USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume I > Part 22
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
on roads and bridges, $190; total tax, $440. "This new engine company-Eagle No. 7-have made their appearance in uniform and number sixty men. Their machine is that formerly worked by No. 1," said the Democrat of April 6. Cook County Medical so- ciety was organized on April 5, 1852, with E. McArthur president, and H. A. Johnson, secretary. The late opening of the Strait of Mackinaw in the spring of 1852 was regarded as a worse "cut-off" than that proposed by the Illinois Central. In April, 1852, the Galena and Michigan Southern railways were the only two here, but several others were nearly ready.
"The Michigan Central Railroad company has been kept out of our city entirely by the worst management on the part of men here professing to be its friends. Upon reviewing the whole ground we see nothing that the Michigan Central Railroad company has to thank anyone for here. Had they been saved from their friends here, they would have been in Chicago long since. . . The Southern Michigan Railroad company are astounding even their most sarı- guine friends by the way they are pushing their road along in these times considered unusually hard. They will do in about four weeks what we never believed until recently that they would have done in two years."-(Democrat, February 9, 1852.)
"The first ordinance relating to that road (Illinois Central) did not meet my approval, as I was advised by eminent counsel it might be construed to give the unconditional right to run the road to Lake Park in front of Canal Section 15, leaving its continuation at the option of the company; because it seemed to make the city, for a valuable consideration, guarantee to the company the perpetual right to occupy a strip of land of immense value which did not be- long to the city, when the intention of the people was that they should only have the right of way there ; and because the proposition intended to require the construction of branch tracks was very loose and imperfect."-(Mayor Gurnee in Democrat, March 2, 1852.)
A public sale of canal lands took place in May, 1852; the prices paid surprised even old Chicagoans. "Today comes off the sale of the most valuable part of the city property, which has been reserved from sale only until this day by'a long and tedious lawsuit. It extends as far down as the toll gate and from the plank road (State street) to the river. But the best property offered will be those five fancy lots below the city line and east of the plank road in Section 21," said the Democrat of May 18. The little steamer "Calumet Trader" was running in May, 1852; it ran up the Calu- met river. A cabinetmakers' and joiners' strike occurred here in May, 1852; they were mostly Germans and demanded $2 instead of $1.25 and $1.50. The master mechanics held out against any advance. In May it was proposed to plank Archer road from State street to the city limits, and macadamize it the rest of the distance to Bridgeport. Swamp lands was an important question
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
in 1852-53. In order to have the position of Chicago clearly de- fined a mass meeting of the citizens was held about the middle of March and resolutions were adopted, to the effect that this city was not hostile to any railway, but did resent and intended to fight the junction of the Michigan Central and the Illinois Central at a point south of Chicago. It was declared that a scheme of these roads was on foot, to unite Detroit and Cairo and leave Chicago far to the north.
In May, 1852, sealed proposals for the construction of the city water works were called for. On May 24 the Democrat announced that the Michigan Central was now complete to Chicago. Short- lived papers here before 1852 were the Porcupine, Random Shot and Mosquito. There were burglaries almost every day in May. The Democrat waged a relentless, persistent and savage war upon the character and performances of Ebenezer Peck. A large con- cern, the Chicago Dry Dock company, was organized in the sum- mer of 1852-their dock to be built on Block 67, South branch. The Democrat of May 26_noted that the St. Louis Republican, which left that city on Sunday evening, arrived in Chicago the fol- lowing Tuesday morning-the quickest yet. It was carried by the steamer "Hibernia" from St. Louis to La Salle in twenty-two hours and forty-five minutes ; thence by packet boat "Louisiana" to Chicago in seventeen hours and thirty-five minutes-a total of forty hours and twenty minutes. This was almost the last of the old order of things here; the railroads changed all. Forty acres in Section 28, South Chicago Town, sold in May, 1852, for $8,000 cash-this was regarded as a high price. The tract lay between Twenty-second and Thirty-first streets near State.
