. r^ A Q X 1892A YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY / History of Chicago 1S33 TO 1S©2 DESCRIBING THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE FROM NEW YORK TO CHICAGO AND JIAEDSnirS OF Till? FIRST WINTER. DESCRIBING SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE VARIOUS vrLLAOF3 AROUND, INCLUDING ONE TO THE EAST IN THE TEAK 1831, AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE PACKING AND GRAIN BU9INE3S OF THE CITY IN 1812. IB-sr CHAELES CLEAVER ONE OP TIIE OLDEST RESIDENTS 01 CHICAGO. ALSO GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF JACFlSON PARK AND THE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS NOW GOING ON FOR THE WORLD'S FAIR. CHICAGO t i Published bt the Author 1892 j 'N YALE ri u s « f 54 S3 INTRODUCTION. You will find in reading many of the articles pub- '^ lished in this work, that they are copied from items 1 written- years since for the city papers, and at the U. suggestion of several friends have been collected to- .\ gether for publication, adding other reminiscences and valuable statistics of the increase of population, trade, etc., that will certainly be found interesting and profitable to those anticipating a visit to the [¦ | World's Fair, and may be found useful in inducing ""$ others to come, who had not thought of doing so. To all such , I would say decide to come at once; you need v, not be detered from any anticipated difficulties in the way, as you would probably findnone. The various lines of eleganb dining and sleeping cars will be found awaiting you, at all the principal sea ports, and will no doubt reduce their fare to accommodate all com ing, arid the preparations being made here, to receive a great crowd, by building several very large hotels s and apartment houses, is almost past belief, they are \ so numerous— and no doubt all will be able to find accommodations to suit them. Early Chicago Reminiscences by an Old Resident of 1833. >?34| ym :-.f % I left England, my native country, on the 18th of January, 1833, with a family and two orthreeyoung men friends of the family with the intention of emi grating to Canada, which from books lent me to read before starting, was described as the country of all others, for a young man to go to, to seek his for tune. We took passage in the packet ship Philadel phia, a nearly new vessel of some thousand tons burthen, that sailed between London and New York. When she had got all her cargo on board, received from the warehouses of the St. Catharine docks, and most of her passengers, she was warped into the river at high tide which there rises some twenty-five or twenty-six feet; when soon after a tug came alongside of us and our voyage of some 3,000 miles commenced by steaming down theThames. We stopped a short time at Gravesend to take in stores, after which I went below and knew nothing further until our arrival at sunrise next morning in Ports- \ mouth harbor. It was a lovely winter morning, and \ the view delightful from the upper deck of the vessel, which was gracefully rising and falling on the swells of the blue waters, fresh from the ocean. The Isle of Wight, renowned the world over for its beautiful scenery, lay on one side of us, and the main land y.. 6 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES little inferior in beauty on the other. The water was alive with small craft, on the white sails of which the rays of the morning sun were shining, as they glided to and fro in the harbor, and altogether the scene was such as to do away with the depression of spirit I felt the day before on leaving my native land and my home for the first time; but soon all sail was spread to the breeze, when she slowly and majestic ally moved from her anchorage to brave the wind and the waves of the broad Atlantic, and well did the noble ship withstand their buffeting before she reached the further shore. In a few hours we lost sight of land and bid adieu to old England. For the first ten or twelve days the weather was fine and the winds favorable. We began to flatter ourselves we wei-e going to make a quick passage. Our captain crowded all the sail he could on the vessel and talked of soon being on the banks of Newfoundland. We lounged about the deck enjoying the beautiful weather often for hours lying in the bow of the vessel looking at the numerous porpoises as they played and gamboled in the watery deep, seeming to enjoy the day as much as we did, showing every now and then their beautiful backs of gold that sparkled in the sun like diamonds. It was the very essence of enjoyment, but it soon came to an end; on the 1st of February the wind veered round to the northwest, dead ahead, blowing pretty fresh, and still day by day blowing harder and harder, until on the 5th of the month it culminated in a storm of the most terrific kind, blow ing every sail from the ship, and for thirty hours she had uotbiiur Lo steady her in the raging sea but a piece of canvas a foot or so wide woven into the t- k* BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1S33. 7 rigging. The first heavy sea that broke over us was in the night and the water poured down the hatchway in toi-rents. My bedfellow jumped from his berth exclaiming, "Oh, she's settling, she's set tling," but he was soon glad to get back, as the deck or floor was covered with water. The storm kept increasing in violence during the night, making ever}' plank in her groan and creak as if she was in her last extremity. The morning brought us no re lief. The officei'S were ordered to leave the cabins on the quarter deck and swing hammocks below. The cook had to vacate his cuddy and the passengers had to be satisfied with hard biscuits or anything they could get, as canned meats, fruits or vegetables were unknown or thought of in those times. Two men were lashed to the wheel to steer her, and every thing Avas done that could be for the gallant vessel to withstand the fury of the storm. The captain after wards told me he expected every mimxte to have the deck swept clean, which would have been the case had one of the mighty waves struck her, but as she was laying too with no sail on she glided sidewaj^s over the heavy seas, sometimes in the trough, where we could see nothing but the great wave rolling on to us until we found our ship on the top of it. You have heard of waves being mountain high; after the storm had somewhat abated they actually seemed higher than the masthead. About noon, with two others of our party, I ventured into the round house on deck, where I witnessed a sight I hope iie\er to see again. The fury of the gale was such that the spray beat against the windows like a most violent hailstorm; we could not see thi'ee feet across the EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. deck and the roaring of the wind was so loud we could hardly make ourselves heard. It was truly a sublime though awful sight, and one I shall never forget. We were not allowed to stay there long, as the captain came and ordered us down, remarking that we might be swept away in a moment, should a wave strike her. The second day the storm began to abate or, as the sailors said, had blown itself out, and as the wind grew less the captain ordered out spare sails which were soon in their places, and we began sailing again on our right course. There was some damage done by the storm; the bulwarks were stove in on one side of the ship, a life-boat had been knocked from the davits and was landed bot tom upwards on the deck. A favorite donkey of the family that was stabled in the long boat on deck was dead, also one of our best dogs, though the donkey's foal was unhurt. The sailors told us we ought to be thankful we were not all dead. The wind continued ahead, during the i-emainder of the month; it was storm after storm. One day a poor sailor stepped overboard from the rigging, and as the seas were running so high, not an effort was made to save him; this caused a feeling of despondency among the wdiolc crew, who declaired there must bea Jonah aboard. One day we ran so far north, that the next morning the ship and everything about her was covered with ice, when the second mate, who was fond of a practical joke, came down into the cabin and called us young men to get up quickly and see a whale. Of course wc dressed as expeditiously as pos sible and were soon on deck peering over her sides to see the whale, when all wc- got for our pains was a yr^ y- loud laugh from the mate and sailors, asking us if we did not think it was a fine morning; bitter cold as it was, we got into our berths again as quickly as possible. One sailor in handling a forward sail got his boots filled with water, which froze to his feet and legs, laying him up for the remainder of the vo}rage. The following day the sailors were ordered to shake a reef out of the mainsail, a dangerous exploit to do in a storm at any time, but with all the spars and every rope frozen, much worse; not a man stiri'ed till the second mate, seeing how matters stood, sprang into the rigging, taking his place where there was most danger, at the very end of the spar, when the others all followed like a flock of sheep, following their leader. At one time while walking forward on the vessel, and being on the lee side of the ship, in the trough of the sea, and seeing a huge wave rolling toward us, to escape it, I jumped on a spare spat- lashed to the side of the ship, and catching hold of the rigging to winch I clung, was dipped so deep under the water I thought I never was coming up again. These little incidents, though trivial in themselves, show wdiat man}- suffered in olden times in making a voyage on board a sailing vessel. On a steamer such seldom happens, as large ocean ships propelled by powerful engines, can in a great measure avoid an ordinaiy storm by chang ing her course a little; you seldom hear of any acci- cident to one of them. The Cuuarders s.Ty thej' have never h>st a boat or passenger since they began cross ing the Atlantic, thirty years since. Hut enough of storms. By the 1st of March the wind changed and by 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 11th we were 10 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF ISi 11 gladdened by the welcome cr}' from the man aloft, "Land ahead, land ahead!" Ah, who can tell but those who have been tossed about on a stormy sea for two long months, what a thrill of pleasure those few words filled every heai't that night, to think we were nearing our desired haven. We found the vessel the next morning laying to about five miles from Sandy Hook, the entrance to the outer harbor or bay. A pilot boat soon came alongside and left us a pilot, taking the news from the old country back with them, being the first they had received in a fort night, and that two months old. Just fancy what our board of trade men would think of such news, when now they want it every five or ten minutes. What a wonderful change in the last half century. A heavy fog coming up soon after left us in rather a perilous situation, being too near alee shore forcom- fort or safet}', but the fog lifting about noon we were soon at anchor in the outer bay, where we -were again left and did not reach our wharf at the city until the next evening, when we gladly left the vessel for Holt's hotel on Broad street just by, where we got a good supper and were astonished at being charged only a quarter each. We then wentto the Broadway house, selected for us by Mr. B,, who had been all day in the citjp, having got in on the pilot boat in the morn ing. The next clay in looking around wefound aeity of about 150,000 inhabitants, surpassing anything wc had expected to see in America. The day follow ing we made preparations to get the freight off the vessel, but there was so much of it of one sort and another, it took us two or three days to accomplish it. We had several loads of tools of all sorts, dozens .-/ -*=v l>.- c J K. N / ^ of axes, a lathe and half a schooner load of fruit trees a great many of the latter sold well at New York a1 auction. The remainder were shipped to Buffalo anc subsequently by schooner to Chicago. We brought with us also guns and rifles and some good bred dogs; we had a greyhound, foxhound, setter, pointer and spaniel. We expected to go to a new country in Upper Canada and all things brought with us was supposed to be very scarce there. On our arrival in New York, finding we were too early for the opening of the Erie canal, which was the only practical way of leaving for the west at that season of the year, wc spent several days in making excursions to Brooklyn and Hoboken with guns and dogs after game of some sort, but withont success except theshootingof afew woodcock in New Jersey. Game of any kind seemed very scarce, although the country was, only settled by market gardeners and small farmers. Of course in the city everything was new and strange to us. Even as we walked the streets among the painted houses, being such as we had never seen before, also the light horses and curious drays, were so very differ ent to the heavy cart horses and large wagons used in London, that we were reminded every minute while walking the^ streets that we were in a foreign country. The manner of doing business, also, was so different; it seemed as if they did half ofit on tlv side walk. Time soon began to hang heavy on our iiands, as the sights of the city were soon seen; there were a few good buildings put up. the Astor house just opened where one of our party went to bonrdat only ten dollars a week, but it was prophesied it would be too far out of town to do much business. The city 12 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES hall was building and five stone front houses nearby of which the citizens were evidently very proud aTwe were often asked if we had beei/to se7them. The battery was the place of greatest attraction to our! selves and also to the fashionable ladies of the city There was no Broadway with its fine stores to walk in, the best houses were in Greenwich street where wthhC; 1 rS8eTf t0 C011£reSate' b«t the Battery with its little well-kept park on the inner bay where we could enjoy the sight of the vessels arrivingand departing and the beautiful sea breeze that often blew fresh and invigorating from the ocean was a ource of endless pleasure; we spent two or three hours there every day. The city exchange was also jxist built for about the same purpose as our boa d of trade We visited it daily to make inquiries about the next packet ship, the Sampson, that was to sail ten days after us and we expected a party of our acquaintances on her, but looked for her in vainfor JolTf , I? daJS' a"d Whenshe ^d arrive we found she had been caught in the same storm that had struck us on the 5th of February and had been so in jured she had to put back to Cork, in Ireland, for re pairs By the 20th of April, the day on which the canal opened, we were quite ready for another star- on our journey to the west, and on the 21st Mr B~ and all his family with two other friends, left on a y steamer up the Hudson river for Albany, Geome D and myself, staying till the next day to get the remainder of the freight on board, which we did and sailed ourselves with it for Albany, where we found Mr. B. anxiously awaiting us on the wharf, as he had engaged passage for us all on a canal boat that BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 13 j • -- i s e was just ready to start for Buffalo. These boats were drawn by two horses that were stabled on the fore part of the boat, where two others were kept, and they took turns alternately working six or eight hours and resting the same, but they both gota good rest that trip as we had to lay by two or three days while the canal was being repaired, one side of which had broken away letting all the water out and all the boats lying on the bottom. But we young men having a constant source of enjoyment roaming the woods which lined the banks, with our dogs and guns, and now and then shooting a few stray pigeons, really enjoyed it as much as the elder part of the party deprecated their hard luck in being confined to the narrow space allotted them in the boat for so long a time. We passed several fine villages during our trip, the largest of which was Syracuse, Utica, Lockport and Rochester, then villages only in their infancy, now cities containing a population of many thousand each. Lockport, the highest point on the canal, ex cited our interest from the many locks built there. Rochester also from the canal crossing the Genesee river and viaduct. This town also had two or three large flouring mills on the river where they ground the wheat, corn, etc., raised on the rich land on the valley bordering the stream. We also took a look at the salt w^rks on the line of the canal, where all the salt then used in the country was manufactured or boiled down. In due time we arrived at Buffalo, then the principal city of the west containing 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants, and was then what Chicago is now, the distributing point for all the / 14 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES country still further west as well as the center at which all the products of the soil were collected for the eastern market. But what a contrast; then afew packages of goods were shipped by steamer to Detroit to sxipply that and other smaller ports on the lake, with the merchandise and goods they need ed from the east, bringing back in return a few hun dred bushels of grain for the mills at Black Rock, and sometimes at Rochester, whereas now millions of bushels pass through the city yearly, both by water and rail, besides the arrival of immense quantities of beef, pork, flour and fruit received and shipped by railroad and canal each vieing with the other to se cure their share of the traffic. On arriving at Buffalo Mr. B., the head of our party, took a house for a few months, as some of the part3r determined to travel a little in Canada, and see the country for themselves before finally making up their minds to settle there, which was our original intention on leaving London. Four of them having'sojletermined, purchased horses, saddles, etc. and began their journey by riding first to Toronto to present some letters of introduction they had to the Governor of Canada, and after spend ing a few days in the city, -which then contained a population of some 8,000 or 9,000, about the same as Buffalo, continued their journey through the woods to Detroit, some of them being dissatisfied with the look of things on the route, seeing farmers who had been settled there for years, and vei-y little to show for it, and afterwards meeting a person on board the steamer on which they returned from Detroit to Buffalo who had been visiting Chicago, and spoke very highly of its prospects and of the N; / BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 15 prairie country adjoining it on the south and west, assuring them that they could purchase land of the Government contiguous to the village for a dollar and a quarter an acre with nothing on the surface but a crop of grass on which they could begin plow ing and harrowing at once and raise a good crop of grain from it while they would be clearing an acre of timber from the land in Canada, and then have it full of stumps; consequently part of them, myself among the number, determined to come west to Chi cago, and fearing to go round the lakes in the small schooners then sailing determined to go b}' land, and began preparations at once by the purchase of horses and wagons and making other necessary arrange ments, but we did not leave Buffalo until the 26th of August. During the absence of the party in Canada we had several days ofgood shooting, the pigeons in the woods near by and the fishing at Black Rock on the Niagara river about three miles from the city was really splendid. Many a time did two of us go there by sunrise, and in an hour or two catch 30 to 35 pounds of fish each weighing from two to five pounds, which we took home hanging on a pole be tween us, and. as we pulled them out of the water their scales shining and shimmering in the summer's sun, the very sight of them would have made an ep icure's mouth water. But the time had arrived for our leaving Buffalo, which we did on the day above mentioned, loading the one horse wagon with mattresses, bedding, extra clothing, cooking utensils and everything thought to be necessary in a new country. The two horse wagon was on springs with seats on each side like an omnibus where the family 16 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 183.'