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 13
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
The recent season of panic and revul- sion through which we have passed will prompt to greater caution, and therefore greater safety, in the future. With all its evil effects, it has clearly demonstrated that there is a solid basis for the pros perity of our city and the West generally, and this fact will be of immense value hereafter. It must inspire confidence in the future, and enable the West to com- mand the means to provide highways for the rapidly increasing commerce. The Georgian Bay Canal and the Pacific Rail- way are still to be built, and may we not. hope the coming wave of prosperity, which must ere long roll over the land, will bear upon its bosom the means to accomplish these and similar improve- ments? There is good ground to hope that, so far as the latter great national
These figures are themselves far more eloquent than any mere human language. The extent of our commerce, its rapid growth and certain increase in the future, are made apparent to the most skeptical reader. Let such remember that it is not twenty-one years since Chicago became a city. Let them contemplate our magnifi- cent system of railways, all the work of the last seven years, and earning during the last year EIGHTEEN MILLIONS AND A HALF OF DOLLARS. The lands along the line of these roads are but just beginning to be developed. And yet those lands sent to this city, as a part of their sur- plus products, 12,524,431 bushels of wheat and 7,409,130 bushels of corn. So rapidly are they improving that Chicago received the enormous amount of 459,639,198 feet of lumber to supply her own building material and that of the magnificent coun- try by which she is surrounded.
94,998 38,783
130,000
22,856,206
18,032,678 12,525,431
10,783,292 7,409,130
6,814,615
220,702
80
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
highway is concerned, the solemn warn- ing voice of a free people will ere long reach the ears of our tardy rulers-once proud of being called servants-at Wash- ington, commanding them to lay aside sectional strife, and to address themselves to the glorious work of binding together the States of the Atlantic and the Pacific by iron bonds, never, never to be broken, so long as the "star spangled banner" floats proudly
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
In closing our sixth annual review, we congratulate our readers on the bright prospects which it can scarcely be doubted
are opening before them. With a large surplus of last year's crop still in hand, the West is abundantly able to meet all her liabilities, and have sufficient means to make large and substantial improve- ments in the future. We are on the eve of a great, permanent and propitious social advancement, and let every Western man summon all his energy to act his part wisely and well. With prudent but firm step, let the watchword be-" Forward!"*
* After this year the Board of Trade issued a very comprehensive review, and we ceased to publish our several statistical articles in pamphlet form. Elaborate articles, however, have been published every Ist of January, in advance of the Board.
81
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
JOHN LOCKE SCRIPPS,
AND
DR. CHAS. H. RAY, 1
MY DEPARTED ASSOCIATES.
I deem it proper to extract from the files of the Tribune the following tributes to the memory of my associates, whose names are above given. To me, and to many others, their "memory is blessed," for they were among the very best men I ever knew. I take the extracts as written, from the paper. The first in relation to MR. SCRIPPS was published September 23rd, 1866.
The announcement of the death of John L. Scripps will be received, not alone in this city, but throughout the State of Illinois and the entire Northwest, with feelings of profound grief by his large circle of friends and acquaintances. Although his health had been failing for a long time, from an affection of the lungs it was not until last winter and immediately after the death of his wife, that his friends became alarmed. He at once gave up active business, but finding that rest from care did not improve his health, he acted upon the advice of his friends, and went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, hoping to find in the bracing air and salubrious climate of the Upper Mis- sissippi, that invigoration and strength which medical skill, unaided, could not afford; but years of unremitting and patient toil, added to severe domestic afflic- tions which had visited him, had sapped the strong constitution past human lielp, and, sustained by an unfaltering trust in Providence, and a conscience void of offence, he calmly passed away, at peace with man and his Maker, at Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday, September 21st, 1866.
John Locke Scripps was born February 27th, 1818, in Jackson County, Missouri, a few miles west of Cape Girardeau. While still young his parents moved to Rushville, Illinois, and since that time the lamented deceased has been identified with the growth and history of the State. He graduated at McKendrie College,
Lebanon, Illinois, an institution of the Methodist denomination, with high honors, and immediately after his graduation took the professorship of mathematics, in the same institution. His father was a promi- nent member of that church, a fact which had a powerful influence upon the whole life of the son, although it was during his last sickness that he formally identi- fied himself with the membership of that organization.