"All the hotels in our city are now crowded to overflowing. The like was never seen before. The "cut-off" has completely ruined the ease of landlords and their employes, to say nothing of the great demand for beef, vegetables, etc. Where are the "cut-off" croak- ers now? Where are the manufacturers of indignation meetings? The "cut-off" is made and nobody but landlords is groaning, and they under the weight of coppers. Our private houses will have to entertain while more hotels can be built. Chicago is now more than realizing the predictions of its most sanguine friends. We are go- ing to set Chicago down at 100,000 population at the close of 1855. Its growth both in population and wealth for the last two months has exceeded anything that the maddest enthusiast ever dreamed of. The rush of money here for investment from foreign capital- ists is truly astonishing." "Thus one after another the rail- roads are centering in our thriving city, contributing to make it the focus of the commerce and business of the great Northwest." "The present prosperity in our city can be checked but in one way and that is by its unhealthiness in August. We must all turn our attention to doing away with the prejudice to our city in
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consequence of rumored unhealthiness in this month. We should with all possible dispatch open and grade all our streets." "Time to Sell .- There is now a large amount of money in this city seeking real estate investments in blocks or large tracts of real estate. For- eign capitalists prefer to invest in large and contiguous blocks or tracts. Small lots are getting as unfashionable as uncomfortable. Nobody seems to want them." "The Town of Chicago will event- ually be in the city of Chicago and many persons are now doing business in the city and are, to all intents and purposes, its citizens, who reside outside of the city limits. It is safe to say that the town outside has doubled its population within the past year and will add materially to swelling the population of the city."-(Democrat, May and June 17, 1852.)
The canal land sales, by May 27, 1852, amounted to $220,000; much was waste land that had been reclaimed by the general drain- age law. In May, 1852, the sewerage system of Mr. Garrett at- tracted the attention of local officials. On May 31 the Michigan Southern put on an express train. Although as early as 1848 the people wanted Wabash and Michigan avenues opened to the city limits, it had not been done by June 1, 1852. Steps to open Prairie and Indiana avenues were taken at this time; they were thronged with teams on their way to the railroad depots on the lake front. The widening of Madison street was continued to Wells. At this time the water commissioners bought of P. F. W. Peck for a reser- voir site a tract at. Adams and Quincy streets, 21712 feet on the former, for $8,750; this is now the north part of the postoffice site. The city hall in the new market house on the North Side was the finest in the city. In June a new fire engine for company No. 4 was brought from Utica, New York. In June, 1852, the new post- office was opened by George W. Dole, postmaster. Mail from New York to Chicago came in forty-six hours, but was delayed in transit for four and one-half hours. The Rock Island and the Michigan Southern companies in June began to lay out their depot grounds on Van Buren street. The Common Council appropriated $500 with which to celebrate the Fourth of July. This city continued better and better to be a horse market; $250 was paid by buyers for a good team. The United States steamer "Michigan" was here in June, 1852. On June 30 the hod carriers struck for a raise from 7 shillings to $1. On July 5 the mercury reached 100 degrees. A lot 27 by 80 feet at the corner of Madison and Dearborn streets, opposite New Grace church and west of the public school build- ing sold for $1,400. Twenty feet frontage on Randolph street and eighty feet deep next west of the Sherman house sold in July for $3,030. Beginning, the mail between New York and Chicago was sent over the New York Central lines and the Michigan Cen- tral. It was noted at this time that the railways drove away the wolves; the animals would not cross the iron tracks; the farmers at
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twenty-mile prairie had been much troubled by them. On July 14 the Lake street bridge was put in operation. A market house to cost $11,173 and to be built on the West Side was contracted for in July. Large numbers of Swedes were arriving here weekly. A memorial meeting in honor of Henry Clay was held by the bar and others. The city hospital, 18 by 40 feet, stood on the North Side two or three blocks from the river. Very fine illuminated daguerre- otypes were taken by C. C. Kelsey at 96 Lake street. A. B. Dol- ton was first light keeper of the Calumet lighthouse in August. Perry's expedition to Japan was noticed here. In 1852 Chicago obtained $20,000 for harbor improvements.
