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 46
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On December 21, 1909, stovaine and strychnine combined were first used here successfully as an anaesthetic in three surgical opera- tions by Dr. Thomas Jonnesco, of Bucharest, Roumania; one of the cases was above the waist line. It was claimed that stovaine had been used here first as an anaesthetic about five years before. Many inexpert physicians here, despite Doctor Jonnesco's success, werc afraid of the new substance and decried its use.
A traction merger of vast and far-reaching proportions was an- nounced late in December, 1909, four street car lines consolidating. Thousands of business concerns here in December protested against the collection of the corporation tax and demanded the repeal of the law. The total receipts of the Chicago postoffice in 1909 amounted to $16,699,783.68, an increase of $1,678,778.68 over 1908. There entered Chicago port in 1909 a total of 6,011 vessels. Total volumes in the city library, 376,463 ; number of card holders, 100,755; there were fourteen branch reading rooms and three circulating centers. The full assessable value of all city property in 1908 was $2,182,- 302,345 ; in 1909 it was $2,284,420,608.
The Chicago Association of Commerce, a recent organization, gave great promise of usefulness carly in 1909. It made prepara- tions to build on an extensive scale and proposed to raise $1,000,000 by popular subscription. They appointed a committee, divided into fifteen sections, for that purpose. The Patton corner in wheat in May boosted the price to $1.3514 per bushel; this was the highest price in eleven years. Four plans for a subway were examined in June. The West Side was promised a large postoffice at this time. The plan of using leaflets instead of books in the public schools was considered in June. Many unnecessary studies werc voted out of the public schools at this time. The year 1909 was famous for the con-
475
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
certed action against tuberculosis. The "death strip" between street railway tracks was considered at this date with the view of its abo- lition. The Cook county board of review reported in June, 1909, that the total value of Chicago real estate was $1,745,359,080, and of personal property $548,333,265. The comparative statement of the city revenue funds for the two years follows :
RECEIPTS.
1908.
Corporate purposes
$22,670,317
1907. $18,978,568
Sinking fund
1,512,602
1,590,802
Schools
13,553,257
13,490,224
Public library
337,360
340,702
Water
6,355,258
6,231,050
Special assessment account.
5,602,593
5,810,050
Grand total
$50,031,387
$46,441,396
EXPENSES.
Corporate purposes
$23,011,183
$20,756,129
Sinking funds
901,000
784,000
Schools
11,939,095
11,457,396
Public library
291,297
256,677
Water
6,229,320
6,496,658
Special assessment account
5,583,633
5,572,525
Grand total
$47,955,528
$45,323,385
The miscellaneous net ordinary city revenues for the years 1908 and 1907, applicable to corporate purposes, were derived from the following sources :
1908.
1907.
Licenses (saloon)
$6,879,840
$6,929,280
Licenses (other)
706,847
696,411
Municipal courts
473,697
440,768
House of correction.
164,693
192,253
Police
94
317
Fire
2,482
2,441
Health
42,492
32,746
Inspection
88,537
102,356
Public works
385,977
309,089
Department of buildings
128,325
113,682
Department of clectricity
121,632
112,037
Public pounds
4,550
2,441
Real estate and buildings
44,066
57,566
Markets
3,653
4,033
Franchise compensations
894,190
ยท 902,015
Insurance tax
96,995
98,780
Vehicle tax
431,737
Interest on deposits.