A short time after his graduation he studied law and came to Chicago in 1847 to engage in its practice. In 1848 he bought one-third interest in the Chicago Tribune, then published by John E. Wheeler and Thomas A. Stewart. It was at that time a Free-Soil paper, and labored zealously for the election of Martin Van Buren. Mr. Scripps was its principal writer and editorial manager. The press of Chicago was then in its infancy, and an infancy by no means respectable. He at once, by his dignified labor, gave tone and character to it. He commenced writing up the financial and commercial interests of the Northwest. He originated the first distinctive review of the markets of Chicago, going about the city, ming- ling in daily intercourse with the mer- chants of that day and inspiring confi- dence in the reports by their accuracy and fidelity as well as respect and admira- tion for the editor. About that time, in company with William B. Ogden and John B. Turner, he canvassed Northern Illinois, in behalf of the projected rail- road from Chicago to Galena. . Mr. Scripps' careful analysis and research, furnished the statistics with which to appeal to the people for aid, while his pen did a great work in advancing the com- pletion of this important enterprise.
During his connection with the Tribune, the Gem of the Prairie, a weekly issue of the former sheet, was started. It was almost purely of a literary character and enjoyed a large degree of success, but was finally dropped and merged in the regular Weekly Tribune. Mr. Scripps'
C
82
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
literary abilities were of a high order, his style very chaste, lucid and simple, his reasoning powers always strong and cogent, his arguments well timed, con· densed and straight to the point. His invariably dignified and gentlemanly bearing, joined with these qualities, rc- sulted in the elevation of the Chicago press, and formed the foundation of the power it has since become.
In the winter of 1851-2 the Whigs of Chicago had a controlling interest in the Tribune. Mr. Scripps was a Free-Soiler, with Democratie proclivities, and sold out his interest in the paper. Shortly afterwards, in conjunction with Lieuten- ant Governor Bross, he started a Demo- cratic paper, under the name of the Demo- cratic Press, the initial number of which was issued September 16th, 1852. The Press was a Free-Soil paper, but sided strongly with Douglas and advocated his claims, until the question of the repeal of the Missouri compromise came before the country. The paper then left Mr. Doug- las, and finally hoisted the Republican flag in June, 1856, when the party was formally organized under the leadership of J. C. Fremont. In the meantime, through the unremitting labors of its edi- tors, the Press achieved a wide commer- cial reputation, and labored earnestly to develop the resources of the Northwest.
July.1st, 1858, the Press was consoli- dated with the Tribune, under the name of the Press and Tribune, and Mr. Scripps with his associate went into the new con- cern. In 1861 Mr. Lincoln (between whom and Mr. Scripps existed a warm personal friendship) became President, and shortly after Mr. S. was appointed Postmaster of Chicago, a position which he filled with great ability for four years. It is not saying too much, nor is it injustice to the others who have held that office, to say that he was the best Postmaster Chicago ever had. His labors were constant and unremitting. Although retaining his interest in the Tribune, his time was given to his official duties, and not a day passed that did not find him in his accustomed place in the Post Office. He rapidly comprehended the routine of the office, and his quick perceptions suggested radical and impor. tant changes, both in and out of the office, which were adopted by the Department, and have since proved of great valuc.
During his administration the war was in active progress. Mr. Scripps' sympa- thies were actively enlisted on the side of freedom. He urged on the good cause with all the sagacity of his counsel and lavish contributions from his pursc. With his own means he organized, equipped, and sent to the war Company C, of the 72nd Illinois regiment, well known as the Scripps Guards, to the
soldiers of which company, who shared his hospitalities and enjoyed the comforts his attentions bestowed upon them, the sad news of his death will come with double force.
After his resignation of the office of Postmaster, he disposed of his interest in the Tribune, and associated himself as senior partner in the banking firm of Scripps, Preston & Kean, of this city. A few days later he was seized with a sudden attack of pneumonia, and for some time hus recovery was considered doubtful. . The disease turned, however, in his favor, when a sudden and terrible visitation of Providence again prostrated him. His wifc, Mary E. Scripps, who for so many years had been his beloved companion and counsellor, on New Year's day, while in the midst of those graceful hospitali- ties she could so well dispense, and while talking with friends, fell dead in an instant from an affection of the heart. Mr. Scripps was at this time just conva- lescent from his long illness, but the sud- denness and severity of the blow fell upon him with a terrible force, and for some time it was doubtful whether he would recover. He rallied from it, how- ever, sufficiently to pay a few visits to his relatives in this city and State, and then undertook his journey to Minneapolis, from whence came the sad tidings of his death. His remains will leave St. Paul to-day (Monday), arriving here on Tues- day. He leaves a son about 16 years of agc, and a little daughter of 3 years.
