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 40
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By practicing the most rigid economy the city, it was claimed, was freed from scrip and was placed on a cash basis. Existing con- ditions to be feared were the numerous cliques and rings deliberately and systematically formed in the various departments for the pur- pose of defrauding the city. Favoritism in appointments flourished according to the newspapers, and extravagance and fraudulent prac- tices were openly and unanswerably charged. Notwithstanding severe ridicule and criticism, the mayor declared that the police de- partment was well managed and that criminals were controlled and crime reduced. But this claim was wholly untrue. He stated that when he assumed the mayoralty two years before, the city was in- fested with a gang of bank robbers, the most daring and successful in the whole country. They were silent and inactive here, but used Chicago as a base of operations throughout the West. These gangs had been traced, arrested and punished. He stated that the tele- phone police system proved a most valuable adjunct to the police department. The ninety alarm stations enabled the police to outwit and circumvent footpads and other desperate criminals. The sys- tem would soon be connected with business houses and private resi- dences.
The water supply was usually contaminated, but could not be improved until the cribs should be removed to a greater distance from the lake shore. The city showed a less mortality in 1880 than any large city except St. Louis and San Francisco. The mayor feebly endeavored to excuse public gambling, which showed a con- siderable increase. He did not satisfy the public that he had made proper efforts to suppress this evil. The press of that date declared . that the administration studiously avoided an investigation of fla- grant gambling cases which came to its notice and winked at vice and crime-the worst in the history of the city. The fact was clear that gambling and therefore vice were deliberately and know-
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ingly permitted by Mayor Harrison. He covertly ordered immunity to these elements, avoided investigation and failed to prosecute cases notoriously apparent, though called repeatedly to his attention.
On February 6, 1882, Mayor Harrison stated in his annual mes- sage, as if it was a fact about which to boast, that the city during 1881 was not obliged to issue temporary scrip. The negative avoid- ance of unnecessary debt was paraded as a positive virtue that mer- ited congratulation and praise. The amount received from taxes during 1881 was $4,115,408, and there was in the treasury at the close of the year $755,479. Attention was called by the newspapers to the remarkable prosperity of all manufacturing enterprises of the city during 1881; to the system of factory inspection that had been established; to the value of the police telephone service; to the falsely claimed efficiency of the police department ; to the superiority of the fire department; to the superb management of the health department under Doctor De Wolf; to the control of smallpox by vaccination; to the objectionable proximity of the pesthouse to the house of correction; to the wise management of the house of cor- rection by Superintendent Felton; to the decrease in mortality; to the excellence of the public schools; to the increased collection of water rates-$936,639 for 1881; to the mayor's unexampled, cor- rupt and inexcusable pardons of offenders ; to the alleged excellent management of the city departments despite the knowledge of thou- sands to the contrary; to the adverse reports in circulation con- cerning municipal conditions which the mayor declared were "gross- ly exaggerated"; to the fact that public opinion had condemned the administration as one of reckless subserviency to the criminal population, and to the mayor's indirect admission of the truth of the charges by a weak and prevaricating apology. There was shown to exist under his administration an extraordinary reign of crim- inal license and its attendant wretchedness and wrong. The mayor made a miserable attempt to explain and condone the disgraceful condition caused by his own policy of granting immunity to wick- edness in order to secure its support at the polls. At this date law- lessness held the balance of power.
However, in matters of detail it was clear that several depart- ments had been well conducted. The fire department was particu- larly efficient, and the health department, despite serious obstacles and inconveniences, made an excellent showing. The old lake tun- nel, which had been completed fifteen years before, was examined and found to be almost as sound as when first put in use. The old tunnel was five feet high; the new one, seven. The mayor earnestly recommended that the city should at once make provision for public improvements in anticipation of the future wants of the city. No municipality need expect to be made magnificent out of the pro- ceeds of immediate taxation. "It should be made grand, but com- ing generations should help to bear the expense. We should pay
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every cent needed for present municipal purposes, but should also provide for future Chicago and should ask that future to help us so provide. To this end the Legislature should be asked to make a change in the State constitution to permit us to issue bonds for such permanent improvements." The mayor noted that a great improvement to carry off the sewage and improve the water system of the city would soon have to be made. Every year new school- houses and enlarged facilities in every department would have to be provided.
