History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 89

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875

USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time > Part 89

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).

At the time of the organization of the town its lim- its were defined as follows : Beginning at the intersec- tion of Jackson and Jefferson streets; thence north to Cook Street, and through that street to its eastern ex- tremity in Wabansia; thence on a direct line to Ohio Street in Kinzie's addition; thence eastwardly to the lake shore; thence south with the line of beach to the northern United States pier; thence northwardly along said pier to its termination; thence to the channel of the Chicago River; thence along said channel until it inter- sects the eastern boundary line of the town of Chicago, as laid out by the canal commissioners; thence south- wardly with said line until it meets Jackson Street; thence westwardly along Jackson Street until it reaches the place of beginning.

During the fall of t833, the citizens felt that some- thing more metropolitan was required than the "estray pen." The log jail was therefore built on the northwest corner of the square. One set of contractors failed to build the jail, but the structure was finally completed, and Officer Beach, father of Dr. J. S. Beach, possessed the keys of authority. As offenders against the laws in- creased, an addition, in the form of an oaken cell, or jail, was built, separate from the first structure. Dr. Beach, then a boy, states that he had known this small building to contain as many as twenty-eight prisoners at one time. It was during these days that Benjamin Jones was appointed Street Commissioner, but on ac- count of ill-health resigned before his term expired, and was succeeded by O. Morrison and Silas W. Sherman. Isaac Harmon was chosen Collector. On December 4, George W. Snow became Assessor and Surveyor, and John Dean Caton, Corporation Counsel.

A code of local laws was adopted in November, 1833, regulating the ordinary affairs of the town. The Democrat, which made its first appearance November 26, was designated the official newspaper of the town.

During this month also the limits of the town were extended to embrace the tract bounded by the lake on the east and State Street on the west, Ohio Street on the north and Jackson Street on the south.

The corporate limits were again extended, by virtue of an act adopted February 11, 1834, so as to include all land lying east of State Street to the lake shore, from Chicago Avenue and Twelfth Street, except the milita- ry reservation, which lay from the river south to Madi- son Street.

The second election was held August 11, 1834, at which time J. H. Kinzie, G. S. Hubbard, E. Goodrich, J. K. Boyer, and John S. C. Hogan were chosen Trustees. The official roster for that year is: J. H. Kinzie, President; Isaac Harmon, Clerk and Collector; J. S. C. Hogan, Treasurer, resigned in June and suc- ceeded by Charles M. Pettit; James W. Reed, Super- visor of Roads and Bridges, resigned in November, and succeeded by E. E. Hunter, who in turn was succeeded by J. K. Boyer; N. G. Wright, Fire Warden; Edwards

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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

W. Casey, Corporation Counsel, and, from November, Clerk and Collector.

The first financial obligation incurred by the town was for $60, borrowed in October, 1834, to drain State Street and redeem a large slough.

Several important measures were instituted during 1835. Among them were the establishment, in June, of a permanent Board of Health; the creation, in November, of a Fire Department; the borrowing, in June, of $2,000, with which to improve the sanitary condition of the place, as a preventive against the threatened invasion of cholera; and the adoption, in August, of a lengthy and comprehensive code of local laws. November 21, a seal was adopted by the Board, but neither the instrument itself, nor any impression made thereby remains; the few documents which sur- vived the fire of 1871 being without a copy from which a reproduction can be made for use here.

"The increase of population and extension of corpo- rate limits suggested the enlargement of the Board of Trustees, and a vote was passed by the Legislature, fix- ing the number of members at nine.

The third election was held in July, 1835, and re- sulted as follows: H. Hugunin, President; W. Kimball,

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B. King, S. Jackson, E. B. Williams, F. C. Sherman, A. Loyd and George W. Dole, Trustees; A. N. Fullerton, Clerk, who was succeeded by Ebenezer Peck, who also acted as Counsel; George W. Dole, Treasurer; John K. Boyer, Street Commissioner; O. Morrison, Collector and Constable; E. B. Taleott, Surveyor; A. Stole, Assessor; J. Bates and J. Haight, Measurers of Wood and Lumber. Minor changes occurred during the year in these offices.