!. 17 could all ride with good roads, but we had to travel about ten miles from the city on theshore of Lake Erie, where the sand was very deep and several of the par ty had to walk, which they found very fatiguing in the deep sand as six of them were ladies, young and middle aged and had not been used to that kind of life. The next clay we found the roads were good and continued so through Penn«-sh/aniaand Ohio the first .'{00 miles of our journey. ^ %e weather was fine, and wc really enjoyed ourselves, x was like one continued picnic. Generally selecting some pretty spot by the side of a* murmuring brook or under the grateful shade of a tree on which sometimes a grape vine had climbed for support from which hung clus ters of ripe grapes, at other times a patch of black berries attracted our attention from which we pick ed the luscious fruit, and enjoyed it in all its freshness; it was in some such places Ave generally stopped to prepare our midday meal cooked in a bake oven, or frying pan over the embers ol a wood fire, no^smjt, stove being thought of in those early days, at always finding some wayside tavern or accc , ';* dating farmer to give us and our horses shel '.- a room or two sufficed if we could do no be' ' which we spread our mattresses and beddiri r.. ^. some places where wc stopped, they would n ¦ i as welcome as possible, giving us the best of , and all the fruit we needed. Our route lay at ^r e southern shore of Lake Erie, as fine a country as you would wish to see. Erie was then avillage of a few hundred inhabitants. Cleveland, one of the pret tiest towns through which we passed, had about 2,000. Soon after passing the latter city, the roads y \y began to get worse, and when within a short dis tance of the Maumee ri ver, we had to cross one of the vilest of swamps, well named the Black Swamp. It was some thirty miles across, and moscof the wa3' crossed with small round logs, making what was ca.lled a corduroy road. It took all daj' to cross the middle of it, where finding a log housi partially built without a roof and only half floored with split logs, we took possession of it, glad to find even such a shelter from the wind with a dry place on which to spread our bed, etc. Although we had to sleep for the first time under the broad canopy of Heaven, however, the night proved fine, so wc suf fered more from anticipation than from the reality. We were glad enough, notwithstanding, to get away from it next morning, and reached Perrisburgh a small village just pettled on the Maumee river, where I got the best shot at ducks I ever made, getting a dozen fine mallard ducks to carry back with us, but here ended every comfort and pleasure of the journey. Good roads were left behind and were but a small exception; for a few days they were as bad as they well could be. It was nothing but out of one mud- hole into another the day through. The road was through heavy timber, a cross road through the woods from Lake Erie to the Detroit road through Michigan. The days were getting shorter, the weather cooler, provisions scarcer and more expensive, accom modations for the night more difficult to find . We realized the fact keenly that we were in a new coun try. At White Pigeon Prairie finding a few miles of good road and urging our jaded horses a little faster than usual, one of the double team, an old mare, 18 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1S33. 19 aropped in her harness, and there we had to leave her. A neighboring farmer coming by, sold us an old horse that he warranted would carry us to Chicago, or to the Rocky Mountains, for that mat ter, but we soon found to our sorrow he was past much work and good for nothing. From this time forward till we got to Chicago, we had hard times, which will be best described by copying an article I wrote for one of the papers some twenty-five years since, which I trust will be found interesting. Just- fancy yourself standing on the road leading from the east into Michigan City, Indiana, one cold, raw, wet afternoon, about the middle of October, 1833, where you would have seen two covered wagons, one drawn by two horses, the other by one, wending their slow and tedious way along the muddy, miry road leading from Laporte to Michigan City, only 14 miles apart, but which had taken the whole day to accomplish, occasioned by the dreadful roads through which the tired horses had dragged them selves, for it had been out of one mud hole into an other the whole distance, and the poor beasts looked pretty well pegged out from their day's work, and the previous 500 miles they had already come on their journey. Some of the party were walking and from their appearance and mud-bespattered clothing, looked as if they had put their shoulders to the wheels more than once that day. Walk with them to the tavern to which they are evidently bending their steps, and while standing there, let us take a look at the occupants as they alight from their vehicles. It is very evident from their appearance, that they are not rough Hoosiers from Indiana, or Buckeye's r -fc^V ,-.- v from the backwoods of Ohio, for there is, notwitl standing their travel-worn appearance, somethinj in their looks and manners which stamp them fa| superior in mental culture and civilization to th rough, uncouth persons usually seen tumbling out a moving wagon, though probably not so well ca\ culated to get along in a new country or to endurj the privations experienced for the past few weeks, oj the travel and hardships of the next few days as thj other classes would have been. Their very wagons" look as if taste and neatness were not wholly forgot ten. They are a large family the heads of which are a gentleman and lady passed the meridian of life, an elderly lady accompanying them, and nine children, the eldest a young man just approaching manhood, and his four brothers, three young girls not yet in their teens, and one just entering that important era. Two young men, friends of the family, traveling with them , complete the party. Then together, they com prise a group not often seen so far west in those early times when Chicago was on the very confines of civ ilization. But they are now quietly seated in the tavern, a description of which will answer for nineteen out of twenty of all they have stopped at during their jour ney. The outer door opens into a large room used as a sitting room for the men folks, and also as a bar room, for in one corner, generally in the angle, you will see a cupboard, with two or three shelves, on which are arranged in bottles, the different color; ! liquors. I suppose the color is about all the difference you could have found in them, as the brandy, gin and whisky generally came from one distillery in Ohio, 20 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES with the addition of burnt sugar and juniper berries to suit the taste of their customers. From this room you would enter the family sitting room, also used as a dmiug room for travelers, and out of that usually a kitchen and small family bedroom. The upper story, although sometimes divided into two rooms, was often left in one, with beds arranged along the sides. Once in a while you might find a curtain drawn across the further end of the room, affording a little privacy to the female portion of the occupants, but often not even that, the beds being occupied promis cuously on the first-come-first-served principle. Meals usually consisted of bread, butter, potatoes, and fried pork; now and then you might get a few eggs, but not as far west as our travelers now find themselves. Such were the accommodations travelers had to put up with in those early days. If they could find a tin wash basin and clean towel for the whole party to use, generally-*"^! standing on a bench outside the back door, they considered themselves fortunate. Nine times out often the beds were all occupied, or at least bespoken, but our travelers were well prepared for such occurrences, as the one-horse wagon was filled with mattresses, blankets, pillows, cloaks, and other articles to make up comfortable beds on the floor, which was done according to circumstances, some times in the barroom, and sometimes in the dining room. The time spoken of in Michigan City it was in the inner room, where, at 10 o'clock, Ave will leave them for the night, the female portion of the family on the mattresses, the male on the softest board they could pick out, wrapped up in a blanket and cloak, of which I was one of the party. OV AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 21 *> ~'wv ri 1SP- ' :* ^ *-.Jl We were early astir the next morning, not that wc need have been, had not the room been wanted for other purposes, for we had determined to spend the day there to rest the horses before venturing on the forty-two miles of lake shore, without a house be tween us and the Calumet river. During the day Ave found ample time to see all there was to be seen in the embryo city, which then contained probably about fifty inhabitants. The buildings consisted of one small brick tavern, aframeoneopposite, a blacksmith shop, a store, and half a dozen houses, built in, on, above and beloAV the sand. It Avas literally a place of sand, being located on far more sand hills than ever ancient Rome AA'as on hills. It appeared to be about the southern point of Lake Michigan. A small creek emptied itself into the lake, though apparently much too small for any harbor ever to be formed there, which, hoAvever, Avas done by our gOArernment a few years after. Altogether it ay as one of the most dreary looking places imaginable, nothing inviting about it. Our party weremakingwhatpreparatious we could for the morrow's journey, but provisions Avere very scarce. All Ave could get A\^as half a sucking pig, two small pieces of pork and half a bushel of potatoes; no butter or milk was to be had for loA-e or money. Fortunately we had flour and honey in the Avagon, so Ave felt satisfied our proA'isions would last us through. From all the information Ave could get we had made up our minds to spen*i one night on the lake shore, either in the wagon or under the broad canopy of heaven. It Avas \-ery evident from our con versation that Ave dreaded the journey, for tAA-o of our horses wei"e about used up, and the loads were heavy, 22 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES 1 BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 23 but wcwill again leave them for the night. The next morning found us up bright and early for a start, and after getting breakfast and repacking the wagons Ave made it by putting the three horses to the smallest wagon and hauling it over the hills to the shore, when the lady and children started with it on their toilsome journey, Avhile the men folks took a span of horses back for the double Avagon. We soon found the depth of the sand and the difficulties of the way had not been exaggerated, for it Avas all we could do to reach the beach, on which we had barely traveled half a mile when the horses came to a dead stop, which delayed us some time, and avc concluded the only way of making any progress at all was by trav eling in the water on the edge of the lake. Even there we found the sand so heavy that we had to stop every now and then to breathe the horses, which made it very tedious traveling. It was 3 o'clock be fore we overtook the first wagon that started. The family complained of great fatigue, but there was no help for it, they could not ride, the single horse was completely used up; all our urging could not move him. To add to these troubles, the wind and AvaA-es began to rise, driving us further upon the beach. It became evident that a heavy storm Avas blowing up. After a deal of useless trouble and exertion, it was decided that the two-horse wagon should proceed with the family, until they could find some sheltered spot in Avhich to spend the night, leaving tAvo of us young men to get the other on as fast as possible, and await the return of the team to take them to the stop ping place. It was a fter dark before> Ave rejoined the party in the sand hills, where we found supper pre- «w» I y I /""-v. V" pared, and glad enough wc all were to sit down to it after the labors of the day; but we had hardly tasted a mouthful before the threatened storm broke OA'er our heads in all its fury. We had barely reached the wagons, whither Ave hastened Avith what food AAre could snatch up, before the rain fell in torrents, the thunder rolled fearfully, and the wind increased to a perfect hurricane. The storm continued to increase in violence until after midnight, the family sitting opposite each other on either side of the large Avagon listening to the war of the elements during the long and tedious hours of that dreadful night, holding on Avith tight ened grasp to the boAvs of the Avagon cover, expecting every minute it would be blown aAAray. Fortunately the canvas top was made of stout material, and withstood the fury of the blast, but still left them in no very enviable position, suffering as thej' were from the fatigue of the previous day's walk, the cold and damp atmosphere surrounding them and the Avant of a good night's rest. Three young men of us crawled for shelter under the cover of the small Avagon, closing up the front and back as AA'ell as Ave could to prevent the driving wind and rain from making adeansA\reep through it. In the first feAv hours of the night we had the best of it, lying on apileof mattresses, AA-ith plenty to cover us, but toAvard morning, Avhen the wind was at its height, we suddenly found ourseh-es deluged with rain, the front and back of the cover having been carried away, and it was with the great est difficulty we again secui-ed it, and sheltered our selves from the pitiless storm. None avIio went through the experience of that and 24 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 25 the succeeding night will ever forget it. Glad enough we all Avere to welcome the first rays of the coming- morn ; even then the outlook was none of the bright est. Fortunately the rain had ceased, but a cold north Avind continued to blow from the lake, driving us up higher and higher on the beach, where the horses had to travel fetlock deep in the sand every step they took. After partaking of breakfast, cooked under the greatest difficulty, as the wood and every thing around was saturated with the rain, Ave again started on our journey, but soon came to the conclu sion that the old horse, bought in Michigan only ten days before, could go no further, so after consulta tion it Avas determined to turn him adrift in the sand hills, where I have no doubt he soon became food for the wolves. After hauling the heaviest wagon well up on the beach, secure from the waves, and filling it Avith all that could possibly be spared out of the other Avagon, avc fastened the covers down and left it, fully expecting that half the contents would be stolen ; but it was necessary to make some sacrifice, as it was beginning to be a serious matter how wc Avere to ex ist until we reached Mann's tavern, on the Calumet river, over thirty miles distant, as the two horses left Avere pretty avcII tired out. There was no time to be lost, so putting one horse before the other, we pressed on, though still having to stop every half hour to rest the team. About 9 o'clock four travelers on horse back overtook our party. Among the number Augustus Garrett and Dr.Egan.formany years after well known and prominent citizens of Chicago. They told us Ave could not be over ten miles from Michigan City, Avhich greatly discouraged us, as we fully y **N expected wc Avere at least twenty, but the continual stoppages to Avhich we had been subjected had de ceived us as to the distance traveled. From this time on avc fully made up our minds to spend another night on the shore of the lake— not a very pleasant prospect, certainly, as it Avas still very cold, and alarge amount of bedding and blankets had been left behind; but there Avas no help for it, so we walked wearily onward until evening, when, finding a sheltered spot in one of the swales among the sand hills, Ave prepared to spend the night there by gather ing wood, lighting a fire, and cutting a quantity of juniper and fir boughs to cover the ground, on Avhich, after partaking of rather a slim supper, aa-c laid down, covered with cloaks and what blankets Ave had, and, being completely tired out, really enjoyed a goon night's rest under the somewhat noA'cl circumstances in Avhich Ave found ourselves. The poor horses Avere, if possible, in a worse plight than ourselves, as they had nothing but the dried Aviry grar.s to eat. afford ing very little nourishment. We Avere up next morn ing with the first dawn of day; and, as we had no sumptuous breakfast to cook, our provisions being reduced to about half a peek of potatoes, avc re soon pi-epared to resume our journey, though not Avith A-ery comfortable feelings, knoAving that we could not taste another mouthful until Ave had traveled the tAventy miles intervening betAvecn us and the nearest house, but we hurried off, hoping almost against hope that a friend in Chicago, to whom the head of the party had Avritten, Avhile at Michigan City, an account of our situation, would get the letter and send help, which, fortunately for us, he did, sending a 26 Early Chicago keminiscences BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF i833. 