History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 117

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time > Part 117

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).

The first law book published in Chicago was "The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illin- ois," by Stephen F. Gale, in 1839 ; the introduction by the compiler-a Mr. Gates-being dated April, 1839. The book was printed and bound by (). C. B. Carter & Co., Roxbury, Mass., and a copy is in the Chicago Law Library.

*" Early Printers of Chicago" hy Zchina Fastman in Rounds' Printers" Cabinet, Ociober. 1880. Other authorities state that F. T. Ellithorpe was the ci devant Republican from Canadian soil.

+ In possession of Chicago Historical Society.

* 1hid.

& Copy in proversion of Mrs. J. Murphy ; widow of the proprietor of the Sauganash Hotel.

413

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS AND STATIONERS.

The next pamphlet appears to have been " A Eulogy upon the life and character of President William H. Harrison," delivered by G. A. O. Beaumont, May 14, 1841, reported in full in the Daily and Weekly American of that period, and which pamphlet was printed in that newspaper office. As described in the Bibliography of Ohio, by Peter G. Thomson, (Cincinnati, 1880,) it was a duodecimo of twelve pages. The first book written in this city was the History of Baptism by Rev. Isaac Tay- lor Hinton, an advertisement of which appears in the Daily American of May 1, 1840, and in the same paper under date September 28, 1840, it is stated as for sale. The first work compiled and printed in Chicago, was Jonathan Young Scammon's reports, that were in the hands of the binder, at Holcomb & Co.'s establishment, when it was destroyed by fire in December, 1840 .* The first lampoon discoverable, is one published in 1843, entitled :

THE CHARIVARI +

what took place and what didn't take place on the evening of January 19th, IS43, in the city of

JAPAN, KAMSCHATKA CO., ILLS., what was done and what wasn't done by the SHEET IRON BAND

a full report of the apprehension of the rioters, and their examina- tion, including what was said and what wasn't said on that occasion

BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN, EsQ.

The whole embellished with an engraving to match.

The first book compiled, printed, bound and issued in Chicago, was the Directory for 1844, which was placed upon the market in the year 1843. The follow- ing list of directories, published anterior to 1858, is given for the information of Chicago bibliophiles :

* Norris' Chicago Directory for 1844, compiled by J. Welling- ton Norris, printed by Ellis & Fergus, Saloon Building.

* Norris' Chicago Directory for IS45-46, compiled by J. W. Norris, printed by J. Campbell & Co., Commercial Building, 65 Lake Street.

* Norris' Business Directory, for 1846; Eastman & Davison, printers, 63 Lake Street. [This directory was " set up " from all the fonts in the printing office. ]

* Norris' Chicago Directory for 1846-47; Geer & Wilson, print- ers, Daily Journal Establishment, Saloon Building.

* Illinois State Register and Western Business Directory for 1847; Norris & Gardner, editors and proprietors; Geer & Wilson, printers, as above.

+ Norris' Chicago Directory $ for 1848-9, published by J. W. Norris and L. S. Taylor. Eastman & McClellan, printers, (Power Press, office of the Western Citizen) 63 Lake Street.

* Chicago City Directory and Annual Advertiser for 1849-50, by O. P. Hatheway and J. H. Taylor: James J. Langdon, book and job printer, 161 lake Street.

t Chicago City Directory for IS51, by W. W. Danenhower. printed by James J. Langdon, 161 Lake Street.

+ Chicago Directory for 1852-53, by Udall & Hopkins, printed by Langdon & Rounds, 161 Lake Street.

t Chicago Directory for 1853-54 by Hall & Smith, printed by Robert Fergus, book and job printer, 55 Clark Street.

t Chicago Directory for 1854-55, by Edward II. HIall & Co., printed by Kobert Fergus, book and job printer, 55 Clark Street, third floor.

* The second edition was printed by Thomas G. Wells, Cambridge, 1841 ; a copy of this editiem is in the Chicago Law Library.