The Lake street bridge cost $7,200; it was 414 feet long, includ- ing approaches, each approach being 1151/2 feet. The swing was 183 feet; width, 30 feet; weight, 90 tons; it required one minute and forty-five seconds to open. The eleven-acre estate of Giles Spring, from State street to the lake shore, was settled at this time. The O'Reilly & Bain telegraph line between Buffalo and New York was sold at auction May 17 for $39,500; it was said to have cost $300,000. The firemen's parade of June, 1852, with seven fire en- gines and their hose carts, three hose companies and one hook and ladder company, was the finest ever seen here up to that date. The census of June 1, 1852, gave Chicago a population of 38,733, of whom 345 were colored, 19,314 American born, 19,419 foreign born; owning the dwellings in which they reside, 3,156. The Calu- met lighthouse was finally lighted for the first time August 14. By this time the system of running omnibuses had become very suc- cessful. Block 97, Section 27, South Chicago Town, sold at the rate of $500 per acre. The lot at the corner of Jackson and State, 40 by 180 feet, sold for $3,500 cash. The canal was supplied with lake water as far as Lockport; the pumps at Bridgeport took from the river every five minutes a body of water 40 by 120 by 5 feet. Speed's telegraph line absorbed Snow's line in Illinois in 1852. Sec- tion 3, Township 38, Range 14, sold for $130 to $150 per acre. A twenty-acre tract on the West Side, Section 3, Township 39, Range 13, sold for $40 per acre. The United States Marine hospital was opened April 1, 1852. On September 29 there were over seventy vessels in Chicago harbor. The roof on the new courthouse was now being finished. The West Side market was nearly done. Ferrell & Ballou were constructing the hydraulic works for the city. The Democrat of September 29 said:
"The foundation of the edifice is laid twenty-five feet below the surface and is supported below this by 200 piles and a solid body of masonry two feet thick. The walls of the foundation which are now in progress are laid in water lime and are eight feet thick."
By October 1 the Chicago dry dock. 235 feet long, was nearly completed. At this time the artesian well being sunk by the Galena Railway company near their depot on the West Side, between Hal-
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
sted and Union streets, had reached a depth of 185 feet; clay and hardpan extended down 104 feet and marble and other rock the balance of the depth. Engine company No. 6 was on Lake street between Clinton and Jefferson. This year for the first time sev- eral of the stores here began to employ female clerks-as in New York, Philadelphia and Boston. About this time the Tribune passed to William Duane Wilson and Henry Fowler. The North- western Christian Advocate said in October, "Chicago is and must necessarily be the centering point of the most extensive system of railroads the world has ever seen." Already the following roads were in progress: 1, Chicago & Milwaukee; 2, Chicago & Fond du Lac; 3, Chicago & Galena; 4, Chicago & Quincy; 5, Chicago & Rock Island; 6, Chicago & Alton; 7, Illinois Central; 8, New Al- bany & Salem; 9, Cincinanti & Chicago; 10, Fort Wayne & Chi- cago; 11, Southern Michigan; 12, Central Michigan.
The Prairie Farmer began to be a power all over the West. It was simply impossible for Chicago to house all the people who came here to live in 1852; temporary houses were erected in all quarters. A lot 40 by 180 feet at Lake and Clark streets sold for $16,000 in October, 1852. At first a single plank in depth was laid upon the streets, but later the planks were doubled. "Bull's Head .- The en- terprising proprietor of this extensive stock depot has planked twelve yards of convenient size and furnished them with bunks to feed and tie up cattle. He has also two sets of scales and has every accommodation necessary for a large amount of stock."- (Democrat, November 25, 1852.)
Ten acres (outlot 26), Section 5, Township 39, Range 14, near the toll gate on the Northwest. Plank Road, sold for $10,000 in December, 1852; it had been bought at canal sale on May 10, 1849, for $950. The great influx of California gold greatly stimulated all business enterprises here in 1852. On September 16 appeared the first number of the Democrat Press by J. L. Scripps and Wil- liam Bross, with office in Swift's bank building. Mr. Dutch, editor of the Commercial Advertiser, said of Mr. Scripps, "He has been the great luminary in expounding all the absurd, wild and ridicu- lous theories on morals, religion, science and politics ; the champion of Fourierism, socialism, communism, free-soilism, free trade and anti-bankism." An important omnibus line ran regularly between State street market and Bull's head tavern, Mathew Laflin, propri- etor. Peck & Co. ran a line from Lake street bridge to State street, thence to Twelfth street. J. Frink & Co.'s line ran from Lake house on the North side to Clark street and along the latter to the Rock Island depot. These three lines ran regularly for custo- mers who later patronized the street car lines. Then omnibus lines were the only satisfactory way to get around the city.
