History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 93

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

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her great set-back, the panic of 1857. The city was so embarrassed that in September the Council ordered the issuing of $100,000 bonds. It was done and Comp- troller Hayes went to New York to negotiate them. After using his powers of persuasion for a week he returned, entirely unsuccessful in his mission.

By the winter of 1857 a large number of laboring men were out of employment, and the city authorities were called upon, in the midst of the most depressing times, to inaugurate public improvements and thus assist them financially. Special committees of the Common Council were appointed, who found it impossible to appropriate money from the city treasury for charitable objects, without express permission from the Legisla- ture, and especially when the whole available means of the city were required to pay her current expenses and honorably meet her maturing indebtedness. Further- more, the city could not, as suggested, make advances through her credit tocarry on public improvements then pending, for which assessments had not been collected, because all taxes had been collected to their full extent and were paid in so slowly that the Comptroller found it difficult to provide for the most necessary expenses. In the then state of the money market it was impossi- ble to raise money by a loan. The filling of Washing. ton Park, however, had been contracted for and would provide employment for a great number. Most of the improvements which could be ordered at that time would have to be made upon remote streets, and the assess- ments upon adjoining property would fall upon the poorer people. All that could be done, therefore, was for the city to hasten the construction of works for which orders had been passed and warrants issued.

The Comptroller's Report of April 1. 1867, makes the following syl- labus of valuations, and taxes derived thereupon, at various epochs,

Income from

$5.905 15

4.721 85

8,647 89

11,077 58

15,825 80

18.159 01

22,051 54

30,045 09

25.370 87

135.662 08

206,209 03

396,652 39

373.315 29

564,038 06

974.655 64

1,294, 183 54 1,719,064 00

Total

Valuation.

$236,842

94.437

1.441,314

3,005,022

4.521,656

5.849,170

6,300,440

6,676,654

7.220,249

16.841.830

26,902,893

31,736,08.4

37.453.512

37.139.845

48.732,752

64.700.177

85.953,250

Valuation

of Perumal

Property.

8479.003

791.951

857.231

853.704

1,302. 174

1,495,047

5.181,637

5,665,965

13.130.677

17,404

31,255

52,861

58,955

65.947

82,966

89, 150

YEARS.

July. 1837.

July. 1840 ..

July. 1843.

June, 1845 ..

September, 1846.

October, 1847 .-

September, 1848

August, 1849 ..

August, 1850 .-

December,: 1853-

August, 1856.

August, 1860 ..

October, 1862 ..

October, 1864 ..

October, 1865.

October, 1866,

19,458,134

Valuation

Real Estate.

$236,842

94.437

962,221

2,273, 171

3.664,425

4.995.446

4.995,206

7,603

White

Persons

L'oder at.

as designated :

44.004.499 60,495.116

37.148,023

31.580,545

31,198,155

25.892,308

21.637 500

3.711.154

5.843.774

5.855.377

5-552,300

11.584,759

20,644.679

1,554,284

5.355-593

June, 1855 ....

In 1867, the assessments were made upon an equitable cash valuation the valuation for some years previously had been merely nominal); and upon that valuation the

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2,694

374

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

assessed figures were: upon real estate, $141,415,940; upon personal property, $53,487,824, and the taxes re- sulting therefrom were $2,517,143.50. At the date of the fire the assessment for municipal taxation of real and personal property had just been concluded, and aggregated about 8287,000,000. The debt of Chicago in April, 1871, was $14,103,000.

MAVORS OF THE CITY .- The following is a list of the Mayors from the incorporation of the city: William B Ogden, 1837; Buckner S. Morris, 1838; Benjamin W. Raymond, 1839; Alexander Loyd, 1840; Francis C. Sherman, 1841; Benjamin W. Raymond, 1842; Augustus Garrett, 1843; Augustus Garrett, 1844, elected March 7 and election declared illegal; at new election, held April 2, A. S. Sherman was elected, vice Garrett; Augustus Garrett, 1845; John P. Chapin, 1846; James Curtiss, 1847; James H. Woodworth, 1848; James H. Woodworth, 1849; James Curtiss, 1850; Walter S. Gur- nec, 1851; Walter S. Gurnee, 1852; Charles M. Gray, 1853; Isaac L. Milliken, 1854; Levi D. Boone, 1855; Thomas Dyer, 1856; John Wentworth, 1857; John C. Haines, 1858; John C. Haines, 1859; John Wentworth, 1860; Julian S. Rumsey, 1861; Francis C. Sherman, 1862; Francis C. Sherman, 1863 (elected for two years); John B. Rice, 1865; John B. Rice, 1867; Roswell B. Mason, 1870; Joseph Medill (elected November), 1871; Harvey D. Colvin, 1873; Monroe Heath, 1876; Carter H. Harrison, 1879-81-83.

