History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 92

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 92

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).

CHICAGO TUNNELS -The initiatory effort at obviat- ing the obstruction to traffic caused by the bridges, was the formation of a company, with Hon. William B. Ogden, as president, to construct a tunnel under the Chicago River. William Gooding, Edward F. Tracy and Thomas C. Clarke submitted plans for the subaqueous enterprise, but beyond this nothing was done. In 1862, the Times advocated a tunnel whereby pedestrians coukl cross under the river, but nothing was done about the matter until 1866, when the City Council adopted plans and specifi- cations endorsed by E. S. Chesbrough, the city engineer, and ordered the construction of a tunnel under the river at Washington Street. The first contractors to whom the work was let, threw up their contract in May. 1867. and on July 25, 1867, J. K. Clark, Charles B. Farwell and J. Clark assumed the construction of the tunnel; J. Clark subsequently withdrawing and being succeeded by A. A. McDonnell. On January 1, 1869, Hon. John B. Rice, Mayor, formally opened the tunnel, the cost of which up to October 31, 1869, was 8512,707.57. Shortly subsequent to the opening of the Washington Street tun- nel, the La Salle Street tunnel was commenced Novem- ber 3, 1869, and completed July 4, 1871, its cost being $566,276.48, and the contractors, Robert E. Moss, . George Chambers and Archibald I. McBean." The tunnels were only damaged by the fire some $4,000 worth, which was speedily renovated.

THE FIRST CENSUS of the city, taken after its in- corporation, was that of July 1, 1837. It is as follows:

WANDS.

Under 5 Year ne Age.

uhider 70 21 and over Years.

Persons of Color.

Male.

Fem.

Male.

Fem.

Male.

Fem.

Male.

Fem.

First.

100

135

444

218

Second

120

148

630

262

Third

Fourth

101

Fifth ..

135

Six.h. ..

100

120

207

2.44

260

381

430 1,800

$15 1 SOU

244

381

Totals

5131

811

12.645

.E. S Chesbrough ; article Tunnels, in Blanchard's " Northwest and Chi- cagu."

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7 19

Övers.

370

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

Males and females, 21 and over .2,645

Males and females over 5 and under 21 years .831

Males and females under 5 years of age. -513

Tolal while

3.98g

Total black.

Tolal

1.066

Sailors belonging lo vessels owned here 10.4

Grand Total.

4.170

Town census of 1835

-3,265

The census shows that there were: Four warehouses; 398 dwellings; 29 dry goods stores ; 5 hardware stores; 3 drug store»; 19 grocery and provision stores; 10 taverns ; 26 groceries; 17 law- yers' offices ; 5 churches,

The population of Chicago is thus given by Elias Colbert, William Bross and other authorities:

1829

*30|1857

93.000

1830

$45 1858

*80,000

1831

*60 1859

*90,000

1832

600 1860

109.263

1833

*350 1861

120 000

1834

*1,800 1862

138,186

1835

3.265 1863

¥150,000

1836

3.820 1864

161,283

1837

4.170 1865

187.446

1838

4.000 1866

200.418

1839

*4,200 1867

*220,000

18.40

4.479 1868

252.054

18.41.

5.752 1869

273 043

1842

6.248 1870

296.977

1843.

7.580 1871

334.270

1844

$8.000 1572

367.396

1846

14.169 1874

395 408

1848

20.023 1576

407.661

18.49]

23.047 1877

439.976

1850

29.963 1878

450,000

1851

34.437 1879

*480,000

I852

33.734 1880

503,185

1854

65.872 1882

560,693

1856

84.113

No general devastative calamity occurred subse- quent to this flood of 1849, until the great fire of 1871, except the disastrous fire of October 19. 1857.

THE SALOON BUILDING HALL .- Before referring to those early corporate homes, styled by courtesy "City halls" in former days, a description of a noted edifice is given, because it was used as the first city hall. The structure stood on the southeast corner of Lake and Clark streets, and was erected in 1836 by Captain J. B3. F. Russell and G. W. Doan. At that time it was not only the finest hall in Chicago, but was not eclipsed by anything of the kind in the West. In this hall on Mon- day, January 23, 1837, the meeting of a few of the lead- ing citizens of the town was held, for the purpose of preliminary action in procuring a city charter. It was also devoted to public entertainments of various kinds, political and religious meetings, concerts, traveling shows, etc. The name of this hall would, to the casual reader, appear to connect it with a house of no very good repute; but such an impression would be errone- ous. The word "saloon " as applied to this edifice had a very different meaning from what it now has. Its use was synonymous with the French. salon, which means literally a grand and spacious hall. Hon. John Went- worth says, in his reminiscences, that when first com- pleted it was the largest and most beautiful hall west of Buffalo. "Here it was," says Mr. Wentworth, "that Stephen A. Douglas made his first speech in Chicago. It was in this hall that the first joint political discussion