In the fall of 1852 Mayor Gurnee, who lived on the lake front at the foot of Adams street, was again compelled to build
-
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
shore protection at his own expense to prevent the waves from cut- ting through Michigan avenue. "Look at the history of Chicago for the last two years. How rapid has been her progress-how she has grown in wealth and population, and how changed the char- acter of her business. What has done it? The canal, the Galena railroad and the certain knowledge that other great channels of travel and commerce would shortly be opened," said Democratic Press of October 9, 1852. On October 18 the Rock Island Co. ran regular trains to Joliet. A public meeting deploring the death of Daniel Webster was held in November. Irving hall was opened by its owner, Mr. Stearns, on November 20. At this time the steam pile driver of the Illinois Central was at work on the lake front track of that road. The American Car company began to build cars, axles, wheels, etc. Abraham Lincoln was here in De- cember taking testimony for canal claimants. The packing of beef and pork at this time was immense. Coach and wagon making was large here-capital employed $127,000; aggregate value of annual products $210,445; number of vehicles 2,625; men employed 323. About the middle of December there were eighty-six vessels in port here. "We know one gentleman who purchased one hundred and twenty feet on Mihcigan avenue south of Van Buren street about a year ago. He has recently sold sixty-four feet for what the whole purchase cost him. The balance is worth at least $100 per foot, making a clear advance of at least $5,600," said the Demo- cratic Press of December 20. Fire Engine No. 3 was called "Niag- ara." The growth of the city at this time was the wonder and delight of the inhabitants; even during the winter of 1852-3 new residents continued to pour in. The Democratic Press of January 1, 1853, said, "Within the last two years our hotel accommodations have been doubled and we are worse off now than then. The dif- ferent public houses frequently have to turn away strangers for want of room. A few nights ago the Sherman House had to turn away over sixty on that account." On January 4, 1853, cars ran as far out as Morris, and ran regularly on the Rock Island to Joliet.
The old buildings on the public square were removed in Janu- ary, 1853; the old watch-house being the first to go. About the middle of January it was proposed to extend the city limits, as the city population proper began to overflow the boundaries. At this time all of the Tremont house above the first story was rented to G. W. and D. A. Gage for $12,000. The planking of the streets was not carried forward in 1852 as the wants of the city required ; this was due to the dissatisfaction with the system. Ogden's bridge on the South branch was useful at this time. The new bridewell was located at the corner of Wells and Polk streets in January, 1853. Local writers yet could not dismiss the fixed notion that Chicago was bound to receive great benefit from trade through the St. Law- rence river. "The postage on letters handled at the Chicago post-
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
office during the quarter ending December 31, 1852, amounts to $46,201.86. About seventy-five per cent. of this amount is for let- ters distributed. The above figures show an increase in the business of the office of thirty and a quarter per cent. over the corresponding quarter of the previous year," said the Democratic Press of Febru- ary 3. By February 3 the walls of the old courthouse had been torn down. At this time the city clerk's office was removed from over the South side market to the new city hall in the courthouse. "Some of the good people of Milwaukee are greatly horrified at the idea of having a railroad built to their city by Chicago contractors. They call Mayor Crocker's recommendation of the proposition of Messrs. Wadsworth & Steele 'an attempt to sell Milwaukee to Chicago,'" said the Democratic Press of February 7. At this time the Board of Trade met in their rooms at the corner of Clark and South Water streets. Again the project of tunneling the river was considered by Council and people in February, 1853. By February 14 the Rock Island railroad was open to Ottawa. At this time the famous Bull's Head tavern on West Madison street-barns, sheds, fences and about two acres-was sold for about $15,000. Said the Dem- ocratic Press February 21, "Never before at this season of the year have we met so many strange faces in Chicago. We have heard this remark again and again within a few weeks. The thing is very easily accounted for. Charge it to our railroads." The West- ern Plank Road company was organized in February to build west- ward on Lake street six and a half miles from the river; stock at the start sold for $100 per share-par.
CITY MORTALITY.
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
January
33
26
52
60
30
48
February.