138,308
123,482
Miscellaneous sources
95,251
92,189
Total
$10,703,364
$10,211,886
Late in May it was shown that while Chicago had 3,809 police patrolmen, only 1,825 actually traveled beats ; too many were on pri- vate and unnecessary details. Orders to correct this state of affairs were issued. In May a prisoner who was abused by the police and forced to make confession was acquitted by a jury. In about two years prior to September, 1909, there were thrown here thirty-three bombs and not a single conviction had been secured therefor. The
476
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
city authorities offered a reward of $3,000 for the arrest and con- viction of the bomb throwers. In August, 1909, Col. Leroy T. Steward was appointed chief of police. He began at once a system of reform in the police department that met the enthusiastic approval of the whole city. He took the position that the existing law was fully adequate if duly enforced. A little later the crusade against "white slavery" was instituted, headed by Clifford G. Roe, attorney. The slogan was "Protect the girls!" Scores of religious bodies joined the war against "white slavery." Identification cards were demanded at the general delivery postoffice. In a short time Colonel Steward was pronounced the most efficient police chief ever in Chi- cago. Every step was needed, drastic and welcomed. It was now seen that police officials were largely responsible for vice and crime. The word "decentizing," as applied to Chicago, was coined by Chief Steward. Wayman and Steward were pronounced the "hope of bet- ter Chicago." The Tribune of November 5, 1909, said :
"Since Colonel Steward went into office the sins of the police force have been laid bare. It has been guilty of every conceivable thing which a police force should be innocent of. It has been as responsi- ble as the New York police for white slave traffic. It has protected the slave dealers for a price. It has returned fugitive slaves to their masters. It has promoted gambling and every other form of vice which offered opportunities for the levying of tribute or blackmail. The efforts of citizens to keep immorality from invading their neighborhoods and displaying itself in public places have been treated with contemptuous indifference or only half concealed opposition by the police force. There can be no regeneration of the police force so long as corrupt men stand between the chief and the rank and file and thwart every effort of his to improve conditions."
The Tribune further charged that the guilty police officials were none other than the captains and inspectors. All idlers on the police force were set at work. In a single order in December, 1909, Chief Steward transferred fifty-two sergeants and twenty-three patrolman to active positions. The conviction of Inspector McCann; the cow- ardice and incompetency of Inspector Clancy and the hostility of In- spector Wheeler to the Woman's Anti-vice crusade were a few of the evidences to convince the people that the police force was leagued with vice and crime. A notable check to all this was introduced by Chief Steward.
In November, 1906, a reduction plant for the treatment of garbage was established at a cost of over $300,000 by the Chicago Reduction company and located at Thirty-ninth and Iron streets on the Chicago river. The present capacity is 500 tons of garbage daily. Grace- land, Montrose and Oakwood cemeteries have crematories. The number of buildings erected in Chicago in 1908 was 10,771, valued at $68,203,920. This is the largest number in any one year except for the period just preceding the World's fair. Total internal
-
477
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
revenue collected in 1908, $7,815,046.24. The Chicago City Rail- way company, which began rehabilitation work June 16, 1907, spent by November 1, 1909, $15,166,234.51, vastly improving the surface car facilities.
In 1870 the value of manufactures in Chicago was $92,518,742; in 1908 it was $1,370,337,909. In 1870 the bank clearings were $810,676,036; in 1908 they were $11,853,814,943. In 1870 the national bank deposits were $16,774,514; in 1908 they were $398,955,330, and the state bank deposits were $391,179,195. In 1908 the total gallons of city water pumped per day were 467,772,- 045; the total revenue therefrom was $4,648,299.54 ; the water pipe mileage was 2,188.9. The registered voters in the fall of 1908 were 411,120. In 1908 there were shipped by lake, 3,504,584 barrels of flour ; 10,404,334 bushels of wheat; 23,678,381 bushels of corn, and 4,396,725 bushels of oats. There were received by lake 4,419,083 tons of iron ore; 1,083,763 railroad ties; 2,730,236 packages of green fruit, and 1,309,000 bushels of wheat. The dry goods im- ported in 1908 amounted in value to $6,754,592. The total enroll- ment in the city public schools in 1909 was as follows: Teachers, 6,296; scholars, 296,427. In 1909 the tax levy in the city was $51,925,937.15 ; the rate being 4.4 per cent on a one-third valuation. The total assessed valuation (one-third real value) of Cook county in 1909 was $897,212,850; that of Chicago was $833,150,897. The city appropriations for 1909 were as follows: Corporate purposes, $22,601,364.21 ; board of education, $17,683,100; public library, $500,000; from water fund, $4,946,067.16. Chicago's wholesale trade in 1909 was estimated at $1,892,949,000, the same for 1908 being $1,685,057,000. Its manufactures for 1908 were estimated at $1,598,147,500 and for 1900 at $1,782,935,000. The number of buildings erected in 1909 was 11,455, valued at $89,633,580.