In his message of May 5, 1884, Mayor Harrison again egotis- tically complimented the city upon the excellent management of his administration. He stated that the finances of the city, being the first consideration, had been judiciously, wisely and economically managed. The growth of the city had been so rapid as to outstrip all calculations of receipts and expenditures. He naively stated that he had experienced great difficulty in checking extravagance, owing to the creation of many new and untried departments, and noted that the assessments had not kept pace with the population. At- tention was called to the fact that in 1872 city property was valued at $284,000,000 and that ten years later when the population had about doubled the valuations were $125,000,000.
The mayor argued that bonds of the city should be issued to make improvements needed for public pleasure and benefit. Such bonds could be spread over many years, their payment would scarce- ly be felt, and the improvements could be enjoyed by the present generation. He illustrated this point by stating that if the councils had not anticipated the future wants of the city by building much larger water works than were needed, a sufficient supply of good water would be out of the question at this date, owing to the great growth. He recommended that a law to enable the council to issue bonds with which to make such improvements should be secured. There was a large increase in the revenue from saloon and other licenses. The mayor took occasion to criticise severely a partisan press which at all times, he declared, found fault with his administra- tion without being able to show how he could remedy matters. The statement was untrue; almost every newspaper repeatedly told of the improvements that were desired and could be made. The change from low license to high license, he expostulated, worked hardships upon saloon keepers.
At the close of 1884 Mr. Harrison congratulated the City Coun- cil on the continued prosperity, excellent credit, and high standing of the municipality. Never before in the history of Chicago had the municipal government been so fiercely assailed by newspapers and politicians as during the last few months of 1884. He declared that the shafts of malice and invective aimed at him were warded off by his consciousness of right doing and his fidelity to the inter- ests of the people. He stated that while the newspapers admitted
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that the departments were admirably conducted, they at the same time denounced his administration in the most abusive and untruth- ful terms. The newspapers had truthfully published accounts of lawlessness, mob violence, plunder and riot such as never before transpired here. Despite the fact that the mayor declared Chicago was injured by these malicious attacks upon his administration, truth showed that the financial condition of business and banks was never better. This fact and other evidence were conclusive proof that the city was not injured by the newspaper attacks upon the mayor's administration. The newspapers noticed the filthy condition of the streets. The mayor admitted the condition. He boasted that the department of tenement houses and workshop inspectors had ac- complished great good. Although it was publicly stated to the contrary, the mayor asserted that the police department had been ably and satisfactorily managed. The newspapers declared that the police department and the city administration as a unit were in league with vice and crime. This was a fact, despite the state- ment of the mayor to the contrary.
At the close of the year 1885 Mayor Harrison in his annual mes- sage summed up the progress of events during the past year. He again congratulated the council on the excellent condition of the city's finances and on the great progress made in the character and extent of public improvements. He stated that public requirements had been wisely and economically extended and that therefore Chi- cago's financial credit was not surpassed by that of any other city in the country. He further noted that the police, fire and health departments had been managed with consummate ability and effi- ciency and would challenge favorable comparison with similar de- partments in other cities. The grand jury issued a report at the end of 1885 severely reflecting on the mayor and the police de- partment for their failure to manage vice and crime. It was ap- parent that the administraton, doubtless for considerations of policy, had permitted gambling, and therefore was responsible for all its accompanying disorders and disgraces. Strange was it that the controller seemed to think it necessary to brag that the city had not been compelled to issue scrip during the past year. He assumed that it was a matter of congratulation, joy and delight that the city had not further been plunged into debt; and stated that by collecting the savings of previous years into a general fund to be used in emergencies his department had secured within its jurisdic- tion the necessary means to carry on the affairs of the city. This step, he stated, was made necessary by the system of tax levies and collections in vogue. The Board of Health reported considerable decrease in deaths from zymotic diseases among children under 5 years of age. The report of the factory inspectors was not alto- gether satisfactory. Though considerable improvement was made there were still many faults in the system of inspection and partic-
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ularly in the conditions which the department designed to improve. However, substantial progress was made in the right direction. There was a surprisingly large number of buildings into which sewer gas found entrance. The total number of policemen was 1,036.