During the fall of the year (1835,) a one-story and basement briek court-house was erected on the north- cast corner of the square, on Clark and Randolph streets. The county offices were in the lower story ; the court-room, which was above, being one oblong apartment, capable of seating two hundred persons.

The fourth and last election under the town system was held at the 'T'remont House June 6, 1836. E. B.

Eli 3 Williams

Williams was chosen to preside over the deliberations of the Board, the members of which were S. G. Trowbridge, Peter Bolles, I. P. Updike, A. D. Taylor, William B. Ogden, A. Pierce, T. G. Wright and J. Jackson. C. V. Dyer was elected Clerk, but resigned at once,' Ebenezer Peck assuming the duties of office, but he in turn was succeeded in September by James Curtiss. The official list comprised W. McClintock, Street Commissioner ; O. Morrison, Constable ; N. H. Bolles, Assessor and Col- Jector ; George W. Dole, Treasurer, and James H. Rees, Surveyor.

The era of internal improvement upon which this region had entered accelerated immigration, and in- spired with hopes of prosperity those who had made

Chicago their abiding-place. The canal was advancing along the line of completion ; a system of water-works was already inaugurated under the title of the Hydraulic Company, and, above all else, the hearts of the commu- nity beat high with firm faith in the ultimate fulfillment of a lofty destiny for Chicago. Actuated by a spirit of unequaled courage, the leading citizens of the town determined upon its incorporation as a city. On the 18th of November, 1836, the Trustees ordered that " the President, E. B. Williams, invite the citizens of the three districts of the town to meet in their respective districts and select three suitable persons to meet with the Board of Trustees on Thursday next (November 24,) and con- sult on the expediency of applying to the Legislature of the State for a city charter, and adopt a draft to accom- pany such application."

The meeting was held and a delegation selected as follows : District No. 1-Ebenezer Peek, William Stuart, E. W. Casey ; District No. 2-J. Dean Caton, J. W. Chadwick, William Forsythe ; District No. 3-J. II. Kin- zie, W. L. Newberry, T. W. Smith. The result of the union conference was the appointment of a committee, consisting of two members of the Board and one citizen from each of the divisions of the city, to draft a charter. That committee comprised Messrs. Peck, Caton, and Smith, for the people, and Messrs. Peter Bolles and

Jeta Solles

William B. Ogden for the Board. A charter was pre- pared and submitted to the people for approval, at a meeting held in the Saloon Building. A large majority of those in attendance voted for adoption of the docu- ment without amendment ; but that vote was speedily reconsidered, and an animated discussion of the sixty- second section ensued, relative to the assumption of in- debtedness by the proposed city authorities. Some of the more sanguine residents were so imbued with the progressive tendencies of the times that they favored the unlimited extension of power in that direction. A more prudent counsel prevailed, however, and the capacity of the corporation to incur debt was limited to $100,000 per year. With this alteration in the original draft, the people endorsed the proposition to change the corporate character of Chicago. Mr. Stuart, secretary of the public meeting, observes that "in the opinion of the chairman, nearly four-fifths of the citizens assembled favored the charter."

CREATION OF THE CITY.

On the 4th of March, 1837, the charter was passed and approved by the Legislature, and Chicago became a city. The corporate limits were defined in Section 1 as follows :

" That the district of country in the county of Cook, In the State aforesaid, known as the cast half of the southeast quarter of sec- tion thirty-three in township forty, and fractional section thirty-four in the same township, the east fourth part of sections six, seven, eighteen and nineteen in the same township: also fractional section Three, section four, section five, section eight, section nine and fractional section ten, except the southwest fractional quarter of section ten, occupied as a military post until the same shall be private property; fractional section fifteen, section sixteen, section seventeen, section twenty, section twenty-one and fractional section

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.CREATION OF THE CITY.

twenty-two, in township thirty-nine north, range number fourteen east of the third principal meridian in the State aforesaid.

