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 II > Part 4
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In 1881 the Illinois Central Railway company pushed in Con- gress a bill to get possession of this land. It was proposed in the bill to grant from the United States to Illinois the title to this land and the latter was then to sell the same to the Illinois Central Rail- way company for depot grounds.
The act of June 4, 1889, provided that the title of the State to the bed of Lake Michigan on which the driveway connected with Lincoln park was then constructed, or on which any extension should be constructed, and a strip of such submerged land between the east line thereof and a line fifty feet east of the breakwater
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protecting said driveway and any extension of same, was granted to the Lincoln Park commissioners for the benefit of the public.
In 1881 the Legislature passed a joint resolution to the effect that, whereas, Chicago had deepened the Illinois and Michigan canal for the purpose of improving the sewerage of the city; and whereas the State had refunded to Chicago such expenditure, viz. : $2,955,340; and whereas such improvement had proved totally inadequate to effect the object intended; and whereas the foulness of the water annually caused the death of many fish in the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers; and whereas the foulness of the canal was transported to and beyond the city of Peoria to the detriment of health and comfort; and whereas it was believed that an epidemic might thus be spread over the State; and whereas great loss to business had thus been caused along the aforesaid rivers; and whereas prior to the deepening of said canal the water necessary for navigating said canal and propelling machinery had been ob- tained from the Des Plaines river and the Calumet feeder through Lane's like; and whereas the bed of Des Plaines river at the Sum- mit and westward was at low water eight feet above the surface level of the canal and would supply water sufficient for canal and power purposes; and whereas the flooding of the canal from this sourse would so dilute and weaken the sewerage of Chicago through the canal as to relieve it of its foulness, stench and danger-there- fore, it was resolved that the canal commissioners be directed to open sluiceways with proper guard-gates from the Des Plaines river to the canal at or near the Summit and at or near Lemont, all in Cook county, and also to construct a dam across the former Calumet feeder so that the water of Lane's lake would flow into the canal, such cost not to exceed $10,000. All of the above was based upon the following provisions: That Chicago should at once cause a flow into the canal from Chicago river sufficient to dilute and purify the waters, the flow to be not less than 60,000 cubic feet per minute, including the ordinary flow into the canal from the river, the same to be accomplished by September 1, 1881, in which case the supply of water would be deemed sufficient; that the com- missioners should take care of the 60,000 cubic feet of water per minute; that this step should not commit the State to a permanent system of drainage for Chicago sewage; that if Chicago should erect pumping works they could be located on canal lands at Bridge- port; and that Chicago should not derive any right by this step to control or exercise any authority over any of the locks, gates or dams of said canal.
In 1883 the Legislature passed a joint resolution to the effect that, whereas, a suit was then pending in the Circuit court of Cook county entitled "The People of the State of Illinois vs. The Illinois Central railroad, the United States of America, the city of Chicago" to determine the ownership of the "lake front"; and,
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whereas, the frontage of one mile of this property was originally canal land in which it was believed the said canal had a legal and equitable interest ; therefore, it was resolved that the Canal commis- sioners are hereby instructed to employ competent counsel to ap- pear in said suit in behalf of said Illinois and Michigan canal and protect its interests involved in said suit.
The act approved June 16, 1887, authorized the commissioners of Lincoln park to allow the erection of suitable buildings therein for a free public library under the will of Walter L. Newberry.
The act approved May 25, 1889, provided that the city council should establish and maintain a public library and reading room and should have power to levy annually a tax of not over five mills on the dollar for library purposes. The act of April 1, 1897, appropriate $31,000 to be used in furnishing and caring for the Memorial hall and ante-rooms in the Public Library building in Chicago.
The act of March 29, 1901, authorized the John Crerar library to erect and maintain a free public library in Grant park, Chicago, on the following tract of land. "Bounded on the north by the south line of Madison street extended east, on the east by the right of way of the Illinois Central railroad, on the south by the north line of Monroe street extended east, and on the west by the east line of Michigan avenue" providing permission so to do should first have been obtained from property owners.
