USA > Illinois > Cook County > Growth of Cook County; a history of the large lake-shore county that includes Chicago, Vol. I > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
That did it. The likable, gentle-natured Frank Venecek,
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
LĂMD FULES A
Oak Forest hospital patients are remembered at Christmas with gifts donated by various organizations.
long-time superintendent at Oak Forest, "blew his stack."
"I'll answer that," spumed Venecek. "In the first place, Mr. Negri-you say he is an efficiency expert ?- doesn't even know how to count. Maybe three little pigs were hiding behind some old sow when he was looking-if he did look.
"And in the second place, Mr. Negri wouldn't know a beet from a ragweed. Furthermore, you may quote me to this effect."
That we did, in the Chicago Sun (now Sun-Times), under
293
the heading: "Efficiency Drops In On The Farm."
We never knew which man was correct, nor did it matter too much-their differences were minor, rather than major, and both men were able. But we did have fun.
Meanwhile, the board squirmed. Things were not going smoothly "down on the farm."
That might have been a logical time for the commissioners, with no help available from Oak Forest inmates because only invalids now were being admitted, to close shop and do away with the century-old farm system.
Victory Gardens In Vogue
But the board could not let go at the time. With the war on, the emphasis was upon "victory" gardens. Everybody, from a city home owner, with his eight by ten foot garden, to the biggest farmer in America, was producing foodstuffs not only for home consumption, but also for much of the outside world. Thus it was that the board had to hire outside workers to continue farm operations at a time when competent labor was scarce.
It was not until February of 1954 that farm operations were discontinued. When that occurred, however, the board not only ordered all of the old farm buildings torn down, but went "whole-hog" by ordering the demolition of even the comparatively new hog barn and slaughter house. (The latter buildings had been erected at Negri's recommendation after Negri had added the farm's management to his many duties. ) The board then rented out the tillable acres to nearby farmers.
The elimination of all farm activities came as a disappoint- ment to Negri, and he said as much to this writer. Altho he had roundly criticized farm operations for many years, one of his ambitions, as it developed, was to manage the farm himself, and he was looking forward to it with pleasure. But if the farm picture was as bad as Negri had painted it, the board
294
members reasoned, not even Negri, himself, could make it a paying proposition.
"Let's face it," Commissioner John J. Duffy was heard to remark upon one occasion. "We not only are not farmers, but why should we be in competition with those who are?"
Let us here explain that Venecek, after 25 years as superin- tendent at Oak Forest, had retired on March 1, 1949, and was succeeded by Clinton F. Smith, former superintendent of City hospital, St. Louis. (Venecek died Dec. 2, 1957.)
Negri, meanwhile, had continued as coordinator of all county institutions, the post he had held since it had been created for him in 1939. Then, on May 26, 1952, after it was learned that Superintendent Smith was resigning his post to go else- where, Negri was named temporary superintendent at Oak Forest.
As such, Negri had full charge until the appointment of Carl K. Schmidt, Jr., as superintendent at Oak Forest on Nov. 1, 1953. But even after that, Negri continued to work for several months with Schmidt until the latter became fully acquainted with his new duties. After that, Negri returned to his status of full-time institutional coordinator, which meant, in effect, that all of the county's charitable institutions were pulling together, with no overlapping, that supplies for the institutions were being purchased to the county's best advan- tage, that employes were performing their proper work, and that the taxpayer was getting the most from his precious tax dollar.
He Coordinates
During the county board meeting at which Schmidt was appointed superintendent at Oak Forest, George F. Nixon, an astute commissioner, asked some questions he said were pertinent.
"Now if we appoint you superintendent, Mr. Schmidt, where does that leave Mr. Negri?"
295
FLAT
Physical therapy is important at Oak Forest hospital. Patients (top) in leather work department; patients (bottom) in shoe repair shop.
296
Other commissioners quickly responded that Negri would continue as coordinator of all county institutions.
With that, Commissioner Nixon, who was noted for his dry humor, which sometimes bordered on withering sarcasm, turned to Negri and asked:
"Mr. Negri, will you please tell us just what it is that you do for Cook county?" As tho Nixon did not know!