·Estimated,

was ever had in northern Illinois, in 1838, between Mr. Douglas and his competitor for. Congress, John T. Stuart." It was at this meeting that one of the citizens, in a speech, became so enthusiastic over the future which, with prophetic vision, he saw in store for the young and growing city, that he made the startling pre- diction that the child was already born who would live to see Chicago with a population of fifty thousand souls. At once the speaker was grected with sarcastic, yet good-natured, calls of "Town Lots; " an implication that the orator was interested in Chicago real estate. The first Swedenborgian society organized in Chicago, by J. Y. Scammon, held its meetings in this hall, and in 1839 the congregation of the First Unitarian Church worshiped there, with the Kev. Joseph Harrington as

THE SALOON BUILDING.

pastor. The Chicago Lyceum, the first literary and debating society of the city, also met there for a number of years. It was also used, in addition to all these purposes, as a court-room, Judge Drummond holding court in it for a number of years. J. Y. Scam- mon obtained control of the building in 1842, at which time it was rebuilt or remodeled, and from that period on, underwent frequent changes. A handsome block, modern in style, now stands on its former site. The building was, in 1857, a square three-story frame, the first floor occupied as stores, the second as offices, and the third as the "hall," so rich in historic lore. But with the rapid growth of the city in size and population came the advent of theatres, halls, churches and court- rooms; and the "old Saloon Hall," having served its day and generation, was forced from its long-held prominence before the eyes of Chicago's citizens, and soon existed only in the memories of those to whom a simple mention of its name awakens a flood-tide of recollections.

CITY HALL,-In May, 1837, the Common Council leased a room in the Saloon Building, for their own use and for the accommodation of the Municipal Court. At the expiration of their five years' lease the city fathers moved to Mrs. Nancy Chapman's building, op- posite the jail, corner of LaSalle and Randolph streets. The public square at this time, 1842, was fenceless, and presented such a dilapidated and barren appearance that citizens were urged to improve the park by indi- vidual exertion. In April a number of citizens did turn out with shovels, mattocks, etc., and planted a few trees and built a fence. Henry Brown directed the work. But the public ardor seems to have cooled, although hot for a time, the Democrat, in May, noticing that "the fence around the public square on Clark Street, stands

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1853

60.662 1831

540.711

1855

80,023 1833

$600,000

1845

12.088 1873

·390,000

1847

16,859 1875

404.000

371

HISTORY OF CHICAGO

like a good many politicians we wot of-but half white- washed." J. Young Scammon and William H. Davis did much, about this time, to improve the appearance of the square.

In January, 1848, the Market Building on State Street was erected by the city, and was the first munic- ipal structure, the Common Council having heretofore rented their accommodations. The building was situ- ated in the center of State Street, fronting forty feet on Randolph and running north toward Lake Street one hundred and eighty feet. It was built of brick and stone two stories in height. The first floor was laid out into thirty-two stalls. The second story was divided into four rooms, the one in the north end (twenty by forty feet) arranged for a library, and the south room for the City Clerk's office. The center rooms, divided by a partition, with folding doors, one forty by seventy- two feet, the other forty by sixty-eight feet, were used by the Common Council and for other public purposes. The entire cost was 811,070. J. M. Van Osdel was the architect and superintendent. The Common Council occupied their new rooms for the first time November 13, 1848.

In 1850 the county and the city commenced to agi- tate the project of erecting a court-house, to be occu- pied jointly by them. In December of that year a reso- lution was adopted that the county pay three-quarters and the city one quarter of the expense to be incurred in the purchase of grounds and the erection of a court- house and jail. There was some disagreement as to where the buildings should be erected. In June, 1851, it was decided that one structure was to be erected, a combined court-house and jail, in the center of the square, the latter to be in the basement of the building. The Common Council agreed to unite with them in its construction. On September 12, 1851, occurred the impressive ceremonies of laying the corner-stone of the structure. The military and fire companies, Free Masons, Odd Fellows and members of the Mechanics' Institute assembled at Dearborn Park, under command of Colonel J. B. F. Russell, Chief Marshal. The pro- cession was half a mile in length. The ceremonies of laying the corner-stone were conducted by Professor James Van Zandt Blaney, Acting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Illinois Freemasons. After they had been concluded, a salute was fired by Captain Swift's artillery company. The splendid edifice was completed during the year 1853. In 1857 it was found too circum- scribed, and was raised one story, and a cupola and bel- fry added thereto.