"SECTION 3. The said city shall be divided into six wards, as follows : All that part of the city which lies south of the Chicago River and cast of the center of Clark Street, following the center of Clark Street to the south line of section sixteen, thence following the said south line of section sixteen to the center of State Street, and a line parallel with the center of said street to the southern boundary of said city, shall be denominated the First Ward of said city ; all that part of the said city which lies south of said Chicago Kiver, west of the First Ward and east of the South Branch of said Chicago River, shall be denominated the Second Ward of said city ; all that part of the said city lying west of the aforesaid South Branch of the Chicago River, south of the center of Randolph Street, and by a line parallel with the center of said Randolph Street, to the western boundary of said city, shall be denominated the Third Ward ; all that part of said city which lies north of the said Third Ward, and west of the said Chicago River, and to the North and South branches thereof, shall be denominated the Fourth Ward of said

Conner, A. Jackson Cox, J. G. Dawley, Charles V. Dyer, Thomas Ely. Charles M. Gray, Joseph H. Gray. David P. Foot, Jared Fordham. C. C. Franklin, John llackett, Eri B. Ilulbert, Henry King, John Knight, David Lake, George Lamb, sworn, Albert G. Leary. W. Mcclintock, Alexander McDommerly, John Melray. Ephriam Morrison, Orsemus Morrison, Luther Nicols, Peter l'ruyne, John Robson, John Sammons, J. Shadeller, James Sin- clair, Barney Smith, John Smith, S. F. Spaulding. Augustin D. Taylor. Edmund D. Taylor, Peter L., Updike, H. C. Walker, Anson Weed, Slater West, Eli B. Williams, William Worthington, William Jones, W. West, II. L. l'atterson, S. Ward, Edward L. Thrall, H. J. Walker, Ambrose Burnham, E. Gale, J. K. Palmer, 11. Burk, L. Morse, William Montgomery, Alexander N. Fuller- ton, J. Scott, James M. Strode, David S. Smith, Alanson Follans- bee, W. Winters, B. H. Kent, Chester Tupper, M. Shonts, Daniel Miller, James 11. Collins, John Kelly, Joseph Adams, Daniel Mc. Kinzie, Ebenezer Peck, J. Wentworth, sworn, E. II. Mulford. Daniel Brainard, W. Andrews, Enoch I'lummer, J. C. Goodhue. H. Herrington, Robinson Tripp, Ira Couch, Jolin Wright, C. W.

OLD BLOCK HOUSE AND LIGHT HOUSE IN 1857 .- THE LAST OF FORT DEARBORN.

city : all that part of said city which lies north of the Chicago River and east of the North Branch thereof, and west of the center of Clark Street, to the center of Chicago Avenue, and lying south of the center of Chicago Avenue, to the center of Franklin Street, and lying west of Franklin Street, and a line parallel with the center thereof to the northern boundary of said city, shall be denominated the Fifth Ward ; and all that part of said city lying north of the Chicago River, and east of the Fifth Ward, shall be denominated the Sixth Ward."

FIRST CITY ELECTION .- At a meeting held by the Board on March 31 it was resolved to hold an election for city officers on the first l'uesday of May, the polling places being designated as follows : First Ward, Eagle Hotel ; Second Ward, Lincoln's Coffee House ; Third Ward, house of Charles Taylor ; Fourth Ward, Chicago Hotel (Cox's) ; Fifth Ward, Canal Office ; Sixth Ward, Franklin House. The Board also appointed three in- spectors for each polling place. Accordingly the elec- tion took place upon the day named (May 2), and the following gentlemen cast their ballots :*

FIRST WARD .- For William B. Ogden : Sidney Abell, Isaac N. Arnold, Bennett Bailey, H. Bailey, sworn, Patrick Ballingall, Madore B. Beaubien, Samuel C. Bennett, Nathan H. Bolles, John Calhoun, Henry B. Clarke, J. Il. Coffin, Peter Cohen, F. G.