WATER WORKS,-The first public effort made by Chicago to assist her inhabitants to a supply of fresh water dates from November 10, 1834, when the Board of Trustees paid $95.50 for the digging of a well in Kinzie's addition. But the settlers early cast longing eyes towards the lake, realizing that that source of water supply was the true one and not to be compared to the sluggish and unprepossessing river. For some years private enterprise reaped a comfortable little financial harvest in the operation of water carts, which ran to and from the lake. These carts were two-wheeled vehicles, upon which hogsheads were mounted. Having driven into the lake, generally at the foot of Randolph Street, the watermen loaded up their reservoirs by means of pails, and then commenced their journeys "around town." Backing their carts up to the doors of their customers' houses, with a short leathern hose they filled the barrels or other receptacles placed there for the pur- pose. The price per barrel varied, according to com- petition, from five to ten cents. But there came a time when water-carts, tin cans, wooden pails and barrels were deemed too crude as "water works," and when even such persuasive and enterprising carriers as l'eter Wolfe were thought to be behind the times. January 18, 1836, the State Legislature passed a law incorporat- ing the Chicago Hydraulic Company. On March 19, an organization was effected as follows: George W. Dole, president; Gurdon S. Hubbard, David Hunter, Gholson Kercheval, William Forsythe, directors; and Edward W. Casey, secretary. The other incorporators were James H. Campbell, R. A. Kinzie and Solomon Wells. The capital stock was limited to $250,000. The charter was to continue in force seventy years. The company was allowed four years from the passage of the act in which to commence the construction of the neces- sary works. Although incorporated, the panic of 1837 so disarranged the affairs of the new company that it did not get fairly to work until 1840, when the four years had nearly expired. Ira Miltimore was then ap- pointed machinist and superintendent of the works, and commenced at once to build a reservoir at the corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, on the ground after-

ward occupied by the Adams House. Not until the spring of 1842 was this first water works system com- pleted. The American of May 24 speaks in glowing terms of the purity of the supply. The same paper of June 10 gives the following interesting facts in regard to the completion of the great undertaking:

". The whole outlay of the company has been about $24.000, A large 1wo-story brick building has been erected with a pier run- ning into the lake. The steam engine is a 25-horse power. The working.barrel of the pump is fourteen Inches in diameter and forty-lour inches stroke-double action. The suction pipe by which the water is drawn from the lake is also fourteen inches in diameter, and three hundred and twenty feel in length, The pump raises upward of twenty-five barrels of water per minute, thirty- five feet above the level of the lake. Thereare iworeservoirs, each of the capacity of one thousand two hundred and fifty barrels, one only of which is complete. A space of about fifty minutes is re- quired to fill each of the reservoirs, equivalent, of course, to raising one thousand two hundred and fifty barrels in fifty minutes" The reservoir is of sufficient elevation 10 throw the water into the second story of any building in the city. About two miles in length of pipe are now laid down The machinist under whose direction these works have been pul into such complete snd suc- cessful operation is Mr. Ira Millimore. We allude to this gentle. man with the more pleasure that it was for a long time confidently predicted that his undertaking would prove an entire failure. We know that though he had perfect confidence in his ability 10 accom- plish his task, these predictions were 10 him a source of constan! and harassing anxiety. It can scarcely be imagined how keenly intent were his feelings when the works were upon the point of being put into operation. The triumph, or in might be the dis- grace, of the machinist was at hand. His feelings at that moment were assuredly not 10 be envied. They were to be envied when the regular evolution, the easy play, the harmonions action of everr part of the machinery announced the complete triumph of skill." *

Elsewhere, and officially, the old hydraulic works have been described as consisting of an 18-inch inlet nearly seven hundred feet long, extending from a crib in the lake to a well fifteen feet deep, the inlet bending down nearly to the bottom; of pumping works on the lake shore at the foot of Lake Street; and of wooden supply pipes, of which latter, before the abandonment of the works, there were several miles, none of which exceeded six inches in diameter. The wooden pipes were frequently dug up, in excavating for the laying of sewers and iron water pipes, and appeared to be per- fectly sound twenty-five years after they were laid.