+ In possession of K. T. Martin.

: The firm of Campbell & Co. came to a premature dissolution ; Mr. Campbell, becoming incraerd at Mr. Norris (the Cus, furcibly ejected him from the wire, and threatened to kick him if he looked buck, Nature gentle- men, discussing the matter with Mr. Norm, asked him if he emulated the ex- ample of Lot's wife: Mr. Norris replied : " No: I didn't look back ! " This in- cident severed the copartnership. The pubbs-hed notice-April 15. 1843-speci- fies that J. Wellington Nurris and James Camplall have this day dissolved their partnership. Mr. Norris isauthorized to dispose of the Chicago Directory from and after this date, and to collect all money's due upon the sune. All demands against the late firm of J. Camplul & Co. will be settled by James Campi'll, to whom all money due wid firm must he paid. Daily Journal. April 16, 1545.

& This directory being designated the seventh of the Norms series, would suggest the probadohty of a Business Porectury having been issued in 1847-48, but a copy of such a publication has not rewarded the search of the cumpiler.

+ Chicago Directory for 1855-56; E. H. Hall, compiler; Rob- ert Fergus, book and job printer, 189 Lake Street.

t The Northern Counties Gazeteer and Directory for 1855-56, brought down to November. 1855; E. H. Hall, compiler; printed by Robert Fergus, book and job printer, 189 Lake Street.

T + Case & Co.'s Chicago Directory for 1856-57; John Gager & Co., publishers, 84 Dearborn Street. John Gager, compiler; A. B. Case and Charles Scott, printers; Culver, l'age & Hoyne, binders.

T + Business Directory of Chicago for October 1, IS56, pub- lished by John Gager & Co , to precede their City Directory. Solas. Zellis, Dow & Co., bouk and job printers, 148 Lake Street, over Keen & Lee's book-store.

+ Gager's Chicago City Directory for the year ending June 1. 1857; compiled by John Gager; John Dow, printer, 148 Lake Street; published by John Gager & Co., City Directory office.

The following account is taken from the introduction to Robert Fergus's Directory for 1839, re-published in 1876: "In September, 1839, the Common Council ordered the revision and printing, in pamphlet form, of the laws and ordinances of the city. The work was tendered to 1Messrs. Rudd & Childs, printers, but they, not being able to find sufficient funds, offered to: transfer the contract to the subscriber, who accepted and fulfilled it. There were six blank pages at the end, ard Mr. Childs suggested the filling of them up with the names of the business men of the city, which was immediately done; no canvass was necessary, and the names were never written-each name, as thought of,

Edward H& Ride

was forthwith set up by the subscriber, until the six pages were completed. It never was supposed that the names of all the business men of the city were included in this list, but the necessary pages were filled up, and the title given those names the Chicago Business Direc- tory. There were no numbers on any street (except Lake Street), at that time-the numbers now given are those of the present day [1876]." On the completion of the laws and ordinances, fifty copies were delivered to the city, and the sum of $25 was ordered paid, January 27, 1840. (See Common Council Proceedings, published in the Daily Chicago American, January 2 and 29, and February 22, 1840) .** About fifty copies were sold to the citizens at fifty cents per copy; the balance of the five hundred were never used in public. This old busi- ness directory was reprinted, with all its imperfections, in the Chicago Republican and in Hurlbut's "Antiquities." In this latter work there were a few additional errors made in its reproduction. Mr. Fergus states that for years the old business directory lay upon the imposing stone, and that as memory would recall some inhabitant of Chicago in 1839, his name would be set up and added to the nucleus upon the stone, until a proof was subsequently taken therefrom. As the directory was afterward presented to the public, it received the highest eulogium from old settlers for accuracy and lack of omissions, and is now one of the standard works of ref- erence for early Chicago settlement.

In 1844, the third and fourth volumes of Scammon's Reports were printed by Ellis & Fergus; the first work of this kind that was completed and presented to the public.

