USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time > Part 161
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"Before 1846 there was no foreign trade at this point. In that year there was but $14.10 received in payment of duties. In IS47, however, the following descriptions of goods were received here, paying duties to the amount below: Fire wood, 25614 cords; peaches, 2 bbls .: saddles, I. The duties received on these arti- cles amounted to $;68.13. the value of articles was Şr. 182.90.
"In 1848, to September 1, the following is the amount of dutiable goods imported: St. Urbes salt, 7,100 minots: sea oil. 18 barrels; cod oil, 68 barrels; mack- erel, 150 barrels; salmon 10 barrels: herring, 21 barrels and 100 boxes; charcoal, 19 barrels; lumber, 149,900 feet; stone, 13 cords; wood. 142 cords; shingles, 2 bun- dles; crockery, 8 crates. The value of the above arti- cles was $6,600.70, and the duty S1,629.48. The total value of articles paying duty at this point imported since Chicago was make a port of entry has been $7,- 783.60, and the duty collected $2,411.71."
The first importation of foreign goods from the Atlantic was in 1848. It consisted of a cargo of salt, directed from Turk's Island, aboard the brig "McBride." The vessel passed through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Canada waters, in bond, the duties being paid at the custom house in Chicago on its arrival, December 4. The Chicago Democrat of December 12, 1848, states that this was the first shipment ever made from the Atlantic direct to any port on the upper lakes, and adds that it passed through the Lachine and Welland canals.
The following tables furnished by the Revenue Department at Washington, give the statistical history of the port, for the twenty years succeeding its estab- lishment.#
Statement of the names of collectors, with dates of their first official bonds, for the port of Chicago, Ill., from July 16, 1846, to June 30, 18;1.
Name of Collector.
Date of lund.
William B. Snowhook
August 27. 1846
Jacob Russell.
May 11, 1549
William B. >nowhnok.
June 6, 1553
Phillip Conley.
July 17. 1825
Jacob Fry.
April 13. 1857
Bolton F. Strother June 21. 18 :*
Juliu- White
April 0, 1861
Luther Haven
October 10, 1561
T. J. Kinsella. .
March 22, 1366
* For detailed mention see articles on Harbor and Marine, Railroads, and the linni- & Michigan Cand el-rwhere in this volume. + See Harbor and Marine.
:The seriesof years in the accompanying tables is extended beyond the peron generaly treated in this volume, as otherwise their satur and interest would be nnpaired.
W. B. Scates. ...
James E. Mclean. ..........
STATEMENT SHOWING THE NUMBER AND TONNAGE OF VESSELS
IN THE FOREIGN TRADE, WHICH ENTERED INTO AND CLEARED FROM THE CUSTOMS DISTRICT OF CHICAGO DURING THE FISCMI. VEAR ENDED JUNE 30, FROM 1547 TO 1871.
ENTEREI).
American.
Foreign.
Total.
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30-
No.
T'ons.
No.
Tons.
No.
l'un -.
1847
4
1,858
I
350
5
2.20%
12
4,205
2
399
1.1
4,604
1549
2.1
6,620
II
2,397
35
9,017
1850
IS
6,690
TH I
215
11
4.502
1852
+
942
1
213
5
1,155
IS53
2.130
.
..
S
2,130
1854
19
6.236
3
,03
22
6.939
1855
37
27.364
15
2,916
52
30,280
1856
122
86,948
93
20,631
215
107,620
IS57
100
70,179
100
27,051
200
97,230
1858
74
28,573
90
22,256
164
50,529
1859
97
52,063
21
5,269
IIS
57,332
1860
92
45,06S
28
7.472
120
52.540
1861
ISS
70,465
43
12,133
201
$2.598
1863
395
169.091
231
69,601
626
239,202
1864
202
108,007
213
64,304
415
172,31I
1865
99.700
155
49.699
339
149.408
1866
147
59.234
234
73,425
35I
162.650
IS67
55,006
I46
43,519 | 220
95,525
1 868
45
15,231
120
33.143 4
165
48,379
1860
26
9,450
III
28,508
137
37.95%
IS70
16
12,690
77
21,979
123
34,66)
65
20.006
100
20,932
174
50,535
1
Total.
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30-
No.
Tons.
No.
T'ons.
No.
Ton -.