The Common Council in December, 1841, contracted with the Hydraulic Company to supply the city with water for the extinguishment of fires. The schedule of rates for domestic and manufacturing supply was pub- lished in April, 1842, and ranged from Sio per annum for a family of five persons, to $500 for large services in manufactories. The pipes from the mains to build- ings were furnished at private expense.

In 1842 James Long entered into arrangements with the Hydraulic Company to do their pumping for sup- plying the city with water for ten years, without cost to the company, in return for the free use of the surplus power of their engine. Subsequently Mr. Long referred to the difficulties of his post in the following words : " In winter the pipes would be disarranged by the hear- ing of the frost, and I had frequently to spend hours at a time to caulk up the joints by throwing on water and thus freezing up the cracks before we could make the pumps available. When the end of this pipe from the pier was first put down it was three or four feet below the surface of the lake, but in 1842-43 the lake had re- ceded so far as frequently to leave the end out of water, particularly when the wind blew from the south." In addition to the work which he accomplished for the city, Mr. Long erected the "Hydraulic Mills," corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, which he operated

. Captain Mittimore, to whene judgment and engineering skill early Chicago is greatly Indebted, died in Janesville, Wis , June 9, 1879-

375

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

with the "surplus power of the twenty-five horse engine." The building cost about $12,000, was of three run of stone, and the mill did good business until the second water works were constructed, in 1853 when the enter- prise was abandoned.

The great expectations entertained regarding the blessing which was to be brought to the homes of the people of Chicago were not realized, even within the next decade. During the fall of 1847, especially. the water supply was of a quality which called for purifica- tion. In August, ex-Street Commissioner Philip Dean cleaned the works and repaired them. He was then acting as agent. But citizens were already putting the pertinent inquiry, " What good can Mr. Dean do, unless the pipe is extended out into pure water ?"

The matter was so serious that everyone took part in the discussion. In the spring of 1848, at the season when little fishes were generally pumped into the reser- voirs and thus distributed over the city, to the horror of the clean and fastidious housewife, the public prints were full of "water works," and many shafts of ridicule were leveled against the primitive system of supply un- der which the city was suffering. A committee was ap- pointed by the Chicago Mechanics' Institute, consisting of S. D. Childs, A. F. Bradley and W. H. Kennicott, to suggest a plan for getting water from the lake. They reported in May with a diagram, and proposed to lay down a pipe three feet below low-water mark; to extend it out into the lake, at a point opposite First Street to a sufficient distance to pass the muddy water, and then to continue the pipe down the center to said street, cross- ing the Chicago River near Mr. Gage's steam mill, and continuing it to the western boundary of the city. At the crossing of each alternate street lateral branches might be taken; the pipes to be of wood and to cost about $2,000 per mile. By carrying the pipes into twenty feet of water and attaching an elbow to that end, at least ten feet from the bottom, the water so drawn would be equally free from the floating impurities and the disturb- ances of the bottom; the water thus drawn to be intro- duced into two reservoirs, to be erected at the margin of the lake, each capable of holding twenty thousand cubic feet of water. Into the one nearest the lake the water should be first introduced, drawn off from the top and carried by an elbow to the bottom of the second reservoir, from which it should be drawn off again near the top, to be carried through the city by wooden pipes, running down First Street. The works then in operation (so it was computed) were throwing into the reservoirs a column of water equal to twenty- eight thousand cubic feet every twelve hours. This was drawn from the bottom of the lake, poured into the top of the reservoir and taken out at the bottom where the sediment must, of necessity, have been thrown.

Another influence, besides the quality of the water- supply, was at work to bring the life of the old Hy- draulic Company to an end. A portion of the South Side, and a very small part of the West Side, were well supplied with water, while the whole of the North Side, and large districts of the other territory, were obliged to depend upon wells and the watermen, a number of whom were still kept husy bringing water from the lake. Many poor people, who were not able to take advan- tage even of the necessities to health, drew their sup- ply from the filthy river. During 1850 the company laid one mile of pipe, making in all nine and a quarter miles in use. Of one thousand hydrants, eight hundred were used by families, the remainder by stores, public houses, livery stables, etc. It was estimated that not over one-fifth of the city was being supplied by the