The directories marked with * are in the possession of R. T. Martin ; those marked t are at the rooms of the Chicago Historical Society.

These two directories are for the same year ; Case's having heen published prior to that designated, Giager's as shown hy names that appear in Case'sa- re- ceived "too late for classification, ' being in Gager's, alphabetically classihrd in the body of the work.

** Ser City Treasurer's Quarterly Report for Jannary, February and March. 1844 See also, Common Commil Proceedings (in City Clerk's office), dated February 20, 1340.

414

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

The first historical work is also the result of Ellis & Fergus's typographical skill; the pamphlet being of thirty-four pages, and entitled "The Massacre at Chicago, August 15, 1812, and of Some Preceding Events." It was printed in 1844. A copy is preserved in the Historical Library, Madison, Wis.

The narrative was transcribed in a small blank-book and was set from that manuscript ; the narrative itself afterward being incorporated in Mrs. Kinzie's work, " Wau-bun," wherein also appeared a statement that the story of the massacre was first printed in 1836. This assertion Mr. Fergus pronounces erroneous, there hav- ing been no office capable of its production in that year in Chicago, and no book-binder here to bind it. Mr. Fergus emphatically states that the narrative of the massacre was not published until the year 1844. John Wentworth makes the same statement in his able and exhaustive papers upon Fort Dearborn (Third paper, Fergus' Historical Series), and with two such anthor- ities* the matter would appear to be definitely decided.

The first volume of poems published in Chicago was " Miscellaneous poems, to which are added writings in prose," by William Asbury Kenyon.t Printed by James Campbell & Co., 1845, sold by Brantigan & Keen, S. F. Gale & Co., W. W. Barlow & Co., and Comstock & Ackley. The Daily Journal of January 23, 1845, has an advertisement that Kenyon's poems are just published and for sale at 146 Lake Street, by Brantigan & Keen.

The bibliopegic labor upon some of these hooks was performed by Ariel Bowman and Hugh Ross, the earliest of Chicago's book-binders. The typographical succession of this firm is : Ariel Bowman, who came to this city in 1840 ; Hugh Ross, who is specified in the directory for 1839 as a book-binder and paper-ruler ; these gentlemen entered into a copartnership with their place of business at 35 Clark Street, Saloon Building, which was dissolved September 14, 1843, the firm being succeeded by J. A. Hoisington, with the place of busi- ness at Saloon Building, 45 Clark Street, opposite the City Hotel, who associated with him, about 1847, Will- iam Stacy, and the establishment wasat 61 Clark Street, the business house being removed in 1850 to 79 Lake Street, Tremont Block. In 1852, Mr. Hoisington, who was a protégé of Mr. Bowman's, and his son J. A. M. Hoisington withdrew, and William Stacy continued the business at the corner of Lake and Clark streets. In

1854, Culver & Page bought out Mr. Stacy. The following year Mr. Hoyne became a member of the firm, and the house of Culver, Page & Hoyne became identified with Chicago's commercial interests. This concern in 1855 was the first in the United States that printed county record forms for the use of county officers, that since their introduction have been adopted in nearly every State in the Union. Gustavus Braun- hold was the first book-binder who operated upon Ger- man books alone. He established the business in 1848, associating with him Charles Sonne, in 1850.

The first engraver in Chicago was Shuball D. Childs, who was engaged with Edward H. Rudd, at the Saloon Building, in engraving, book and job printing, in 1839. and some subsequent years ; and with R. N. White, in engraving, from 1845 to 1853. Joseph E. Ware came to this city in i840; the names of the following engra- ers are collated from the directories for the various

years whose dates supplement their names : Miss H. Case. Herman Bosse, 1849; Frank E. Thomas, S. D. Childs, junior, both employed with S. D. Childs, senior,

frehiess

1850: A. W. Morgan, 1851; E. H. Brown, G. W. Humphrey, Henry R. Kretschmann, A. Kretschmann, William James White, John Waller, D. Morse and Rudolph Zollinger, 1852; Reuben Carpenter, Goss and Abbott, Edward Entwistle and Adam Fox, 1853.