IS47
5
1,202
350
1,552
1848
3
807
13
2,796
IS
3,,00
1850
+
2,003
I
215
9
2.305
IS52
IO
3.403
I
213
II
3,616
IS54
30
S,014
3
703
33
8.717
1855
+4
31,464
15
2,916
59
34,320
1856
77
39.819
59
14,800
169
54.625
1859
53.899
44
12,000
132
615,000
1860
130
61,252
24
6,670
154
07,952
1861
365
138.424
45
11,999
410
150,423
1862
179.791
102
44,759
613
224.550
1863
195,2,6
227
68,779
600
204.123
1864
216
113,653
213
64.656
420
1505
190
104.507
15%
50.567
356
155.174
1666
146
77.737
22.500)
150
40.33
227
1867
149
47.514
120
35.975
275
*3.492
IS(H)
63.046
27,934
200
15:0
1,1
54
14,02:
225
253
$3.017
27.356
353
110.375
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF STATISTICS,
Washington, D. C., April 12, 18$3.
J. N. WHlINAY, Acting Chief of Buroma.
9
2.255
1853
0
2.288
87
19,511
165
95,441
1857
57.513
24,277
175
$1.990
1849
5
1,043
5
998
9
2,041
S
1851
365
178,797
164
45, 15]
529
223,975
1862
IO
4.587
648
22
7.335
IS51
. June 26, 1866 . June 16, 1860
CLEARED.
American.
Foreign.
393
1858
IIO
76,930
964
3
579
AUXILIARY AGENCIES.
Statement of tonnage of vessels sailing with docu- ments issued at Chicago, Ill.
Sail.
Steam.
Total.
June 30, 1847.
3.951.56
3,951.56
June 30. IS48
9,962.06
526.56
10,488.62
June 30, 1849.
16,505.58
526.80
17,332.43
June 30, IS50.
20,592.61
649.51
21,242.17
June 30, 1851.
22.306.61
706.79
23, 103.45
June 30, IS52
24,215.71
993-54
25,200.30
June 30, 1853.
25,805.54
1,120.21
27,015.75
June 30, IS54.
20,627.49
1,413.50
31,041.04
Inne 30, 1855
47.764.03
3.207.92
50,972.00
June 30, 1856
51,529.SS
5.877 37
57.407.30
June 30, 1857.
59,465.63
7,851.29
67,316.92
June 30, 1858
58,349.63
8,151.55
67,001.23
June 30, IS59.
60,471 $9
7.651.45
68.123.39
June 30, 1860.
68,582.19
10,233.81
78 816.05
June 30, 1861
72,9$6.27
12,757.39
June 30, 1862.
94.326.51
14.030.86
IOS,357-42
June 30, 1863.
111,350.40
15,334.00
126,684.40
June 30, 1864
142,274.39
17,966 63
160,241.07
June 30, 1865.
120.255.84
17.702.91
137.988.75
June 30, IS66
122,203.89
17,898.83
140,102.72
June 30, 1367.
82,617.45
12,718.60
.95,336.05
June 30, 1868
$9,905. 18
10,848,53
100,753.71
June 30, IS69
93,139.45
11, 175.13
104.314-58
June 30, 1870.
86.539.48
7.086.01
93,625.49
June 30, 1871. ..
$7.334.19
6.584.78
93,918.97
Statement of vessels built in the district of Chicago, Ill., during the years ended:
SAIL.
STEAM.
TOTAL.
No .;
Tons.
No .:
Tons.
No. 1
Tons.
june 30, 1847
No report
. .
.
No report
June 30, 1849 . .
13
2,210.84
..
13
2,210.84
June 30, 1350
12
1,641.3S
49.78
13
1,691.21
lune 30, 1851
1
313.56
313.56
June 30, 1852 ..
17
1,217.28
17
1,211.78
June 30, 1353. .
9
1,158.35
1, 158.35
June 30, IS54. .
16
3,255.08
16
-
. .
21
4.404.47
21
4,404.47
June 30, 1857. ..
0
2.722.68
9
2,722.78
June 30, ISSS. ..
7
586.42
586.42
June 30, 1859. . .
3
230.01
3
230,01
June 30, 1860. ..
. .
761.13
776.07
1,537.20
June 30, 1862 ...