But without waiting for Negri's answer, Nixon lifted an eye- brow and impaled his victim, as would Groucho Marx, in the following fashion:
"Say, for instance, Mr. Negri, that you turn up at County hospital the first thing in the morning. I suppose that while there you 'coordinate'?"
(Nixon's inflection made it sound as tho the word, coordi- nate, either was something horribly evil, or else something entirely superfluous, for which the taxpayers were burdened.)
"And after you get done 'coordinating' at County hospital," he continued, "you drive out to Oak Forest where you again 'coordinate'? Is that right?"
"That's right," responded the tortured Negri.
"I see," intoned Nixon, dropping the subject with a pitying look.
Sitting on the sidelines, County Auditor Lee J. Howard shook his head, turned to this writer, and whispered:
"That Nixon-he's a card."
Nixon was not against Negri. He was just having fun at the expense of an efficiency expert on whom it was still open season.
Negri died Feb. 4, 1955 at his home at 2327 N. Cleveland ave., Chicago. He was 66 years old.
We have praised Negri, and we have mentioned the fun that occasionally was poked at him. Quite possibly the fun- poking was brought on partly by his lack of an overwhelming sense of humor. Tho he was a pleasant, smiling man, at times he appeared a bit scared in the presence of his employers. .
297
We have tried to paint an objective picture of Negri. That we have given so much space to this man is because we believe his impact upon Cook county deserves it.
On the afternoon of Sept. 21, 1958, a ceremony observing the 50th anniversary of the beginning of construction at Oak Forest was held underneath the oak trees on the spacious lawn at the sprawling institution.
On this occasion, President Daniel Ryan traced briefly the high-lights of the great institution's history, pointing to the change-over from a poor farm to a hospital for the aged.
(As a very young man, Ryan had first been elected to the board in 1923 to fill out the unexpired term of his father, Daniel, Sr., who had died while in office. The father, like- wise, had been board president at one time.)
Commissioner William N. Erickson, who had been a com- missioner since 1934 and president from 1946 to 1954, added to the Oak Forest story. The famed Dr. Karl A. Meyer, medical superintendent of all county institutions, who had begun his internship at County hospital in 1908, the same year in which Oak Forest was started, also spoke. So did Superintendent Schmidt. But it remained for Dr. Eugene Chesrow, medical superintendent at Oak Forest since Dec. 1, 1939, to mention, in particular, the work of Negri.
"In the gradual conversion from a poorhouse to a hospital," Dr. Chesrow said, "let us not forget the work of the late Anton C. Negri. Aside from the present and past presidents and mem- bers of the county board, who have had the power of appoint- ment, no single person has done more for Oak Forest than Negri.
"A remarkable man, he made it possible for those of us on the medical staff to carry out our ideas. He worked every day, often starting at 6:30 a. m., until one short month before his death. The public owes Negri its undying gratitude for what he did for Cook county."
298
When this was said of Negri, President Ryan and the other previous speakers declared, almost in unison, "That's right."
President Ryan's speech, delivered at this 50th anniversary ceremony, briefly summarizes what has been said in this chap- ter on Oak Forest. Because of that it possibly is worth quoting in full. The speech follows:
-
----
County Board President Daniel Ryan presents typewriter to Miss Joan Wat kins, double amputee patient at Oak Forest hospital. Looking on are, left to right, Carl K. Schmidt, Jr., superintendent; John M. Szymanski, assistant super- intendent, and Dr. E. J. Chesrow, medical director.
299
President Ryan's Remarks
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished visitors, fellow county commissioners and friends, including those of you who are patients.
We welcome you to this relatively simple, yet significant ceremony in which we are observing the 50th anniversary of the founding of our great Cook county institution, the Oak Forest hospital.
We would have been remiss to have let this half-century mark slip by without observation.
Since the announcement of our proposed ceremonies a few days ago, many congratulatory letters have been received at my office, each praising the present and past county boards and the hospital employes and supervisors for the develop- ment of Oak Forest.
Such letters have been received from -
Dr. Roland R. Cross, director of public health for the state of Illinois.
