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 9
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In March, 1834, a water front lot sold for $3,500-Lot 4, Block 17, near all the business houses. Merchants did not want back lots. The lot was 80 by 150 feet. "I think father will not give half that for it. But his ideas do not keep up with property in Chicago. I am sure that lot will fetch $5,000 in less than three months. What makes me think so is, there are a great many mer- chants coming this summer. Last evening I made an- other bargain for ninety and one-half acres of land, for which I am to pay $3,500, the same sum that the town lot cost; seventy- three acres lie on the North Branch of the Chicago river."-(A young land speculator's correspondence in 1834.)
In 1832 the above lot had been sold for $100. The young man who paid $3,500 for it in 1834, sold it fifteen months later for $15,000. In June, 1835, the fight for government land at $1.25 per acre was hotly contested. In 1836 the rush was nearly as great. All money went to the government for land; promissory notes circulated as money. A hundred emigrant vessels arrived between April and September 1834; besides many persons came by land. In the fall of 1834 the village population was a little over 1,500; in November, 1835, there were 3,265 by the census and 9,773 in Cook county. Most all of them were valid settlers.
In November 1834, the gamblers here began to be a serious menace to the peace and quiet of the town; thus far no ordinance checking them had been passed. On November 18, 1834, Billy Caldwell, chief of the United Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chip- pewas, married in Chicago Sangua Le Grand, a Pottawatomie young lady. In December, 1834, proposals to carry the mails be- tween Chicago and Green Bay, once a week on horseback, for three years, were called for. In December, 1834, the Democrat,
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the only newspaper here, ran out of paper and as no more could be obtained, the issue was stopped until May, 1835. On Monday, June 15, 1835, the public lands of Cook county were offered for sale and the offer remained open for two weeks. Emigration into this part of the state was so immense in 1835 that Chicago was often out of provisions; flour was $12 per barrel in June; corn $1 per bushel; oats, 62 to 78 cents; wheat, 63 to 69 cents; beef, 4 to 6 cents a pound; butter, 20 to 25 cents a pound; potatoes, $1 to $1.50 per bushel. In 1835 a new mail route ran from Chi- cago to Galena via Naperville. The first annual fair of the ladies of the Protestant Episcopal Church was held June 18, 1835. At this time the streets and open lots were so filthy that a mass meet- ing of the citizens requested the officials to "clean up." At the meeting were Messrs. Hubbard, Curtiss, Peck, Morris, Fullerton, Sweet, Temple and King. By June 24 flour was $15 to $16 per barrel; there was no corn in the market.
"Everything about our town looks flourishing and prosperous. Whichever way we turn our eyes encounter new buildings and new business-all giving evidence of an accession of population and enterprise hitherto unknown even here. Several things, how- ever, require immediate attention. First, the gutters ought to be drained and the sunken spots in the vacant lots and about the buildings should be drained or filled immediately. Health is the first consideration; second, is it not time that something was done to protect the town from the ravages of fire? So far as we are advised, there is not even a fire bucket in Chicago."-(Democrat, May 20, 1835.)
"On Monday morning last we counted twelve vessels anchored off our harbor from the lower lakes, all, we believe, loaded with merchandise for this place. We would like some of our southern fellow citizens who are opposed to a canal just to drop in upon us and see how we are doing things up about this time in Chicago. We apprehend some of our farmers below would begin to think it was time for them to have some convenient way of getting their produce to a market where flour brings $10 to $12 per barrel and other things in proportion, and where they can obtain merchandise a little cheaper than at any other place in the country."-(Demo- crat, June 10, 1835.)
"We have heretofore called the public attention to the deplor- able state of Chicago as regards filth. Every day the situation of our streets and the vacant lots is becoming worse and nothing is done. Our streets would disgrace a piggery. The vacant lots and places about buildings abound with holes filled with green putrid water and decaying vegetable matter. The atmo- sphere has already become poisoned. Is there no time- no care in the community-for these things? Is the reputation of Chicago for health, and the lives of the people thus negligently to
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be fooled away? The corporation have the necessary power to act if they will exercise it; and if they do not the community ought to take the matter into their own hands. Our town still con- tinues healthy, but we warn our fellow citizens that they may expect sickness and the pestilence. To the crowded streets and dwellings may be superadded the immense congregation of stran- gers crowding every room of our public houses and every room in which they can obtain accommodations, even to the extent of sleeping on the floor."-(Democrat, June 10, 1835.)
