc., 1855
Railways, etc., 1856
Topography of Chicago, etc. Scripps, John Locke Ray, Dr. Chas. H.
Chicago in 1846
Traveling in 1848
Building Stone
Water Supply
John S. Wright
Democratic Press
Old Citizens, etc.
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Historical and Commercial Statistics, 1853.
Water Works, Improvements, etc.
What I Remember of Early Chicago, 1876 Trade of Chicago-Its Extent, etc., 1875 Transportation, cheap-Address at Des Moines, 1873
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Grain-Greatest Primary Port in the World, 1854
Commercial Crises
Chicago's Needs-Address before New York Chamber of Commerce.
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Massacre of Chicago
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
1852.
The past has been a year of unexampled prosperity, and our city has shared largely in the general progress of the country. In no former year has so much been done to place its business upon a permanent basis, and extend its commerce. By the exten- sion of the Galena Railroad to Rockford, we have drawn to this city the trade of portions of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minne- sota, that hitherto sought other markets ; and when our roads reach the Father of Waters, as two of them will within the present year, we may expect an avalanche of business, for which we fear all our wholesale houses will not be prepared.
The opening of the Rock Island Rail- road, Oct 18th to Joliet, Jan. 5th to Mor- ris, Feb. 14th to Ottawa, and to La Salle March 10th, has brought customers during the winter from a different direction, and made an unusually "lively winter " for our business men. The extension of this and other roads must tend to add to our activity and permanent prosperity in an increasing ratio.
In order that the files of the Democratic Press may be perfect as a source for fu- ture reference, we avail ourselves of the labors of one of its editors while connected with another paper, and republish a state- ment prepared by him, of the business of the city prior to the year 1851.
The press of the city, previous to the year 1849, neglected to publish connected statements of the business of the city ; but we are nevertheless not without some recorded facts of the past, which will serve to show how rapid has been the growth of Chicago, how great the increase of her commerce. In some of the earliest "Di- rectories," we find collected various inter-
esting statistics on this subject, which, although not as full as could be wished, are yet highly satisfactory in the absence of more definite statements. Through the politeness of T. HOYNE, Esq., we have been placed in possession of a memorial to Congress, praying for an appropriation for the improvement of the Chicago har- bor, embodying statistics from 1836 to 1842, inclusive. We also find in the Report of the late Judge Thomas, made in compliance with a resolution of the River and Harbor Convention, which assembled in this city in 1847, the fullest collection of the com- mercial statistics of Chicago from 1836 up to 1848, that, we presume, is extant. From these three sources we compile the follow- ing facts, which will be read with interest by every one identified with the prosperity of our city.
Up to the year 1836, provisions, for do- mestic consumption, were imported along with articles of merchandise; and indeed, many articles of necessary food continued to be brought in for several years later. In 1836 there were exported from the port of Chicago, articles of produce of the value of $1,000.64. We have felt a great curi- osity to know what articles constituted this first year's business, but have sought in vain for any other record save that which gives the value. The next year, the ex- ports had increased to $11,065; in 1838 they reached the sum of $16,044.75. In 1839 they more than doubled the year pre- vious, while in 1840 they had increased to what was then doubtless regarded as the very large sum of $328,635.74! This was progressing in a ratio very seldom equalled in the history of citics, and must have caused no little exhilaration among the
6
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
business men of Chicago, as well as ad- vanced the views of fortunate holders of water and corner lots.
We are informed in Judge Thomas' Re- port, that a "small lot of beef was shipped from Chicago as early as 1833, and was followed each successive year by a small consignment of this article, and also of pork." Some idea of the extent of the first consignment may be formed from the fact that three years after, the total exports of the place were valued at $1,000.64. It was truly a small beginning, and gave but slight promise of the great extent to which, as the sequel will show, this branch of business has grown. The same authority informs us that the first shipment of wheat from this port was made in the year 1839. In 1842 the amount shipped reached 586,907 bushels, and in 1848, 2,160,000 bushels were shipped out of the port of Chicago. Since that period there has been a material fall- ing off until the past year, in the annual exports of wheat, owing to a partial fail- ure of the crop each succeeding year, and from the fact that farmers are paying more attention to other products.
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
Our time and limits will not permit us to enter into a detailed statement of the improvements made for the past year. Suffice it to say, that more progress has been made than at any former period. Elegant residences have been built in all parts of the city, splendid blocks of stores have been erected on our principal streets, and the limits of the inhabited part of the city have been greatly extended.