Miss Loula Dunn, director of the American Public Wel- fare Association.
Howard F. Cook, executive director of the Chicago Hos- pital Council.
David M. Kinzer, executive director, Illinois Hospital Association.
Henry F. Tenney, noted attorney and former chairman of the Illinois Public Aid Commission.
Samuel A. Goldsmith, executive vice president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Dr. Edwin L. Crosby, director, American Hospital Association.
Peter W. Cahill, executive secretary, Illinois Public Aid Commission.
For these felicitations, we say "thank you," yet we all know that the real credit is due the general public for its constant financial and moral support of this great humani- tarian undertaking.
We are here today to say good-by, in effect, to a past era, one in which the county cared directly for its able-bodied
300
indigents, many of whom asked only that they be per- mitted to help in the production of farm produce with which to help feed themselves.
But now conditions have changed, principally for two rea- sons. In the first place, various federal, state and local pension aids have made it possible for deserving men and women to continue living happily in their own home surroundings.
In the second place, our own, over-crowded Cook County hospital has been able to transfer many chronically-ill, aged persons to Oak Forest. Our patients here today are brought in with our basic belief that they, given proper medical treat- ment, love and attention, can be returned to their useful place in society. Many of the patients here now are paying for their keep, tho the cost is relatively low.
Our Oak Forest hospital not only is a refuge for many who eventually will return to their own homes, but it also is a study laboratory for all America. Because of its largeness, great research institutions are observing, its work. We here are learning how to lengthen the life-span of man.
Going back a step, let us tell you something about the past history of Oak Forest, the same as I stated in a recent press release.
Most of this institution's 337 acres were purchased by the county board on Jan. 27, 1908, but the improvements were not started until late that year.
County records show that the first contract for Oak Forest improvements was let by the county board on Sept. 21, 1908, fifty years ago today. That contract was for the construction of the water works, consisting principally of a well and a few pipes that were to lead to proposed buildings.
During the next two years, the major portion of the insti- tution's original buildings were completed. These consisted of 19 infirmary buildings and a few livestock barns and granaries.
The institution was opened the first week in December, 1910, when 1731 inmates were transferred to it from the previous county poor farm at Dunning, northwest of Chi- cago. (Dunning now is operated as a state hospital for the mentally ill.)
301
A large portion of the inmates of that time, as I have pointed out, were able to work on the farm.
The population peak of 4,292 inmates was reached in January of 1932, during the depth of the depression.
From that point on, however, the nature of the institution began to change. With our Cook County hospital greatly overcrowded, we on the county board directed that more and more of our chronic disease patients be transferred to Oak Forest.
By 1954 so many of our Oak Forest inmates were hospital cases that we no longer could depend upon any of them for help on the farm, so that year we discontinued farm opera- tions, even removing the old farm buildings.
In 1956 the state department of public health licensed the entire institution to operate as two hospitals-one for the care of the chronically ill, and the other for the care of the tuber- cular.
Operated as a hospital, more bed space is required than was necessary when most of the inmates were able-bodied. That is why, even with some 60 buildings here now, we can accom- modate only about 2,300 in the chronic disease unit, and 450 in the tubercular unit.
We members of the county board are increasing the amount of bed space wherever possible, and soon shall add a four-story wing to the receiving department, creating space for another 300 beds.
From here on, for the next half-century and more, we and our successors shall continue to work for the improvement of Oak Forest. In our endeavors we humbly solicit the con- tinued cooperation and support of the public and its organ- ized representatives. All of this, with God's help. Thank you.
At the conclusion of the speech, Dr. Karl A. Meyer said:
"President Ryan's was the most factual presentation I ever have heard."
That was to have concluded our Volume I of Cook county's history, but in 1959 there occurred another event well worth
302
mentioning. That year Chicago's Junior Association of Com- merce and Industry bestowed upon Supt. Carl K. Schmidt, Jr. its annual "good government award" for his outstanding work in helping the county board to make Oak Forest hospital "one of the finest institutions in the world for the care of the chron- ically ill."