The termination of the annual orgy, called the "First Ward Ball," was a big step in the direction of order and decency ; but the dis- graceful saturnalia after one o'clock a. m. on New Year's day pre- sented a new aspect of drunken revelry by both men and women that likewise had to be considered and terminated. The Young Men's Christian association in 1909 and the early part of 1910 raised by popular subscription an anniversary fund of $1,000,000. The new factory law, safe-guarding the lives and health of employes, went in- to effect January 1, 1910. The Merriam commission was construc- tive, as well as destructive, and began to suggest remedies and im- provements. In January the bravery of four policemen, who at the risk of their lives, brought to bay and killed four highwaymen, re- ceived the congratulation of Chief Steward and the admiration and praise of the whole city. Credit for raising over $900,000 for the Harper library of the University of Chicago from 1907 to 1909, in- clusive, was given to Dr. Thomas W. Goodspeed, registrar of the University. Plans were laid to house 3,000,000 books. In January,
478
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
1910, B. M. Chiperfield, of the committee to investigate submerged lands said, "The committee is prepared to state that there is not an inch of the shore of Lake Michigan from South Chicago to Waukegan that is worth anything that is not being held by unlawful owners." Early in January, 1910, the South Park commissioners de- cided to begin condemnation proceedings to acquire the right to lo- cate Field museum and Crerar library in Grant Park. The Chicago Plan commission of the Commercial club, under the leadership of Charles H. Wacker, began with Michigan avenue from Madison to Randolph and Twelfth street from Michigan avenue to Ashland avenue. It was declared by the press early in January, 1910, that the report of B. F. Welton, expert, would "reveal a condition of rot- tenness, overpayments and disregard of specifications surpassing any- thing which was brought to light" in the shale rock scandal. This statement was made in reference to sewer construction in general and intercepting sewers in particular. In January a competing telephone system was planned. All Chicago was startled early in January by the following statements of Dr. Evans, health commissioner : "Don't let us forget that two or three times a year bread is baked by men who stand knee deep in sewage, that bread is baked there and taken upstairs and sold across the counter to persons who don't know the difference. * * Basement bakeries are conducive to tuberculosis, rheumatism, asthma and pneumonia. Since we have started this campaign 258 bakeries have gone out of business and 143 new ones have opened up with arrangements that are sanitary and satisfac- tory." On January 8 it was announced that the property owners on the East Side of Michigan avenue from Randolph to Lake street were willing to cede a strip fifty feet wide for boulevard purposes and that the owners on the West Side were willing to be taxed $500 a front foot on their holdings to defray costs of such boulevarding. "Michigan avenue a boulevard from Twelfth street to the river!" was the cry. The "Chicago Plan" to make the city beautiful was formally inaugurated on January 8, 1910, at a banquet of the Com- mercial club, after about four years of preliminary growth. The mirthful spectacle of a city with dirty face and hands putting on dainty, rich and costly garments set flying the shafts of criticism.
On January 10, 1910, the Merriam commission placed upon Paul Redieske the chief blame for the unwarranted payment of nearly $46,000 in the "shale rock case," and recommended that legal action to recover the amount should be taken. Mr. Redieske resigned Janu- ary 14 under fire. John J. Hanberg, John Erickson, Ralph A. Bon- nell and others were likewise blamed. On January 10 the entire is- sue of $2,500,000 four per cent sanitary district bonds was awarded to a syndicate for $2,472,675. Steps to defeat the so-called "milk trust" were taken at this time. It was shown that the pro- ducer had been paid less than three cents per quart, in some cases less than two cents, while the consumer had paid seven cents per
479
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
quart. The first bathing beach owned by the public was authorized by the Lincoln Park board on January 12. It was planned to open 2,800 feet-from Diversey boulevard to Fullerton avenue-to the public early in the summer of 1910. The municipal budget for 1910, adopted January 12, appropriated a grand total of $60,150,476.93, the largest in the history of the city.
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THE COUNTY BOARD 1868-1909
O N August 10, 1868, the Board of Supervisors called a special meeting to consider the proposals for the erection of, all addition to the courthouse. The following action was taken: "Resolved, That the building committee be dis- charged from any further action with regard to building an addition to Cook county courthouse, and that the contract heretofore made with the city of Chicago in reference to the sale of a portion of the interest of Cook county to said city be declared forfeited, the said city having made default in the payment of the amount agreed to be paid in said contract. Resolved, That a special committee of five be appointed, instructed and authorized to commence negotiations at once for the purchase of the interests of the city of Chicago in the Cook county courthouse, and that said committee report their action in the premises to the next regular session of the board." A motion to table these resolutions and a motion to postpone action were both lost. Supervisors Thompson, Kearney, Humphrey, Rex- ford and Fitch were appointed the special committee referred to in the resolution.