4
1,013.55
I
398.28
5 1,411.83
June 30, IS63. . . 73
9.421.79
6
361.34
84 | 9,783.18
June 30, 1864. . .
92
10,911.59
4
556,37
96
11,468.01
June 30, 1865.
32
3,155.76 ·
2
365.26
34
3.521.02
June 30, 1366. ..
8
6$7.37
1
255.02
12
942.39
June 30, IS67. . . 29
1,217.03
7
2.744.79
36
3.962.42
June 30, 1868 ..
35
6,290.87
9
862,93
44
7,153.80
June 30, 1369. ..
26
4,223.77
3
1.097.67
29
5.321.44
June 30, 1370. ..
I3
1,619.01
2
57.66
15
1,676.67
June 30, IS71. ..
S
1,611.40
160.09
12
1,771.49
Statement of amounts received from customs, at the port of Chicago from July 16, 1846, to June 30, 1871. Post established July 16, 1846.,
IS4S.
$322 52
70,591 75
1849
613 72
1-61.
45,055 33
1550.
5,615 22
INSI .
1563.
80.447 52
152.
174.605 58
1:53
127,000 11
1905.
100,475 50
1954
334.043 79
1-66.
420,620 95
1855.
575,470 20
1867.
54.007 64
1356
207.392 00
IF68
710,920 93
1957
145.662 54
ISf).
620,003 46
1858
$2.445 06
724.565 49
מ הזר.24
$38.265 57
Amount forward .. $1.503.444 65
Total .. . $5,927.725 95
Number of employés at the port of Chicago for the year 1847 was three; for the year 1850, five; for 1860, thirteen; and for 1870, thirty-seven.
Statistics furnished by J. Edward Wilkins, British Consul at Chicago, in 1856, gave the extent of trade between Chicago and Canadian ports, carried on in British vessels, to have been as follows :
IMPORTS.
Vessels.
Tuns.
IS54.
5
1.193 16,617
£ 5,178 2 6 28,856 6 8 40, 892 $ 4
138,520
1856, to Nov. I.
95
22,664
194,843
EXPORTS.
Vessels.
Tons.
1854
6
1,482
£ 16,429 7 6 173,922 F S
$ 79,10I 834,826
1856, to Nov. I ...
97
23.377
174.838 5 9
829,223
The total trade with Canada, via Collingwood, Mich - igan Central and other lines, together with that in British bottoms, was estimated by Governor Bross, in 1856, to aggregate $2,500,000.
ELEVATORS .- Allusions to Newberry & Dole's first elevator have been quite frequent in the preceding pages. Their first warehouse, which could be called an elevator from its mechanical appliances for loading grain, was located on the north end of Rush-street bridge. From it, in 1839, was made the second ship- ment of wheat from Chicago. The wheat was bought from farmers' wagons, and hoisted to upper story by old-style pulley blocks, and rope, by hand-power. The three thousand six hundred and seventy-eight bushels comprising the shipment, were to be transferred to the brig " Osceola." How it was done was thus described in Bross' history: "The problem of loading it on the brig was solved by fixing a spout in one of the upper doors and making it gradually narrower till it reached the deck, where the wheat was discharged into boxes holding four bushels, weighed and transferred to the hold of the vessel. From the bins holding the wheat in the upper story a row of men was formed, who passed it in buckets, precisely similar to the means used to pass buckets of water at a fire before the intro- duction of engines."
This firm afterward built and operated a warehouse and elevator; but on account of the increase in busi- ness, man-power gave place to horse-power in the ele- vating and transferring of the wheat. A bucket-belt, not unlike those now in use, was used to raise the grain to the upper story; and not only was the wheat elevated, but, in course of time, the horse also. "The endless treadle on which the horse traveled," says Mr. Bross, "was in the way, and, besides, it made a great deal of noise. Hence his tramway was transferred to the upper story, and with straps and pulleys a party of sailors soon transferred the faithful animal to the same locality, where he lived and traveled seven years without ever again setting foot on terra firma." The unfortunate animals who operated the elevating apparatus, continued in vogue for a number of years. The following con- cerning the wheat warehouses, or grain elevators, is copied from the Chicago Daily American, March 18, 1842. Speaking of new elevators it said:
" That run by H. Norton & Co. is the largest, being one hundred by forty feet in size. It is on the Reserva- tion. Work in this mill will be performed by horses.