On the 20th of February, 1852, the Mich- igan Southern Railroad was opened to this city. The depot is located near Gurnee's Tannery, on the South Branch. The Rock Island Railroad have built their depot di- rectly opposite. A year since, there were only a few old buildings in that neighbor- hood, and it was considered far "out of town." Now nearly the whole of Clark street is built up as far south as the depot, and there has been an important addition made to the city where, a year since, it was open prairie.
The Michigan Central Railroad was opened to Chicago on Friday, May 21st.
Grounds for the depot were leased a short distance below Twelfth street, on the lake shore. The buildings are temporary, as it is intended to establish the depot for this road and the Illinois Central, between the foot of Randolph street and the south pier. Hence no permanent buildings have been put up where the depot now stands, and no very considerable addition has been made to the city in that vicinity.
In the summer season, both these lines furnish a direct steam communication with the cities on the seaboard. About the 1st of January last, all the railroad lines along the south shore of Lake Erie were com- pleted, and these, with the Erie Railroad and the Michigan Southern, give us a di- rect railroad line to New York. This has formed an era in the history of Chicago, which will always be regarded with inter- est, Our merchants who, in the depth of winter, were obliged to consume some two weeks in staging through Canada mud " up to the hub," in order to purchase their goods for the spring trade, can now go through, and enjoy the luxury of a com- fortable railroad car, in two days. In the course of the year, the Canada Railroad, connecting Detroit with Buffalo, will be finished-when we shall have a choice of routes to the East, at all seasons; and within two or three years, the Fort Wayne and Logansport Railroads will open two other routes.
CONCLUSION.
The facts above given, we think, will convince the most skeptical, that the march of improvement at the West is onward. They show an increase in population, wealth and resources, which must prove exceedingly gratifying to all our citizens. They will serve to extend the conviction, now almost universal, that Chicago is des- tined to become the great commercial cen- tre of the Northwest, and among the first, if not the first, city in the Mississippi Val- ley. Her position at the head of a thousand miles of lake navigation, gives her a com- manding influence. She has no levee to be inundated, causing the destruction of millions of property. Neither is she situ- ated upon a river, whose navigable capac- ity the clearing up of the country will be
7
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
*
liable to affect. She is subject to no floods nor inundations. To the north, west and south, almost boundless prairies and groves are inviting the toil of the husbandman to develop their treasures and yield a rich reward to honest industry. In all the ele- ments of wealth, their resources are ex- haustless. The mineral treasures of Lake Superior will soon pay tribute to Chicago; and our railroads in a few months will have reached the lead regions of the Gale- na district. The Rock Island and the Illinois Central Railroads will soon pene- trate the most extensive coal field in the United States, and in fact in the world, and our commerce, and more especially our manufactures, must increase in a ratio far beyond what has hitherto been realized.
Within the next five years the railroads that will be completed and centre in this city will extend more than three thousand miles. If we should add the extensions of these trunk lines to their ultimate limits, their aggregate lengths would amount to tens of thousands. Within five years we expect to be in railroad connection with
Milwaukee and Madison, Wis.,-with Du- buque and Council Bluffs, Rock Island, St. Louis, Cairo, New Orleans, Mobile, Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S. C., Rich- mond, Va., Washington, Baltimore, Phil- adelphia, New York, Boston, Portland, and " the rest of mankind." A bright fu- ture is therefore before the " GARDEN CITY." Let our merchants and mechan- ics, our artisans and business men gener- ally, understand the advantages which our commanding commercial position affords. Let them, with becoming prudence, but with far-seeing, intelligent views as to what the spirit of the age and the stirring times in which we live demand, gird them- selves for the work of making Chicago the great commercial emporium of the Mississippi Valley. The prize is within their grasp; let them show the world that they are worthy, and the rich commerce of the prairies and the lakes will most certainly crown their efforts with success. -From the Annual Review of the Demo- cratic Press, for the year 1852.
The figures embodied in this review have been quoted in every succeeding document of the kind, and being accessible in the Board of Trade Reports every year, need not be repeated here.
8
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
-
1853.
In the winter of 1854, I prepared and published four articles on the business and progress of the city for the year previous. Of these articles, in pamphlet form, we sold 15,000 copies, besides an immense edition of the paper containing them. Our citizens scattered them all over this country and Europe, and it was be- lieved at the time that they had a marked effect upon the growth and prosperity of the city. The first one, entitled
CHICAGO AND HER RAILROADS,
was issued January 31st. The fol- lowing extracts are from the closing paragraphs of that article :
As the mathematician, after he has wearied himself amid the intricacies of long, difficult theorems, at length arrives at the summation of the series, so it re- mains for us to give a synopsis of our arti- cle, that our readers may the better be able to comprehend the great railroad system that has its centre in Chicago.