27 yoke of oxen, driven by a former acquaintance, who metusaboutllo'clock. Thiswasagreatreliefto all, as it enabled the female portion of the family to crowd into the wagon and ride the remainder of the day. Leaving them comfortably provided for, three of us young men walked on, arriving at Mann's tav ern, on the banks of the Calumet, soon after dark, and no three young men ever felt happier than we did to find ourselves again under the shelter of a roof, with the prospect before us of a good substantial meal. The remainder of the party, with the wagon, arrived an hour or so later, and were highly delighted to find a good supper prepared for them. The night was spent, as many before had been, part sleeping on the floor, Avhile others occupied a couple of beds, which were fortunately found disengaged. The tav ern-keeper was a half Indian, but kept a good house of its sort, on the east side of the river, and also ran the ferry across the Calumet river. The house was of logs, two buildings about 16x20 being put up, leav ing a space between of about the same size, which being covered Avith clapboards, like the other build ings, and inclosed at the sides, made quite a commodi ous tavern, much better than most of those we had stopped at for the bust 300 miles of our journey. In the morning it was decided that three of us young men should start back after the wagon left be hind, Avhich avc did, though much against our inclina tions, taking with us-bofe**' oxen and horses, carrying what provender we n^ Jed on their backs. After travcling ten or tweb miles on the back track, we came to a grove of ) ,-s where two men were at work building a shanty abling, etc., for a new station -/ *T"^ f: for the stage company, and not before it was needed. for our party dragged one horse off to tne woodsy victim to hard driving, scant feed and want of care, but what could the drivers do, with a route of forty- two miles of lake shore, without a house, but put the poor brutes through as best they could. That night we had to lie on two inches of snow, by way of a change, but with our heads protected from the wind by boughs stuck in the sand by some other party be fore the frost set in, and a good roaring fire at our feet, we managed to spend a pretty comfortable night. The second day, a little before dark, we found the wagon just as it had been left-not a thing touched. It was not long before a fire Avas kind.cd, and slap-jacks made from the flour left in the wagon were frying in the pan, which, eaten with the honey also left behind, made an excellent supper, enlivened as it was Avith many songs and jovial talk. It took two days more to again reach the river, where we found the party left at the tavern fully recruited from the fatigues of their journey, and anxious to be again on the road for Chicago , some 13 miles distant. The following day, aboutll o'clock, we left Mann s tavern, and toward evening arrived at the place ot our destination, Avhere Ave might reasonably have expected to find a comfortable resting place; but it was not to be. Every tavern and house was full, and we had to Avait two or three hours in the cold before Ave could find a roof to shelter us ; then a kind lady had compassion on us, and took us all into her already crowded boarding house, it being only a log building about 16x20, where avc had again to spread • our mattresses on the floor. Such was the reception 28 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 29 of a family in the village of Chicago, and such were a few of the hardships and troubles experienced in getting here. But before describing Chicago as we found it on i our arrival, I Avill insert an aricle Avritten by John Conant Long, and published in the Journal of March 2, 188S, in which he describes scenes that took place before my time, as he claims to have been here in 1831 and '32. How hard it is for us to realize that in the locality Avhcre there are now so many beautiful and peaceful homes, extending from about where Sixteenth street now is to Eighteenth, and from Indiana avenue to the lake, was the spot where all the fighting took - place, and that the bodies of the slain remained where they fell, unburicd for three or four years. Let us try and picture to ourselves the scene. Six hundred to 800 half-naked savages armed with muskets, knives and tomah awks,their dark forms in strong con trast to the Avhite smoke of the powder, see them as they swarm over the sandjhills or crouch behind them, hear their fierce, shrill war-cry above the rattle of the musketry. That man Avith the blackened face is Cap tain Wells; he has been fighting the Indians nearly all his life, they know him Avell, and they know that blackened face means that he Avillgive no quarter and expect none, and that it is to be death or victory to him. See him as he urges the little band of white sol diers up the bank— -hoAV the unskilled savages give Avay before the steady fire and advance of Avell-dis- eiplincd solders; but as fast as they give Avayin front, they swarm like red demons on the flank and to the rear, overwhelming the brave band with more than v-' ¦1 »' i ten times their numbers; see Captain Wells, as he strikes right and left, and single-handed drives five or six of the dusky Avarriors before him, until one coav- ardly Indian takes advantage of his being engaged iii front, and creeps up behind him and stabs him in the back. But the saddest and most terrible sight of all is over there Avhcre the baggage Avagons were halted. See that Indian creeping toAvard that wagon and the children clinging to each other Avith looks of terror on their faces; hear their cries for help and shrieks of pain— -but enough of this picture. We can turn the eye of our imagination to the present and sec in the place Avhcre that terrible massacre occurred many grand and stately dwellings and many peaceful and happy homes, Avell-kept grassy lawns in place of those blood-stained sandhills, Ji.ippy children's faces in place of those which Avere there horribly mangled and covered with blood, SAveet music Avhere once Avas -only heard the fierce Avar-cry and the sharp, quick tones of those instruments the touch of whose keys means death. Mrs. Heald, the sister of Captain-Wells, received six wounds, and while she was lying upon the ground writhing with pain, she saAvan Indian chief strutting about Avith her bridal comb stuck in his hair. When the Indians raised her up to carry her aAvay a squaw tried to snatch the blanket from her shoulders, but she turned quickly and struck the squaw in the face with her riding Avhip. The Indians greatly admired her for this act of braA'ery and perhaps treated her with more respect afterwards. For four years after the massacre the ruins of the fort were practically abandoned and deserted (from 30 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. 31 1812 to 1816), but in 1810 it was rebuilt under the direction of Captain Bradley, and Avas again occupied by United States troops. Nothing of great impor tance occurred until 1831. Dtiring that year Black HaA\rk, an Indian chief, with a large body of Indians, crossed the Mississippi river and advanced up the Rock river, movingin a northeasterly direction. This created a panic among the defenseless settlers west and southwest of the fox-t. At that time the only refuge for them was at Fort Dearborn, and therefore during the month of May, 1832, it was a croAvded caravansary of frightened fugitives numbering about 500 persons. The few residents of Chicago labored ¦""3 their utmost to feed and shelter this large number. Archibald Clybourne, Avho Avas the government butcher, found it impossible to furnish the necessary supplies for such a population, but, fortunately, two young men, John and Mark Noble, had gone into the stock-raising business, and had ready for killing 150 head of cattle. They drove them into the enclosure of the fort, and thereby averted a meat famine. During the following month of July, General Scott arriA'ed Avith a body of troops to reinforce the garri son, bringing with him the celebrated Indians Shaw- bonee and Billy Caldwell, names often mentioned in the early history of Chicago, but General Scott brought with him an enemy more to be dreaded than the Indians. His soldiers had hardly taken up their qxiarters in the fort before they -were, most of them, prostrated Avith that dread disease, the cholera, and they died off like sheep; there were hardly enough well ones to care for the sick and bury the dead. In fact the troops were attacked with this dread disease V* 1 1 p<^ while they AArere on the lake steamers en route to Fort Dearborn. General Scott said sometime after the Mexican Avar that he had often been in great danger and Avitnessed a great amount of suffering, but he had never before felt his helplessness and need of divine providence as he did on the lakes and in Fort Dear born Avhen that ghostly pestilence, the Asiatic cholera, became prevalent among his soldiers. Sentinels Avere of no use in Avarning them of the enemy's approach; he could not storm his works, fortify against him or cut his way out, or make terms of capitulation, and there was no respect for the flag of truce. As soon as it became known that the dread disease was in the fort, the refugees immediately fled from the fort, choosing to face the possible danger of the tom- ahaAvk and the scalping knife rather than the ghostly pestilence. Nearly all of them returned to their homes and on the 10th day of July, 1832, Chicago was abandoned by the pest-stricken garrison. The agency house, or government factory, built just outside of the inclosure on the bank of the river, a little south west of the present south end of Rush street bridge, was used as a hospital. This agency house Avas an old-fashioned log building with hall in the center and porches extending the Avhole length of it. Alexander Wolcott, a name very familiar to old settlers, was the government Indian agent for a number of years. Till 1826 he lived across the river with John Kinzie. Some time after that year the gOA^emment established in the agency building and in some of the buildings in the fort a factory for manufacturing goods much used by the Indians, and for the further purpose of controlling the trade in the vicinity. This factory 32 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1833. J 3 system AA'as instituted from motives of both philan- throphy and expediency, but soon proved to be a failure and Avas abandoned. The second or new fort, Avhich AA'as built OA'er the ruins of the old, Avas occu pied continuously by United States troops and used for a recruiting station; also as a rendczArous for sol diers avIio AArerc to be sent further Avest, as AA'ellas for purposes of defense, until 1837, avIicix it AA'as aban doned, the Indians having been removed far to the AvestAA'ard. The fort stood until 1856, when the old block-house Avas demolished, no vestige of it remain ing, the Chicago fire having destro3red what Avas left, even of the old timbers, which had been used in some of the new buildings. It is to.be regretted that the city government or the Chicago Historical Society did not manage in some Avay to save that old block house. The site of the fort is now occupied bAr a large but prosiac building devoted to the sale of groceries. The fort as rebuilt consisted of a square stockade, in closing barracks or quai-ters for officers and soldiers, magazine, quartermaster and commissary depart ments. The northwest and southAvest angles Avere defended by bastions or earthworks. The buildings Avere constructed AA'ith hewn logs, some of them cov ered on the outside with oak clapboards. The block house, about twenty feet square, Avas built of solid logs, without Avindows, Aviththe upper part and roof projecting beyond the side walls about four feet. I remember that all of us small boj's, who lived in and around the fort, stood in solemn awe of the interior of that block-house, and none of us ever dared to pass inside. It looked so dark and dismal AA'e were con tented to remain without, spending many hours and •*s* ¦>-:. ruining many jack-knives digging out the bullets aa^ found imbedded in the timbers. On both sides of the parade ground, in the centerof the fort, fronting east and Avest, AA'ere two long two-story buililings with porches extending their whole length. The main or ground floors of the porches Avere paved AA'ith stone and brick, thereby showing that Uncle Sam had an eye to durability even as far back as the year 1816. The officers' quarters AA'ere located at the north end, and the store-house or commissary department guard-house and magazine or block-houses at the south end of the barracks. In the center of the parade ground Avas a square post about four feet high, on top of AA'hich was an old fashioned sun dial. There were four gates or main entrances to the fort or stockade, located on the east, west, north and south sides. In 1845 my father Avas appointed lighthouse keeper by President James K. Polk, and Ave Ha-ccI in an old stone-house adjoining and directly Avest of the fort, the lighthouse being in the same iuclosure, both built of uncut solid block stone. The lighthouse AA'as cir cular in shape and surmounted by a glass dome Avith iron frame, which contained six common oil lamps, with reflectors attached, all set in a reA'olving frame. The position of lighthouse keeper in those days AA'as considered an important and lucratiA'e government office. I think the salary Avas $1,500 and no chance for extra emolument, except that it Avas understood that my father could follow the example of his illus trious predecessors, and AA'hen he dreAv the requisitions for oil for the lighthouse lamps, he could include enough for his oavh domestic use (or for light house- 34 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES keeping, so to speak). In those days fat contracts and boodlers Avere unknoAm. There was another smaller lighthouse at the end of the north pier. The duty of cleaning, trimming and lighting the lamps in both houses deA'olved part of the time upon my old est brother and myself. The lighting and extinguish ing of the lamps in the lighthouse at the end of the north pier Avas sometimes attended with great dan ger, for during a severe northeast storm, the waA'es would break completely over the pier, and the only way in which Ave could save ourselves from being washed into the river, was by clinging to the posts, which fortunately for us, were placed at intervals of about forty feet along the center of the pier. I remember on one or two occasions -when the lights did not burn through the night by reason of my not trimming and filling the lamps properly, I received a severe thrashing. So my first efforts to throAV light upon early Chicago were not unattended with diffi culties. This account of the fort and its surroundings is complete, although very much condensed. It also includes the history of Chicago up to 1832, becauseup to that time it consisted of the fort, agency houses and only five farm houses or residences. In the spring of 1833, Chicago had less than 200 inhabitants. When it Avas incorporated as a city, March 4, 1837, the population was 4,170. March 4, 1887, just fifty years from the date of its incorporation, the census and the returns of the city directory canvass showed about 800,000 inhabitants, and at the present time, if we include the suburbs recently annexed and the contiguous and thickly settled portions of Hyde BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 1S33. 35 Park, Cicero, Town of Lake and Lake View, which rightfully belong to the city, we should find at least 1,000,000 inhabitants, showing an increase in half a century unparalleled in history. What achange many of us old settlers find from old Fort Dearborn and the five frame houses clustered around it, to the pres ent grand city, with its large, handsome parks, sub stantial public buildings, business blocks, beautiful churches, luxurious club-houses, schools and hand some private residences! Nothing seems to check the city in its might}' progress. There is something in the air Ave breathe, as it comes off the large lake of pure, fresh water and the wide, fertile prairies all around xis, which brings great A'itality and energy both to the phj'sical body and the body politic. Signed by John Conant Long. Making the Harbor.— The work of improving the Chicago harbor was commenced by the United States GoA'erment in 1833. Previous to this the Chicago river made a sharp bend southward, near the present depot of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and had its outlet into the lake fully half a mile from the bend, leaving between the river and the lake a long sand bar above water, formed by the action of the northeasterly gales. The work of improvement Avas commenced by giving the river a straight outlet by a cut through this bar and by constructing a pier on the north bank. The direction of this pier Avas east by south, and its length about a thousand feet, be ginning nearby at the then shore line. A pier was also constructed on the south side of the river, running parallel to the pier above mentioned, through Avhich at a later date cuts Avere made bv the Illinois Central 36 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES Railroad Company, forming ship basins in connec tion with the other improvements. In 1837 "he north pier was extended 400 feet, and its direction changed to about east by north. This chang , how ever, proved unfavorable, as a sand-bar soof formed m the channel south of theeast end of the pier This suggested a return to the direction given to the fii" part of the pier, and m the construction the change 7n a\mt+fdual^7buildi„gthepieri„ a curfe to which the preceding pier would be a tangent, and n iSn^ltf10", dCSired- THS ™ klasdone at the nut 18+4°'-a>nd m 1852 a P^-head was built at the outer extre,- ty, to be used as a foundation for a hgbthouse. The lighthouse, however, was in 18o9, constructed on piles at a point about fifty feet fax her north. The depth of water into the harbor at that time was about eight feet. The vessels were largest enS10nS'a"dthiS WaS sufficieDt for the It Avas not until 1848 that Chicago assumed any mportance at all as a port. Since that time-within thirty-fivr years-the growth has been rapid enough and great enough to astonish the Avhole world And the-vast commerce of Chicago today does not yet seem to be fully known or appreciated even on the American seaboard. Statistics are given further along in this review, however, which will convince *w ni* SeaP°rts and the seaports of the world that Chicago, on Lake Michigan, is now one of the greatestports anywhere. AH the statistics given are official and aviII bear the closest scrutiny _ Even in 1848-the Board of Trade was organized m that year-but comparatively few vessels arrived 17 '* — <* BY AN OLD RESIDENT OF iS33. 37 and cleared at Chicago. Season after season,, how ever, this lake trading increased rapidhr. In 1854 Chicago was considered quite a port, and great boasts were made of the "immense quantities " of grain received and shipped here. The shipments for a series of years from and including 1854 were as follows : Flour...Wheat.. C'.rn.... Oats....Rye .... Barley . 1854. 111,02, 2 3"6.9i5 6,626,001 3 229, 0S7 147,811 lrto5. lfi;i,419 6,298,15o7.517.625 1,888,538 92.011 1806. 210.389 8,304,420 ll,129.0i + 1,014,037 19,051 1857 1838. 