-
June 30, 1855 . ..
12
1,742.15
12
1,742.15
June 30, 1856.
7
June 30, 1861. ..
2
2
:
1
1
Amount forward $1, 503.444 65
1-62
25,822 25
1855 ..
61
13,010
$ 24,855
1855.
77
$5.743.66
June 30, 1848
..
...
No report
3.255.08
580
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
The wheat, instead of being shipped from it by the usuat slow and tedious process, will, after being raised to the upper story by means of elevators not unlike the revolving buckets of the dredging machine, glide thence into the hold of the vessel in double quick time. That of Smith & Webster, on the corner of South Water and Dearborn streets, is also a great addition to our city. This, and the fine one of J. D. Merritt near -it, has greatly improved the appearance of South Water Street. Five more warehouses will be put up the coming season-two on the Reservation, just above Clark-street bridge, one on the north and the other on the south side of the river, and one on the South Branch, near Lake Street."
The use of steam-power in the place of horse-power was not applied until 1848, and for years afterward was not in general use. J. S. Wright, in his history of "Chi- cago, Past, Present and Future," published in 1870, page 157, shows something of the condition of the elevator and warehouse business in 1848 and succeeding years. The quotation is as follows :
'"STEAM ELEVATORS .- Such amounts of grain could never be handled in reasonable time for western oper- ators, except by steam machinery. It seems like magic to compare present facilities with Mr. Dole's horse-power elevator which, with Messrs. Peck's, Wheeler's, Walker's and others, supplied requisite facilities, till that ingen- ious spirit, Captain R. C. Bristol, erected in 1848 the first steam elevator. Mr. Wheeler says that down to January 1, 1855, the whole storage room was not over seven hundred and fifty thousand bushels. So that the total only thirteen years ago, was but little over the aver- age of one of seventeen elevators now, and every one before 1855 has gone out of use.
" Along the river, and South Branch, and lake basin, these huge, somber piles of two by six and two by twelve joisting, laid flat, rise high above surrounding structures. Their sides studded with iron plates, which are heads of large rods to hold against lateral pressure, bespeak the heavy stores they safely hold. Thinking an account of the modus operandi would be interest- ing, I went for information to the elevator last built by Messrs. Armour, Dole & Co., which was certain to have all improvements. An old settler, Mr. Baker, was in charge, who began to build in 1854 the elevator of Messrs. Gibbs & Griffin on a lot leased by me to them. After politely showing me through and explaining the operation, 1 asked him for the further favor of writing out what he had spoken, and here you have it :-
"'Chicago has superior advantages 'in handling and storing grain, not only on account of steam elevators, but in absence of current, and the even stage of water. These are serious inconvenience; on the Mississippi, and other large Western rivers. Then the wide prairie affords ample yard-room for cars, which the railroads and proprietors of elevators have wisely provided.
"'Few persons, however. even of the old settlers in Chicago, have correct ideas of the ease and speed with which grain is handled. This is the modus operandi of Messrs. Armour. Dole & Co's new elevator on the South Branch, running from the C. B. & Q. R. R.
".The building is three hundred and twelve feet long. eighty-four feet wide and one hundred and thirty feet high, machinery driven by a four hundred horse-power engine. It is divided into one hundred and fifty bins, sixty-five feet deep, with storage capacity of one million two hundred and fifty thousand bushels. The yard will hold three hundred or four hundred cars. Two switch engines, when in full operation, are required to put in and take out cars. Two tracks receive each ten cars,
unloaded at once in six to eight minutes, each car hav- ing its elevator, conveying the grain to its large hopper- scale in the top of the building. There weighed. it is spouted to the bin appropriated to that kind and quality. To carry grain to the several bins renders the cle- vation necessary. Allowing fifteen minutes to unload each set of ten cars, four hundred are unloaded in ten hours, about one hundred and forty thousand bushels.