But the court-house was again found too small for the numerous offices located there, and was remodeled and extensively added to, the north and south fronts being added to and with wings on either side of such projections. The roof was likewise more ornately fin- ished, and two domes addedthereto. John M. Van Osdel was the architect and superintendent of these arch- itectural changes which were completed in 1870, and which made the court-house one of the handsomest buildings in the State. This building was occupied by the city until it was destroyed by the conflagration of 1871.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS .- Before Chicago had become a city, when any proposition was made to borrow money, the utmost consternation seems to have been created. Several town officials had even resigned rather than sanc- tion such recklessness, John S. C. Hogan voluntarily ceased to act as Treasurer in June, 1835, because the . of the legal and eleemosynary burdens.

and the town otherwise made presentable and inhabit- able. After the town people had fairly entered into the spirit of becoming a city, however, their old apprehen- sions gradually wore off because of the constant repeti- tion of those financial propositions from the authorities. After a time such measures were urged with general enthusiasm. The Chicago of that day commenced to draw confidently upon the Chicago of the future-and that confidence was her largest bank account in 1837. In January of that year, W. Stuart, the Town Clerk, was ordered to draft a memorial to the General Assembly for the passage of an act authorizing the Trustees to borrow the sum of $50,000, to be used in permanent improvements. This, however, came to naught, and in March, Chicago was incorporated as a city. As a city, just previous to the depressing times of 1837, Chicago commenced active operations with $1,993 in the treas- ury.

The City Treasurer received from the town, $2,814.29.

With many permanent improvements to be accom- plished, this was not a remarkably brilliant outlook for the young city of four thousand inhabitants. Among other things it was absolutely necessary that more effect- ive provision should be made to guard the city against fire. Two more engines were needed. The streets required improvement, and their drainage demanded attention. Mayor Ogden was chosen agent of the cor- poration, and the Common Council appointed a finance committee, of which Peter Bolles was chairman. It was resolved to borrow $25,000, but to resolve is not always to accomplish. The city promised to redeem its pledge to the Branch Bank of the State of Illinois in five years. The proposition was not accepted, as witness the follow- ng note of "regret:"

"STATE BANK OF ILLINOIS, SPRINGFIELD, May 31, 1937. PETER BOL.1.FS, EsQ.,

Dear Sir: Your letter of the 18th addressed 10 the president of this bank, and proposing on behalf of the city of Chicago a loan from this bank of the sum of $25.000, has been laid before the directors of the bank, and, I regret to have to stale, declined.

" I am very respectfully, your ob't serv't.

"A. H. RIDGELY, Cashier."

It was evident that the State Bank of Illinois consid- ered the burden of carrying the "internal improvements " of the State of Illinois, already heavy enough without tak- ing it upon herself to foster the internal improvements of the city of Chicago. Nevertheless, as this very respectful letter did not ease the municipal treasury hy so much as a feather's weight, in June, 1837, city scrip was issued, of $1, $2 and $3 denominations, bearing one per cent interest, which was to be received for taxes not exceeding $5,000. At this time the Treasurer's office was kept in the warehouse of ex-Town Treasurer Dole.

'The city authorities were not acting in harmony with the County Commissioners. The city was paying about $5,000 annually for sustaining the Municipal Court, whose benefits were shared by the county, and until this arrangement was changed it was claimed that the Commissioners ought to take care of the city paupers. Chicago was receiving only about $1,000 from tavern and grocery licenses, supporting a $5,000 court, and now the county refused to take care of her paupers! This was one of the obstacles that had to be sur- mounted during the hard times of 1837. City and county, however, soon came to an amicable settlement of their difficulties, so that each bore a just proportion

The finances of the city by the first charter were

corporation was determined, as a sanitary measure, to borrow $2,000 in order to have the streets cleared up entirely in the hands of the Common Council, the

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372

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

Treasurer and Collectors heing merely its clerks. The six Assessors were elected, but the Treasurer and Col- lector were appointed by the Common Council. The supplementary act of February 16. 1847, made the Treasurer and Collector elective officers. These pru- visions remained in force until February 18, 1857, when the treasury department was created, embracing, in addition to the above officers, the City Comptroller (appointed annually by the Mayor , and the head of the new department.