The year 1886 was memorable, owing to the riot and massacre which occurred at Desplaines and Randolph streets on the night of May 4. This was the desperate and bloody culmination of the en- croachments of communism and anarchy during the preceding half dozen years. A dynamite bomb was thrown into the ranks of the police and one officer was instantly killed, six fatally wounded, and many injured for life, making in all sixty-seven members of the force who were struck. That this result was occasioned by the lenient and unwise method of the city administration in dealing with the anarchists, there can be no doubt. During his entire ad- ministration Mayor Harrison permitted the anarchists to hold their rabid meetings, voice their murderous propaganda, and march un- molested through the streets with red banners and redder intent. Little attempt to check their furious designs and operations were made. They thus became emboldened by the leniency shown them and imagined that the slackness of the city authorities betokened a wrong and unjust cause, and accordingly they grew bolder, stronger, more violent and more insane as time progressed, until they openly counseled murder at their meetings in halls and on the public streets. Occasionally they were slightly checked, but this only served to make them more cunning, desperate and daring. The result was the riot on the West side. This act sounded the death knell of an- archy in Chicago. After this event the authorities rigidly checked all violent movements having such a tendency. There was a large public subscription for the benefit of the families of the injured policemen, a portion of which was assigned to the Police Benevolent association and the balance was distributed among the victims and their families by a special committee. The leaders of the anarchists were punished.
In his annual message of April 9, 1888, Mayor John A. Roche asked the people to decide whether he had fulfilled his promises to have the affairs of the city conducted in a business like and econom- ical manner, to suppress public gambling, and to close disreputable saloons. They did so, but the decision was partly adverse to his promises. The bonded debt of the city on December 31, 1887, was $12,588,500. In addition the city was bound to pay $30,000 for land upon which to swing the Adams street bridge. The total re- ceipts during 1887 were $11,980,935.55. This was an increase of more than half a million over those of 1886. The total expendi- tures during 1887 were $11,497,988.24. This was an increase of nearly half a million over the previous year, but was accounted for in part, though feebly, by the addition of 113 men to the police force. The question of health was reported satisfactory. Chicago's
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death rate was low compared with other large cities of the country. The revenue from licenses was over $174,000. Improvement in scavenger work was effected. It was decided during the year that the city should own the teams and employ the men to carry on this work. A furnace for the destruction of garbage was put in opera- tion and was regarded as fairly successful and satisfactory. The sanitary supervision of homes and the inspection of health con- ditions of tenement houses were performed with energy, intelli- gence and success. Over 81,000 examinations were made. The result was to enforce cleanliness in localities where it was never before practiced.
During the year 1887 the contract for the four-mile tunnel was amended that more money would be available for pressing public let. It was expected to supply seventy-five million gallons every twenty-four hours. An expert engineer was employed and his sug- gestions saved the city a large sum. The previous administration had left a debt of over $250,000 for the paving of street intersec- tions. This was met by the Roche administration. During 1887 the street railways paved over 91,000 square yards between their tracks. It was believed by many that the revenue law should be so improvement. The amount of money obtained under the existing law was inadequate to meet the wants of this rapidly growing city.