259,648 9,846 05 6,814 615 506,778 17,993 47K.4H2 8.850, 2.i 7 7,726,264 1,519.009 7.569 132,020 In 1858 the capacity of grain elevators (or store houses) in Chicago Avas 4,095,000 bushels. The quantity of coal received here by lake that season Avas 76,571 tons ; lumber, 278,943,000 feet; Avood, 87,074 cords. THE FLEETS in 1858-59. The total number of vessels on the entire chain of lakes then Avas 1,458. Of these, 748, or more than half the whole number, plied to and from Chicago. About the largest sail vessel coming here then meas ured 400 tons. In 1859 the tonnage of the lakes Avas as folloAvs : American Craft— No. 1,198; tonnage, 323,156; value, $9,811,200. Canadian Craft— No. 313; tonnage, 69,663; value, $2,305,200. The history of Chicago as a port is the history of lake navigation generally. Chicago needed large vessels. They Avere built and the general gOA'crnment has improved the Avhole lake- water route so that 38 EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES they might ply up and down the lakes. As a result the cost of transportation has been immensely reduced. Instead of vessels of 200 to 400 tons meas urement and a rate of 22 to 24 cents per bushel on corn to Buffalo, the craft now measures 1,800 and 2,500 tons, and the rate is 3 to 5 cents. Sail vessels are fast disappearing, transportation now being carried on by monster steam barges and toAvsnnd by regular lines of freight steamers. Passenger traffic on the lakes has fallen off greatly; the public seem to prefer to travel by rail. Chicago harbor has 51 miles of dockage, and possesses the largest grain elevators in the Avorld. In all there are 25 elevators, and their total capacity for the storage of grain is 24,625,000 bushels. To tOAv A'essels in and out of the harbor and transfer them about, it requires the services of 65 steam tugs. By comparison of official figures obtained from the treasury department, the Inter Ocean discovered some time ago that a greater number of vessels arrived and cleared at Chicago during a year than at the port of New York. The publication caused general surprise, and there Avere and are numerous skeptics. It is a fact, neA'ertheless, and fresh official figures just obtained make the showing better than ever for Chicago. It must be remembered, too, that Chicago is closed by ice for three or four months during Avinter, Avhile the seaports have all the A'ear round. ThefolloAvingtabk giAres the mumbcrof craft arriv ing and clearing at eight of the principal seaports for a year, and the number at Chicago for the same time, and it is seen that Chicago's figures are greater thati all these combined: 5r P r -!-¦». . I 1SY AN OLD RESIDENT OF 18:13. 39 Arrivals. Clearances. Total. ,, ... o o.iij 3 OIL! 5,253 Baltimore -,.vii) '''"'¦' ' Boston and Charleston 3,903 4,189 3,152 New Orleans 1,075 1,135 2,210 Philadelphia 3.178 2,437 4,015 Portland and Falmouth 817 83H b085 Sun Francisco 1,117 1-270 2,387 (1 nil id Total arrivals and clearances 34,307 I'hicatfo, total arrivals and clearances 3(1,037 Now compare New York, New Orleans, Portland and Falmouth, and San Francisco, all combined: Arrivals. Clearances. Total. New York 0,005 !,-°33 1S-ri8? New Orleans 1,075 1.13S 3,310 Portland 2,80n Goal received, tons 0 10,700 irmi ore received, tuns 64,080 I i>j iron received, tons -'.-'" Salt received in sacks 63,8s. I Salt received in brls 175,440 _4£ EARLY CHICAGO REMINISCENCES BY AN OLD RESIDENT OP 1833. 41 Salt received in bulk, tons . Pork shipped, brls Lard shipped, tcs Beef shipped, brls 14,724 60.0G8 77,707 5,872 The several lines of propellers from Buffalo and other loAver lake ports brought up seA-eral hundred thousand tons of merchandise, but no record is kept. The number of vessels arriving and clearing at Chicago during the past season Avas 26,027. The folloAving table, showing the arrivals and clearances of vessels in Chicago for a series of years — since 1861— speaks for itself. Chicago made agreat stridein 1862, and Avith few exceptional seasons, has steadily gained ever since. Year. No. 1802 7,417 1803 8,678 1864 ; 8,938 1805 10,113 1806 11,084 1807 12,230 1868 13,174 1809 13,730 1870 12,739 1871 12,230 1872 12,824 1873 H.Sfifl 1874 10,827 1875 10,488 1876 0,021 1877 10,333 1878 10,400 1879 11,850 1880 13,218 1881 13,020 1883 13,307 Arrivals , r Clearances , Tonnage. No. Tonnage. 1,931,092 7,270 1,915,554 2,172,611 8,457 2,161,221 2,173,866 8,224 2,166,004 2,106,859 10,067 2,092,276 2,258,527 11,115 2,361,529 2,588,272 12,140 2,512,676 2,984,591 13,225 3,020,812 3,123,400 13,872 3,149,916 3,049,265 12,438 3,983,912 3,096,101 12,312 3,082,235 3,059,752 12,531 3,017,790 3,225,911 11,876 3,338,803 3,195,633 10,720 3,134,078 3,122,004 10,607 3,157,051 3,089,072 9,628 3,078,264 3,274,332 10,284 3,311,083 3,608,534 10,494 3,631,139 3,887,095 12,014 3,870,300 4.616,969 13,302 4,537,382 4,533,558 12,957 4,228,089 4,849,950 13,636 4,904,099 There are fleets of craft on the lakes now measuring over 2,000 tons each, custom house measurement, and which carry at a single cargo from 2,000 to 3;000 tons of freight. Most of these craft ply to and from Chicago. Some of them take out 110,000 bushels of corn or 140,000 bushels of oats at a single cargo. There is a depth of 18 to 20 feet of water into the harbor, and it is all needed for the monster craft Avhich come and go. The American lake ship ping is estimated now at a value of $150,000,000 and a large half of it "trades" to Chicago, bringing in coal, iron, salt, merchandise, etc., and taking away cargoes of grain, etc. 42 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1S33 TO 1802. III. As before stated, Ave came from Buffalo bv team and, on leaving the lake shore and rounding- the point of woods .about Thirty-first street, we found1 our- selves, for the first time, on a wide expanse of level prame bounded on the Avest by a belt of timber which lined the banks of the south branch of the river a mile or tAvo distant. Three or four miles to the north of the point where Ave stood lay the village of Chicago, stretching from the lake some half mile or more to the Avest, along the bank of the river, the white houses and stores, together Avith the buildings and fence of the garrison grounds, giving it quite a pleasant and cheerful appearance under the genial rays of the wintry sun, especially as seen after the storm and tedious journey of the previous few days The grass looked brown, for it Avas long enough to hide ironx view the slight sprinkling of snowthathad fallen a few days before, but the ground was frozen solid though yet in October. There was but one building between us and the village, and that was a log barn, standing about Twentieth street To the east of us Was the beautiful lake, on the bosom of which Ave could no wand then, between the hills of sand that lined its bank, catch sight of two schoon ers that lay at anchor half or three-quarters of a mile irom land, lazily rising and falling with the savcII of tne waves as they rolled into shore from the effect of the late northeaster. Again turning our eyes land ward, as Ave slowly Avalked beside a yoke of plodding .A.. ^•ip A- Hf* 4i- -«-?«' U( -._--„ ; . t v HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1802. 4^ I oxen, which a kind friend had sent to meet us am help our Aveary horses OA'er the sandy beach froir Michigan City, Ave gazed upon the scene before us Wondering if the place Avould ausAver the glowing description Ave had heard of it and realize our expec tations, we kept the beaten track to about Adams street, Avhere we turned directly .westward across the prairie in the direction of the bridge thrown across the river between Randolph and Lake streets, but changed our course about Claidv street, where avc turned noi'th and made for the center of the village, between Franklin and LaSalle streets, near the river. Here Ave had to wait an hour or two until we could find some place in Avhich to spend the night. We at last found shelter under the roof of a log boarding house, kept by a Mrs. Brown, as, I think, I stated in a former letter. While waiting around that after noon, Ave had ample time to make a feAv notes of our surroundings. What few- buildings there Avere on the south side, were built on the prairie, about a hundred feet from the riA-er, Avith an Indian trail, deeply in dented in the soil, running close to it along its bank. There was no road or street thrown up, but the houses and stores Avere scattei'ed here and there from about State street, on the east, to the forks of the river westward. On the west side A\'erc seArcral build ings, on the north side, east of Deai'boru street, was also a cluster of small houses. From Dearborn street west, the north side AA'as one dense foixbl, with the exception of a couple of log buildings and a house and bam, situated on the point made b}' a north branch as it emptied into the main stream, where Judge Harmon resided. 44 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. r\ fromthe? , \ge"eral aapect °f the Place «»«« Thlb ,!x P 7here WC St°°d' near Fra«^n street The build mgthat attracted most of our attention that evening, as it was near to us, and hadfive orsS Z m°eItS ^i^ "^ fr°nti«^^ranklinstreet^ the meeting house, probably about 16x24 owned so SeT,^ fOU"d' I7 ^ BaptistS' but *" and M th r^0116 m *J C Yi"age- ^^Presbyterian buddW 1 /S We"- Jt WaS a COmmon- frame building, void of paint or other outside adornment. aeter T? *P T^ WM °f ^ m°St ?rimitive ch^- acter The seats Avere made of common, planed boards, without any backs, if I renter sliShtlv ?C- raCling dCSk' °n a P^ora slightly raised, Avas of the same rough ma teria , but the Gospel was preached there weekly fa h t e IT? /+ithl'ee &S g°°d men as couIdb« ^nd 1 £* °f thc present day- the Rev. Mr Free man the Baptist, who preached in the morning, and oon left this world, I trust for a better; the Rev res Lnfof r0";"11:1 ^ ^^ ™tehead, then a resident of the city, but since deceased, intheevening The smgingwas]e(lsuchas.twa "g- from the garrison, who usually sang "Old Hundred " or some such tune, with a nasal twang that was dreadful to listen to. The congregatiol generlhy averted about thirty to thirty-five. The hcmse in the afternoon was pretty well filled Avith children at- ' tending Sunday school ofttT^l1'- ^Tr " hiS SpCCdl at the ""veiling of the tablet, said the first Sunday school in the vil lage was commenced by Maj. Wilcox in thegarrison HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1802. 45 but Mrs. Charles Taylor informs me that she com menced the first Sunday school in their log house on Wolf Point, or West Water street, where she dwelt as early as 1832, having five or six scholai's, two of La Framboise's, an Indian chief, being among them; she also says she was the only Avhite woman that staid outside the garrison, in the Indian scare of that year, when all gathered there to seek protection from the Indians Avho threatened them Avith capture. It was also stated at the same time, by the on. John WentAvorth, in his speech, that Col. Beaubien brought the first piano into the city, Avhereas it Avas Samuel Brookes avIxo brought it Avith him from Lon don in 1833, and rented it out to the colonel for a feAV months, afterAvard selling it to him. I don't know as it is of much consequence, but Ave might as well haA'e it correct, as perhaps it was the only one in the state at that time. Mr. Porter held the evening meetings Aveekly, in a small log building situated on Water street, between Dearborn and State streets, used in the day time for a school room, and occupied by Miss Chappel and a feAV scholars. Such was the commencement of three of the largest denominations in this city of beautiful churches. It seems hardly credible that fifty-seA'en years should have made such a change. But it is the same with everything. The first private school, as I said before, was kept by Miss Chappel, Avhosoon be came Mrs. J. Porter, followed afterward in the school by Miss Barrow, in the spx'ing, who increased the number with a feAV larger scholars. The first public school Avas, I think, opened on the north side, and taught by a Mr. Watkins, in the fall 4G HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. bonx ltJ::T]l ]mm\1S °n thG S°Uth -deonDear- noin street was occupied as a public school in 1835 Geo. Dav,s, one of our party, a well-knoAvnchaiSer' n Chicago for years afterward, being the teacher system ot the present day. Who could have thought Sme VLfiP?rerrrOUUding the Ullage at that time. The first brick public school Avas built on M, d »on street, between Dearborn and State in 1844 rived-thrMSeVeral 'S^8 " ChiCag°' ^en wt ar- uvea— the Mansion House near Sfn4-„ t , mg with boarders and travelers but how I T cared for I can not say. Of course theT"7 ™f tions for the comfort of \t accommoda- appose they did the best they eo„ld for ZrtS, he« „ere fewdtdnties to be p£hjj tt^S pot h„„g „Ter a wood.r„,,a fr,ing pan an ° ™^ .3 ¦ .' * * * -J V V HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1802. 47 pot being about all they had for culinary purposes in those days. There were several stores. John Wright's, between Dearborn and State streets, Avas the most easterly. Then there were two small stores near the corner of Dearborn — one used as a bake-shop and the other as a grocery or saloon. Between Dearborn and Clark .streets Avere several buildings used as stores and dwelling houses. Medore Beaubien had a store just Avest of Dearborn. Then came tAVO or three dwell ings, and then the stores keptbj'Pruyne&Kimberly, C. L. Harmon, and George W. Dole. Still west of these AA'ere Walter Kimball and P. F. W. Peck, on the corner of La Salic. Philo Carpenterkept a drugstore in a log building on the l-iver bank. Then John S. C. Hogaxx kept a store and postoffice in anoldlogbuild- ing on the corner of Lake and Water streets. John Bates, until lately living in Chicago, was clerking for him at that time. I have heard him say he used to keep the letters in an old boot-top before Ave came. He AA'as killed by the cars tAvo or three j'ears since. But they had got further advanced than that on our arrival, as they had a few rough board pigeon holes back of the counter, where the}' used to put the few letters or papei"s that came to the village. Just south of Hogan's store, on Market street, was the Sauganash Hotel, where Mark Beaubien, who died in 1882, used to keep tavern and play his violin every evening to amuse his guests. Opposite that Avas the bridge across the river. And such a bridge! It was built of round logs, cut from the adjoining Avoods, Four logs, framed together, making a squai-e called a bent, one end of which Avas sunk in the riA'er, leaA'ing 48 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. the top of it about three feet above the surface of the water. There were two of these sunk in the middle of the stream, about thirty feet apart. Then straight, round logs were throAvn from the bank of the river' from cither side, on to these bents, others crossed from bent to bent, and small trees, about six inches in diameter and ten feet long, Avere laid transversely on the logs, making the roadway. These Avere thrown on loose— no spike or pin being used. There Avere no rails on the sides, and as it shook and trem bled under every team that crossed over, it was not surprising that once in awhile aspan of horsesshould jump into the river. I saw one myself that winter— a splendid team, just driven in from Detroit, and the best in the city— plunge into the river and drown be fore Ave could help them. The only wonder was that the four-horse stage wagon managed to get safely over so many times. After crossing the bridge, at the corner of West Lake and West Water streets, Bob Kinzie as he was farmiliarly called, kept the largest store in town, though chiefly filled Avith goods for the Indian trade. There were besides Kinzie 's on the west side, some three or four small groceries, Avhere liquor Avas re tailed. On the north side, cast of Dearborn street, there were tAvo or three small stores and groceries, and several houses on North Water street, a small brick house near North State street being then the only one in the village. That belonged to Charles Chapman, a notorious character in those days. East of Rush street, on the river bank, Avas a building occupied by Newberry & Dole, avIio did the forwarding business 'V 'v^-*' 4 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 49 of the place in a couple of large covered wagons that made continual trips to Galena, Avhich Avas then a flourishing town near the Mississippi, and doing quite an extcnsiAre business Avith the miners. Such Avas the Chicago of those days. You can fancy how many houses it Avould take to accommo date about 300 people, Avhcn half of them boarded in the taverns and boarding houses, and the other half were crowded into small dwellings and rooms OA'er the stores. Still east of the Avarehouse Avas a Avhitc- washed log house, with a row of poplar trees before it, — the former residence of John Kinzie, Avhose son Avas at this time living in a spacious loghouse front ing the river on the north side, about State street. Beyond, and still further to the east, were to be seen the beautiful Avaters of Lake Michigan, the shores of which were not then disfigured by either buildings or piers. But it did not long remain so, as the coming winter saw the laborers, with the accustomed shan ties, occupying the sandy beach on the north side of the river, where they were soon busily at work for the government, constructing the harbor and turning the course of the river into its present channel. To the south of the village was an almost intermi nable prairie said to be 300 miles in length, with only one belt of timber to break the monotoiry of its level surface, reaching, as Ave Avere told, to the most south ern point of the state, to which you could traA'el by crossing only that one small belt of timber, before mentioned — not a quarter of a mile in Avidth. The country immediately around the village Avas A'cry low and Avet, the banks of the river not being more than three or four feet above the leA-el of the Avater, 50 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 189i More than one-third of the river was covered Avith wild rice, leaving but a small stream in the center. Parties informed us that in the spring Ave shoul'd find it almost impossible to get around for the mud— a truth very forcibly illustrated Avhen a feAV months later I got into a Avagon to go about a mile and a half northwest, to a house Daniel Elston Avas build ing on the west side of the river. It was with the greatest difficulty that two good horses could pull the empty Avagon through the tAvo feet of mud and water across the prairie we had to pass. I once heard Mr. Elston's place called "the mud farm" not an inappropriate name for it at that time. A year or tAvo later I saw many teams stuck fast in the "streets of the village. I remember once a stage coach got mired on Clark street, opposite the present Sherman House.Avhere it remained several days with a board driven in the mud at the side of it bearing this in scription: "No bottom here." I once saw a lady stuck in the mud in the middle of Randolph street at the crossing of La Salle. She was evidently in need of help, as eA'cry time she moved she sank deeper and deeper. An old gentleman from the country, seeing the situation, offered to help her, which had such an effect upon her modesty that with one desperate effort she drew her feet out minus her shoes, Avhich were afterAvarcl found over a foot deep in the mire, and reached the sidewalk in her stockings. I could tell innumerable tales of the dreadfully muddy roads we had to encounter, but a few such will suffice. In 1838 or '39, tiie only way two of our most fash ionable young ladies from the north sidecould get to the Presbyterian church on Clark street, near Lake, ! Ii i * «* ¦¦ i & •:v-i i a HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1802. 51 V was by riding in a cart, AA'ith robes throAvn on the bottom, on Avhich they sat. I once saw those same ladies dumped on the sidcAvalk in front of the church, through the negligence of their driver in not putting in the bolt. Another story.told in a lecture given by Jas. A. Marshall, is rather more than I can vouch for.