The act of May 12, 1905, recited that the State has been paying $3,500 a year for ten years for the use by the Illinois Naval reserve of the building at 20 Michigan avenue, Chicago, and in addition $780 for annex quarters; that said building was likely to be torn down; that the boathouse of the Illinois Naval reserve erected on piles in the water of the harbor basin east of and adjoining the sea wall near the foot of Randolph street had become impaired by age and storms therefore, it was enacted that the Governor, adjutant general and commander of the Illinois Naval reserve, should be empowered when the money necessary had been raised by private subscription to plan, construct, occupy and control an enlargement and reconstruction of the present boathouse of the Illinois Naval reserve on piles to be driven in the water to be east and south of the present structure within an area not to exceed 200x300 feet.
Prior to 1893 there was no suitable harbor for yachts at Chicago. The Chicago Yacht club had been organized to build such a har- bor, to promote naval architecture and steamship construction, and to create a volunteer naval academy and free school. The Secre- tary of War on September 29, 1892, licensed the Yacht club of Chicago and authorized it to make a breakwater in front of the East End park with the consent of the city of Chicago, and also to use certain submerged reefs in Lake Michigan off Jackson park and build breakwaters there. In view of this the Legislature
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by joint resolution in 1893 granted the same privileges and powers to the Yacht club so far as State property and rights were con- cerned.
The law of May 11, 1893, provided for the location in Chicago of three employment offices, to be designated and known as Illinois Free Employment offices. This law had a previous existence.
The act of June 17, 1893, provided for the enlargement of Lin- coln park; the commissioners were empowered to construct and maintain a breakwater to protect the shore line of the park, and to construct and maintain a boulevard or driveway.
Another act of the same date authorized the park authorities to purchase, or erect and maintain, edifices to be used as museums of natural history, the arts and sciences, and to charge an admission fee, but to be open free on two days of each week and to school children at all times, such provision being first submitted to the voters of the park district.
On July 27, 1896, the council granted to the South Park commis- sioners consent to take, regulate, control and govern all that part of Lake Front park lying south of the north line of Jackson street extended east, and dedicated all that part of said park lying east of the easterly line of the Illinois Central Railroad company's right of way lying north of the north line of Monroe street extended to the east limits of said park at the outer sea wall, to the use of local military companies of the Illinois National Guard, for the purpose of parade grounds and site for an armory; therefore it was enacted by the Legislature June 11, 1897, that a board of commissioners should be appointed to plan and construct such a parade ground and armory. The sum of $10,000 was appropriated to cover such ex- pense. The act was conditioned upon the conveyance by Chicago to the State of the use of said ground for the above purposes in per- petuity.
By joint resolution of April, 1897, the Legislature gave assent to the United States government to acquire title by purchase or con- demnation to all lands necessary for widening the Chicago river and its branches, and jurisdiction over such lands was ceded to the government.
By act of June 8, 1897, the act of February 8, 1869, relating to Lincoln park was amended so that the governor should appoint seven commissioners for said park, to hold office for five years without compensation.
The act of April 21, 1899, provided that the following described land under the waters of Lake Michigan be, and hereby is given, granted and conveyed to the city of Chicago, a municipal corpora- tion created and subsisting under the laws of Illinois, viz .: "Be- ginning at a point in the center line of Thirty-ninth street produced northeasterly 250 feet distant (measured at right angles thereto) from the west side of the wall which is the west boundary of the
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right of way and station grounds of the Illinois Central Railroad company ; thence northerly at an angle of 84 degrees and 30 minutes with the center line of Thirty-ninth street produced northeasterly along the line of the breakwater 185 feet; thence northeasterly parallel with the center line of Thirty-ninth street produced 1,000 feet ; thence southerly at right angles to the last mentioned line 300 feet; thence southwesterly parallel with the center line of Thirty- ninth street produced northeasterly 985 feet to the breakwater; thence northerly along the breakwater to the place of beginning." This tract was conveyed for the purpose of enabling Chicago to build thereon and forever maintain a pumping station.