303
INDEX
Adamowski, Benjamin S., 108 Adams, Dr. Charles, 239
Adams, John Quincy, 45, 50-51
Adelman, Sy, 229
Afremow, Dr. Melvin, 249
Aged persons, humane care for, 271-74
Ahern, Michael Loftus, 185
Alling Construction Co., 268
Allison, Fran, 230
Allouez, Father, 7
Almshouse, first, 114; removal of sick to county hospital, 258 Alvord (historian), 10
American Cancer Society, 204
American Fur Co., 22, 28
American Heart Association, 204 American Medical Association, withdraws accreditation from Cook county hospital, 219-20 Amerman, Dr. George K., 176-77 Amusements, an early dance, 63-
65; early baseball games, 89-90 Andreas, History of Chicago, 54, 67, 74-75
Angle, Paul, 21
Appellate court, Illinois, judges in, 107 Arkin, Ar. Aaron, 208
Armstrong, Dr. Sinclair Howard, Jr., 208 Army Trail, 70-71
Arra, Dr. Michael C., 203
Artery bank, Cook county hospi- tal, 200
Ashenden, James F., 124, 203, 255 Astor, John Jacob, 22, 28
Audy, Arthur J., Home for Chil- dren, 167, 191, 280 Austin, Edwin C., 236
Babies, born at Cook county hospi- tal, 167, 187, 193-94 Baer, Julian W., 233 Ball, Stuart S., 236
Bancroft, History of the United States, 5
Baran, Joseph T., 148
Barrett, Edward J., 97, 146-47
Bartzen, Peter, 268, 270
Baseball, early games, 89-90
Baskam, Dr. D. W., 217
Bassoe, Dr. Peter, 224
Beaubien, Alexander F., 20-21
Beaubien, John B., 55, 57, 81
Beaubien, Mark, 20, 61-62 Beaubien, Medard, 63 Beebe, Hamilton K., 236
Belfield, Dr. William T., 224 Berg, Virgil, 21
Besley, Dr. Frederick A., 226
Big Foot, Potawatomie chief, 68 Billings, Dr. Frank, 181, 182, 184, 185-86, 187, 188, 189 Black Hawk, capture of, 32
Black Hawk war, 68, 69-71 Blaha, Dr. George C., 199, 213- 14, 226 Blain, John G., 147
Blood bank, Cook county hospi- tal, 199, 200
Board of commissioners, Cook County : election of first, 58; first meeting, 59; expenditures in 1831, 1840, and 1849, 86- 87; replaces board of supervi- sors, 101; first meeting under present organization, 101 ; meth- od of selecting president, 102; functions of, 103-11; powers set in state constitution, 106;
304
legal adviser to, 107-8; loca- tion of offices after Chicago fire, 140; responsibility for Cook county hospital, 226-27;
Pictures : assembly room with board in session (1907), 120; members of board (1914), 122 See also Commissioners, Cook county Bobrytzke, Frank, 109, 110, 111, 208, 227
Bogardus, John L., 55
Bolles, N. H., 93
Bond, Shadrach, 47
Bone bank, Cook county hospital, 200
Bonner, Charlotte, 279
Boundary dispute between Illinois and Wisconsin, 53-54 Bradstreet, Brownell T., 236
Brennan, Edmund J., 150
Brickbauer, Lydia, 245, 249 Bridges, Cook county, the first built, 62
British, cede lands east of Mis- sissippi river, 16; stir up In- dians around Fort Dearborn, 24 ; territory of ceded to U.S.A. at end of Revolution, 35-36 Bronsky, Dr. David, 209
Brown, Hon. Daniel P. Cook (cited), 50, 51 Brown, Edward Eagle, 108
Brown, Mary E., 238
Brown, Widow, 63
Brule, Etienne, 3
Brundage, Edward J., 116, 117, 123, 189, 262
Buchholz, Gustav C., 146
Buck, Thomas, 229
Budd, Britton I., 208
Building, the first constructed in Chicago by white men, 7, 9
Building and zoning, regulations, 104
Buildings, Cook county: commis- sioners request state to grant lands for public, 59; first pub- lic constructed by county, 66; for charitable institutions, 104; provision and maintenance of public, 104; proposal for ad- ministrative office building, 124; rehabilitation program, 167-68 Burg, Bartley, 122
Burnet, Wm., 21
Bushelle, Robert J., 236
Buss, C. L., 263
Busse, Fred A., 128