company. For a large and rapidly growing city this state of affairs was alarming, especially as the general health was perceptibly suffering. In April, 1850, a meeting of citizens was held at the city hall for the purpose of devising means of supplying the city with pure and wholesome water. The following gentle- men, with the chairman of the meeting, Peter Page, were appointed to obtain facts and suggest remedies: South Division, R. H. Foss and 'T. M. Moody: West Division, A. S. Sherman and Luther Marsh; North Division, K. J. Ilamilton and William E. Jones. It was through the efforts of these gentlemen, sustained by the general public sentiment, that a company was incorporated by the city during the succeeding session of the Legis- lature. The act approved February 15, 1851, to incor- porate the Chicago City Hydraulic Company, provided for the organization of a board of water commissioners, comprising John B. Turner, Horatio G. Loomis and Alson S. Sherman. This board entered on their duties of office June 16, 1851, and ten days later William McAlpine was appointed chief engineer. Under his directions the second water-works of Chicago were con- structed. To point out distinctly the reason which the city assigned for the construcion of such expensive works, an enumeration of buildings, etc., in which water-pipe were proposed to be first laid, was made in July, 1851. The total amount estimated to accrue from water-rates for the year succeeding the completion of the water-works was $37,366.

"The commissioners stated that the water will be taken from the lake north of the pier, al or near the termination of Chicago Avenue. There will ultimately be required in the carrying out of this plan three reservoirs, one of which will be located in each di- vision of the city. The water will be taken from the lake at a dis- tance of about six hundred feel from the shore and conducted by an inlet pipe 10 a well, which will be within the engine-house, on or near the beach. From this well the waler will be forced into the reservoirs, to a height of eighty-five feel above the surface of The lake and about seventy-five feet above the surface of the general level of the city, by a non-condensing engine of ahoul one hundred and seventy horse power. The pipes used will be of iron. Iron tanks will be used for the reservoirs, The estimated cost of constructing the works upon this plan, including the cost of aboul forty-eight lineal miles of distribution pipe, which it is sup. posed will be adequale to supply the inhabitants of the city when its population will be one hundred thousand souls, is $570,coo."

Engineer McAlpine made his report September 26, 1851. His assistant, E. W. Smith, had remained in Chi- cago for over a month to take soundings in the lake at the several places suggested by the board of commission- ers, and also to examine the branches of the river where the water-pipes were proposed to be carried. Mr. Mc- Alpine submitted four plans, with estimates for the cost of carrying them out. The plan substantially adopted was the fourth. An estimate was made that the total cost of constructing the works would be $335-439.59, and that the annual expenses would amount to $18,000. The whole plan was submitted as applying to a city which should number one hundred and sixty.two thou- sand souls in 1875! The system was considered as amply sufficient to cover any possible growth of the future, and the estimate was considered by many to be quite extravagant.

It would not be in human nature for the old Hy- draulic Company to allow the new corporation to prose- cute their enterprise without bitterly opposing it. The former claimed exclusive rights, and held that before the commissioners could proceed a step they must first purchase the old company's property and franchise, or its franchise alone. The Hydraulic Company claimed without the income which was then being derived from water rents, that the tables of the new commissioners

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376

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

would be $15,000 less yearly than they calculated. As to the paucity of the water supply, they stated* that a " charter was obtained for supplying the North Division of the city with water, but excepting such preliminary steps as were thought necessary to secure their charter, we believe they have advanced no farther. In 1850-51 the charter was extended, and calculating to supply the whole city, the company finding the limit of $250,000 in their charter too small, they are seeking power to borrow at once 8350,000." After showing the advan. tages which the city would gain by purchasing their works, and that it was impossible for them to levy taxes upon the territory now occupied by them, the directors of the company intimated that unless the matters were settled, an injunction would be brought to prevent the buikling of the new works. The directors of the ald Hydraulic Company at this time were B. S. Morris, William Wheeler, B. W. Raymond, J. H. Foster and M. Laflin.

On March 2, at the regular municipal election only five hundred and thirteen votes were cast against the adoption of the system proposed by the Chicago City Hydraulic Company. Of the four thousand four hun- dred and forty-five persons voting at that time, one thousand two hundred and forty-four did not signify whether they cared for the works or not.