23
31
62
57
29
45
March
32
41
36
53
35
44
April
29
31
49
50
35
64
May
36
48
127
43
45
71
June
27
41
172
27
36
91
July
53
46
411
240
70
179
August
65
65
242
466
247
384
September
87
60
164
174
161
368
October.
55
63
97
70
53
202
November
50
65
64
46
45
85
December
30
43
42
49
58
75
520
560
1518
1335
844
1656
The Oakwoods Cemetery association of Cook county was incor- porated by Act of February 12, 1853, the incorporators being Joseph B. Wells, W. B. Herrick, John Evans, Norman B. Judd, W. B. Egan, Ebenezer Peck, J. Young Scammon, R. K. Swift and C. N. McKubbin ; it was authorized to conduct a cemetery "near the City of Chicago in the County of Cook."
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
The Mayor-elect, Charles M. Gray, said in his inaugural that the financial affairs of the city were in a flattering and healthy con- dition; that little scrip had been issued for several years and provi- sion for its redemption had been made; that money to meet all city obligations must be provided; that the debt of $13,000 owed by the city to the county for the public buildings must be met; that the new Recorder's Court-a city affair-must be provided for; that the police department should be expanded at once to meet the grow- ing city ; that the important office of surveyor, about which there was some complaint, should be rendered effective and satisfactory ; that the school fund should be rigidly maintained and secured; and that better rules concerning the payment of court expenses should be adopted.
The act of February 12, 1853, extended the limits of the city of Chicago to embrace the following tracts: North Division: All those parts of Sections 31 and 32, Township 40 north, Range 14 east, lying east of the center of the North branch of Chicago river and west half of Section 33, same township and range. South Divi- sion: All of fractional Section 27, Township 39 north, Range 14 east, and so much of the shore and bed of the lake as lie within one mile east of said section; and all that part of Section 28, same town- ship and range, lying south and east of the South branch of the Chi- cago river. West Division : All those parts of Sections 28, 29 and 30, Township 39 north, Range 14 east, lying north of the South branch of the Chicago river and the branch thereof running west through said Section 30.
This act was an amendment to the act of February 14, 1851, to reduce the law incorporating Chicago and its several amendments into one act. The land above mentioned added to the North division was made a part of the Seventh ward; that of the West division was added to the Fifth ward; and that of the South division was added to the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards on their southern ex- tremities, the east and west lines of each ward being extended south to embrace the new tracts. The city clerk was authorized to couple together two or more taxes levied by the Common Council and gen- eral over the whole city, or over one of the three divisions, provided he should designate each tax rate under proper names and columns. This act also repealed so much of the act of February 23, 1847, as created South Chicago school district and included therein any of the lands above provided for by this act.
On April 4, 1853, a beautiful mirage of the eastern shore of Lake Michigan opposite Chicago was seen here; the shore line, forests, streams and buildings could be seen. In 1852-53, for the first time, merchants in the West learned that they could buy goods in Chicago as cheap as in New York, thus saving freight, delay, etc. In April. 1853, under the advices of the Board of Trade, the wharfage and storage charges were regulated and improved. The Buffalo Com-
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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
mercial Advertiser at this time predicted that the lines of travel and commerce would run south of Lake Michigan, thus leaving Chicago, like Milwaukee, a town of local importance only. Many others in the East made the same prediction. While their predictions were not fulfilled, it cannot be denied that there was such a possibility in view of the cut-off policy of the railroads. The facts that Chi- cago fought against the cut-off policy and that no important town movement was made at the mouth of the Calumet river or in In- diana at the southern extremity of the lake, were sufficient to force all the railways to center in this city. In July, when the news was received here that the railways had united to form east and west connections south of the city, there was much excitement. The Democratic Press, on June 22, thus explained matters and the ex- citement subsided : "We have known for a long while that both of the rival roads from the East had, or believed they had, ample au- thority for forming a connection with a Southwestern road and designed doing so whenever it best answered their purpose. The Michigan Southern intends connecting with the Rock Island road ; the Michigan Central with the Illinois Central, the Chicago & Alton, and probably the Central Military Tract roads. We have never been frightened in view of these connections. Chicago will for all time to come command the trade of the country traversed by these roads. But the "cut-off" still has terrors for some of our people." ,
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