The act of April 24, 1899, provided that the land or lands located in the city of Chicago, extending south of Randolph street, north of Park row and east of Michigan avenue, commonly known and designated as the "Lake Front," shall be, and are hereafter to be called, designated and known as "Grant Park," named in honor of "The Great Silent Soldier of Illinois, U. S. Grant."
The act of April 24, 1899, concerning Grant park, was amended by act of May 10, 1901, which conveyed Grant park to the South Park board. The boundaries were the north line of Monroe street produced east to the outer sea wall or harbor line established by the Secretary of War on September 22, 1890; east of said outer wall or harbor line; south of the south line of Lake Park place (formerly known as Park row) produced east to said outer wall or harbor line, and west of the east line'of Michigan avenue, includ- ing all submerged land lying west of said outer wall or harbor line and between said north and south boundary lines-all to be called, designated and known as "Grant Park"-all conveyed to the South Park board, except that portion north of the north line of Jackson street extended, east from Michigan avenue to the outer sea wall or harbor line, and also except the right of way, easements and grounds of the Illinois Central Railroad company, extending north and south through said Grant park.
The act of May 11, 1901, authorized the South Park board of commissioners of the three towns of Lake, Hyde Park and South Town to take, regulate, control and improve a street known as Union avenue in the town of Lake, "from the south line of Forty- second street to the north line of Garfield boulevard, from the north line of Fifty-ninth street to the south line of Garfield boulevard, for a boulevard and driveway leading to the public parks. They were authorized to levy and collect taxes.
The act of May 13, 1903, provided for the conveyance to the United States of the following lands to be used as a turning basin for lake vessels in the Chicago river: All that part of Lot 1 shown on the plat of the Canal commissioners' subdivision of that part of the southwest quarter of Section 29, Township 39 north, Range 14 east, lying south of the main canal west of the Chicago river and
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known as Blocks 12 and 13 of the Canal trustees' subdivision of Blocks 10, 1012, 11, 12 and 13 in the southwest quarter of said Section 29; also Block "A" not previously surveyed or platted in said southwest quarter section and east of the Chicago river as fol- lows : Lying north of a line beginning at a point on the southwest- erly line of said Lot 1, distant 129.5 feet in a westerly direction from the northwesterly side of Levee street, said point being also at the intersection of said southwesterly line of said Lot 1 with the present (November, 1902) south dock of the Illinois and Michi- gan canal, thence in an easterly by southerly direction to the inter- section of the easterly side of said Lot 1 with the northerly side of Levee street, containing 41,466 square feet.
The Legislature passed a joint resolution in 1903 providing for the submission to the voters of the State the question of so amend- ing the constitution as to permit the General Assembly to pass laws providing a scheme or charter for local municipal government, under certain restrictions for the city of Chicago.
The amendment thus proposed stipulated that the laws so passed might provide for the consolidation in whole or in part in the muni- cipal government the powers then vested in the city, in the board of education, in the townships, parks and other local governments and authorities having jurisdiction within such territory or any part thereof; that the city should assume the debts and liabilities of such local governments ; that the city could become indebted not to exceed five percentum of the full value of taxable property within the city, including the existing indebtedness and the city's propor- tionate share of the county and sanitary district's indebtedness; that provision for the levy and collection of taxes should be made ; that no such laws should be passed until assented to duly by the voters; that unnecessary offices might be abolished; that territory could be added to or taken from the city limits; that in case of the creation of municipal courts within the city the offices of justices of the peace, police constables and magistrates could be abolished; that they could limit the jurisdiction of justices of the peace within Cook county, but outside of the city limits; that the Legislature could pass all laws requisite to provide for a complete system of local municipal government for Chicago; that no law based upon this proposed amendment affecting Chicago should take effect with- out the consent of a majority of the voters of said city at any elec- tion, and no local or special law based upon this amendment affect- ing Chicago should take effect until assented to by the voters at an election.