The earliest "Chicago Book and Stationery Store" was that of Aaron Russell, formerly of Boston, and Benjamin H. Clift, from Philadelphia, who advertised in the Democrat of August 26, 1834, that they intend opening a store of that description adjoining P. Car- penter's drug establishment, on Water Street. The partnership was dissolved October 22, 1835, and MIr.

. Clift announced that he would continue the business. In the American of June 18, 1836, B. H. Clift advertised law, theological, medical and miscellaneous books, stationery and paper-hanging. T. O. Davis, the pub)- lisher of the American, also had books for sale June 'S, 1835. Another early Chicago bookseller was Stephen F. Gale, who advertised a map of Cook County as for sale at his store, in the American of January 9, 1836. Augustus H. and Charles Burley were clerks at Stephen F. Gale's store in 1844, and the following year A. H. Burley became a partner of Gale's; in 1846 A. H. and C. Burley succeeded S. F. Gale at his old place of busi- ness, 106 Lake Street, moving to 122 Lake Street about 1848. This firm inaugurated the art-union system in Chicago, with some twenty paintings purchased "during the recent revolution in Paris" (Journal, September 10. 1850), and which they disposed of by the sale of two hundred and fifty tickets at three dollars each, and a subsequent drawing on November 15, 1850. Joseph C. Brautigan and Joseph Keen had the Franklin Book Store in 1845, the firm also being designated Brantigan & Keen, the latter partner appearing to have succeeded to the business. He in turn was succeeded by Joseph Keen, junior, and William B. Keen, under the title of Keen & Brother, and they were succeeded by the firm of Keen & Lee. K. K. Jones had a periodical depot in 1844.

T. B. Carter, who had a hook and stationery store in 1845, was also the earliest depositary of the Chicago Bible Society. W. W. Barlow & Co., booksellers, ap- pear as the first in that business who make a specialty of school books, at 121 Lake Street, in the same year. and this firm was succeeded by William Bross* & Co .. at the same location. in 1847; the firm, in 1848, becom- ing Griggs, Bross & Co., and, in 1849, S. C. Griggs & Co. The first school book published in Chicago, was "Wells's English Grammar, No. 1. by W. H. Wells, .1. M., published by Griggs, Bross & Co., 121 Lake Street," February 12, 1849. N. W. Jones had a periodical vending establishment, in 1845. J. W. Hooker, in

* The Hon. William Bross published the first extended Commercial Review of Chicagu, in 1852.

* To Hon. John Wentworth, the oldest Chicago editor, and Robert Fergus, the oldest Chicago printer, the compiler of this chapter is under the greatest obligations fur their pain-taking assistance, their clear and graphic descriptions, their retentive and accurate memories, which have been exerted to funish meer ing data and " make the mouth places plain " in the history of the Press. + T'wo copies are in the library of the Chicago Historical Society.

415

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS AND STATIONERS.

1845, was bookseller and stationer at 152 Lake Street, and had the primal depository for Sunday school books. The first Catholic bookseller was Charles Mc Donnell, whose store was on Market Street, in 1845. J. S. Com- stock and B. F. Ackley, were proprietors of a book- sellers' and stationers' business in 1845, as was J. John- son, at 59 Lake Street. The first printers' ware-room was established by Robert Fergus, in 1848. The first establishment for the exclusive sale of printing paper, etc., was that of Henry Butler and Joseph Hunt, in 1850. The first recorded book agent in this city, was Frederick Blecker, in 1853. The earliest Chicago dis- ciples of Alois Senefelder, who invented lithography, in 1793, was Edward Mendel, who established his litho- graphic house at 170 Lake Street, 1853, by whom Charles Vermeire was employed the same year; and Henry Acheson and William H. Rodway, who were en- gaged in book and job printing in 1852, and announced themselves as lithographic printers in 1853.