Busse, William, 113, 120, 122. 262, 265, 268, 270
Cahill, Peter W., 300 Calhoun, John, 76 Campbell, Mrs. William B., 236 Canal, to connect Great Lakes and Illinois river: feasibility recognized by Joliet, 6, 10; advisability of discussed by La Salle, 13; land for ceded by Indians, 28 ; land grant by Con- gress, 50; first plat of Chicago ordered by canal commission, 72. See also Illinois and Michi- gan canal; Sanitary and Ship canal
Canal, Erie, 5, 22, 70, 82
Cancer treatment, see Radiation center Carolan, Joseph, 122
Carpentier, Counties of Illinois, 40 Cartier, Jacques, 2
Cass, Lewis, 69 Cater, William H., Contracting
305
Co., 265 Caton, J. D., 81, 172
Cavelier, Abbe, 15
Cemetery, Cook county, 284-85
Cermak, Anton J., 210, 221, 273 Chamberlin, Everett, 67, 142-44 Champlain, de Samuel, 2-3
Chaplin, Charles F., 169, 208
Charity, cost in county's institu- tions of, 164; names of institu- tions, 167
Chase, Benjamin F., 177
Chase Brothers, 142
Che-ca-gua, Saux chief, 75
Che-cau-gou, meaning of, 72, 75; applied to river and to fort, 74 Chesrow, Dr. Eugene J., 256, 278, 298, 299
Chicago: site reached by Joliet and Marquette, 4-10; French fort at, 16-17; lands around opened for settlement, 32; elec- tion precinct created by Peoria county, 41; designated seat of Cook county, 58; election pre- cinct established by Cook coun- ty, 59; early boundaries, 72; incorporated as town, 72; early growth, 72-90; meanings and spellings of the name, 74-75; incorporation as city, 75; early newspapers in, 75-87; land rush in, 81-82; nicknames for city, 83, 88-89; motto, 88; nature of populace (1833), 173;
pictures : skyline in 1959, 8; city in 1820, 26;
population : in 1829 to 1837, 57; in 1835, 72; at incorpora- tion, 75; in 1839, 83; in 1950, 97; in 1985, 129.
See also City hall
Chicago, University of, see Uni-
versity of Chicago Chicago American, 229 Chicago American (early paper), 81, 83
Chicago Bar Association, 126
Chicago City Manual (1910), 129
Chicago county, creation of pro- posed, 98
Chicago Daily Democrat, 92-93, 173. See also Chicago Democrat Chicago Daily News, 213, 222- 23, 229, 230
Chicago Democrat, 75-81, 86, 174 See also Chicago Daily Demo- crat
Chicago Evening Mail, 139
Chicago fire, 131-62; losses in,
131-32; restoring county rec- ords lost in, 131-45; address at which started, 135; map of burned area, 136; location of city and county offices after fire, 140; "Burnt Record Act" passed by legislature, 140-42; marriage license issued two days after start of fire, 146-47; pos- sibility of another such catas- trophe, 149-50; dramatic de- scription of, 152-61;
pictures : O'Leary residence, 137; float depicting fire, 138; devastation of business district, 139; first building erected in burned district, 141; page of tract book saved from fire, 145; fleeing citizens, 154
Chicago Heart Association, 204 Chicago Historical Society, 21, 76, 86, 88, 92, 132, 139, 173, 174, 180, 260
Chicago Junior Association of Commerce and Industry, 303
306
Chicago Medical School, 220 Chicago portage, held by Indians, 15; used by early settlers, 32; name used by La Salle, 74 Chicago public building commis- sion, proposal for civic center, 126; power to issue bonds, 127 Chicago river, reached by Joliet and Marquette, 6, 10; Tonty portages from, to Des Plaines river, 13-14; called Che-cau- gou, 74
Chicago State hospital for mental- ly ill, Dunning, 175, 259, 271 Chicago Sun, 230, 293
Chicago Sun-Times, 229, 293 Chicago Times, 228-29
Chicago Times (1870), 89-90, 115
Chicago Title and Trust Co., 144, 145