"'Shipping facilities equal receiving, there being siv
elevators for that work, handling each three hundred bushels per hour, or one hundred and eighty thousand bushels in ten hours. The grain is run out of the bins to another set of elevators, which throw into large hop- pers at the top of the building, in which it is weighed, and sent down in spouts into the hold of the vessel. The same company have another elevator on the opposite side of the slip-for a slip at right angles to the South Branch is cut to lay vessels alongside the warehouse- and ten other large elevators and five smaller, afford the same facilities. Any one of thirteen of them, too, will unload a canal hoat of five thousand or six thousand bushels, in an hour and a half to two hours ; an aggre- gate from sixty-five canal boats alone of three hundred and fifty-seven thousand bushels in ten hours.'"
From the foregoing extract it would appear that steam-power was first introduced in 1848, by R. C. Bristoll. It was not until a much later day that steam- power entirely superseded horse-power.
In the report of "city improvements," made by the Chicago Democratic Press, January 1, 1855, for the year 1854, appears the following :
"GRAIN WAREHOUSE, on North Water Street and the river, for Gibbs, Griffin & Co. This is one of the gigantic grain houses which are being called into exist- ence by the urgent want of storage room which it is easy to see must exist in a city which receives in a single sea- son over fifteen million bushels of grain, with no pros- pect of its ever being any less. River front sixty feet, Galena Railroad front one hundred and ten feet, depth one hundred and ninety feet, and eighty-seven feet high. Built of timber, inclosed with brick, and calculated to hold over five hundred thousand bushels of grain ; two million feet of lumber used in its construction ; archi- tects, Burling & Baumann ; mason, William Mortimer ; carpenters, Baker & McEwen ; machinist, Mr. Miller. Cost, $75,000."
In 1855, Sturges & Buckingham built, under an arrangement with the Illinois Central Railroad Com- pany, what was, at the time considered, as expressed in the newspapers of the time, an enormous grain house. It was on the east side of the freight depot, and east of the basin that connected with the Chicago River. it was built of Milwaukee brick, was one hundred by two hundred feet in size, capable of hokling eight hun- dred thousand bushels of grain, and cost $76,000.
The Press, in describing this elevator already built, said : "The same party is to erect. during the coming spring, a similar grain house, east of the present one. Its dimensions are to be one hundred by two hundred and thirty feet."
In January, 1858, the Democratic Press had the following description of the latest and largest elevator in the city :
"Our attentive correspondent Rural gave the reader- of the Press a few days since a minute description of the mammoth gramm warehouse of Messes. Sturges & Buck- ingham, at the Hinois Central depot. Much as we have read about them -- for they had before been noticed in these columns -till yesterday, when we visited them. we had no adequate conception of their gigantte pro-
.
581
THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE.
portions or the perfection of their arrangements in every particular. The buildings are one hundred and three by two hundred and four feet, and one hundred and twenty feet high. In the operation of the machinery the grain is elevated one hundred and twenty-eight feet. The cost of the buildings complete will be about $200 .- ooo each. The machinery for handling the grain is worked by four steam engines, in each building, and every part of it is perfect in every particular. The brick walls are bound together by massive bolts only a few feet apart, and to give some idea of the amount of tim- ber used, we state that twenty-nine ship loads were used during the last summer in the construction of the build- ing now being completed. Two hundred and thirty-six car loads of grain were unloaded by one of the houses last summer in one day, and the amount of grain handled was between eighty and ninety thousand bushels. It is safe to say that each house can handle a hundred thou- sand bushels per day. Strangers at a distance can form some idea of the facilities for handling grain in this city from the above facts. And if, with the lands along the line of the Illinois Central Railroad only sparsely settled. a single firm has found it necessary to make so large an investment to accommodate the business now offering, what will the grain trade become when all the vast fertile prairies between Chicago and Cairo shall be cov- ered with waving harvests? That day is not distant, and already does the enterprising, indomitable proprietor. Mr. Sturges, begin to look forward to a third house of equal proportions to accommodate the stupendous busi- ness which his magnificent road is beginning to pour into the lap of our city.
"We would that every farmer in the State could have gone with us through these immense warehouses, and, like ourselves, he could not have resisted the emotions of thankfulness and honest pride, that Providence has cast our lot in so goodly a land. The all-wise Creator has wrought on a vast scale in our beautiful valley, and it requires vast enterprise to provide for the develop- ment of the resources which His bounty has provided. We are glad to welcome Mr. Sturges to our city as a permanent resident. for he is one of the men who has the intelligence to appreciate the resources of the West, and also the capital to provide means for their adequate accommodation."