In compliance with a request from the old Hydrau- lic Company a special committee of the Common Con- cil suggested that the water commissioners purchase their entire interests for 830,000, or their franchises for $15,000, the Hydraulic Company to retain their prop- erty and income of works until July 4, 1853. The paper, however, was laid on the table and could not therefore be considered as having received a municipal indorsement. The water commissioners then went on to negotiate their $400,000 bonds with Duncan, Sherman & Co., of New York City. The first loan was made in April-8:50,000, payable in twenty years. In June the New York Tribune reports: " Under the active de- mandIs for the Chicago City Six's, which was fast ex- hausting the supply, Messrs. Duncan, Sherman & Co. have advanced the rate to ninety-seven and one-half and accrued interest. They are selling faster than the city officers execute and forward them."

The Hydraulic Company gut out an injunction, but the two rivals compromised their difficulties under the inth section of the art of incorporation of the new water company, which reads as follows :

" Said commissioners may purchase the corporate rights and real and personal propeny, fixtures and stock of every name and description of the Chicago Hydraulic Company, and when such purchase shall be made, the said commis-inners shall succeed to and become invested with all the powers, rights, privileges and im. munities exercised and enjoyed by the Chicago Hydraulic Com- pany. under their charter, and shall continue to supply water to the citizens of Chicago, under the same, and collect the money and rents therefor, in all respects as fully and effectually as the Chicago Hydraulic Company can or may do, umil the said commissioners, acting under the provisions of this act, shall have completed their arrangements, machinery, engines, pipes, buildings and other things provided for in this act for the purpose of providing the said city with pure and wholesome water; aller which time the said Chicago Hydraulie Company, and their said charter, shall become extinct and null ; Provided, always, that if the said commissioners cannot agree with the said Chicago Hydraulic Company as to what sum shall be p.in the sand Chicago Hydrauhe Company fur their property, rights and privileges, then the said company shall have the right to establish, by satisfactory proof, the actual cost of their s vid property, before the Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. upon petition to him in term time or vacation, and no greater sum shall be paid for the same than the Judge shall decide the actual Cost lo have been."

. Se repart of February. 1'57. made by Hydraulic Company directurs. Tied in t'aly Clerk's office.

In Aprit and Angust two loans were effected with the above-named banking-house. The net amount realized from the sale of the 8400,000 bonds-six per cent, twenty-five years-was $361,280. The difficulties between the two companies having been amicably ad- justed, the water commissioners pushed their work along with commendable energy .*

The works were commenced in the summer of 1852, and were situated near the lake, at the foot of Chicago Avenue. The pump-well was built, and a portion of the thirty-inch inlet pipe was laid towards the lake, and the foundations of the building and tower were put in, which closed the work for the season. During the spring and summer of 1853. the buildings and tower were finished, and several attempts made to put in place the thirty-inch wooden inlet pipe, which was designed tu extend six hundred feet into the lake, and terminate in a crib of timber. The efforts to complete this were un- successful. The boisterous condition of the lake rendered it difficult to secure the crib in place, so the work was abandoned and the water received in a pipe. close to the shore. During the fall of 1853 the stand- pipe was put up, and the condensing and non-condens- ing engines were crected. The former was started December 16, 1853, and the supply of water for the city commenced in February, 1854. The original pump-well was rectangular, twenty by thirty feet, and twenty-five feet deep from floor of engine-house to bottom. The walls were of stone, six to seven feet thick. Upon those walls the engines were located; the buildings were of brick, forty by fifty feet in the elcat, and two wings for boiler-rooms, each thirty and one-half by forty and one-half feet in the clear. The water tower was square, composed of brick fourteen feet at the base, eleven fect at the top and one hundred and thirty-six feet high, The interior was divided by a wall, one part designed for a smoke chimney, the other for the iron stand-pipe. The foundation rested upon a bed of sand, some six feet below the surface, and at one time the tower leaned fourteen inches from a verti- cal line. It was, however, by an ingenious method made plumnh, and remained so until its demolition. The original pumping-machine consisted of a vertical beam engine, located on the north side of the building, having a steam cylinder of forty-four inches diameter and a stroke of nine feet, with two single-action pumps of thirty-four inches in diameter and five and one- half feet stroke. This engine was in use sixteen years, and continued through 1869. It was built at the Morgan Iron Works, New York, as were also the engines erected in 1857 and in 1867. The non-condensing engine, erected in 1853, was horizontal. It was located on the south side of the main building, having a steam cylinder of eighteen inches, and six feet stroke, with one double- acting pump of the same dimensions. This engine was huilt by H. Moses, of Chicago. It was removed in the latter part of 1856 and a larger one substituted.

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 93

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