The drainage commission was forced to suspend operations on December 1, 1887, owing to lack of funds. The newspapers ex- pressed dissatisfaction with the management of affairs by this commission. The recent decision of the United States Circuit court as to the rights of the city on the lake front was encouraging to the municipal government. The council paid special attention to the enforcement of rapid transit by both steam and street railway com- panies. The railways were urged to offer encouragement to all legitimate schemes that would increase communication with the sub- urbs. New tunnels under the South branch to meet the require- ments of street car service for the West side were demanded. Bet- ter management for the passage of shipping through the Chicago river was advocated. As over 24,000 vessels arrived and departed from this port during 1887 and as nearly all of them entered the river, the importance of this recommendation was apparent. Nu- merous viaducts over the railroad tracks were constructed during the year. The mayor emphatically announced that in accordance with his promises he had almost wholly suppressed public gambling. He improved matters, but did not accomplish extinguishment. He employed a force of men whose special duty it was to discover and report all such establishments. Many were convicted and impris- oned from the evidence thus secured. Numerous disreputable sa- loons were likewise investigated and closed. In all cases, it was claimed, applications for saloon licenses from improper characters were refused. To a large extent the mayor revolutionized the po-
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lice department, saloon establishments and gambling resorts. Vice of every description was unquestionably checked under his ad- ministration. This was such a conspicuous and admirable depart- ure from the wicked practices and immunities under the Harrison administration as to demand general recognition and commendation. It was the first time for half a dozen years that any emphatic bar was placed before the steady and deadly encroachments of vice, immorality and anarchy. During the year of 1887 the fire depart- ment rendered satisfactory service.
The controller reported at the end of the year 1887 that it would be necessary to spend as estimated about $2,884,000 to secure ex- tensions to the water system. New tunnels, engineers, buildings, grounds, mains, cribs and maintenance would have to be supplied.
On April 15, 1889, Mayor Roche reported that on January of that year the bonded debt of the city was $12,561,500. There was a small decrease during 1888. The receipts during 1888,-including the balance on hand, were $15,261,712. Of this sum $2,262,181 came from licenses, an increase from that source of over $200,000 in two years. The expenditures amounted to $15,874,387. The excess was caused mainly by the construction of the lake and land tunnels and the cost of new pumping stations. There was on hand at the end of 1888, $2,294,926. Up to the close of 1888 only the building department was self-sustaining. It was evident that, owing to constitutional restrictions, the revenue of the muni- cipality was insufficient to commence and complete the public im- provements demanded by the growth and requirements of the city. As a measure of relief a law exempting the sewer construction from the provisions of the bill fixing a 2 per cent limitation on taxation was passed. As this law would be operative only until about 1891, a large additional revenue thereafter for sewer construction might be possible. During 1888, notwithstanding the epidemic of diphtheria which swept the whole country, the death rate in Chi- cago was the lowest of all the great cities of the world. Tene- ment inspection was rigidly enforced with surprising and excellent results. The experiment of having the city do its own scavenger work proved successful. The cost, though slightly greater than un- der the contract system, was sure to be less in the end. The De- partment of Public Works reported a considerable saving in vari- ous branches and also reported an improved service. During 1888 several land and water tunnels were constructed. A contract for a four-mile crib was let and provision for an intermediate shaft was made, all to be completed within two years. Satisfactory prog- ress by the drainage commission and in the lake front cases was made during 1888. Two additional street car companies were granted franchises-one on the South side and one on the West side. The experiment of operating the city telephone from a central office was tried and found to be satisfactory. The lighting of the
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river by electricity was a great improvement. The new electric light system was opened on the West side.
From 1879 to 1886 eight bridges, of which two were small ones, over the canal, were built at a cost of nearly $427,000. Of this amount the city paid over $320,000 and the railroads the balance. In 1887-88 six bridges, costing nearly $441,000, were built, the city paying over $243,000. From 1879 to 1886, inclusive, nine viaducts were built, three old ones reconstructed and additions and repairs made to others, at a total expense of over $1,300,000. Of this amount the city paid over $582,000. During 1888 ten viaducts were built and two old ones reconstructed at a cost of about $1,190,- 000. Of this amount the railroads paid over $968,000. ' From the above statistics it will be seen that more was done during 1887 and 1888 than was done previously during seven or eight years.