The following is the total number of roads in process of construction, with the proposed extension and branches of each:
MILES.
Chicago and Milwaukee 90
Milwaukee and Fond du Lac. 60
Racine and Beloit Railroad. 65
Illinois and Wisconsin to Janesville. 881%
Fond du Lac Branch, Janesville to Fond du Lạc 78
Madison Branch
35
South Wisconsin, Janesville to Dubuque ___ 98
Galena and Chicago Union, Chicago to Free- port 121
Fox River Valley Railroad. 34
Wisconsin Central 150
Beloit Branch of the Galena. 20
Beloit and Madison Railroad 47%
Milwaukee and Mississippi, Western Divis-
ion, Madison to Prairie du Chien 96
Madison and St. Paul Railroad 300 Milwaukee and LaCrosse. Western Division 180 Madison and Lake Superior 275
MILES.
Chicago and Galena Air Line, Chicago to Ful- ton City 135 Lyons Iowa Central, Fulton to Council Bluffs _ 308 Chicago, St. Charles and Mississippi Air Line to Savanna 130 Chicago and St. Charles Branch to Galena 30
Galena and Minnesota 250
Iowa Central Air Line 325
Chicago and Aurora Railroad to Mendota 89
Central Military Tract Railroad. 84 Peoria and Oquawka, Western Division 40 Burlington and Missouri Railroad 220
Northern Cross Railroad, Galesburg to Quincy 120
Hannibal and Missouri. 205
Chicago and Rock Island Railroad 181
Mississippi and Missouri, 1st Division. 300
2d
300
3d Mus-
catine to Cedar Rapids. 50
Peoria and Bureau Valley Railroad 47
Peoria and Warsaw Railroad 90 Peoria and Hannibal Railroad 120
Peoria to Illinoistown, opposite St. Louis . 180 Peoria and Oquawka, Eastern Division ... 50
Chicago and Mississippi, Alton to Chicago __ 265 Great Western, Naples to Springfield 65 Alton, Illinoistown and Murphysboro' 114 Illinois Central Railroad_ 704
Wabash Valley Railroad. 360
Chicago and Logansport Railroad to Cincin- nati 280
Fort Wayne and Chicago 145
Mich. South. and North. Indiana 242
Cincinnati, Peru and Chicago Railroad 70 Michigan Central Railroad. 282
New Albany and Salem Railroad 284
Total-14 Trunk and 34 Extension and Branch Lines. 7,803
But lest any venerable " croaker,"
" with spectacles on nose," should still be in doubt as to our commercial facilities, we submit one more list.
The following table exhibits the num- ber of railroads that are now in operation, leading into this city, with the number of miles that are now completed :
MILES.
Illinois and Wisconsin, to Deer Grove 32
Galena and Chicago Union, to Freeport. 121 Beloit Branch of the Galena. 20 Galena Air Line, to Lane, Ogle Co. 75 Chicago, St. Charles and Mississippi Air Line .. 10
Chicago and Aurora 89
Chicago and Rock Island 181
Chicago and Mississippi, Alton to Blooming- ton 132
Great Western, Naples to Springfield 65
Illinois Central 252
Mich. South. and North. Indiana, to Toledo 242
Michigan Central 282
New Albany and Salem 284
Total -- 10 Trunk and 3 Branch and Exten-
sion Lines
1,785
-
9
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
On these roads there will be daily leaving and entering the city, on the first of May next, forty-six trains, making, in all, ninety-two trains per day over the roads, to accommodate our travel and commerce. Here is a fact, which, had we time, it would be worth while to stop and contemplate. A fact of still greater significance is, that less than two years ago we had only one railroad entering the city-the Galena and Chicago Union-and that was finished only a few miles. Now we have 1,785 miles, counting only two States from our own, and by the first of December we shall have 2,979} miles. Can it be wondered at that our city has doubled its population within the same time, and that the price of real estate and business of all kinds have increased in a corresponding ratio. Splendid fortunes have been made in two years. Men who were trading in small seven-by-nine wooden tenements, now find a splendid brick store too small to accommodate their customers. Real estate in the suburbs of the city that could have been bought five years ago for fifty dollars per acre, is now worth five thousand, and many fortunate specu- lators have realized splendid fortunes. The rise in real estate is by no means con- fined to a few shrewd operators. From the first our citizens generally have been determined to have a home of their own. Generally they would purchase a lot eighty feet front, and often four or even ten times that amount. The rise in the value of their homes, so much larger than was necessary in a city, has placed many a family in easy circumstances.