A description of progress in the limner's art would be replete with arbitrary terms and phrases, and would convey but indefinite information to the general reader, without fac-similes of some of the products of the skill of the workmen. An inspection of the phototypes of early cuts of edifices reproduced in this volume, and of the later illustrations that appear herein, will, however. give some idea of the progress made by printers and engravers.

The lithographic art progressed with the other arts and sciences in this city, and in the directory of 1857, John Gemmell, 132 Lake Street, exhibited a specimen of his skill. Even with the assistance which these efforts render to the art student, it is difficult to com- prehend the progress of engraving in Chicago, simply from the fact that the majority of these engravings were made to order, and the skill of the artist was not displayed for the love of the art, but to render just so much work with the graver as would be adequate to the recompense he was to receive from his employer. A comparison of the efforts herein exhibited, with those of the present day, is sufficient to manifest the advance made, although the intermediate steps are incapable of demonstration or comprehension.

In 1842 S. D. Childs invented a printing press, which was not generally adopted, however.

The oldest Swedish printer in Chicago, probably in the United States, is Nicholaus P. Armstrong, who came to this city in the autumn of 1854, and the next to Mr. Armstrong in point of residence in the city is Charles Johnson. The name of the first printer of the German language is lost to history; the first French printer was Claude Petit, who edited the Journal de l' Illinois, in 1857.

The first typographers' celebration of the birthday of Benjamin Franklin is narrated in the Democrat of January 19, 1848, whereat David M. Bradley, was chair- man ; Rev. Mr. Walker, chaplain ; Benjamin Franklin Worrell, orator, and J. M. Moon, poet. Songs were sung by McConnell and Lombard ; and speeches and toasts given by Alfred Dutch, George Davis, D. L. Gregg, Jonathan Young Scammon, William H. Bush- nell. Richard 1 .. Wilson, Calvin Butterfield, Robert Fer- gus, J. T. Bennett, J. S. Beach, Mortimer C. Misener, Joseph K. C. Forrest, T. A. Stewart. C. S. Abbott, James Campbell, H. K. Davis, W. T. West, J. E. Wheeler, \. M. Palley, K. K. Jones, Chauncey T. Gas- ton, and W. H. Austin.

The first music printed in Chicago was by Joseph Cockroft* in 1854: the music composed by J. Dyhren-

. Simply Coxkraft was awarded a silver medal for the first stereotyping done in Chicago, at the Fourth Annual Fair of the Chicago Mechanics' Insti- tute, held in 1851. He did the stereotyping of the Journal office that year.

furth, and the song, composed by Benjamin F. Taylor, for which the music was originated, was entitled, " It will all be Right in the Morning."

THE CHICAGO TYPE FOUNDRY, located at No. 43 Franklin Street, in 1855, was the first type foundry in the city, and the first type-casting there was done in 1856, by Nathan Harper, the foundry being then under the charge of C. G. Sheffield. The first "outfit " sup- plied by the foundry was in January, 1857, and con- sisted of a new "dress," of brevier and nonpariel, for the Springfield Journal, then published by Bail- hache & Baker. In January, 1857, the place of busi- ness was moved to go Washington Street. In 1863. Scofield, Marder & Co. succeeded to the Chicago Type Foundry. and subsequently changed the proprietorship to Marder, Luse & Co. The first electrotyping per- formed in Chicago was also done at the Chicago Type Foundry.