During 1888 there were eliminated from the police force all drunkards, drones and incompetents, and a much greater degree of efficiency was secured. The newspapers of that date noticed the great improvement in the personnel of policemen and in the char- acter of work they performed. Prior to the fall of 1887 nowhere in the city was a patrolman on his beat from 4 o'clock A. M. to 6 o'clock A. M. As this was the time when burglars were most active, a change was made in 1888. There was a notable decrease in crime under the new arrangement. At the end of 1888 the police force numbered 1,255. The patrols during 1888 responded to 34,107 alarms and made 23,772 arrests.
There was effected by the Roche administration a notable im- provement in the moral atmosphere of Chicago. The "wide-open" policy, though still defiant and in many places still in wicked opera- tion, received a grievous wound. The policy of the Harrison ad- ministration had been to yield measurably to the demands of the vicious and criminal elements in order to secure their patronage. Mayor Roche inaugurated a different policy. While bidding for their votes, he insisted that they must operate under rules of con- trol. In a large measure the publicity of public immorality was demanded. The result was a vast moral improvement, particularly in down-town Chicago.
When Mayor De Witt C. Cregier assumed the mayoralty chair, he stated on April 15, 1889, in his message to the council, his views of municipal affairs. At the close of 1888 the city had nearly 700 miles of water pipe, ten miles of water tunnels, 500 miles of sewers, 350 miles of paved streets, 1,000 miles of sidewalks, 2,500 street lamps, 98 school buildings, 21 police stations, 49 fire com- panies, 76 fire equipments, 36 swing bridges, 33 viaducts, 900 miles of city alarm telegraph wire, a public library containing 44,000 vol- umes, a city hall, and other necessary and valuable public build- ings. The new drainage bill was pending before the General As- sembly. Rapid transit and cheap fares were important considera-
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tions affecting not only Chicago but all of the outlying tributary districts. The great mass of the people were laborers working for comparatively small pay. Their time was valuable and their means limited, therefore it was the duty of the city administration to favor them so far as possible in the distribution of favors, so rapid transit was demanded.
At this date the river was crowded and the water was shallow. Great difficulty in handling vessels and in turning bridges was ex- perienced, and immediate improvement was imperatively necessary. It was conceded that the swinging bridges, unless their operation should be greatly improved, would in future prove serious obstacles to commercial progress. Other important problems at this date were the educational facilities, city drainage, enlarged sewers, im- proved streets, better lights, less vice, etc.
In April, 1890, Mayor Cregier in his annual message noted the wonderful growth and improvement of the city. Perhaps the most notable occurrence of the year was the accession of an extensive area of territory within the city limits. On June 28, 1889, the city embraced forty-four square miles of territory containing about 850,- 000 people. The following day the city of Lake View and the towns of Hyde Park, Lake, Jefferson and Cicero, aggregating 128.24 miles of territory and about 220,000 people, were annexed, thus including within the city limits more than 1,000,000 people and 172.18 square miles of territory. "By this extraordinary consolidation these inde- pendent corporations, each having a legislative and executive de- partment of government, each controlled and operated under more or less different systems and methods of conducting public affairs, were at once merged into one municipality under the authority and control of one city government." The new territory readily accom- modated itself to the changed conditions, and the city as a whole progressed exceedingly in up-to-date improvements and modern refinements. The bonded debt of the city was increased as follows by this annexation: Hyde Park, $434,000; Lake, $411,000; Lake View, $200,000. These sums increased the total bonded debt of the city to $13,606,900. The territory of Chicago proper had grown in the past as follows: On February 11, 1835, the original town contained 2.55 square miles; on March 4, 1837, there were added 8.15 square miles; on February 16, 1853, there were added 6.48 square miles; on February 27, 1864, there were added 11.35 square miles; on May 16, 1887, there were added one square mile ; in No- vember and December, 1887, there were added 7.15 square miles, and on July 29, 1889, there were added 128.24 square miles, making a total of 172.18 square miles. Of this area, 5.14 square miles were water and the balance land. On April 15, 1890, there were added two square miles-the village of Gano, thus giving the city a total of 174.18 square miles on that date.
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