*- It AA'as this: That our minister, Avho was then a young bachelor, in Avalking home Avith a young lady from Wednesday evening meeting, got into a slough, and in their endeavors to extricate themselves kept sinking deeper and deeper, until thev Averc more than Avaist-deep in mud aud water, and that it Avas only from their screaming for help that assistance came, and saved them from a muddy and Avatcry graA'e. I know of no slough that Avas deep enough for that, except one running south from the river about State street, gradually lessening to about Adams street. There Avas a A'ery wet spot, or slough on Clark street, south of Washington. The village trustees, wishing to drain it, and having no funds on hand, applied to Strachan & Scott, the 'first brokers that came here, for a loan of $6J. But the wary Scotchmen refused to let them have it, unless E. B. Williams endorsed it, Avhich he did. This Avas probably the first loan made by the city of Chicago. Compare it with the millions she has borrowed since; Avhat a contrast! Before leaving the subject, I must say a few words respecting the early efforts of our city fathers to effectually drain the village. As I have said before, Chicago Avas very low and exceedingly wet. The first effort made Avas on Lake street, where, after mature deliberation, our village solons passed an or- 52 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. dinance for the digging out of the street to the depth of three feet,— a little the deeper in the center. This naturally drained the lots contiguous to it; and, on being covered with long, heavy plank, or timber, run ning from the sidewalk to the center of the roadway, for a few mouths after it was finished made a verj good street. But it was soon found that heavy teams going OA-er it worked the timbers into the mud; and it Avas consequently spuash, squash, until at last| in Avet Aveather, the mud would splash up into the horses faces, and the plan was condemned as a fail ure. It was tried two or three years, when the planks were removed, and it Avas filled up two or three feet above the original surface. This was found to Avork better, as it naturally would, and the same system of filling up has been continued from time to time, until some of the streets are five or six feet above the original surface of the prairie. The filling up answered a double purpose, as it not only made better roads, but it enabled the owners of the adjoin ing lots to have good cellars without going much be low the leA'el of the prairie, thus getting a drainage into the river. The first year or two we were here, there was not a cellar in Chicago. A good joke was told about the first brick Tremont House that was put up. Of course it was at first built to the grade of that period; but as the grade was every now and then established higher and still higher, it at last left the hotel three or four feet below the surface of the road in front of it, and steps Avere built around it both on Lake and Dearborn streets for the conven ience of persons going there or passing along the sidewalk. A wag of a fellow, from New Orleans, HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 53 T M \ Avhile visiting here, wrote back to his paper that they need not talk any more about the low lands of New Orleans, for Chicago had got a brick-hotel five stories high-that was so heavy that it had sank into the soft soil several feet, and had forced the ground up into the street around it. I must say it had that appearance. The building was afterwards raised eight feet, bringing it up to the grade, and making cellars and basement underneath. It was the first brick building ever raised in Chicago, and the raising was done at a cost to the proprietors, Ira and James Couch, of some $45,000, The contractor, I think, came from Boston, and many were the prophecies that the building Avouldfall down during the process. But it was raised without the breaking of a pane of glass, although it was 160x180 feet. After the suc cess attending the raising of the Tremont, many- others were raised to grade, and at last one-half of a block of heavy buildings on Lake street were success fully raised. It took 5,000 screws and 500 men to accomplish it. The North Side, between the river and north State street, was very wet, — the water lay six to nine inches deep the year round,— and on the West Side, for ten miles out, the water lay in places tAvo feet deep, and in wet weather the Avhole surface was covered with water, with the exception of the two ridges between the city and the Desplaines river. I built, in the fall of '36, on the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets, and many a time had to Avade ankle-deep in water to get there, before I cut a ditch to the river to drain it. On taking a trip to the northwest, in the spring of '35, the Avater 54 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. i. was so deep a littlenorth of Fullerton avenue, on the Milwaukee road, that it came into the wagon-box several times before Ave reached the ridge at Jefferson In going out to a convention, June 1, 1S40 there was so much water on the prarie west of tlxe city that it took us nearly the whole day to reach Doty's Hotel, on the ridge about ten miles Avest of the Court House. Wc were of course traveling in wagons as that Avas long before the era of railroads. But I have said enough to show the soil of Chicago and surrounding country. It certainly was decidedly a very Ioav and wet spot on which to build a city the only wonder is thatithas become the magnificent city Ave boast of at the present day with such splendid blocks of buildings equal in elegance, size and durability to any to be found either in London or Pans, in 1874. We had hardly been here a week when a neighbor's calf dying the wolves came after it' making night hideous with their howling, so Ave set a trap for them and caught one by the hind leg U ith a httle trouble Ave got him into a sack and carried him over the river on- the corner of State and Adams streets on the prairie where we set the do-s after him. He made fast time for the woods on the South branch, but the greyhound, with his superior" speed soon caught: him, and, biting his haunch brought him to bay, when the foxhound/coming up took hold of him by the neck, and never gave up the fight until she laid him dead at our feet The grev hound, gettinghis jaw locked with the wolfs, wanted no more of it, but stood- calmly by while the other killed him. This was my first affair with wolves. They were HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 55 then very numerous. In crossing from Clark street to Clybourn bridge, through the woods, one time, I saw five of them devouring the remains ofacoAV. They looked so savage that, having no gun with me I thought discretion the better part of valor, and made considerable of a detour to avoid them, though I neA-er heard of them attacking any person. I often came ^across three or four on the road between Elston's and Lake Street bridge, sitting in the road, baying the moon. The officers of the garrison, ha\4ng nothing much to do, used to kill large numbers of them. They met every Wednesday, with others, on horseback, and eight or ten dogs Avith them, in front of the old Sauganash, on Market street, then kept by Mark Beaubien, who up to the time of his death was seen at times, playing the same old fiddle with which he used to electrify and amuse his patrons in the bar room, fifty -six or seven years before. Here they organized for the day's hunt, and often killed five or six Avolves before night. Once, when I was coming down in the stage from Milwaukee, the snoAV being very deep and the sleighing excellent, as it had been for some Aveeks,— so much so that Frink & Walker's stage horses had groAvn fat and frisky, and consequently Avere in good running order,— there happened to be no one in the sleigh but myself, and the driver Avas hardly able to control his spirited team. When about six miles from town we saw a large Avolf making his tedious Avay through the deep snoAV, evidently pretty Avell tired out. He came into the track a short distance ahead of us, "and, laid doAvn. I suggested to the 56 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. driver that Ave might have a first-rate Avolf-hunt, as I knew, after his late experience, he Avould keep to the smooth track as long as he could, and, when he turned out, I was to jump off and kill him Avith an ax-handle, a dozen of Avhich happened to be in the sleigh. The horses soon increased their speed, seem ing to enjoy it as much as ourselves, and got into a full gallop after the Avolf, Avho ran them a splendid race for a couple of miles, when he turned out of the road into the deep snoAV and I, in the excitement of the chase forgetting the great speed at Avhich Ave Avere going, according to the program jumped from the sleigh and rolled over and over in two feet of snow. When I recoA'ered myself, the stage Avas half a mile ahead and the wolf, fifty feet behind me, lay panting on the praric. When I began to approach him, he showed such a splendid row of teeth in his jaAvs, and snapped them in such a significant manner, that I thought I might as well leave him, as evening Avas coming on, and I had to Avalk two or three miles to the nearest house. The horses had got past all control, and never stopped until they reached PoavcII's Tavern, their usual watering-place, about tAvo and one-half miles from the village. The driver, howeA-er, put them on the back track to meet me,— expecting he said, to find me skinning the wolf; but in that he Avas mistaken. So much for Avoll-liiuiting and Avolves. I presume 1 shall never sec another, except some poor imprisoned thing in an iron cage or in the parks. As for that bear story Mr. Wilson told about, it is actually true insofar as taking a large hear out of the lake, five or six miles northeast of Waukegan. r '.'. ^ ^1 _^Jt A^P>i»- HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1S92. 57 I was going up to Milwaukee at that time, in one of the large steamers, and was sitting reading in the cabin.Avhen the Captain rushed in.evidently ven- much excited, snatched his glass from the table, and, in answer to my inquiry of Avhat was the matter, said there was something in the lake about two miles ahead, and they could not make out what it was. Of course my book Avas dropped in a moment, and I hastened after the Captain to the bow of the boat, where I found most of the few passengers on board anxiously trying to make out this strange object. The Captain, after examination by his glass, first said it Avas a hoi-se, then a deer, and, on getting nearer, declared it to be a bear, and decided at once thatheAvould catch him at all hazard, and, calling for volunteers, found no want of men Avilling to un dertake the task. So the small boat Avas lowered, Avith four stahvart sailors at the oars, the mate at the helm, and a man at the boAV, with a rope, in which he made a slip-noose. They started for poor Bruin, who, Avhen he found they Avere after him, made most excellent time for the middle of the lake, and for a mile or tAvo led them a splendid race before they came up with him. After tAvo or three at tempts, the man at the boAv threAV the fatal noose over his head. Directly the bear found he was caught, he turned and made for the boat, evidently intending to carry the war into the enemy's camp; but they Avere too quick for him, evidently not liking the idea of having him for a passenger. So they turned and roAved for the steamer Avith all their might. This brought poor Bruin's nose under the Avater, and by the time they reached the steamboat, which had as history of Chicago from \w;a to i&M. i* ' been following pretty close in the wake of the pur suers, he wa» almost drowned. Therope was thrown to as on deck, on to which we soon hauled him, and then held a council-of-war as to what should be done with him. It was at first suggested that he should be chained up, and a large chain was brought and put round his neck. Then some ladies came to look at him, and exclaimed, "Oh, the horrid grcatcrcature! do kill him !" Some person standing by put his hand on the animal's heart, and said he was fast recover ing, and, if he was not killed, would soon be master of the boat. On which a bevy of female and some malt voices, cried out to the Captain to have him killed at once. On a butcher offering to do the job, the Captain consented, and the bear was doomed to have his throat cut and die an ignominious death like any common porker. He was a noble fellow, black and tan, seven or right feet in length, and, when he was skinned, showed such claws and muscles the volunteers rejoiced that he did not make good his entry into the boat, for he would certainly have driven them all into the water if they had escaped his claws and teeth. Now for the fish story told in the Journal: It is a fact that I speared an extraordinarily large muska- longe about four or five miles up the North Branch of the river, "The A'orfA Branch -of the river!" I think f hear Home one exclaim; "that horrid, stinking ccsipool of filth and turbid water! A nice place to fish!" I5ut you must remember it was not always ho. In those early times, in lft.'5.'{, it was a clear, sparkling stream, with quite a strong current, especially near the dam, five miles from the city, over HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1392. 59 * ^ which the water rippled and ran, making a soft, soothing, murmuring sound heard on that still win ter's night for a considerable time before we reached it. With a lantern at the head of the canoe, in which we burnt hickory bark stripped from the trees on the bank of the river, there was no difficulty in seeing the fish at the bottom, even in six feet of water. I al ways supposed that was the largest fish ever taken in these waters, and still claim it to be so, notwith standing Friend Wilson asserts that Capt. Luther Nichols speared one a few pounds heavier than mine. The one I caught measured five and one-half feet in length and weighed tAvcnty-eightand one-half pounds. Dr. John Temple, Avho then lived on Lake street, between Wells and Franklin, being down at the riA-er. catching sight of it on the opposite, side, took the trouble to get a canoe and cross the river to see it, remarking that it was the largest he had ever seen, and many times after said the same. When I first saw it, it had two mates of about the same size, all swimming in a row. I thrust the spear into the middle of its body; Imt it would not hold, and slipped off. We immediately dropped doAvn the stream, and after replenishing the fire at the head of the boat again ascended the riA-er, and soon heard the poor creature blowing like a porpoise. It was floating with the current Avith its head out of the Avater, into Avhich I again thrust the spear, and after a great struggle, succeeded in dragging him into the canoe; even then it floundered about so that Ave were nearly upset, and it took several blows of the hatchet on its head before I could quiet it. Many times in the spring of '34 I fished in the 60 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 To 1892. HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 61 lake Avith a seine, the garrison-officers used to fur nish the men to do the work, and a good boat, and Ave often made famous hauls. Perhaps some of our readers Avould like to know what other amusements we had, and how Ave spent our evenings in those early times. Checkers was a common game in the stores in the daytime, as Avell as in the evening— as storekeepers had plenty of leis ure Avhile waiting for customers. After they shut up for the night, cards were brought out pretty exten sively—sometimes they had' champagne suppers. But they used to keep such parties up half the night and sometimes paid dear for it in the morning. Those religiously inclined went to prayer-meeting at least once a Aveek. Then Avhen boarders and travelers Avere satisfied as to the inner man in the old Sauganash Hotel, Mark Beaubien would bring out his fiddle and play for those who wished to trip the light fantastic toe. To be sure, there were no theaters, no concert halls, or reading rooms. New York papers were twenty or thirty days old when Ave got them, and there Avere but feAV books in the place. A man came into our house one day, and, seeing some shelves full of old books, asked if we kept a bookstore. The fact is, that in the winter of 1833-'34 amusements of any kind Avere few and far betAveen, although we made the most of what there Avere. One fine moonlight night, when the ice was good, the whole of Chicago turned out for a skate and a frolic. There must have been at least a hun dred persons on the river between Wells street and the Forks. Then Ave had good sleighing for a short time, and you Avould have laughed to have seen the •*• ¦- >*¦ r* if* **v splendid turnouts improvised from crockery crate and sugar hogsheads. There were only two cutter in town, but it did not take many tools or raiicl time to make something that would glide over tin frozen snow. A good handy felloAV Avith an ax drawing knife, and augur would go into the woods cut down two straight young saplings, shave off r little where they bent up for the thills or shafts, bore six or eight holes, into Avhich they drove the stand ards a foot high, put cross-pieces on twelve or fif teen inches from the ground on which they laid the crate, filled that with hay, and the sleigh AA'as ready for use in less than half a day. The same plan was pursued Avith the sugar hogshead, only that was cut half-way down in front, and a seat put across the back in the inside of it, and you had a sleigh which, covered with robes, was as warm and as comforta ble as the best of cutters. Then the young bloods of the town — we used to have such even in those days — got up a splendid sleighing parly, I think it AA'as on the 1st of January, when they came out Avith the Government yawl-boat on runners, drawn by four good horses, and covered with robes, Avith as many bells jingling on the harness as they could find in the village, and thus equipped, made the streets ring again with their merriment and laughter. Unfortu nately for them, they got treated so Avell Avherever they called, that by evening they began to feel the effects of it, and determined to have a grand spree, which ended in smashing up the best saloon in town, for which they paid next morning, it AA'as said, Avith- out a murmur, the sum of $800. But Avhat ay as that, when they used to say they could lay down a 62 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. sixpence at the backdoor at night, and it would be a dollar in the morning? There was very little visiting done among the ladies, as they had all they could attend to at home servant girls being very scarce; in fact, the houses of those clays were not well calculated for company tnost of them being about 16x20, a story and a-half high witn a lean-to. The house we lived in that win ter, on the corner of Kinzie and Rush streets, was about as large as any in town; but unfortunately it was not completed, being neither lathed nor plas tered, not even sheathed, and we had nothing to protect us from the weather when the thermometer marked 20 degrees below zero, .but rough siding nailed on the studs. Fortunately we had warm clothing, and would almost roast in front of a hu-e wood-fire m the large chimney, common in those clays, while our backs were covered with thick cloaks to keep from freezing. I actually had my cup freeze to the saucer while sitting.at the table at breakfast Stoves were not to be had, and cooking was done under great disadvantages. Pots were boiled hang ing from a hook over the