In the death of Mr. Scripps, Chicago has lost one of her noblest men. No citi- zen of this or any other community ever commanded a more hearty and thorough respect from his fellows than he. Candor, integrity and courage were the marked traits of his character. Hc feared God, but feared no man. He .would no more have thought of compromising a principle or abating an iota of his personal honor, than he would have committed suicide. With a heart full of kindness for all men, with a lofty sense of the proprieties of life and of intercourse with his fellow men, a house ever open to the calls of hospi- tality, and a purse which never failed to respond to the call of suffering, he was the firmest man among ten thousand to the convictions of his conscience. A mean act, an unworthy motive, a cowardly thought, had no room in his soul. He was not insensible to public approbation, but never for an instant would he resort to the arts so common among politicians to secure popularity. He avoided the very appearance of evil. His uprightness of character and urbanity of demeanor had made him hosts of friends in city and State, and it is not too much to say that, in the meridian of his life, with his
/
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
83
ample fortune, his unsullied record and his conspicuous talents, he might have aspired to almost any position in the gift of his fellow citizens.
To those who have been associated with Mr. Scripps in the editorial profession, and who know better than others the nobility of his character and the useful- ness of his life, the tidings of his death come with peculiar force and poignancy. No man ever labored more earnestly and more effectively to impress right princi- ples upon the public mind through the medium of the press. A large share of the success achieved by the Chicago Tribune during his connection with it was due to his thoughtfulness, earnestness and unwearied perseverance. His works live after him. The seeds which he has sown will continue to bear their fruit. A noble life, filled with good deeds, adorned with the accomplishments of a Christian gentleman, has been garnered up in the treasury of the eternal kingdom. Though he be dead, he shall rise again.
Every line and every word in the article is true in every particular. A more hon- est man, a truer, nobler patriot, a sterner advocate of the right, never lived than John Locke Scripps; and, withal, he was a most genial, accomplished gentleman. I first knew him at 171 and 171} Lake street. We used the same front door and hall in common, the Tribune on one side and the Prairie Herald on the other. Deacon Wight, now. Rev. Ambrose Wight, of Bay City, Michigan, and my- self, printed our own paper and the Tribune, for its proprietors, on an old Adams power press, the first ever brought to the city, propelled by Emery's horse power, on which trudged, hour by hour, an old blind, black Canadian pony. Our acquaintance soon ripened into friendship and he often urged me to buy out his part- ners and become associated with him in the Tribune. This I respectfully declined to do, and sold out my interest in the Herald to Mr. Wight, in the fall of 1857, and as stated in the article he sold his interest in the Tribune a few months later. He at once submitted his plans for a new Democratic paper, and we finally joined our fortunes in the enterprise. To start a newspaper even in that early day re- quired an abundance of grit. The $6,000 loaned us by friends, for which we gave them ample real estate security, all sunk
out of sight in machinery and expenses in six weeks, and not till January 1st, 1855, did either of us 'draw one cent from the paper that we did not pay back. At one time Mr. Scripps would sell a piece of real estate, put the money into the con- cern and draw it out gradually as family expenses required, and I would do the same. Thus the paper grew and pros- pered, but no two men ever toiled more earnestly or constantly in any enterprise, than we did to achieve it.
The above article was written by Mr. George P. Upton, with the exception of the last two paragraphs, which were added by Horace White, Esq. They knew Mr. Seripps very well, it is true, but it was not possible for them to know him as intimately as I did. In all the years of our intimacy as editors and proprietors, we never had one word of dispute on any subject. Of course on matters of policy we sometimes judged differently; of right. never. Discussion soon convinced one or the other, and each addressed himself with all his might to the work. At our perfect harmony of thought and action I often wondered. He was born in Mis- souri, brought up and educated as a Methi- odist, with a thorough devotion to all the best principles-none of the bad-of the Southern chivalry. One branch of his fam- ily came from an old English stock; after one of them, the great logician and meta- physician, John Locke, Mr. Scripps was. named. My ancestry were mainly of Huguenot origin, myself born and brought. up as a Presbyterian in the Delaware Valley, educated in a New England col- lege, and yet we harmonized in all the trying business and political times through which we passed, perfectly. The fact is one of my most pleasant and cherished memories, its explanation I do not care to discuss. He rests in peace, and has-who can doubt it ?- the reward of a good man and a life well spent, in the mansions of the blessed.