* Fergus's Hist. Series. Directory of 1839. Corrected from polling-list of $837, and by old settlers.

Spafford, Francis C. Sherman, John Boyd, Hiram B. Smith, M. O'Connor, J. F. Brown, A. J. Luce, David Carver, J. M. Smith, L. F. Lewis, John R. Livingston, B. F. Monroe, John Patterson. Colon Ware.

For John II. Kinzie: L. C. P. Freer, T. O. Davis, Alvin Calhoun, Iliram Mallory. J. Young Scammon, Joseph L. Ilanson, John F. Spalding, Oliver 11. Thompson, Levi D. Boone, C. B. Ware, Joseph Mecker, J. B. Wetherell, George W. Snow, James 11. Rees, II. Markne, William Bond, Robert Truman, James Spence, Ileman Bond, P. Balcom, J. Sharp. W. Finney, Thomas A. Clark, Royal A. Stewart, Isaac I), Harmon, Jabez K. Botsford, Parker M. Cole, Tyler K. Blodgett, Curtis Havens, Elijah K. Hubbard, Ezekiel Morrison, David Gelland, James A. Smith, Lorin Graves, David Hatch, Cyrenus Brers, Simeon 1.oveland, Seth Paine, Samuel C. Dennis, Erastus Bowen, W. K. Marchal, John L. Wilson, Thomas Wright, M. Ayres, F. A. Harding. Thomas T. Durant, Edward Casey, George W. Merrill, John W. Hooker, Charles C. Smith, Giles Spring, 1 .. B. Goodsell, William Stuart, H. Terrill, Charles Adams, J. Gardner, Alva V. Frasier, Edward If, Haddock, Frederick A. Ilowe, A. Nobles, E. S. Ilop- kins, Charles McClure, S. Willis Grannis, Dexter Graves, Edward Colvin.

SECOND WARD .- For William B. Ogden : Solomon Lincoln. Henry Rhines, Samuel J. Lowe, Thomas Marr, Russell Wheeler, Peter Bolles, C. Mcwhorter, S. S. Bradley, Daniel B. Ilearit, Charles P. Hogan. P. Iliggins, J. C. Hibson, W. Devere, J. Spencer, Michael Glen, Silas W. Sherman. Richard Murphy, F. C. Bold, John Larry, J. Outhet, J. O'Rouke, T. Watkins, J. McCor- mick. J. J. Kinnon, McKelley, John Sarlney, John Campton,

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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