wood-fire, and bread baked m a baking pot, with hot wood ashes on the cover above, and also underneath it. I wonder what ladies would think of such conveniences now, when girls turn up their noses, unless they have hot and cold water at hand, and stationary tubs to wash in. Then the water was brought from the river in pails The most fashionable boarding-house was kept in a log-building about 16x24 feet; there forty persons daily took their meals,-how many slept therelcould not say. I know they took in our whole party of V HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 03 sixteen the first night iii Chicago, besides their regu lar boarders, and set the table for breakfast until about dinner-time, and dinner till supper-time. Chicago in those early days was but a small vil lage on the very outskirts of civilized life, with very few of the conveniences, and, I may say, none of the comforts of life. The furniture in the houses Avas of the most primitive kind, — common Avooden chairs and a deal table ; some even had to put up Avith forms to sit on. Before spring, flour became so scarce that $28 a barrel was given for it, and it Avas a favor to get it at that. It was the same Avith other commodities that we now think absolutely necessary for our tables. Potatoes Avere not to be had ; butter the same ; and Ave were at last reduced to beef, pork and corn-meal. I think the molasses did hold out, but corn-meal cakes Avere generally eaten Avith pork fat. I don't know what we should have done had not navigation opened up early that year and permitted the good ship Westward Ho, a small craft about eighteen or twenty feet long, the only vessel that wintered in the river, to make regular trips to St. Jo and bring back a cargo of ten or twelve barrels of flour each time. During the winter if a stray Hoosier Avagon or prairie-schooner, as Ave used to call them, happened to find its Avay so far north, as they sometimes did, with a feAV crocks of butter, dried apples, smoked bacon, hams, etc., the Avhole village would be after the wagon to get hold of the precious commodities. The scarcity lasted till spring, when, on the 7th of May, we were gladdened by the sight of a schooner, in the offing, laden AA'ith flour and provisions from Detroit. She had to lay 04 HISTORA' OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. half a mile from shore, while the three or four Mack- iuaAv boats used for that purpose made trips to un load her. The boats used were made of birch bark, very light, and were the only ones that could cross the bar at the mouth of the river with any load. Her freight Avas fortunately consigned to an honest man, who preferred to sell it at a fair price,— $10 a barrel,— although he Avas offered $25 abarrel for the Avhole cargo. Mr. Dole's name \Aras knoAvn in that transaction over the whole country from here to the Mississippi for years after. From this time the village began gradually to im prove. A bridge Avas built over the river at Dear born street, doing aAvay Avith the necessity of the canoe ferry that had been run the season before. The number of inhabitants had increased to 700 or 800 — 400 or 500 more than were here the October pre vious. I went east in May and returned in the folloAving November, when I found a great change for the better. There were two quite respectable hotels built on Lake street and several stores. The first person who A'cutured to move so far south as the corner, of LaSale and Lake streets, about 400 feet apart, was called "the prairie tailor." The Presbyterians, who before had worshipped in a small, rough building, on the corner of Franklin and South Water streets, had put up a small church on Clai-k street, near Lake. The ladies began to hold their society meetings regularly, and got up a fair that was quite a success ; and in the winter of 1834-5, a piano that had been brought from London by Mr. Brookes, then the only one in the place or in the , -4- > T '' y HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1S92. 65 State, for Avhat I knoAV, was taken from the store where it had been since our arrival, and Mrs. B., as sisted by George Davis and others, gave several con certs, to the great delight and amusement of the citizens. What memories cluster around those names. George Avas the life and soul of any com pan}" he might be in, and there are many old citizens yet left in Chicago who will remember his comical songs —"The Mogul" and " The Blue-Bottle Fly," for in stance—that always used to bring forth rounds of applause, while Mrs. B., who accompanied him on the piano, played those old-fashioned pieces of mar tial music— "The Battle of Prague," and others— that were great favorites with the audience, avIio made the house ring with their plaudits. They haA'e both passed away, I trust to a better Avorld, but to many of their old friends and descendants still Avith us, these lines will bring back many pleasant mem ories. The summer of 1835 brought still greater improA'C- ments, as well as a large increase in the number of inhabitants. The Lake House, a large, brick hotel, was built on the corner of Kinzie and Rush streets. There were also some stores erected on North Water street, and a great effort made, unsuccessfully, Iioaa'- ever, to carry the trade to the North Side. On South Water street, also, several stores had been erected. In the winter of 1835 and 1836, weekly dancing parties -were inaugurated at the Lake House, and four-horse sleighs and Avagons sent around to collect the fair ladies who attended them. The first winter here, their were but tAvo unmarried ladies in the vil lage of a suitable age, and one of them got married &-.-¦ 66 • HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1S92. 07 before spring, but in 1835 and '36 their number had largely increased. From this time society seemed to take upon itself a more decided form, rising from the chaos in Avhich it had before been. In the spring of 1836, in May, there was a large gathering of spec ulators from the east to attend the Canal sales, and Chicago began to be appreciated more than ever. The citizen made more money and put on more airs. I remember that summer the boarders at the Lake House passed a resolution, partly in joke, of course, that they Avould not have any but rich men staying there, putting the sum that they were to be Avorth at $10,000. The contrast from that to a rich man of the present day is great. From this time the city grew rapidly in wealth, numbers, and importance, and, as there are many who were residents at that time better able to write it up than myself, I will conclude this long article, trusting you will pardon me for taking up so much space in your valuable paper. In my last communication to you, I gave my views of Chicago and surrounding country as it Avas in 1833 and 1834, and I supposed that everybody that Avas acquainted Avith the place in those early days Avovxld certainly haA'e agreed with me that it was decidedly very low and wet. But Mr. G. S. Hubbard, one of our oldest and most respected citizens, says I gave a wrong impression in saying that the roads in the surrounding country and the streets of the city were always bad and impassable. I did not say so, but did say that, on our arrival here in the fall of '33, parties told us we would find it a very muddy place in the spring. And so we certainly did, and I gave N^ many items corroborating those views. But in a dry season, in the summer and fall, I admit the roads Avere as level and smooth as could be desired, and the only drawback against comfortable traveling Avns the clouds of dust that enA'eloped us on crossing the prairie. But I am now going to give a few reminis cences of trips made in those early times to neighbor ing places, and also a journey to the east in the spring of '34, Avhich I think Avill perhaps be interest ing to some readers, who noAv ride over the same ground with such comfort and ease in Pullman cars or splendid steamers. The first trip I took AA'as to the east, Avlien the common route was by stage-wagon that ran days and laid up nights, taking about five days to Detroit. But, preferring water to land, Avhen com pelled to ride in that style, I crossed Lake Michigan to St. Joseph some sixty miles in a small sail-boat called the " WestAA'ard Ho," about eighteen to tAA'enty feet in length, that had wintered here, and had made weekly trips across the lake during the spring bring ing over about ten barrels of flour as her full cargo. The forward part of the vessel was decked over for about eight feet, in which there Avere four berths, and in one of these the captain ensconced himself as soon as we were fairly out in the lake, leaving a man who was working his passage to steer. But he knowing nothing of steering or navigation, and the wind changing a little, he headed her again for Chicago, and on arriving outside, at the mouth of the river, he called the captain up to take her in, at which he was mad enough, SAvearing he had a great mind to throw him overboard. But Ave headed again for St. 68 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Joe, arriving there about seven the next morning. Toward CA'ening of the day Ave left, the captain had again taken himself to his berth, leaving me to steer throngh the night, Avhich, fortunately, Avas as lovely and calm a one as everAvas seen in the month of May. St. Joe was then like most western villages. Con sisting of a tavern, a pretty good one, at AAdiich Ave breakfasted, a blacksmith-shop, store, and several houses. From there I walked through the Avoods to Niles, distant a little over thirty miles, and situated on the river St. Joe. Niles Avas a little larger, and a village of more importance, than St. Joe, as it was on the stage-road from Chicago to Detroit. I walked over the road the next day about forty miles to White-Pigeon Prarie, and from there, the following day, forty-five miles to Coldwater, another village of about the same size as those before described. I Avas there overtaken by the stage from Chicago and also by a farmer's Avagon, both bound for Detroit. I took passage with the latter, but exchanged with a friend from Chicago Avho soon after arrived on horseback, and, being weary of his ride, I gladly took his place, and rode into Detroit, then a city containing 8,000 to 10,000 inhabitants. From there I took the steamer to Buffalo, Avhich made semi-weekly trips bctAveen the two cities. Buffalo Avas hardly as much of a city as Detroit, although it claimed some 8,000 inhabitants. From there I took a little steamer that made daily trips doAvn the Niagara river to the falls and landed us on the Canadian side, above the Clifton House, which was then just built, and was the only hotel on either side of the falls, which might then be seen in all their V .-v HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 69 native grandeur, before the hand of man had done what it could to destroy its sublimity. From there a line of stages run to Niagara, a small village on the river a feAV miles from lake Ontario, from AAdiich place a steamer crossed the lake to Toronto, my destina tion. I stayed there until the following No\'cnibcr, when I returned to Chicago over the same route, and in about the same manner, except that I Ava'.kcd from Detroit to Niles. The roads for fifty miles west from Detroit Avere literally impassable; at least twenty loaded teams were stuck in the mud and abandoned. From Niles I took stage to Chicago; the little vessel in Avhich I crossed the lake in the spring having gone to the bottom. The next trip I took was in the spring of '35, Avhen myself and a friend hired a couple of Indian ponies, and, Avith blankets strapped behind us, started in a nortliAvesterly direction to the point of land after wards known as Dutchman's Point about twelve miles from the village. Then, stiking an Indian trail that led to the Desplaines river, about fifteen miles from here, where Allison's bridge now is, Ave crossed the river on the ice, following the trail on the AA'est side of the stream, still in a northerly direction, until Ave arrived at a spot a little west of Waukegan. The country through which AA'e traveled was then just as nature made it — a beautiful rolling prairie, without fence or house to mar the delightful views that from time to time came in sight as Ave rode along. It Avas then not even surveyed by the Government. I must make one exception as to fences, however, for old Mark Noble had alarm partly fenced in, about six miles from the village on the north branch, which 70 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Avas the only fencing seen on our ride of forty miles. About thirty miles from the city, in the middle of a prairie, a pionecrhad just started buildinga loghouse, and there Avas a shanty some ten miles farther up the river to which we were directing our steps, or rather guiding our horses. The ostensible reason for our trip Avas to take upa claim. It was thefashion then; everybody took up, or made, a claim on 160 acres of Government land, on which they could get a pre-emp tion, provided they made certain improvements, and, like our neighbors, Ave must of course have our claim, though Avhat earthly use it was to be to us, unless avc Avere going to turn farmers, I could not say. After having a chat Avith the pioneer before mentioned, and getting what directions we could from him respecting the location of the shanty where we expected to spend the night, and Avhich, if we missed it, aa'c should haA'e to spend in the open air, A\'e con tinued our journey. But it was not till about ten o'clock at night, when we had almost given up in dispair, that, by the light of the moon, Avhich just then shed its rays on the roof, we, to our great joy, descried it, and though it was but about eight by ten feet in size, and before our arrival had eight occupants — one of them a black man — yet -we gladly accepted their hospitality, and made a hearty supper of fried pork and " corn dodgers." We spent the fol- loAving clay selecting our claims, which we duly staked off, and future parties left them as we made them for more than a year, until sold. In the fall of '35, I drove out Avest to where the city of Aurora now is. The first store was then just building, by Livingston & PoAvcrs, of Chicago, avIio opened a . b. HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 71 branch there. I stopped at Napervillc the first night out, then quite a flourishing little village, just recovered from the Indian scareunder Blacklmwk. I was «liown the avcII where they hid their valuables, and a blind mare in the stable, made so by carrying two men on her back from there to Chicago — about thirty miles. From Napcrville to Aurora Avas about twelve miles, across a prairie without the least sign of habitation. After delivering my load I droA-c down the riA-er through the Avoods to AA'hcre Oswego iioav stands, intending to go to Plainfield, across ano+1^strten mile prairie, for a load of corn, it being A'cry' scarce in Chicago, and Avorth $1.75 a bushel. But my horses, feeling elated at having an empty Avagon behind "them, ran away and broke an axle. Fortunately, I was near the only dwelling AA-ithin six miles. It Avas but a shanty, ten or tAA'elve feet square, occupied by a man, his wife, and three or four chil dren, but he had an axe, and, Avith his help, avc fixed the wagon so that I could get along with it. By the time that was doneit AA'as nearly dark, but, receiving directions from him as to the ro:fd, Avith the assur ance that I could notpossiblylose my way, I started, and traA'eled hour after hour, until, coming to a prairie fire, I Avas enabled to see the time. It Avas between 12 and 1 o'clock. I supposed before that I Avas lost; then I was assured of it. So I gaA'e the horses the reins, and let them go their oavii Avay. About 2 o'clock I was gladdened Avith the sight of a light, and found myself in front of the sametaArern at Napcrville that I had left in the morning. After a little rest I made another start in the morning for 72 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Plaiufield, then about the oldest settlement in the country, and got my load of corn. In 1836, 1 drove up to Milwaukee, when the most of the village was on the west side of the river and called Kilbourne Town, although they had made a beginning to build up the Cream City even at that early day. The Milwaukee House, a large frame hotel, Avas just opened, being built on one of the highest hills in the city. It has since been lowered about fifty feet, to bring it on a level Avith the rest of the town. From my first visit, for twenty years, I Avent there continually, marked its gro v. '^^ and many a time listened to the boasts of its citizfc-iyith'at it Avas going to rival Chicago in its size and growth, and did actually contain as many inhabitants as the Garden City. The runners from the hotel would go on board the eastern boats and tell the passengers such tales of the dreadful sickness and daily deaths in Chicago, that many a one was frightened and deterred from coming here. I was with Capt. Ward on the first steamer that ever entered the river, which Avas then tilled Avith numerous mud-banks, on Avhich avc grounded several times before getting up to where the Avarves now arc. The citizens were about crazy with delight at seeing the boat enter, and got up quite an impromptu glorification. Waukegan (form erly called Little For t ) , some 35 miles north of Chicago Avasnottheusettled. Kenosha, orSouthportasitwas called, Avas just laid out, and Root river, on Avhich is located the city of Racine, was then crossed about three miles from its mouth. In 1842 or '43 I first visited Galena, then quite a city of note, doing a larger Avholesale business than Chicago. It was the v ".- cur -*£", v i**** HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 73 center of the mining district for lead, and was the point at which all the shipments Avere made for the south and east, being the distributing point for the upper Mississippi and nortliAvest. From there Chi cago received its first shipment of clarified sugar, bought from an agent of the St. Louis refinery who was stationed there. It Avas only sixty barrels, but was the forerunner of an immense trade afterwards done Avith St. Louis, through an agent appointed here. In the fall of 1842, I made two trips to St. Louis for the purchase of sugar and molasses, being the first ever brought into the city direct from the south. The route Avas lrom here to Peru by stage, and from there by .boat. The water Avas very low- so much so that there Avere only tAvo small boats running out of about twenty in the trade. The rest were stuck on the different sand-bars, some ten or twelve being on Bcardstownbar. The small boat on which I took passage only drew about tAvo feet of water. Consequently she continued her trips, but Avas a whole week reaching St. Louis. The deck-hands onboard were all slaves, and the way the poor fclloAvs were treated was really shameful. After meals in the cabin everything was swept off the plates into tin pans and then taken below, when the darkies would scramble for the contents like so many hogs. At Bcardstown the boat grounded, and the darkies were driven into flic Avater to float a hundred barrels of whisky over the bar. When thus lightened, they pried her over; and yet, Avith this Avretched treat ment, they Avere the jollicst, merriest set of fellows ever seen, singing and playing Avhen they Avere not at work— as if they had not a trouble or care in the 74 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. world. Just opposite Alton, at the entrance to the Mississippi, she struck a snag and nearly sank, but after running ashore, they stuck their jack coats into the hole and continued their journey to St. Louis as if nothing had happened, reaching the city a few hours afterwards without further mishap. A second river S°011 ^^ t0°k °VCr tW° Weeks on the There fe one other episode in my early travels which I must relate, particularly as it was made with others, and was, I think, the first political con- venhon ever attended by Chicagoans. It was the Presidential canvas of 1840-the year Harrison, the grandfather of the present President, was elected Some seventy of us were nominated to attend a con' vention to be held at Springfield, a city some 350 miles south of us, and, as we wished to make a sen sation.wc determined to get the thing up in style" Great preparations were made. We secured fourteen of the best teams in town, got new canvas covers- made for the wagons, and bought four tents We also borrowed the Government yawl-the largest in the city-had it ngged up as a two-masted ship, set it on the strongest wagon we could find, and had it drawn by six splendid gray horses. Thus equipped with four sailors on board, a good band of four men and a six-pound cannon to fire occasional salutes it made quite an addition to our cavalcade of fourteen wagons, Ave went „ff with flying colors, amid the cheers and well-w.shes of the numerous friends that accompanied us a few miles out. Maj.