By act of February 11, 1835, John H. Kinzie, Gurdon K. Boyer, John S. C. Hogan and others, were "constituted a body politic and corporate to be known by the name of the Trustees of the Town of Chicago." They and their successors were made perpetual. The corporate powers and duties of Chicago were vested in nine trustees to be elected annually. They were given large powers for the government of the town. The other officers were to consist of one clerk, one treasurer, one street commissioner, one assessor and collector of taxes, one surveyor, two measurers of wood and coal, two measurers of lumber and two measurers and weighers of grain. The corporation was divided into three districts as follows: "All that part which lies south of the Chicago river and east of the South branch of said river shall be included in the First district. All that part which lies west of the North and South branches of said river shall be included in the Second district; and all that part which lies north of the Chicago river and east of the North Branch of said river shall be included in the Third district. The taxes for each district were to be collected and expended independ- ently, but all elections for trustees were to be by the whole town.
"Land Sales .- For a few weeks past our town has been the scene of extensive land operations. Great speculations have been made in Chicago town lots as well as in the lots of other towns which are as yet unknown to fame. If our land speculators have not the facilities of the genii of the Arabian Knights Entertainment for bringing flourishing towns and villages into existence at a word, they certainly possess an art unknown even in fairy tales of spread- ing them out on paper. We have no seven days' wonder, each town has had its day, and each day has had its town; and so vorac- ious has been the appetite for land speculations in this flourishing section that all have found ready purchasers at prices exceeding, we believe, the highest expectations of the proprietors. Very heavy sales have taken place in the town lots of Chicago. Vendors of one day have offered the next 20 to 25 per cent advance for cancella- tions. Indeed the advance in the price of town lots in Chicago is wholly unprecedented. What was six months since one thousand dollars in value of land in town is now four and five times that value. . . . We have been gratified at the respect which has been had for the claims of the settlers upon their lands-especially
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by speculators from abroad. Lynch's law is the best of preëmp- tion laws. It saves a world of hard swearing and fraud, and ac- complishes the same object with half the trouble and expense." -- (Democrat, July 18, 1835. )
A new board of trustees was elected July 10, 1835, and they constituted a board of health with extra police powers. Gaming houses, the sale of liquor on Sundays, firing guns and pistols within the corporate limits, etc., were prohibited. Bonds were ex- acted of fiduciary and other officials. Cemeteries were located at Wabash and Twenty-third street and at Chicago avenue and the lake shore on the north in 1835. It was not dreamed that the town would soon go far beyond those points. On August 22, 1835, the American was established. Public buildings, a small pound, a small brick house for county officers and their records, an engine house, a jail of logs (all in the courthouse square), a fire engine costing $896.38, an engine company, a hook and ladder company, of which all leading citizens were members, were among the advances in 1835. On February 11, 1835, the corporate limits were extended to include all east of State from Twelfth and Chi- cago avenue to the lake, including the Reservation, which was sub- ject to government control. Business was excellent but city and state finances were alarming.
The first fire department was authorized September 19, 1835, by the following resolution: "Resolved, That the president order two engines for the use of the corporation, of such description as he shall deem necessary, and also 1,000 feet of hose, on the credit of the corporation." James H. Collins, attorney, was paid $5 fee for his opinion concerning leasing the river front lots. His opinion, despite protracted legal controversy at a later date, held good. John Dean Caton's bill for counsel fees and services in 1833-34 amounted to $75.
"Fire! Fire !- The citizens of the town of Chicago are requested to meet at the Methodist Church tomorrow evening, Wednesday, October 29, to take into consideration the formation of an engine company, hook and ladder company and the further prevention of fire."-(Democrat, October 28, 1835.)