DR. CHARLES H. RAY.
The following article was written by Geo. P. Upton, Esq., now and for many
84
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
years one of the editorial writers of the Tribune. It was published September 25th, 1870.
Dr. Charles H. Ray is dead! The sud- den and unexpected intelligence, briefly announced in our issue of yesterday, has cast a deep gloom over his large circle of acquaintances and friends, and will come with all the force of a personal bereave- ment to the thousands of readers in the Northwest who have known him, for many years past, as a powerful, influen- tial, and successful journalist. It was only a few days ago that we talked with him half an hour or more. He was un- usually hopeful of himself, and spoke so encouragingly of his future prospects, and had so many well laid journalistic plans, that we were encouraged to think he would, before long, be restored to his former usefulness and vigor, although he seemed to us as feeble as a child, com- pared with his former robust and power- ful physical habit. We had an earnest con- versation with him upon the best means of giving a higher standing and character to Art in Chicago-a subject in which he was always deeply interested-and then we parted. We missed him for a few days, and then the shadow of death came between us, and he passed evermore from our sight.
Dr. Charles H. Ray was born at Nor- wich, Chenango County, N. Y., March 12, 1821, and removed to the West in 1843. He commenced his Western life in the practice of medicine at Muscatine, Iowa, and subsequently settled in Tazewell County, Ill., where he pursued his pro- fession for many years with success. During these years he was married to Miss Jane Yates Per-Lee, a most estim- able lady, who died in this city, in June, 1862, leaving, as the fruits of the union, one daughter and three sons, all of whom are living. In the year 1851, Dr. Ray removed to Galena, and bought the Jef- fersonian, a daily Democratic journal, and conducted it with remarkable success, until the time of the Kansas-Nebraska struggle, when his strong impulses toward freedom induced him to take open issue with Judge Douglas, and eventually led to the disposal of the paper and his iden- tification with the Republican party, then in the preliminary stage of organization. In 1854-55, Dr. Ray was Secretary of the Illinois Senate, and presided as such during the exciting canvass in that body, which elected Lyman Trumbull United States Senator over his opponent, Abra- ham Lincoln. He gave his influence to the former, but in such an open, manly way that it never disturbed the close personal friendship which existed between
himself and the latter, and which con- tinued to exist to the time of Mr. Lin- coln's death.
When the Legislature adjourned, Dr. Ray came to Chicago with the intention of starting a penny Republican paper. During the Legislative session he had been the Springfield correspondent of the New York Tribune, and his masterly letters to that paper had brought him into extensive public notice as a writer. He wrote to Mr. Greeley on the subject of a partner, asking him to recommend s me suitable person, to which Mr. Greeley replied with a letter of introduction to Joseph Medill, Esq., of the Cleveland Leader, who was just about coming to Chicago with the object of connecting himself with the press of this city. Mr. Medill arrived in Chicago at about the same time as Dr. Ray, and, after an inter- view, the former abandoned the idea of a penny paper, and joined the latter in buying as much of the Tribune establish- ment of General Webster and Timothy Wright, Esq., as their means would allow. He had identified himself editorially with the Tribune in April, 1855, but did not assume his proprietary interest until June of the same year, which. he held until November 20, 1863, at which time he sold his interest and severed his editorial con- nection with the paper, to engage in other pursuits. Those pursuits not proving suc- cessful, he returned to the Tribune, May 25, 1865, as an editorial writer, and after laboring ten weeks, he left the paper and embarked in another business. Two years later, he was offered a favorable interest in the Evening Post of this city, which he accepted and retained until he died.