FISCAL POWERS,-By the first city charter the Com- mon Council had authority to raise a sufficient sum by tax on real and personal property, not exceeding one- half of one per cent upon the assessed value thereof, to defray the expenses of "lighting the city streets, sup- porting a night watch, making and repairing streets and bridges, and paying the operating expenses" of the city. The Common Council were given the usual powers with regard to making and assessing of streets and condemning property; and could not remove a building exceeding $1,500 in value without the owner's consent. When property was to be condemned five commissioners were appointed to assess it and determine the damages and benefits. All taxes and assessments were to be considered a lien upon real estate, and in case of non-payment the premises could be sold at any time within the year from the time of filing the assess- ment roll with the Clerk. If the Common Council should direct the laying of sidewalks in front of any property, and the owner neglected to make them ur keep them in repair, the city had authority to construct or repair them and assess the expenses against the lots. By the act approved February 14, 1851, reducing the law incorporating the city, the Common Council was vested with the power to collect taxes not exceeding three and one-half mills on the dollar to defray the con- tingent and other municipal expenses; une- half mill to meet the interest on the bonded debt; to levy and col- leet taxes, when required, to erect a city hall, markets, hospital and bridewell; to lay out public parks ur any other public improvements, and to defray three quarters of the expenses of erecting street lamps and lighting the city. Improvements on canal and schonl lots and the wharfing privileges were to be subject to taxation, the same as other real estate. In the processes of condemn- ing private property for the opening of streets and alleys; and of improving the thoroughfares of the city, the Common Council were to appoint three commissioners to assess benefits and damages. In case of the non-pay- ment of taxes ur assessments the premises could be sold at any time within two years from the confirmation of the assessment by the Common Council, the right of redemption depending upon the payment in specie of double the amount for which the property was sold and all taxes accruing subsequent to the sale, with interest. In February, 1851, the Chicago City Hydraulic Company was incorporated, and to meet the exigencies of the occa- sion in February, 1854, an art was passed to enable the city to borrow $100,000 for the use of the water works and appointing a superintendent of special assessments. It authorized the levying of a tax equal to one mill on the dollar of real and personal estate to meet the interest on the bonded ilebt.

By the act amendatory of that of February 14, 1851. passed February 18, 1857, the office of City Collector was created, who was to he one of the officials con- stituting a treasury department. All orders for the col- lection of annual taxes and warrants for the collection of special assessments were to pass through his hands, and there were to be no more special collectors ap-

pointed by the Common Council. The City Collector was to be elected by the people and appoint his own assistants.

REAL ESTATE .- The two years preceding the panic of 1837 were puted for the wille-spread fever, which attacked the coolest blood, to speculate in real estate. "The rise in value was tremendous. Fortunes were made almost in a day, and when the reaction came they were last even more suddenly. It would be impossible to give anything like a clear picture of this portion of the city's history, since all was confusion and excite- ment. The most that can be done is to jot down items as they have been gathered from the files of the Ameri- can, and other sources, showing the business transacted at the land-office, and, in some cases, the comparison of prices of lots before the excitement, when the fever was at its height, and after the reaction had set in. The general reader can easily draw his conclusions from the details here presented.

In 1830 Jedediah Woolsey, Jr., bought of the canal commissioners Lut 9, Block 44, for $50. Alexander Wolcott purchased eight lots in Block 1. during the same year, paying $692; also the east one-half, north- cast quarter Section 9, Township 39, Range 14 eighty acres , at $1.12% per acre. John S. Wilburn bought 1.ot 1. Block 1, in 1830 for $60. John S. C. Hogan paid for Lots 1, 2, 5, and 6, $116, and in 1836 bought Lot 7, paying $12,000 for it with the greatest of alacrity. The above are specimens of some of the earliest purchases. In May, 1835, the land-office was opened. To the close of the sale the receipts amounted to $386.500, of which about $353.500 were for lands sold at auction and the balance under the pre-emption law. During the next month E. K. Hubbard and W. 1 .. Newberry advertised sales of valuable lots, the former having three hundred and fifty to dispose of. In October, A. Garrett announces in the American that from January 4 to the 27th of that month he has sold $1,800,000 worth of real and personal property. He had fitted up a large room on Dearborn Street and had an "auction room equal to any in New York or Phila- delphia."