"We should be wanting in our duty to the officers engaged in the work, were we not to notice the great improvements which have been made in the streets of our town the past season. They are alike creditable to this new place and the officers engaged in super- intending them. We have not as yet paved streets ; but one year since we had nothing in the shape of a street in this place beyond the sticking up of stakes, and here and there a building on the line showing where a street was intended to be. Now the prin- cipal streets are well turnpiked, and so graduated and ditched as to drain them thoroughly."-(Democrat, October 7, 1835.)
Fractional Section 10, Township 39, Range 14, on which stood
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Fort Dearborn, was reserved for military purposes in 1824. Sev- eral bold attempts were made to fasten preemption claims in this land-both at Palestine and at Danville when those towns had jurisdiction of the lands in this quarter; but such attempts were repelled and discountenanced by the General Land office. This region was detached from the Danville section and made a part of the Northeast Land district. The fact that the above tract was reserved was heralded everywhere, yet private persons in Chicago tried to fasten preemption claims on the same. . "It is surprising that in the face of all the circumstances, the Land Offices of Chi- cago should have admitted this tract of land (represented to be worth from half a million to a million dollars) to be entered on the allegation of a preëmption right. Such a reprehensible and pre- posterous act, originating in whatever cause it may, is, of course, of no sort of validity. As soon as the fact was ascertained, the officers were instantly ordered to cancel the proceedings, and the Receiver has been directed to refund the amount of purchase money (a little less than one hundred dollars) paid by the alleged preemptor. I request you will have the goodness to cause this letter to be published in the town of Chicago, in order to guard the public against imposition."-(Extract from a letter dated Sep- tember 14, 1835, signed by Ethan A. Brown, commissioner of the General Land office, and addressed to a gentleman in Chicago. Published in the Chicago Democrat, October 7, 1835.)
It was predicted by the Democrat that Fort Dearborn would be abandoned within a year. It was recommended that the citizens should assemble and petition Congress for a grant of the land of this tract. The paper said significantly : "There are many peculiar. reasons why the general government should pursue that course in the present instance.
A big meeting to petition Congress to grant the city the Fort Dearborn reservation was held November 2, 1835, at the Presby- terian Church. Three of the resolutions were as follows: "Re- solved, That a grant of the said Military Reservation shall be ap- plied for upon the express condition that twenty acres, parcel of the said reservation, to be taken from the center thereof in a block having four sides of equal dimensions as nearly as may be, one of which shall be fronting upon Lake Michigan-shall be reserved in all time to come for a public square, accessible at all times to the people, and also upon the condition that if the said public square shall at any time be built upon, then the same shall revert to the general government and cease to be the property of the town of Chicago. Resolved, That the said reservation shall be applied for to the end that the same (save so much thereof as may be reserved for a public square as aforesaid), may be sold by the corporate powers of the town of Chicago at their discretion, and that the proceeds therefrom may be appropriated to the uses of the said
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town. Resolved, That if the County of Cook shall fail to obtain the right of preemption to one quarter section of land by virtue of the act of Congress of the 26th of May, 1834, then the said cor- porate authorities of the town of Chicago shall contribute out of the proceeds of the said reservation a sum sufficient to erect a court- house and common jail for the said county." Hiram Hugunin was chairman of this meeting and H. B. Clarke secretary. Ebenezer Peck, H. B. Clarke, J. C. Goodhue, Eli B. Williams and Walter Kimball were appointed a committee to draft a memorial to Con- gress to the above effect.
In November, 1835, the Board of Trustees of the Town of Chi- cago selected the following persons to constitute a hook and ladder company : John L. Wilson, E. C. Brackett, J. Holbrook, T. Jen- kins, T. F. Spalding, I. Cook, George Smith, J. J. Garland, J. K. Palmer, P. F. W. Peck, Thomas S. Eells, Joseph L. Hanson, S. B. Cobb, James A. Smith, John R. Livingston, Henry G. Hubbard, Thomas J. King, N. L. F. Monroe, J. K. Botsford, G. W. Snow, G. W. Merrill, Joseph Meeker, Samuel S. Lathrop, Thomas S. S. Hyde and J. McClure. Early in November, 1835, full ordinances for the control of fires were passed by the town board. A fire de- partment was erected, to consist of a chief engineer, two assist- ants, four fire wardens, in addition to the trustees, and such fire engine men, horsemen, hook and ladder men, and ax and saw men as might be appointed from time to time by the trustees. The firemen were divided into companies. The board of trustees had full power to organize an efficient fire fighting department.