Michael Fitzsimmons, M. Castigen, Samuel Carpenter. P. Groover, John Perian, Godford Stevens, 11. McCarley, M. Fisher, B3. Mig. Ing, Iliram Hugunin, Samuel Wayman, Benjamin Briggs, Joseph Peacock, P. McConnel, F. C. Tupper, J. Norris, James A. Merrie, H. Mitchell, A. Coop, George E. Horehart, M. Croushong, E. Lelley, J. I.ane. T. C. Sampson, William Alamart, D. Denney, H. Brown, A. 11. Beard. A. Grusgutt, James O'Brien, Daniel Levin- ney. 11. Duffey. J. Beach, Eli S. Prescott, J. Walker, John C. Rue, Charles II. Chapman, Moses Dutton, Valentine A. Boyer, P. J. Kimball, J. Sweeney, D). Conley, D. Crawley. R. Halney, John Lang. Alexander Loyd, E. E. Ifunter. Michael Frarey, James Carney, Thomas Farlin, Augustus 11. Burley, A. Brigg, S. J. Graves, McDalald, John Sennet, John Dunlap. Louis Malzacher, Stephen N. Edgel, William Wiggins, John Mitchell, Dennis S. Dewey. A. Tholser, T. Bailey, Edmund Gill, Martin Stidel. Samuel J. Grannis, V. Melntire, W. M. Hartley. C. Longwood, J. Dailey, O, Brian, Peter Casey, A. Berg, Jolin Ashman, B. Peck. T. Lacey, George Bryan, P. Whitmore, Robert Garner, Joseph Shields, R. Jones. Clement Stosc. J. Funk, A. Panakaske, Ed- ward Manierre, William llague, John H. Butler, J. M. Ham- mond, M. Nigle, Alonzo Huntington, Edward Dimmock, William Jinkins, Isaac R. Gavin, A. Bailey, P. J. Duncan, T. Fcx, J. McCord, J. Sullivan, A. Duckman, J. Gluwater, O. Sheppheard, F. Goodman, D. Hlarsem, C. Culshaw, John W. Eldredge, William 1. French, Simon Cooley, John Ryan, Michael Buck, T. O Maley, Francis G. Blanchard, John K. Boyer, John Knight, J. Dickson, James Lenon, John Archdale, M. Sandusky, Robert Ilart, John Dillon, J. P. Johnston, P. Donahue, John Rice, Peter Shaddle, L. F. Monroe, Jacob Gramos, J. J. Jones, Peter Dokey, John Wood- house, Jacob Milemin, C. Benedick, Joseph Winship, John Shrig- ley. -. O. Mahan, Thomas Woltinger, S. B. Dane, E, F. Brown. N. Winslow, John Gormonly, George Dolton, J. Minney, Michael Lantry, S. Hurley, John Murphey, P. Kelley, John Black, Will- iam B. Noble, Thomas Chan, C. De Wier, H. Bird, J. C. Gauck, P. Rogers.

For John H. Kinzie: John M. Turner, Star Foot, L. T. lloward, Abraham Gale, 1 .. Butler, George Palterson, Silas B. Cobb, S. C. George, Joseph N. Balestier, William Truman, J. F. T. Libb, John Jay Stuart, Smith J. Sherwood, W. Haskins, Philo Carpenter, 11. 1 .. Roberts, Arthur G. Burley, H. Zalle, P. S. Smith, John Pomeroy, F. D. Marshall, Thomas Hamilton, I .. Johnston, C. Walter, O. Sprague, Tuthill King. J. Mclabban, George W. Dole, R. Price, James Rockwell, John I'. Cook, John IJolesey, Francis Walker, Jeremiah Price, M. Smith, J. Briggs, E. 5. Hobbie. C. Murphy, John Casey, P. F. W. Peck, George Law, A. S. Bates, T. Jenkins, R. Drummond, E. Simmons, James O. Humphrey, Abram F. Clarke, 11. Il. Magic, A. Hlatch, P. J. Monroe, W. 11. Clarke, T. C. Tucker, T. S. Hide, John P. Cha- pin, James White, John Deim, M. Dunning. A. D. Higgins, l'homas Brock, Benjamin W. Raymond.

THIRD WARD .- For William B. Ogden : Samuel Southerden, Oliver Loz'er, Ilamilton Barnes, Thomas James, George U. Gun, llenry Walton, John B. Weir. John Bates, Jr., William H. Bar- ber, Charles Taylor, Morris O. Jones, George Varden, S. E. Downer, William Mitchell, John Welch, George Davis, George Brown, Patrick Welch, John Mahan, Solomon Taylor, Lewis P. Deckart, L. C. Hugunin. Mitchell Ferryark, George Chacksfield, John B. Miller, John Rudiman, Joseph Wikderman, Joseph Calef, Peter Sawnett.

For John H. Kinsie: J. S. P. Lord, Ashbel Steele, Thomas Cook, Thomas Bishop, David Bradley, Charles A. Lawber, John Gage, James Crawford, Henry Burke.