-Gen., then tapt. Hunter, was our marshal, and the Avhole dele gation was chosen from the best class of citizens of "~V^ HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 75 whom but few, very few, remain; Gurdon S. Hut bard, lately deceased, Stephen F. Gale, Thomas I Carter, Robert Freeman, and, Mr. Carter inform me, two of the musicians are still living, being al we could call to mind. It was in 1840, June 7, think, that we started, leaving the city between ! and 10 o'clock. From the Three-Mile House to th ridge, ten miles from town, took us about the Avhol day to accomplish. It was past five o'clock befor we got our tents pitched. The prairie was covera with water, and the wagons would often sink up te the axles in mud, making it a most tedious anc fatiguing journey. But on reaching the tavern, anc finding an old coon there, Avith a barrel of hard cidc: on the stoop — emblems of the Whig party — avc sooi made ourselves jovial around the camp-fire, over which some of our party were busy cooking supper, as it was understood, before starting, that none of the party were to go to taverns, but all fare alike sleeping under the tents. We were, of course, avcII supplied with buffalo-robes and blankets. These, with a little hay under them, made comfortable beds. We set a Avatch in true military style, though it was hardly thought necessary, so near to the city. Wc were astir by sunrise next morning, and, after partaking of breakfast, started again on our jour ney, reaching Joliet, where Ave again gamped for the night. During the evening we AAere visited by a few of the citizens, who advised us to put on a strong guard during the night, as a party of Irishmen, at work on the canal, had detcmined to burn our ves sel. On receiving this information, avc took measures at once for its protection. The wagons were placed 76 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. in a circle, the \'essel in the center, and the horses corraled in the enclosure. Then we doubled the guard, which was relieved every two hours, and, thus prepared for any emergency, sought our tents. About 12 or 1 o'clock the guard arrested two men, found sneaking under the Avagons, and held them till morning. With that exception Ave passed a quiet night, but in the morning received decisive informa tion that we should be attacked in fording the river. When all preparations were made for a start, our marshal rode along the line, telling those who had not already done so, to load their arms, consisting of shot-guns and old horse-pistols (revolvers being then unknown), but to be sure and not fire until he gave the word of command. Fortunately Ave escaped Avithout bloodshed, but it looked very serious for about half an hour. When we reached the ford we found a party of 200 or 300 men and boys assembled to dispute our passage. However, Ave continued our course surrounded by a howling mob, and part of the time amid shoAvers of stones thrown from the, adjoining bluff, until we came to a spot where tAvo stores were built— one on either side of the street— and there we came to a halt, as they had tied a rope from one building to the other, with a red petticoat dangling in the midst used by the Democrats to show disrespect to Gen. Harrison, whom they called the "Old- Woman Candidate." Seeing us brought to a stand, the mob redoubled their shouts and noise from their tin horns, kettles, etc. Gen. Hunter, rid ing to the front, took in the situation at a glance. It was cither forward or fight. He chose the former, and gave the Avord of command, knowing it Avould x- .^ HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 77 be at the loss of our masts in the vessel. And sure enough, down came the fore-and-aft topmast with a crash, inciting the crowd to increased violence, noise and tumult. One of the party got so excited that he snatched a tin horn from a boy and struck the marshal's horse. When he made a reach for his pistols, thefellow made a hasty retreat into his store. After proceedingashortdistance, AA'ecame to an open prairie, and a halt Avas ordered for repairs, it took less than half an hour for our sailors to go aloft, splice the masts and make all taut again. Then it became our turn to hurrah, which we did with a -will, and were molested no further. But the delegation that Avere going to join us from the village, being deterred from fear, were set upon by the mob and pelted out of town with rotten eggs. This was Democracy in '40 — we were Whigs. From that time forAvard we had no further trouble from our opponents. In fact, the farmers along our route treated us Avith the greatest hospitality and kind ness. One in particular, I remember, met us Avith a number of hams, bread, etc., in his wagon, and,Avhcn we arrived at his home, said, "Noav, boys, just help j-ourselves to anything you want; there is plenty of corn in the crib, potatoes in the cellar, and two or three fat sheep in the flock," which he had killed for us. In the morning he escorted us on our journey some miles with twenty or thirty of his neighbors. In fact, with the exception before mentioned, avc met Avith nothing but kindness the AA'hole of our trip. It took us about seven days to reach Springfield, where Ave met some 20,000 fellow-citizens from the central and southern portions of the State. There was one 78 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892, part of the procession that I shall never forget. It Avas a log-house, some twelve by sixteen feet, built on an immense truck, the wheels made ofsolid Avood cut from a large tree. This was drawn by thirty yoke of oxen. A coupleof coons were playing in the branches of a hickory tree at one corner of the house, and a barrel of hard cider stood by the door, with the latch-string hanging out. These were all emblems of the party in that year's canvass. With the above exception, Chicago took the lead in everything. What with the vessel— a wonder of wonders to the southerners, who had never seen, or perhaps heard of, a sailing-vessel before— the natty tents fixed up Avith buffalo-skin scats, interspersed with blue and red blankets, and festooned with the National flag and bunting, made such a display that the young ladies of the city paid us a deal of attention, making numer ous visits, and during the early part of the evening complimented us with a^seranade, which we returned later. One person, a Mr. Baker threw open his house after midnight, and entertained us in good style with cake and wine. We stayed two or three days, making many friends, and enjoyed ourselves greatly.' But there was six or seven days' travel to reach home again, which was not so pleasant. We were delayed by two public dinners on our route back— one given at Bloomington by a right jolly lady, who made a capital speech. We returned by way of Fox river, avoiding Joliet, traveling through Oswego, Aurora and Naperville, and, though enjoying our three Aveeks' trip very much, were glad to meet a large number of citizens to escort us again to our homes in Chicago. Such was a convention in old times. M XS /* ;'. y ^ 1' ?¦¦¦> HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 79 What a change fifty years has brought about! By rail now, the journey Avould take one night, a day or two spent in Springfield, and by night home again in luxurious sleeping cars. I Avill now give you some description of the state of society in those early days. The elite of the place Avere the officers of the garrison and their families, at least they thought so, and rightly, perhaps, as they had been well educated, and had, since the closing of the Black Hawk war in the spring of 1833, leisure to enjoy society. During the war, all citizens had crowded into the garrison for protection, fearing an attack from the Indians, and if they had not had timely warning, most likely some of them Avould have lost their scalps. On our route to the city we met Governor Porter and retinue, of Michigan, on their return from signing the treaty, just made with Black Hawk, the dusky warrior before men tioned. These gentry and officers, Avhose time often hung heavy on their hands, used to spend a portion of it hunting the wolves, then very numerous around Chicago. They killed about 150 that winter, and as we had a fine fox-hound, they soon made our acquaintance, and used her often in their hunting excursions. In the spring a seine brought over by one of our party from England, added still further to their amusement and our acquaintance, the sol diers aiding us in hauling the net, as the government yawl was the only boat in the village suitable for that purpose. We got all the fish avc wanted by this arrangement. That winter there Avere only two or three young ladies in the village, one of them being the daughter of Major Green, one of the officers 80 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. of the garrison. Our family soon got-^cquainted with them, but there was little visifl|g done. Housekeepers had enough to do to look after their own homes, as few kept servants. There were no concerts, no lectures to go to, consequently the male portion of the community amused themselves as best they could in the stores, playing checkers, etc., as before stated, and hoav and then getting up sleighing parties. There Avas at that time not a carriage or buggy kept in the place. Before going further in our descriptions, let us compare the embryo city of that time, then only 560 acres in extent, with the beautiful, elegant and business-like metropolis of the present day, covering some 2,500 or 3,000 acres of land, and known the Avorld over as Chicago, of Avhich its citizens may well be proud. In the first place, the land on which it stands was then a Ioav, marshy prairie, with the Avater standing on portions of it the year round. To get to it from the'country either north, south or west, horses Avould get knee-deep in mud and Avater. As late as June, 1840, it took a party of us all day to go about ten miles across the prairie to the ridge this side of Riverside. But now the city and country adjoining is comparatively dry, being Avell drained, so that we can have good cellars, and first rate streets Avhcn paved. When I first saw the river it Avas a paltry little stream, nearly covered with Avild rice, and the land on either bank Avas of little Avorth, when now it Avould trouble any one to estimate the value of the buildings, piles of lumber and Avharves that line its banks for miles, to say nothing of the value of the river itself, for the <* u HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM! 1833 TO 1892. 81 purposes of navigation. What a change has time wrought! Fifty-five years since, the stores and dwellings in the village Avere counted by tens, the largest being only a story and a half high, consisting of a slight frame building. Noav they are counted by thousands, built of solid stone and brick, and not a few latterly are being constructed entirely ofheavy steel, rivetted together, with terra cotta partitions and ceilings, built eight, ten, twelve and even fifteen stories in height, that cannot be surpassed in strength, beauty and elegance of finish the world OA'er. In a little more than half a century the popu lation has increased from a few hundred to over twelve hundred thousand inhabitants, making our city the third largest in the United States; and as to business, it is increasing so rapidly that it will soon be the second. In those early times Ave all had to walk. There Avas no convenience, for riding, not a carriage or vehicle of any kind kept for pleasure in the place. There were two covered Avagons without springs, called stages, that made semi-weekly trips to Detroit in the east, and Galena in the Avest. Noav there are thousands of splendid carriages and turn outs of all descriptions kept in the city, and cable and steam railroad cars are noted the world over for their size and elegance of finish, the cable cars leaving each end of their route every minute, and carrying passengers from the centerof the city about ten miles out in any direction for the small sum of five cents, some one hundred thousand people riding daily on the South Side alone. And then the splen did railway carriages, that arrive and leave daily for the east and west, is almost past belief; it must 82 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1S92. be seen to be credited. Again, in 1833 there Avas hardly a barrel of flour or a bushel of Avheat to be had in the village for love or money. Now we re ceive it by millions of bushels. A short time since, over one million bushels of grain arrived in the city in one day. Pork and beef packing has also increased from three or four hundred slaughtered in 1833,- to three or four million slaughtered and packed in Chi cago in the various packing houses of the city during the present season. No cattle or hogs were slaugh tered for shipment east until the fall of 1843, when parties from New York packed four or five thousand head, whereas some days during the past ycar 25,000 to 30,000 head of cattle alone have been re ceived and shipped east, either alive or dressed, to all parts of the United States' and Europe. Lumber in the winter of 1833 was so scarce it fetched $50 a thousand, what little there was to be had in the vil lage. Noav it is shipped here by vessel by tens of millions of feet yearly, and sold to all the surround ing country. To build then, we had to cut saplings out of the adjoining wood to use for studding, raf ters, etc. Now thousands of mechanics find employ ment in the city, not only in dressing and preparing lumber, but in cutting and dressing stone, and latterly casting heavy joists and upright posts of immense strength to carry these high buildings being put up and also, in casting steel into all manner of elegant shapes to decorate the fronts of the magnificent stores and dwellings that are being daily erected in all parts of the city. Fifty years since, there was but one church or meeting-house in the village, and that such as before described. Now they can be HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1S92. 83 *- 1 »v- HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 87 gress made is wonderful to contemplate. It is the same with many other branches of business whichhave been wonderfully improved by the use of machinery, even to the raising of grain, etc., by the farmers of the surrounding country, who hoay harness up a horse to aplow and turnup three times the amount of land they could by hand. The hotel business has also increased to most enormous proportions, from the four small country taverns kept on our arrival, to scores of the largest kind of hotels open at the pres ent time. Some of them being able'to accommodate over a thousand of their patrons, attending to all their wants, and setting before them most sumptu ous living that cannot be surpassed in any city in the world, London or Paris not accepted. It is the same with the dry goods business. Compare the immense trade done at the present time, by over a score or more of wholesale and retail merchants, and the mag nificent and costly buildings in which they do business, with the petty trade transacted here half a century since, and the increase and change is really astonishing. Some of the buildings being erected for the trade, are costing over a million of dollars each, being built of steel, entirely fire proof, 12 or 13 and even 16 stories in height, and in size two or three hundred feet square, that will be the surprise of all visitors to the World's Fair in 1893, where we hope to see hun dreds of their brother merchants from all parts of the world. Again, seethatlarge Avagon factory on the West Side only one among numerous others in the city, turning out its hundreds of wagons yearly, shipped to New Mexico, California and Ore gon, and all the country to the west of us, in" 88 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892, comparison to one little solitary shop, kept open for repairs Avhen I drove into the village, and you Avill be lost in wonder and astonishment, at the change a feAV short years have made. It is the same Avith carriages of all kinds, that are now sold by hundreds to all parts of the country, and can be found in every town west of us. Then the superior furniture made here, has so increased the trade that it is now said to be carried on more extensively than in any other city in the States, a most wonderful statement to make, of a city that has sprung from nothing in the last fifty years, but it is a fact. I might go on enumerating every kind of business, but have said enough on the subject to set all minds thinking of the wonderful progress made, both in population, and business, that even the wildest guess as to the future of the city Avould fall far short of the reality. And, noAv, Avhat more can I say, than I have said? I have seen Chicago in its early day, when it Avas but a Avet, marshy prairie supposed to be almost worth less, with a small stream meandering through it, the edges of which for twenty or thirty feet on each side, were lined with Avild rice almost hiding it from view. Indians roaming the surrounding country at their pleasure, at times filling the streets with their painted wariors and their no less ugly squaws, when the night Avas made hideous by their unearthly yells, accompanied at intervals by the howling of the Avolf, as he sat on his haunches baying the moon, and in broad day light have seen the wild deer dash through our streets, crossing the river about LaSalle street, frightened by the hunters that were following them. And at a later day once saw a large black bear, ! ¦<- 'X- 1\ ¦*¦*&** History of Chicago from 1833 to lsui S9 captured in the lake near Waukegan, who had evi dently been an occupant of the adjoining woods north of the city, and had been driven in the lake that morning by some parties after other game. I haA'e seen Chicago when the floods SAvept away