"The Board of Trustees have at length decided upon leasing the wharfing privileges of the town, in pursuance of the authority granted by their act of incorporation; this is a judicious step, and calculated to advance the interest of the town and promote its commercial prosperity, and we doubt not that it will meet the con- currence of a large majority of the citizens. A few, we understand, are opposed to the proceeding."-(Democrat, November 18, 1835.)
Leasing the wharfing privileges in Chicago for nine hundred and ninety-nine years was advertised for sale, November 23, 1835; terms, one-fourth down and the remainder in three equal annual installments, bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent. Owners or occupants of the lots fronting the river were given the prefer- ence at a minimum price fixed by the board. This lease was applic- able to the Old or Original Town of Chicago. Such of these leases as were not taken by the owners or occupants of lots were to be sold at auction to the highest bidder. The privilege was to extend forty feet in depth toward the river, bounded by the river and its two branches, "and on the other side by North and South and West Water streets. which said streets are to be and to remain open eighty feet in width, as is set forth and exhibited by a plan prepared by Edward B. Talcott, town surveyor."
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"On the morning of the 21st ult. a handbill was issued from the office of the American calling a meeting of the citizens at 11 o'clock to take into consideration the measures adopted by the trustees for the sale of wharfing privileges. Everything was cut and dried beforehand by the opponents of the measure; resolu- tions were drawn, speeches prepared and recruits drummed up from all quarters of the town. The meeting was one of the largest ever held in Chicago and the subject was debated from 11 to 1:30 by Messrs. Spring, Richards and Moore, opposed to, and Messrs. Collings, Peck and Temple, in favor of, the measures of the trus- tees. The meeting adjourned sine die, but adjournment was op- posed. In the evening handbills were again issued calling upon all opposed to the measure to meet that evening at the Presby- terian Church. About forty (four of whom, by the way, were blacks) assembled and passed the resolutions which had been dis- cussed in the morning. A long remonstrance was also drawn up and circulated for subscription. The American said: 'By Tuesday evening over two hundred names (about one-half the legal voters of the town) were affixed to the remonstrance.' We have read the signatures attached to the protest, and assert that not more than one-half are legal voters of Chicago, nor is 'two hundred about one-half the legal voters of the town.' A large number of the signers are minors, and several are not residents of Chicago at all. Is this the way to arrive at public opinion upon an important subject? As a matter of fact the act incorporating Chicago as a town gave the trustees power 'to lease the wharfing privileges of said town, giving to the owners or occupants of the lots fronting the river the right of preference of such privileges.' . . . 'It is detrimental to the future interests of the town,' says the American. What, $100,000 detrimental to the town! Commend us to such detriments every day of our lives. Who are they that are opposed to the trustees on this question? Those who could not make great speculations out of the wharves and those who are the owners of water lots and other property in Kinzie's addition. These are the men who squirmed under the act of the trustees-who wished to monopolize all the storage and wharfage and deprive other parts of the town of an equal and just participation in these privileges. The measure, however, has been carried through and the trustees have been sustained by the voice of the people."-(Democrat, De- cember 2, 1835. )
On November 14, 1835, the town trustees resolved to sell the wharf rights, which for some time had been yielding a good rev- enue; there was no immediate necessity for selling and the act was greatly deplored as the rights grew in value rapidly with the years. A covenant lease for nine hundred and ninety-nine years was decided upon, the lessee to erect docks within two years and the town to dredge the river ten feet deep within four years. The
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prices of lots were as follows: North Water street $8.50 to $15 per front foot; South Water street $25 per front foot; West Water street, $18 per front foot. It was assumed at the time and generally believed ever since that this sale of the wharfing rights of the town was dishonest, but the sale was valid and held good in law.
A very severe storm on the lake, late in November, 1835, wrecked the schooners "Bridget," "Austerlitz," "Marengo," "Utica," "Chance," "Lafayette," "Swan" and "Lady." "Utica" was owned by A. Clybourn. Newberry & Dole lost over $25,000 worth of goods in the "Austerlitz."