In November the rate of assessment for the coming year was fixed by the town at one-half of one per cent.

A lot fronting eighty feet on the water by one hun- dred and fifty feet on Dearborn, purchased for $9,000 in the spring of 1835, brought $25,000 in the succeed- ing winter. Says the American in April, 1836: " There is a piece of land in Chicago, costing $62 in 1830, which has risen in value one hundred per cent per day. It sold last week for 896,700-one-quarter down and the remainder, in six, twelve and cighteen months, at ten per cent." Charles Butler, of New York, states, in a later issue, that " in 1833 one-quarter of Kinzie's ad- dition was offered for $5.500-worth then $100,000. In 1833, forty acres of land worth $400 could not be purchased in 1836 for less than $200,000. In 1834 the 'Hunter property' was purchased for $20,000. In the spring of 1835 it was resold for $100,000. It is now (September, 1836) worth $500,000."

Notwithstanding which tremendous rise in values of real estate, in pursuance of a notice issned by N. H. Bolles, Town Collector, that all property would be sokl upun which the corporation tax of 1835 remained un- pail, September 10, 1836, a great number of lots were advertised. Of those which appear in the American of October 1, one hundred and fifty-five were taxed less than $r ; forty-two from &t to $5 ; ten from 85 to Sio; twenty-two between Sto and $25, and one at $39. In Wolcott's addition one was taxed $10.50 ; three be.

373

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ing $7.50 and $10; the remainder less than $7. In the North Branch addition no tax reached $1. In Wauban- sia addition three lots which were advertised were assessed $2.50, $3.50, $7.50; in the " original town" one for $50.50; two for $30 each; one for $19, seventeen for $10, and eighteen less than $10.

The reaction from the inflation of 1835-36 was set- ting in. In January, 1837, the town passed an ordi- nance relating to the sale of lots for taxes. It provided that the assessment on all taxable lots should be made annually, and the roll returned to the Board previous to October 1. The Town Collector was to notify the pub- lic by the 13th of that month that he would advertise all lots for sale upon which the tax remained unpaid on February 1. If not redeemed, the purchaser at the tax sale was entitled to the deed. In March, 1837, another lot of "delinquents " appeared to have forgotten the value of Chicago real estate. In the "old town " most of the lots advertised for sale were taxed at $2.50 apiece -the highest 845. The highest tax upon a water lot in Kinzie's addition was Szo; a dry lot $47.50. The majority of lots in Wolcott's addition were assessed at $2.50, the highest one at $10; in Waubansia addition the highest $5, the majority at $1.25; in School Section 16 the highest $21, the majority at $1. In North Branch addition out of three hundred and eight lots advertised for sale the tax of only twenty-four reached $1.25, most of them being assessed at thirty-seven cents per lot. The taxes collected during the year ending May 1, 1837. amounted to $11,659.54, of which $2,661,26 was the balance assessed during 1835, and $8,998.27 the corporation taxes on real estate for 1836.

The panic of 1837 brought great distress to this community, and delayed the growth of Chicago as a city. Its reaction here was principally felt in real estate circles, it being almost impossible to dispose of land, at any price, during 1838. The canal improvement was really about all that sustained and encouraged Chicago for nearly ten years. Many people left the city in 1840 Although the hard times of 1837 and 1838 affected the sales at the land-office, as a "business institution," it was as persistently prosperous as any that can be named, from May 28, 1835, when it opened, to May 1, 1846, when it closed. Witness the figures :

1835

370,043.38 acres.

1836.

202.315.96 ..

1837

15.697.87

1838

87,891.43

1839.

160,635.70

1840

142.158 00.

1841.

138,583.16

1842.

194.556.11

1843.

229 459 70

1814.

230,769 63

1845 ..

220.525.08

to May 1, 1846.

61.956.14

TOTAL

2.054 592.16

The growth of Chicago from 1842 to 1850 was slow.

In April, 1852, the city negotiated its first great loan-$250,000, payable in twenty years, through Dun- can, Sherman & Co., of New York City. This was on account of the inauguration of the new system of water works.

The growth of the city from 1850 to 1855 was mar- velous, and the confession is said to have been made by certain real estate men that though they " did their best " at representing the rise in land, the facts out- stripped their stories. It was during this period that Chicago inaugurated her grand system of water-works and drainage. Then, unfortunately, she experienced

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 92

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