The laws of 1904 empowered the park boards of any three towns to acquire additional territory to enlarge the parking, to provide for the payment for such territory, to extend parks over public waters, to connect parks by public driveways or boulevards, to consider duly riparian rights and secure same ; to take the title thereto in the
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name of the Board, to receive the title to the tract between the shore line and the inner line of the lake shore driveway; to issue bonds when parks lay in two towns and fronted on the lake; to permit the location of free public libraries and museums in parks; to levy an additional two mill tax for three towns; to respect navigation where submerged lands were taken, etc.
It was further provided in the acts of this year that the title to Grant park should pass to the South Park commissioners and that the following tract should pass to said commissioners to be used as an addition to Jackson park: All land including the submerged and artificially made land lying within the south boundary line of Jackson park and the south line of Twenty-ninth street as extended one thousand feet into Lake Michigan and a line easterly of and parallel with the shore line of said lake and the shore line of such lake and also the land including all submerged and artificially made land lying within the north line of Ninety-fifth street extended to its intersection with the boundary line of Indiana and Illinois as extended and the shore line of Lake Michigan, all such land being situated in Chicago. The city authorities of Chicago were granted the right to acquire, locate, establish and maintain a street or streets through the tracts known as Groveland park and Woodland park in Chicago, such streets to be used as boulevards only and not to exceed sixty-six feet in width; they were further granted the right to establish a boulevard through the Douglas monument grounds.
The act of May 18, 1905, provided that the mayor of Chicago should hold his office for four years; that he should have power to release any person imprisoned for violation of any city ordinance and might appoint a pardon board at his option; that the compen- sation of all officers should be fixed by salary ; that the interest on public funds should be paid into the city treasury and not accrue to the interest of the city treasurer nor any other officer; that the controller should at least once a year advertise for bids for the city deposits in national banks; that the city council should have power to fix the amounts and penalties of the bonds of all city officers; that the head of the law department of the city should be the cor- poration counsel; that two-thirds of all the council could override the mayor's veto; that the city council should regulate the space over the streets and alleys; that the city might acquire by purchase or otherwise, municipal beaches and bathing places and maintain and regulate the same; that the city might exercise the right of eminent domain in accordance with the law of the State; that the city council could define and declare nuisances and abate the same and should have power to regulate the location and conduct of hos- pitals and infirmaries.
The act of May 18, 1905, conferred upon the city of Chicago power and authority to sell surplus electricity and to fix the rates and charges for the supply of gas and electricity for power, heating
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and lighting furnished by any individual company or corporation to said city of Chicago and the inhabitants thereof; but this power was not to be exercised unless assented to by a majority of the voters at an election.
The laws of 1905 provided that park boards might issue bonds and levy a tax for payment thereof; that additional bonds to the extent of $1,000,000 might be issued; that additional park tax could be levied and collected; that an additional tax of two and one-half mills could be levied and collected to maintain such parks; that park commissioners could levy and collect a direct annual tax.
The act of May 25, 1907, provided that the commissioners of Lincoln park could issue bonds for improvement purposes to the amount of $1,000,000, providing the voters at the polls should assent.
The act of June 5, 1907, reenacted the Chicago charter act. The object was to provide a charter for the city; to consolidate in the government of said city the powers before vested in the local authorities having jurisdiction within the territory of said city; and to enlarge the rights and powers of said city. The act provided fifty wards for the city.