"The Cry Is Still They Come .- The tide of emigration which is flowing in this season, far exceeds that of any former period. The floodgates of enterprise seem to be let loose upon us. In addi- tion to the actual emigrants that are now pressing into this region, the approaching land sale is bringing into our town a crowd of strangers and capitalists. Strangers to the amount of some hun- dreds fill our public houses and streets; our wharves are covered with men, women and children, just landed from the vessels, and even some storehouses have been thrown open to receive the un- sheltered emigrants. Some build tents upon the spot where they are landed from the boat in the middle of our streets, then raise them, and move on. Cook county, which two years ago exhibited a few scattered dwellings along the groves or by the streams, is now rife with thriving settlements; and some smart villages have arisen, too, as by enchantment. The solitary inhabitant of a grove has seen a community suddenly gather round him. Some schools are actually in successful operation, where a year since was but a solitary emigrant."-(American, June 13, 1835.)
"The amount of money received at the land office in this town for lands sold from May 28 till the close of the sale, is a little over $386,500, of which about $353,500 was for lands sold at auction and the balance under the preemption law."-(American, July 18, 1835)
"Up to September, 1834, that office (school commissioner) has in all yielded me in all but about $200. Up to the present time the gross receipts of the office of notary public have probably not exceeded $50. The judge of probate's fees since the appointment in this county have not amounted to more than $50; and I have not realized from all these offices, including that of recorder, more than $1,500."-(Hamilton in American, August 1, 1835.)
"We have seen during the past week fourteen vessels lying to- gether at our harbor, principally of the large class of schooners, bearing each one hundred tons burden, while nine more, all freighted for this port were on their passage from Mackinac."-( American, September 19, 1835.)
An ordinance passed in August, 1835, levied a fine of $10 for
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burials within the corporate limits-cemeteries north and south of the city had already been laid out. A juvenile sewing society of the Presbyterian Church raised $150 from March to September, 1835. In September, 1835, goods arrived here by schooner twenty days from New York, and came addressed to all parts of the West -Crawfordsville, Indiana; Terre Haute, Indiana; Peoria, Illinois, and even Galena. G. S. Hubbard ordered on his own responsi- bility the first fire engine brought to Chicago-summer of 1835. The first meeting of the Chicago Bible Society was held November 25, 1835. The American of December 5, 1835, said that during the previous spring flour sold here as high as $20 to $25 per barrel ; in December, 1835, it sold at $12; salt was $8. During the sum- mer of 1835, when salt was low, Michigan City speculators bought all the salt in Chicago-about 3,000 barrels-paying from $3 to $6, expecting to corner the market during the succeeding winter ; but the citizens here had provided themselves with a goodly sup- ply, so that in April, 1836, the speculators were forced to sell their stock for about $2.50.
Before July, 1835, a reading room had been established. In the fall of 1835 there were many "land floats" in the county. On September 3, 1835, Lieutenant Allen called for twenty carpenters and forty common laborers to work on the harbor. In September, 1835, it was announced that coaches from Chicago to St. Louis would run through in five days by daylight. J. T. Temple & Co. were mail contractors between Chicago and Peoria. The dwelling formerly occupied by Joseph Laframboise was burned down in October. Mr. Hugunin's residence, near town, was burned during a prairie fire. Twenty tons of coal were received by vessel from Albany in October, 1835. At this time John S. C. Hogan was postmaster. Two newspapers, Democrat and American, were be- ing issued.
The public sale of lots in Calumet in the fall of 1835 was post- poned several times. So great was the demand for building ma- terial in the fall of 1835 that W. B. Ogden and W. L. Newberry advertised for one million brick and two hundred thousand feet of pine lumber to be delivered early in 1836, for which cash would be paid. John Ludley established a soap and candle factory in 1835. Elston & Chever had a soap and candle factory on the north side near the Point. In November, 1835, Capt. Joseph Naper was active in the formation of a new county to be carved from Cook-Du Page. Chicago citizens remonstrated against a division.
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