With Dr. Ray's connection with the Tribune, and his manly, straightforward, and vigorous editorial conduct during the Chicago riots, the excitements of the Kansas war, the war of the rebellion, and all the great events which culminated in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency, the public are familiar. His writings were so sharp and trenchant, so eloquently denunciatory of wrong and so searching in criticism, that they were copied far and wide, and exerted a pow- erful influence-always upon the side. of the right, and did much to establish its reputation as a fearless, outspoken journal. He wrote with an untiring vigor and with a searching analysis which went down to the very heart and core of the matter, whether he was exposing some iniqui- tous political scheme or moral wrong, or was exhibiting some military official in the light of his incompetency. There was not a " conservative " drop of blood in his veins. He always expected, and demanded, progress, both political, moral and humane. He never needed any urg-
85
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
-
ing in a radical direction; but, on the other hand, his zeal sometimes nceded restraint. He never consulted policy, for he had no policy in his disposition. He never looked at consequences when he believed himself right, for he was abso- Jutely fearless. When once settled upon a course, he would say to his associates, This is the right course, and we must pur- sue it to the end, regardless of conse- quences. He cared for no pecuniary injury as the result of advocating an unpopular doctrine. When subscribers dropped off, as a consequence, he would say, "Let them go. We are right. They will all come back in a few weeks, and bring others with them," and his words were more than once verified.
When Dr. Ray left the Tribune, in 1863, it was with the idea of acquiring a for- tune for his children, and giving them and their education more personal attention than he could do while engaged in the pressing demands of editorial duties. His speculations were at first very successful, and he amassed a handsome competence. Shortly after, he married Miss Julia Clark, a daughter of Judge Lincoln Clark, for a long time a prominent public man in Iowa, but then resident in Chicago, two daugh- ters being the result of this second union. Blessed with the deep and strong affec- tions of his family, and enjoying finan- cial prosperity, everything seemed bright. About the time of this marriage he wisely concluded to settle on his wife and child- ren half his property, which, through trustees, was invested in improved real estate in this city, and which has since largely advanced in value and yields them a respectable support. With the remainder of his means he embarked in new enterprises, which proved, in the common decline of values, unsuccessful, and he resolved once more to return to the editorial profession, in which he worked with his old energy and vigor. His excessive labor in the exciting canvass in this county, last fall, superinduced an attack of brain fever, in December last, followed by many weeks of intense suffer- ing and utter mental and physical pros- tration. He at last recovered sufficiently · to go to Cleveland, where he received medical treatment. He then went to Northampton, Mass., where he remained for several weeks, returning to Chicago early in the summer. He at once resumed his position in the Post as editor-in-chief. Since that time, he has written but little. But his articles showed the old fire, and some of them struck with the old force, but it soon became evident that the man was wearying, that the pen was dropping from the reluctant fingers, and that the great brain could not much longer stand the demands upon it. On Tuesday last
his old disease returned with twofold violence and resulted in death at a quarter past one o'clock on Saturday morning.
It would be useless for us to say any- thing further of Dr. Ray as a journalist. The pub.ic knows how well he has filled that difficult position during the past fif- teen or more years in this city; and his able and vigorous editorials have always been a mirror in which the public could see the writer. It was impossible for the veriest dullard to mistake the meaning of' anything he wrote. In our profes- sional association with him, which has extended over many years, we learned to prize him as a man, and to hold him dear as a friend. He was not one, perhaps, to attract numerous friendships, for he was brusque and impetuous in his man- ner, and specially impatient of annoyance. But those who knew him best, knew how genial he was at heart, how strong his affections were, and how almost faultless he was in critical taste. He was intense in his likes and dislikes. He was bitter against an enemy, but he could not do too much for a friend. We have seen him fairly crush insincerity with an explosion of his wrath, and then turn and relieve the wants of a traveling beggar, and give him kindly advice. He was the best friend a young man commencing news- paper life could have, for the reason that he was chary of praise and never slow at pointing out faults, and suggesting the remedy, Perhaps the most striking feature of his character was his hatred of cant and sham. He recognized a hypocrite in- stinctively, and he never stopped to select choice or elegant phrases in exposing him. We cannot remember a man so plain- spoken in denunciation of humbug or hypocrisy. He hit it with all his might, and his might was immense. And yet, this Samson was full of humanity, kindly courtesy, and noble, hearty manliness. With all his multifarious duties, private and public, which were often very per- plexing, he found time to devote much attention to literature and art, and, in these directions, his taste was fastidious, and his manner quick and resolved. He was as impatient of sham in a book, in a painting, or in the music room, as he was of a sham in life, and his criticism was almost always just, even though it was excoriating. The class of men who can not be politic enough to compromise with hypocrisy is so scarce that it is refreshing to recall this trait in Dr. Ray's character. It made enemies, of course, but that was of little account to him. The man who has no enemies must be all things to all men. He was a hard worker, and, in his prime, was capable of an immense amount of labor, for he was physically very strong. Fcw men in the journalistic
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.