Chicago Tribune, 89, 229, 230, 260, 291
Chicagou, chief of Illinois Indi- ans, 73
Children's hospital, erection of, 183; cardiac clinic, 198-99
Chippewa Indians, 28
Chouart, Medard, 4 Chytraus, Axel, 117 Cicero, Illinois, 97
Circuit court, held in a home, 66; removal of office of clerk, 80 Cities in' Cook county, number of, 97
City hall, decision to erect build- ing identical with courthouse, 116; commission appointed on erection of present building, 117; site of owned by county, 121; erection of present build- ing, 128-29; fire in council chambers, 129; measures taken
to offset space shortages, 129; erection of new building after Chicago fire, 140;
pictures of, 115, 116, 119 City hospital, 176, 177 City News Bureau, 213, 229, 230 Civic center, proposed, 126-28; picture of model of, 125
Civic Federation, 234 Clark, George Rogers, 34-35
Clark, John K., 55, 58
Clark, John S., 95
Clarke, Philip R., Jr., 236
Clay, Henry, 51 Clay, Joseph A., 196
Clermont, Jeremy, 55
Clybourn, Archibald, 59
Clybourne, Jonas, 55
Cohen, Yonnie, Heart Founda- tion, 204
Columbian Exposition, 88
Colwell, Dr. Arthur, 208 Commissioners, Board of, in Cook county, see Board of commis- sioners
Commissioners, Cook county : manner of election, 101, 102; salaries then and now, 67, 102, 103; term of office, 102 Committees, standing, of board of commissioners, 103
Comptroller, budgetary division, 234
Conkey, Elizabeth A., 203, 281 Constitutional convention, Illinois, 47,98
Cook, Daniel Pope, 42-52, 57
Cook, Howard F., 300 Cook, John, 52
Cook, Julia Catherine, 52. See also Edwards, Julia Catherine Cook county, included in "coun- ty of Illinois," 34; creation of,
307
37, 39, 58; early political juris- dictions under which placed, 37- 41; counties of which was once part, 39-40; counties or parts of counties once included that were later taken away, 40; claim that part of Cook county belonged to Peoria county, 40- 41; area, 40, 97; origin of name, 42; dispute with Wis- consin over boundary, 53-54; county seat designated, 58; early settlements in, 58; first officials, 58; finances in early days, 66, 86-87; townships in, 93; villages and cities in, 97; money for operating govern- ment raised thru taxes, 104; names of elected officials, 106-7; population: in 1850, 96; in 1870, 96; in 1950, 1, 13, 97; in 1960, 13; in 1985, 129-30
See also Board of commis- sioners, Cook county ; Bridges ; Buildings, Cook county ; Court- house, Cook county; Ferry ; Government, Cook county ; Li- censes ; Rabies control; Roads ; Street repairs; Taverns; Taxes Cook County Graduate School of Medicine, 219
Cook county hospital, 163-250; the first in use, 172-73 ; the sec- ond in use, 174-75; the third in use, 175; the fourth in use, 176-81; the fifth in use, 181-84; mismanagement charged, 98-99; number of patients (1958), 163, 164 ; cost of operating, 164, 191- 93; babies born, 167; various services rendered,' 167; addition proposed (1957),' 167-68 ; num- ber of employes, 169-70; build-
ings comprising, 181-84; staff appointments, 184-90, 189, 191; charges against certain officials, 188-89; number of patients (1896), 193; mortality rate of newborn babies, 193-94; re- habilitation of the plant, 195-99, 280; Radiation center estab- lished, 197-98; artery, blood, bone, and eye banks established, 200; polio inoculation clinic, 200; accreditation withdrawn, 219-20; expenditures overseen by finance committee, 227-28; improvement bonds approved, 233; personnel studies, 233; nursing service, 234-50;
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.