At the September session of the County Board, 1868, a communi- cation from the Common Council of Chicago requested the Board of Supervisors to take some action relative to the erection of a suita- ble monument to the soldiers of Cook county who lost their lives in the war. The committee on the equalization of taxes considerably increased the assessment throughout the county. The whole amount of assessment lists and rolls for the year 1868 was as follows: Real estate, $50,133,760; personal property, $19,718,900; railroads, $3,167,577.42 ; total amount of real and personal property, $73,020,- 237.42. A communication requesting the board to visit the proposed site of the Normal school in Lake township (Englewood) was con- sidered. The principal of the school at this date was D. S. Went- worth, whose salary was $2,500 a year. The whole number of stu- dents enrolled during 1868 was sixty-six, and the average attendance forty-four. Bids for the permanent location of the Normal school were received from Junction (Englewood) and Comorn, both in the town of Lake, also from Norwood in Jefferson, and from Blue Island. It was contended by the people of Blue Island that the school having already been opened in that village, the location there should be considered permanent.
Among the recommendations made by the Committee of Finance
480
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Projected Piers.
Old River Mouth
Original Bar
Fort Dearborn )
Showing the Original River mouth, the new mouth and the newly projected Piers, about 1834. Captain Cram.
Wolcott's
N
1
Old Road.
483
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
of the County Board in September, 1868, were the following : $175,000 for interest on war bonds; $75,000 for poorhouse, paupers and warden's salary ; $23,000 for hospital expenses, salaries, etc .; $4,500 per diem for county supervisors; $7,000 for election ex- penses ; $8,000 for county clerk in lieu of certain fees; $6,500 for county judge; $7,000 for principal of the courthouse bond issue; $20,000 for jurors' fees ; $100,000 for courthouse extension ; $5,000 for roads and bridges ; and $27,000 for prisoners, jail expenses, etc. The total appropriations amounted to $493,200. The levy for county purposes in 1867-8 amounted to $420,000. The board ordered for 1888-9 a levy of 75 cents on each $100 of real and per- sonal property in Cook county. The assessment roll of 1868 amounted to over $73,000,000, as above.
A special committee on public buildings, to whom was referred the erection of extensions to the courthouse, reported that the com- mittee of the two bodies (county and city) had agreed to recom- mend the acceptance of the following propositions: 1. That the extensions to the courthouse be commenced and built as soon as prac- ticable; 2. That the material used be Lockport (N. Y.) stone; 3. That the east end extension of the courthouse to be built by the county conform in size to the plan of Rose & Chatman, adopted by the city for the west wing of the courthouse; 4. That the building be constructed according to the plans of Rose & Chatman. The County Board adopted the first proposition above mentioned, but rejected the second. The third and fourth sections were accepted. The board further adopted the following: "Resolved, That the building com- mittee be authorized to advertise for bids for building the wing to the courthouse as soon as the city authorities pay us the $25,000 due on their contract with us and report the bids to this board."
On December 7, 1868, D. S. Hammond was elected chairman of the board. The committee on Education reported that they had received bids from Norwood, Englewood, Blue Island and from C. V. Dyer individually. It was decided to visit the different loca- tions before determining at the March session which should be selected. An appropriation to be used in draining the wet ground along the turnpike leading from the Northwestern plank road to the poorhouse was made by the board. The board, after receiving a favorable report from the Law Institute, legalized the action of the former building committee in letting the contract for the court- house extension. Considerable work on the east wing of the court- house had already been done. In December a continuance of the work as rapidly as possible was ordered. At this time the bonded indebtedness of the county included Cook county 6 per cent new courthouse bonds, $150,000.
The total receipts for the fiscal year ending December 7, 1868, as shown by Thomas O. Osborn, county treasurer, were $463,382.57, and the total disbursements were the same, less $68,829.53. The
Vol. II-28.