FOURTIt WARD,-For William B. Ogden : A. M. Talley. J. W. Chadwick, Patrick Lane, E. F. Wellington, George Frost, John B. Brodain, Seth P. Warner, George White, Homer Stratton, A. Chapron, John Welmaher, Christian Astah, Thomas Oak, Stephen Harrel, James Jenkins, William Carneyhaw, Robert Mar- shall, Charles Cleaver, George M. Davis, Isaac Hlaight, Samuel M. Brooks, William Ford, Samuel Akin, James Wakeman, Edward Perkins. J. W. Titus, James Mathews, A. S. Sherman, John C. llugunin, P. E. Cassady, Alexander Logan, James M. Whitney, Henry Taylor, Francis 11. Taylor, Asahel Pierce, Francis Peyton, Joel D. Ilowe, William Saltonstall, Amos Allen, Seth Johnson, T'hillp Will. Alford Allen, Lucien Peyton, N. Christian, George Hays, Frederick A. Howe, James Laframbois, R. W. Hyde, George Atterbury.

For John Hf. Kinsie: Edward Perkins, William Forsythe, Francis Chapron, Marshall Cornair, Antoine Loupean, John Ludby, Daniel Elston, Edward l'arsons, James Kinzie, David Cox.

FIFTH WARD .- For William B. Ogden : John Dunchen. John Coats, John Wilson. Joseph Kent, Bryan Curley, John Hart. John Lenny, J. W. Donnell. A. Gartley, B. Cain, J. Eddy, J. McCue, J. Mal.aughlin, B. Adouy, P. Grodavent, P. Scott, M. Spelman, T. Midery, William Fowls, P. Conlen, P. Finney, P. Morphy, H.

Galloughent, T. Weed, T. McHale, B. Ward. T. Gormoniley. A. Sullivan, M. Burk. P. Ackles, T. Farrell, E. Gibbins, T. Me. Namare, P. Monaghen, T. Riden, SI. O. Midloy, T. Brown, Henry Cunningham, E. B. Talcott, MI. Baumgarten, G. Peyton, S. Dougan, J. Seymour, J. Mallady, T. Hughes, T. Carrall, W. Bell, D. Moore, Il. Frye, J. Breadman, J. D). Oduman, Hi. Har- mer, J. Connolley, J. King, I _. Frey, N. Thomason, P. Bartlett, T. McGee.

For John H. Kinzie: T. Wilson, Bemsley Huntoon.

SIXTIt WARD. For William B. Ogden: James West, Will- iam Lill, P. Campbell, John Censure, E. Flosser, J. Zoliski. L. Barber, E. T. Ward, J. Kennedy, Robert Shepherd, J. M. Baxley, J. S. Wheeler, J. Godlin, J. Tracey, J. Mills, A. Hall, W. Burns, Thomas Cody. J. Miller, Pattieson Nickalls, E. N. Churchill, B. F. Hall, J. N. Hayes, Morgan Shapley, S. Gifford, William V. Smith, D. Drummond, V. B. Keith, D. Bucknell, A. Hoofmin. H. A. Pardee, F. Carroll, John Turner, G. Pardee, F. Freman, J. Tornee, C. Conner, William B. Egan, William Harmon, N. J. Brown, P. Hadley, E. S. Kimberly, Gholson Kercheval, S. D. Pierce, E. Cammock, E. Sull, S. Jackson, L. Ilunt, W. Sabine, iliram l'earsons, John Allen, J. L. Campbell, W. Boyden, D. Ryan, J. S. Olin, S. Sexton, W. Koas, J. Whorton, W. Arms- strong, J. Vanderbogert, P. Kelsey, J. Ferisu, Ralph Peck, J. Mannerlin, 11. O. Stone, Thomas Carroll, P. Baumgarten. C. S. Tibbles, M. Vanderbogert, Francis Kesler, J. T. Betts, T. Sulli- van, D). Calliun.