But will some cautious wiseacre ask, Are these things to continue? We will not stop to answer the question, but will simply say, on the first of January next we shall have 3,000 miles of railroad lead- ing into the city, and by a year from that time it will be entirely safe to add an- other thousand. How much it will aug- ment the business of the city, and appre- ciate the value of real estate to double the miles of railroad centreing liere, and to double the population of the city, and also of the magnificent country which is tributary to it, we shall leave the ultra
cautious to estimate. The railroads will' certainly be finished, but we shall not hazard an opinion as to the population of the city or the price of real estate on the first of January, 1856. We hope to be wiser then, and we know our readers will, if we and they live to see that " happy new year." Time will show.
There is another most important fact that should be considered, in speaking of Chicago, as a great railroad centre. She has not, in her corporate capacity, invest- ed a single dollar in any of them. While the bonds of other cities are hawked about in Wall street to build railroads that in turn are expected to build the cities in which they terminate, Chicago has prudently kept aloof from all such dan- gerous speculations. All our roads have been projected and will be built by pri- vate enterprise. This shows that capital- ists have placed abundant confidence in our commercial position, and the result is demonstrating most clearly that they have judged correctly. We refer to this mat- ter with peculiar satisfaction, and we are sure it will have an important bearing in shaping the future destiny of the city.
It may be answered, that the city would have made large sums by investing her credit in railroad stocks. It is true that Galena stock, and that of several of our other roads, sell at prices that aston- ish Eastern capitalists, who are ignorant of the resources of the Central States, and the cheapness with which our roads are built. The stock, however, sells for no more than it is really worth, and we should not be surprised to see it attain a much higher figure. But experience has shown that, where cities become in- volved in extensive schemes of internal improvement, corrupt demagogues gener- ally find means to fatten upon the public treasury, and, in the end, bring ruin and disgrace upon the community whose con- fidence they had managed to secure. From all such dangers Chicago is entirely free. She has, it is true, issued her bonds to construct the water works, and slie has, in addition, a small floating debt. But the water works will, in a few years, liqui- date the debt contracted for their con-
10
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
struction, and she can, without serious in- convenience, pay all her other liabilities in, at most, three or five years. The im- portant fact is worth repeating, that Chi- cago, a city that will have three thousand miles of railroad in operation centreing in it, on the first of January next, DOES NOT OWE A SINGLE DOLLAR . FOR THEIR CON- STRUCTION.
Our task is accomplished. We ask our citizens to contemplate the magnifi- cent system of public works that has been completed in two short years. The
past is certain. To the future let us look, and gird ourselves for the work that is before us. From almost every place in the Union, and from across the wide At- lantic, the industrious and the enterpris- ing are seeking a home in the " Garden City." Let us give them a warm-hearted, generous welcome. Along our broad streets, or upon our wide-spread, beautiful prairies, we have ample room for them all. Let them come and identify them- selves with the great central commercial city of the Central States!
3 1833 02482 4960
11
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
FEBRUARY, 1854.
After we published our article on " CHICAGO AND HER RAILROADS," Jan. 31st, it occurred to us that a short sketch of the history of Chicago would not prove unacceptable to our readers. At first we intended merely a brief notice, to show her rapid growth, in connection with our Annual Review of the business of the city. The more we studied the subject, and consulted those who have been here since the wolves were accustomed to visit every part of the city in the night, and the wigwam of the painted savage dotted the prairie on every side, the more have facts accumulated upon our hands, till now our only difficulty is to know what to reject. The rapid growth of the city within the last eight years-her immense increase in wealth and population-the proud position she has assumed among the commercial cities of the Union, and the certainty that her march will be ONWARD, till she yields in importance only to New York, have created a very general desire among a portion of our own citizens, and especially in the Eastern States, to know more of her past history as well as her present resources and future prospects. The history of Chicago is intimately con- nected with the settlement and growth of the other parts of the State, and it will be equally interesting to notice in a few paragraphs some facts in relation to the settlement of this part of the Mississippi Valley.
The origin of the term Illinois is given in the " Western Annals," edited by Rev. J. M. Peck, as follows: " The name Illinois is derived from Leno, 'man.' The Dela- ware Indians call themselves Lenno-Le- nape, which means 'original, or unmixed men.' The term manly men, to distin- guish themselves from mean, trifling men, would convey the exact idea. The tribes
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