484
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
county assessors were instructed to assess all banking institutions in the county to the full amount of their capital stock. The poorhouse committee recommended the erection of an addition to that institu- tion for the benefit of the insane. After deliberation, instructions for the erection of such a building, not to cost more than $30,000, were ordered. The board passed a resolution requesting members of the Legislature from Cook county to endeavor to secure the loca- tion of the proposed Northern Illinois Insane asylum as near as possible to Cook county. The committee appointed to recommend a site for the location of the proposed insane asylum for Northern Illinois reported that they had viewed tracts in the towns of Thorn- ton and Hanover, but had come to the conclusion that the location of the institution at Elgin was more desirable, owing to the superior grounds and surroundings offered, and to its proximity to this county.
The County Board in 1869 determined to accept the proposition of Englewood for the location of the County Normal school. An examination by competent lawyers of the title to the property at Englewood designed for the Normal school showed the same to be clear and the purchase was ordered immediately. As soon as the purchase was effected the board directed that the building should be erected at the earliest practicable moment.
In 1869 Jonathan Burr in his will bequeathed in trust a tract of land for an insane asylum in Northern Illinois. It was recognized that should this asylum be erected at Elgin, Cook county might lose this bequest. The board therefore determined to build an insane asylum exclusively for the use of Cook county. The cost of such a building was estimated at $60,000. During 1869 the board assisted the city of Chicago to erect a soldiers' monument at Rosehill. Twenty-one designs for such a monument were received. The struc- ture cost $10,000.
It was decided in September, 1869, to select the Board of Educa- tion for the Normal school-six in number-from the three princi- pal divisions of the city, as follows: One from South Chicago and one from the country south of the city ; one from West Chicago and one from the country west of the city ; and one from North Chicago and one from the country north of the city. At this date the resi- dents at Englewood in the vicinity of the proposed Normal school were so few that boarding accommodations for the students were almost wholly lacking in the neighborhood. Accordingly the board entered into an agreement with L. W. Beck of Galva for the erection of several-boarding houses near the Normal building for the accom- modation of the pupils. Lewis W. Beck, not having erected board- ing houses at Englewood for the accommodation of pupils of the Normal school, the board appointed a special committee to see if it were advisable to compel him or his bondsmen to complete his con- tract as per agreement.
485
HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY
For the fiscal year of 1869-70 the finance committee of the County Board recommended a total appropriation of $506,100. Among the items were the following: Poorhouse, paupers, outdoor relief, salaries, etc., $100,000; interest on war bonds, $175,000; interest on new courthouse bonds, $17,500; public buildings and furniture, , $30,000; Normal school, $10,000; stationery and printing, $25,000; jail and prisoners, $35,000; hospital expenses and salaries, $30,000; fees, $20,000; election expenses, $9,000; per diem of county super- visors, $5,000. The board ordered levied a tax of 55 cents on each $100 of real and personal property in Cook county, according to the assessment roll of 1869, amounting to $94,445,243. This sum was ordered levied for county purposes for the fiscal year 1869-70.
The new County Board assembled on December 6, 1869. J. J. Kearney was elected chairman of the board. On motion, standing committees were made to consist of five members instead of seven as formerly. A committee of three to determine the salaries of all offices within the government of the board for the coming year was appointed. A resolution to the effect that supervisors should be pro- hibited from occupying any office that would prevent them from dis- charging their full duties as supervisors was passed.
Communications from the Charity Dispensary and from the North and the West side dispensaries concerning medical care during the ensuing year for the county sick poor, were received. The board resolved that the committee on poorhouse and paupers should have charge of the insane asylum, that the committee on education should have charge of the Normal school building, and that the committee on public buildings should have charge of the courthouse and all other public buildings of the county. The proposition of the Charity Dispensary and the Brainard Free Dispensary to attend the county sick poor for the North division and the West division, respectively, for the sum of $500 each, was accepted on trial for one year.
At this time the condition of the county treasury was deplorable. There was no money on hand, and orders for several months were in existence, and there were no funds to pay the same. The con- tractors for the Normal school building had not been paid for two months. The committee on education therefore recommended that the remaining $40,000 worth of bonds be issued and sold and the proceeds be used to meet the emergency.
Charges of improper management at the Cook county hospital having been made, the hospital committee, upon investigation, re- ported that they found the institution conducted in an excellent man- ner, and that the number of deaths out of the number of patients was small compared with other similar institutions in the country. The charges against the institution were as follows: The insalubrity of the hospital; unskillful practice of the doctors; allowing students at bedside at time of delivery; the want of a thoroughly educated doctor, well skilled and paid for his services ; the undeniable fact that
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