For John H. Kinzie: Luke Wood, John N. Bronson, Charles Petti, J. T. Callis. L., G. Osborne, James L. Hlowe, F. Haugh- ton, J. Stofer, Abijah S. Sperry. Isaac Legg, L. L. Cheeney, J. Grant, M. Clinton, B. 1). Wheeler, Alonzo C. Wood, W. B. Plumb, Robert A. Kinzie, B. Emerson, Christopher H. Berkin- bile, Grant Goodrich, Walter L. Newberry. J. T. Ilinsdale, lewis C. Kercheval, Josiah E. McClure, John B. F. Russell, T. Green- wood, Gurdon S. Hubbard, J. Crawford, M. Miller, S. Northrup, I'. Cable, Buckner S. Morris, A. Overhart, J. Forcht, A. Spour, George I.egg, T. Barnum, N. R. Norton, S. Akers, W. Sterns, S. Smith, T. Shepherd, W. A. Thompson, Charles Harding. Thomas Wilson. A. Cole, Il. Warren, S. M. Greenwood, Henry G. Hubbard, J. Nesbit, C. Ford, A. Hubbard, D. Creden, E. C. Brackett, J. Schrider, J. Magger, G. Wills, J. L. Chandler, A. C. Hamilton, 1. Soother, W. Anderson, J. Brown, J. Lampman, G. Frost, l'. Butler, W. Halpin, C. F. How, W. Carrivan, E. Far, F. German.

TOTAL VOTES IN CHICAGO IN 1837 BY WARDS:

First Ward. Second Ward. 238

Third Ward. .138

. Fourth Ward 50

Fifth Ward. 60

Sixth Ward.

Total .... 700

TOTAL VOTES IN CIttCAGO IN 1837 BY DIVISIONS : South Side.

West Side. . 97

North Side .. 204

Total. 700

The ticket elected was as follows : Mayor-William B. Ogden; Aldermen-J. C. Goodhue, Francis C. Sher- man, First Ward; John S. C. Hogan, Peter Bolles, Second Ward; J. D. Caton, Third Ward; A. Pierce, Francis H. Taylor, Fourth Ward; B. Ward, Fifth Ward; S. Jackson, Hiram Pearsons, Sixth Ward.

THE MUNICIPALITY .- By the charter of March 4, 1837, under which Chicago was first organized as a city, the elective officers were a mayor, board of aldermen, one clerk, one treasurer and six assessors. The annual clection was fixed for the first Tuesday in March. The royalty of power was fixed in a common council, who were authorized to appoint constables, street commis- sioners, the city surveyor, organized fire companies, a board of health and an educational department. In fact all the departments were but tools in their hands and were expected to obey their orders. The Municipal Court, established by the charter of 1837, was abolished by the act of February 15, 1839, and the actions then pending transferred to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Among other amendments to the charter, ap-

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

proved February 27, 1841, was that which created the office of city marshal and made it elective. By the act approved February 16, 1847, the city was divided into nine wards and the aldermen therefrom into two classes, so that one alderman should be elected annually from each ward, and hold his office two years. The of- fices of attorney, treasurer, collector, and surveyor were made elective. One street commissioner and one as- sessor from the First, Second, Third, and Fourth wards, and a commissioner and an assessor from the Fifth and Sixth, and two other like officers from the remaining wards were provided for.

The Legislature passed an act on February 14, 1851, reducing the charter into smaller compass and creating a board of health. It also authorized the Council to es- tablish a house of refuge and correction for juvenile of- fenders. The Chicago City Hydraulic Company was incorporated, and a board of water commissioners cre- ated by an act of February 15, 1851. An annual elec- tion was appointed for the first Tuesday of April, 1854. An act amendatory of the act of February 14, 1851, was approved February 28, 1854, which provided that a city marshal should be elected biennially, and also author- ized the Council to elect a superintendent of special as- sessments. The office of superintendent of schools was created by ordinance of June 23, 1854. In June, 1854, the city adopted a new seal-two circles, under which were the words "City of Chicago, incorporated March 4, 1837." Within the inner circle is a shield em- blazoned with a sheaf of grain. Over the shield an in- fant reposes on a sea shell; at the left is an Indian, with a bow and arrow; on the right a ship in full sail; beneath a scroll inscribed, " Urbs in Horto."

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 89

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas Number of Pages: 875

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875