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INCIDENTS AND STATISTICS
T HE Illinois and Michigan canal may be said to have had its origin in the Ordinance of 1787, which provided that all "the navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Law- rence and the carrying places between the same, shall be com- mon highways and forever free" to the citizens. In 1817 Maj. Stephen H. Long, under the direction of the War Department, made a survey and report on the practicability and advantages of connecting the waters of Lake Michigan and the Illinois river as tributaries of the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi. He said, "A canal uniting the waters of the Illinois with those of Lake Michigan may be considered the first in importance of any in this quarter of the country; and at the same time the construction of it would be attended with very little expense compared with the magnitude of the object. The water course which is already opened between the river Des Plaines and Chicago river needs but little more excava- tion to render it sufficiently capacious for all the purposes of a canal. It may be supplied with water at all times of the year by constructing a dam of moderate height across the Des Plaines, which would give the water of that river a sufficient elevation to supply a canal extending from one river to the other. It would be necessary, also, to construct locks at the extremities of the canal- that communicating with the Chicago river being calculated to ele- vate about six feet and that communicating with the Des Plaines about four feet."
Upon the practicability of uniting by canal the waters of the Illinois river and those of Lake Michigan, Maj. Stephen H. Long, of the topographical department, further reported on March 4, 1817, that on the upper Des Plaines river was a large prairie, the hills being but twelve or fourteen feet above the prairie level; that on this flat prairie was a lake about five miles long by from thirty to forty to sixty yards wide, communicating both with the river Des Plaines and the Chicago river by means of a kind of canal which has been made partly by the current of the water and partly by the French and Indians for the purpose of getting their boats across in that direction in time of high waters; that the distance from the river Des Plaines to Chicago river by this water course was about nine miles, throughout the greater part of which there was more or less water, so that the portage was seldom more than three miles
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in the driest season, but in wet seasons boats passed and repassed with facility between the two rivers.
"Chicago river is merely an arm of the lake dividing itself into two branches at the distance of one mile inland from its commence- ment with the lake; the north branch extends along the western side of the lake about thirty miles and receives some few tributaries ; the south branch has an extent of only five or six miles and received no supplies except from the small lake of the prairie above described. The river and each of its branches are of variable widths from fif- teen to fifty yards, and for two or three miles inland have a suffi- cient depth of water to admit vessels of almost any burden. The entrance into Lake Michigan, however, which is thirty yards wide, is obstructed by a sandbar about seventy yards broad, upon the highest part of which the water is usually no more than two feet deep. The difficulty of removing this obstruction would not be great. Piers might be sunk on both sides of the entrance and the sand removed from between them. By this means the river would be rendered a safe and commodious harbor for shipping-a con- venience which is seldom to be met with on the shore of Lake Michigan.
"A canal uniting the waters of the Illinois with those of Lake Michigan may be considered the first in importance of any in this quarter of the country; and at the same time the construction of it would be attended with very little expense compared with the mag- nitude of the object. The water course which is already opened . between the river Des Plaines and Chicago river needs but little more excavation to render it sufficiently capacious for all the pur- poses of a canal. It may be supplied with water at all times of the year by constructing a dam of moderate height across the Des Plaines which would give the water of that river a sufficient eleva- tion to supply a canal extending from one river to the other. It would be necessary also to construct locks at the extremities of the canal, that communicating with Chicago river being calculated to elevate about six feet and that communicating with the Des Plaines about four feet."
In addition to the above the War Department laid before Con- gress the following additional matter : "The little river Plein (Des Plaines) coming from the northwest, approaches within ten miles and a quarter of Lake Michigan and then bending to the southwest unites with the Theakiki (Kankakee) at the distance of about fifty miles and forms the river Illinois. The country between the lake and the Plein, at this point of approach, is a prairie (natural meadow) without trees, covered with grass and to the eye a perfect level. From the bank of the Plein standing on the ground the trees are distinctly seen with the naked eye at Fort Dearborn on the shore of the lake; from Fort Dearborn they are in like manner seen on the banks of the Plein. Standing on any intermediate point between Vol. II-5.
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