THE PRINTERS' UNION was organized October 26. 1850, with the following officers: Carver Butterfield, president: Benjamin Franklin Worrell, vice-president ; Mortimer C. Misener, secretary, and William H. Aus- tin, treasurer; and the first meeting of the Union was held on November 30, 1850, at the hall of the Rhein Saloon. This confraternity was maintained until June, 1852, when a charter was obtained from the National Union for the Chicago Typographical Union, which succeeded the Printers' Union. The charter members were William H. Austin, Samuel S. Beach, A. W. Beard, Francis A. Belfoy, J. T. Bennett, A. P. Blakeslee, Charles F. Bliss, Charles Booth, J. I. C. Botsford, E. S. Bradley, Charles H. Brennan, F. W. Brooks, George E. Brown, Carver Butterfield, James Campbell, O. F. Car- ver, A. B. Case, W. H. Chappel, Dyer L. Cowdery, E. S. Davis, J. W. Deiggs, E. J. Farnum, C. W. Gardner, Fred Garside, F. G. Haight, Julius A. Hayes, Henry S. Hickok, Oscar M. Holcomb, A. S. Hopkins, D. B. Hop- kins, G. H. Kennedy, Joel A. Kinney, William F. Knott, D. Lalande, C. B. Langley, James Macdonald, John F. Madison. Warren Miller, Mortimer C. Misener, T. R. Moroney, W. W. McCurdy, A. Mccutcheon, William MCEvoy. W. H. McWharter, George McWilliams, C. H. Philbrick. F. M. Porter, F. A. Ryan, Amos Smith, Thomas Smith, Alfred M. Talley, J. S. Thompson, B. W. Van Horn, James C. Weaver, J. E. Webb, W. P. Whiffen, Hiram Woodbury, J. P. Woodbury; and the primal officials of the Typographical Union were: Car- ver Butterfield, president; C. B. Langley, vice-presi- dent; J. P. Woodbury, recording secretary; Joel A. Kin- ney, treasurer. The wages received by the craft, di- rectly subsequent to the formation of the Typographic Union, were twenty-five cents per thousand ems; job printers, eight dollars per week; foremen, ten dollars per week: this scale being about the rate that ruled at and after the institution of the Printers' Union in 1850. The question of combinative labor ameliorat- ing the condition of the individual has engaged the attention of profound thinkers for many years; however well, or illy, trades-unions may have suc- ceeded in other fields of labor, the fact remains that printers have been materially and permanently benefited by the Typographical Union; not alone in the mainte- nance of a higher scale of wages for the craft generally. but in the conservation and promotion of a higher morale of the operatives themselves. Printers of a few years since were notorious for the "transportation of the standard;" now the best workmen are distinguished for their sobriety and good citizenship, and inebriety and capability are no longer synonymous terms.

THE TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION has grown from a

416

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

score of printers in 1850 to one thousand members in 1883, among whom are a number of competent females, who receive the same compensation as the men for their labors. Its business is such that the Union is obliged to establish its secretary in a permanent office, containing library and reading room, which was estab- lished in 1882. This office is also an employment bureau, to which the proprietors send for help, and where the unemployed wait such calls, and profitably spend the time in poring over the treasures the library affords. The present Union possesses one lot in Cal- vary, and another in Rose Hill Cemetery, the latter valued at about five thousand dollars; and the action of the Union, in its efforts for an increase in the scale of prices, has not been taken solely for the mere ad- vance of cents per thousand ems, but has also had consideration for the interest of employers, and the . Alexander Stuart assistant editor. providing good and skilled labor for those offices which are supplied by Union men. In the conflict between labor and capital, the results that would accrue from indiscreet efforts by those who are deficient in fore- sight, have been abrogated, and the intermediation of the Union between printers and newspapers and job offices, in times of dissension, has often been exerted with the most felicitous consequences; at the same time that the Union interposed its ægis of sodality to pre- clude undue advantage being taken of any concession by the printers.

Any statistical statement of the various amounts paid at specific times, per thousand ems, would convey no information, as the methods of measurement and the rules of allowance have been subject to many muta- tions. At the present time, a printer cannot make as much money setting a given number of ems at thirty cents per thousand, as he could a few years since at twenty-five cents, and the Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 is endeavoring to level such inequalities, and yet not over-ride the interests and ability of em- ployers-stable benefit, not suicidal consequences, act- uating its procedure .*

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.

History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 117

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340