Up to r$57 the warehouse and elevator business had developed in full ratio with the requirements of the trade. An elevator. merely for the elevating of wheat, and its transfer to vessels had become inadequate to the wants of the trade, and an "elevator " had come to mean not only a means for shipping, but a repository for the storage of wheat. and the elevators of 1857 were also the store-houses wherein were held all the grain of the city, until such time as it might be required for delivery or shipment. An elevator had thus come to mean, in 1857. a store-house for grain, as well as a facility for shipping. The houses were partitioned into huge bins, into which the various grades were put for storage. either in special lots to be delivered in kind: or in general bee- to be delivered according to grade. The issuing of receipts from these warehouses, with the grade of the wheat attached. began in 1857. and thus placed wheat in the Best of articles which could be called purely speculative. The era of speculation in wheat dates from the issue of the first general warehouse receipt, in which the grade of the wheat was specified, and in which it was promised that a like grade should be delivered on demand.
Following is a table showing the status of the ware- houses of Chicago in 185 ;:
Walker, Bronson & Co ..
James A. Peck & C'o.
4. A. Ford & Co ..
Flint, Wheeler & Co.
Munn, Gill & Co. ..
Munger & Armour.
Gibbs, Griffin & Co ..
Chicago & G. U. R. R ..
(R. I. R. R.)
Flint, Wheeler & Co ...
New Warehouse ...
(iii. Central R. R.)
Sturges, Buckingham & Co.
WAREHOUSES.
.
20,000
50,000
80,000
S0,000
1(10),000
200,000
300,000
240,000
325,000
$ 325,000
4,005,000
75,000
100,000
100,000
160,000
2(H),(XX)
300,000
500,000
500,000)
700,000
700,000
700,000
455,000
30,000
10,000
...
25,000
5.000
30,000
50,000
60,000
50,000
55,000
65,000
65.000
in Bushel ..
ceiving and Shipping,
Capacity, Daily, for Re-
1,340,000
60),000
40,(KM)
50,000
50,000
75,(XX)
100,000
150,000
125,'XX)
200,000
225,000)
225,000
per Day, in Bushels: Capacity for Shipping,
THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE.
The subject of organizing a Board of Trade in Chi- cago was first brought to public notice through a com- munication which appeared in the Chicago Daily Ameri- can of December 4, 1841, over the signature of " Mler- chant." The writer said: " It is a subject upon which I have thought much, and in my experience of several years trading in the city, I have often known instances of much trouble and vexation that might have been avoided through the interference of some such institu- tion, and I have several times thought of calling the attention of the mercantile community to its importance. It would be greatly to the interest of us all, were some active measures taken in regard to it." The early seed thus sown by this unknown merchant seems to have fallen on barren ground. It does not appear that his suggestions awakened any response in the mercantile breasts of the community.
The year :848 saw the first infantile struggles of the Chicago Board of Trade. Under the head of " The Beginning." Colbert's History of Chicago, p. 4%, has the following:
" Early in the year 1848-a time anterior to the in- troduction of the iron-horse, which now sports over the broad and fertile prairies of Illinois-long before eleva- tors of one million bushels capacity were even thought of-a time when the clearance of a lumber schooner from thi- port received a "local" notice - when elevators used horses as a motive power. Thomas Rich- mond and W. I. Whiting. discussed one afternoon the propriety of establishing a Board of Trade in Chicago.
$3,087,000
50,000
00,000
56,000
25,000
66,000
80,000
150,000
175,000
$175,000
Cost of Elevators and
90,000
150,000
$150.000
Value of Real Estate.
Capacity of Storage. in
+
Burlingame
Total
36,000
75.000
146,000
582
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
Mr. Richmond was then in the elevating business, and Mr. Whiting a grain broker-the first who pursued this vocation in Chicago. These gentlemen consulted with other business men, and the result of this consultation was an invitation (published at the time, for the mer- chants generally to meet together on the 13th of March, 1848, to take the initiatory steps in regard to the forma- tion of the Chicago Board of Trade. The following is a copy of the call:
Merchants and business men who are favorable to the estab- lishment of a Board of Trade in this city, are requested to meet at the office of W. L. Whiting, on the 13th (March, IS4S,) at three o'clock, r. M. .
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