nearly every bridge in the city, and in the mighty rush of water, carried every vessel but one from her moor ings, jamming them together in a shapeless mass near Rush street bridge, Avhere they remained several days; this happened in 1849. And I have seen the city, as in 1871, almost destroyed by fire, and still live to see it risen Phoenix like from its ashes. A larger, grander and more beautiful city than ever before, or that Ave ever expected to see. If you can find any other in the Avorld that in the last half century can equal it in size, population and also in its business, as the largest grain, pork, beef and lum ber market to be found in any other part of the earth I should like to know of it, but feel that I am safe in saying it cannot be done. And if known, would be Avell worth the spending a feAV weeks in visiting, as it will this, in 1893, at the opening of and during the World's Fair, where I can positively assure you the largest, and most Avonderful display of goods of all kinds Avill be found in the immense buildings hoaa- being erected to receive them, from the various coun tries that have determined to send their commodities to exhibit, and as for cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, etc., of the very best stock, Avill be here by hundreds from our Avestern prairies as avcII as from the farmers around, to compare with those brought from older settled countries. And machinery of all kinds, Aviil be found, equal, if not superior, to anything to be found DO HISTORY 01* CHICAGO PROM 1833 TO 1892. in the old world, from a watch spring, to the largest balance wheel, used on the most ponderous machinery in existence, and the various kinds of agricultural implements, consisting of plows, thresh ing, binding and other machinery used -with such suc cess and so extensively on farms in the new States, and territories west of us, where they put fifteen to tAventy men on their plows in the morning, running furrows ten miles long, returning by night, after breaking up an eighty acre tract of prairie land. Of this class of machinery, which has been shipped and used in seA'eral different quarters of the globe, you Avill find here, made and finished in the most scicn- tiffic and artistic style. Also carriages of all sorts and sizes, from the smallest pony cart to the most elegant and beautifully finished tAvo horse carriages, to be found anyAvhere, will be seen here in every different variety and shape. So again I would urge everyone that possibly can, to come and see for them selves, this Avoudcrful city, only half a century old, and the fair to be held in it, that is to surpass any ever before held in any part of the old world. Our city also bids fair to outstrip many others in size, as well as in the immense amount of business clone in it. You Avill find a hearty welcome here, and everything Avill be done by railroads, vessels, etc., to facilitate you in shipping your goods, as well as cheapening. The excellent accommodations, you aa'UI find for traveling from the sea board, in the Pullman or Wagner cars and sleepers, and on arrival here those who are fond of driving can enjoy it over the most beautiful, smooth roads on our thirty miles of boulevards, that can be found anywhere in any Hfr* \ v. > Ui > / History otf Chicago from lsaa to 1892. oi country on the globe, while the eye will be delighted with the shrubs and flowers set out on the avcII kept borders each side of them for the whole distance to the park, some seven miles from the center of the city. And Avhcn you amve there you will be no less astonished and gratified at the immense buildings and other improvements made in the park, and the facilities for riding to and fro from there to the city, cither by land, or water on our beautiful lake, that extends some 350 miles north and sixty miles enst, forming a large inland sea of fresh Avater, for use of navigation, extending from here to the cast through the Straits of Mackinaw, Lake Huron, the riA-er St. Clair and Lake Erie to Buffalo, some 1,000 miles or more, from there reaching the ocean, either by the river St, LnAvrcnce through parts of Canada, or by canal and the East river to New York. And if the contemplated improvements are carried out by Congress and the city, avc shall soon have communication by ship canal to the Illinois river some 350 miles to St. Louis, and from there down the magnificent river, the Mississippi, to the gulf at Ncav Orleans, reaching the ocean either north or south, by sea-going steamers, adding very much "to the facilities for shipments to all parts of the world, making this the very central city in the United States, for the collection and distribution of all manner of goods and merchandise, from the dif ferent countries in the old world, ns avcII as from Mexico and parts of South America. And also for the shipment of our produce of all kinds to the different countries needing it, without being com pelled as before ,to ship either east or south, uud 92 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. re-ship again from there to the desired destination. And while speaking of the beautiful drive to the parks on the South Side, Ave must not forget the drive along the lake shore on the North Side to Lin coln park, a small park about tAvo or three miles from the river, containing 150 acres or more, laid out in a beautiful and artistic style, and visited b} thousands of our citizens every day in the year. And from there the Lake Shore drive has been improved and continued along the border of the lake to Evanston, some twelve to fifteen miles from the city, and is to be further extended and carried on to Fort Sheridan, now being improved and built up by the Government, for the use of the army, several regi ments being already quartered there. The land is beautifully situated, high and dry, some eighty feet above the level of the lake, covered in part with groves of trees, hills and vales, and now some of it is being improved by Chicago citizens with a view to building suburban homes on their land, cutting it up m lots, as land is much cheapernorth ofthe city than it is ou the south side. I have previously written several articles describ ing the difficulties the first settlers had in reaching Chicago, as well as their experience the first few years of residence here. I will now give you some idea of the trouble and difficulties Ave found in providing timber and material Avith Avhich to build even the small houses and stores that were put up in those early days. There Avere no Avell-filled lumber yards, with an office adjoining, into Avhich you could enter, as uoav, and leave your order for all the different kinds Avanted. The Avholestoek of pinelumber in the K>i - i- r5..: f *- J n- HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 93 village when I came here amounted to 5,000 or 6,000 feet of boards, and that was held at $60 per 1,000. Previous- to 1833, most ofthe houses had been built of logs, some round, just as they came from the Avoods, while the more pretentious, belong ing to the officers of the army and the great men of the A'illage, were built of heAvn logs. There Avas a small saAv-mill run by Avater about five or six miles up the north branch, where they had built a dam across the stream, getting a three or four foot head of Avater, there was also a small steam saAv-mill run by Capt. Bemsley Huntoon, situated a little south of Division Ftrcet, at the mouth of a slough that emptied itself intc the river at that point, in both of which they sawed out such timber as grew in the Avoods adjoining, consisting of oak, elm, poplar, Avhite ash, etc. Of such lumber most of the houses Avere built, and any carpenter that has ever been compelled' to use it, particularly in its green state, will appreciate its quality. In drying it will shrink, -warp and twist evexy way, draAving out the nails, and, after a sum mer has passed, the siding will gape open, letting the wind through every joint. Such was the stuff used for building in 1833 and 1834. Same even did Avorse than that, and went into the woods for their scant ling, cutting doAvn small trees and squaring one side of them with the broad-ax. One of the largest houses built that winter, by Daniel Elson, Avas built with that very kind, both for uprights and rafters. During the summer of 1834, the supply of pine lum ber Avas greatly increased, and the price much loAver. I think the most of it came from Canada, but eA'eu as late as 1837, timber Avas very scarce (and heavy 94 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. timber Avas used in large buildings in those times, the frame being pinned together by mortice and tenon) that, Avanting considerable of it to "put 'up a factory, I found it cheaper to purchase ten acres of land, ten or twelve miles up the north branch, from Avhich I cut the necessary logs, hauled them into the city on sleighg, and had them squared on the ground Avith the broad-ax. But heavier timber for frame build ings soon after came into disuse, as it Avas found the present Avay ofputting up frame buildings Avas much stronger and better. It used then to be called baloon framing. G. W. SnoAV, an old settler, had the credit of first originating the idea. Common inch lumber in 1837 had got to be more plentiful at $18 to $20 a thousand. I put up a build ing, 30x40, two-story and basement, on the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets. It was the largest building on the West Side south of Lake street, and, standing there alone for years, served as a beacon for many a belated traveler over the ten miles of prairie between the village and the Desplaines river. At that time it seemed a long way out of ' toAvn. There was but one shanty between it and Lake street bridge, and it really seemed quite a Avalk over the prairie to reach it. The West Side at that time contained but feAV inhabitants. When, a year or two later, the village took upon itself city airs, the third Avard, extending from the center of Lake street south, and all Avest ofthe river, contained but sixty voters, the majority of AA'hom were Whigs. It was a Whig Avard, but that did not prevent the Democrats of that early day from colonizing about fifteen Irish men from the North Side to try and carry it. I r-ii VJ1 \ u ;Vi t *.: HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 95 merely mention this fact as showing that the Demo crat of 1839 Avas very much like his brother Demo crat 'of 1892. I might tell a good joke of tAvo promi nent politicians of that time — how they cursed and swore at us when they found Ave positively refused to receiA'e their Irish votes, after they had furnished them for ten da}'S Avith Avhisky and board; but as they died in '91, I Avill not mention their names. From 1838 to 1843, people began gradually to build a house here and there on the streets adjoining, between the location I had selected and the river; but the progress made Avas very slow. We were right in the midst of the panic Avhich commenced in 1837. I changed my location in 1843, and built on Canal street, just south of Madison, and still had an unobstructed view ofthe bridge at Lake street, and walked to it over the greensAvard of the prairie. At this point it Avas foolishly supposed by many to be a good location for a residence, as it Avas a dry, good soil on the bank of the river, which was then a clear, running stream, and really looked pleasant. I built a brick house, surrounded it AA'ith a garden, and had. fine, growing fruit trees; so also did two or three others, among Avhom were Chas. Taylor and Geo. Davis, whose widows are still living on the West Side; but before we reaped the fruits of it, business drew near us. Gates & Co. started a foundry Avithin a block of us, and in 1848 a lumber yard was estab lished on the adjoining lot. That settled our idea as to [residence property, and in 3 851 I moved to the. corner of Thirteenth street and Michigan avenue. Here I rented a house and garden that was nearly surrounded with prairie. But business again fol- '. 00 HISTORY OF CHICAGO PROM 1833 TO 1802. lowed uH, nnd six montlig after we settled there the Illinois find Michigan Central railroads put. up n temporary depot directly opposite to 119 on the east hide ofthe street. To be euro Ave had the pleasure of seeing the iron-horse make its daily trips into the city of our choice, but this hardly compensated us for the annoyance avc continually received from the tramps and others that came on the cars, begging for food and water; so Ave determined once 11101 e to pull up stakes nnd selected a place on the lake shore two miles south ofthe city, in the grove between Thirty- ninth and Fortieth streets. But before speaking of that I Avill give you some idea ofthe expansion of the city in fi. southerly direction of what is called the South Side. 1 think it Avas in 1836 or 1837, that the old Tre mont Avas put up 011 the northwest comer of Lake and Dearborn streets, oAvncd and kept by Ira and James Couch, though in a very different style to what it has been kept the last twenty -live years. It Avas then a common country tavern for the accom modation of fanners and others visiting the city. I have many u time met one of the proprietors on the prairie bringing a load of wood from the Dutchman's Point, twelve miles up the north branch, find once or twice, when business was slack, met him on the road to Mihvaukcc, Avith a sleigh loud of butter, dried apples, etc., to trade off to the denisons ofthe Cream City find turn an honest dollar, In 1838, the city hnd got as far south as Madison street. Two of my friends built 011 the south side of Madison, directly fficiiig Dearborn street. This was the very outskirts of the city find seemed a long way from the center Of HISTORY OF CHICAGO PROM 1833 TO 1H02. 97 business, then Clark and South Water streets, But it kept creeping south ward, until, in 1850, it had reached Twelfth street, where on thenortliwcstcorner of that and Statestrcct, stood the Southern hotel. In 1849, 1 was offered the ten acres adjoining, running from Twelfth to Fourteenth street, and west of State, for $1,200. Mathew Laflin tells me he purchased it for $1,000. It is apart ofthe property that has lately been sold to the railroad for a depot n t $200 to $300 a foot. In 1851, the Marine Bank offered twenty acres of laud, running from State street to the lake, for $500 an acre. A year or two later, a committee was ap pointed to locate Dearborn Seminary, and urged the company to purchase the block between Wabash and Michigan avenues, just south of Fifteenth street, at $25 a foot, both fronts; but it was rejected Avith scorn, inquiring of them where they expected to get young ladies to till the school in that neigh borhood, so far south. At this time there Avas only a single buggy track running in a direct line across the prairie from the corner of State and Twelfth streets to the "oak woods," as the groves south of Thirty-first street were then called. In driv ing to that point, we only passed tAvo houses— Mr, Clarke's, on Michigan avenue and Sixteenth street, who owned a farm there, and Myrick's tavern fit Twenty-ninth street, who owned sixty or seventy acres) from Twenty-seventh or Twenty-eighth to Thirty-first street. Then avc came to the Craves tract of sixty or seventy acres, situated near the hike in the beautiful grove between Thirty-first find Thirty-third streets, on which was a house of resort 98 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. called "The Cottage." The adjoining propetty of the same description, south of Thirty-third and north of Thirty-fifth streets, Avas in 1852, purchased by Senator Douglas, Avho donated ten acres of it to the Chicago University. This tract of seventy acres Avas OAvned before Douglas bought it by some bank in Philadelphia, and was offered for $7,000. I urged its purchase by the city for a park, through the papers of that day, but had my communications returned to me, Avith the remark that it certainly would benefit Cleaverville, but they did not think it Avould benefit the citizens of Chicago, being so far out of the city. From Thirty-fifth to Thirty -ninth steeet Avas the Ellis farm, of 200 acres, owned by Samuel Ellis, who lived in a clapboard- house on the southwest corner of Thirty-fifth street and Lake avenue, Avhere they had kept tavern for years, it being formerly the first station out of Chicago for the Detroit line of stages. It was about half a mile from "The Cottage," and three-quarters from Myr- ick's. These were then the only houses south of Thirteenth street, except one or two small places on the river; but it Avas on the Ellis farm I determined to build a factory in 1851, and, for that purpose, purchased twenty acres of him, on the lake shore, from the center of Lake avenue to the lake, between Thirty-seventh and Thirty-ninth streets. It was thought to be a Avild scheme, and many a time I was laughed at, and asked with a smile if I ever expected Chicago to reach as far south as that, being then two miles beyond the city limits, which were at Twenty-second street. However, that did not deter me from building, even when the plans for a three- \ ¦¦'V HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 99 ~ :".¦¦¦¦ stoiy building and cellar 80x1 GO feet Avere got out, and I Avas informed that it Avould take 100 cords of stone and 400,000 bricks to complete it. But it did become a matter of grave importance, how to get the brick, stone, \C nber, etc., on the ground, as the brick kilns Avere on the West Side, near Twentieth and Halsted streets, and there Avas no bridge south of Madison street. But being accustomed to face diffi culties, and, after looking the matter over, concluded the cheapest way Avas to build a scow and run a ferry over the river about Twenty-second street, for three or four months. But the trouble Avas not then OA'er. Before the teamsters had been hauling thirty da3rs, the road track in some places got so deep in sand that they informed me that they should have to throw up the contract (which Avas only $1 a thou sand) unless half a mile of plank-road Avas built, Avhich was accordingly done, and also built a bridge in front ofthe university over a slough 150 feet in length. There Avas little difficulty about the stone, as that was contracted to be taken down by tug on canal-boats. But for the heavy oak timbers and joists Avhich were needed, I built another smaller scoav, and towed it down the lake shore with horses. This was before the Illinois Central railroad had put any piling or erib-Avork in the lake, AA'hen the shore Avas a beautiful sandy beach, extending man3r feet from the high land to the Avater.. I had, previously to this, put up seA-eral houses on the Avest side of the river, on the north branch, near Division street, for the use of my Avorkmen, aud wanted those moved to the lake shore at Thirty-eighth street, a distance of some seven or eight miles. The problem to be solved 100 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Avas how to get them there. Many difficulties were in the A\ray of taking them by water ; yet that seemed " the only feasible plan. One great objection was that Chicago avenue bridge had no draw in it to let a boat pass ; but, after taking advice upon the subject, I notified the city authorities they must remove it, as they had no right or authority to obstruct a nav igable stream ; they removed it after a day or tAvo's delay. But that delay cost me the loss of one of the boats employed in moving the houses. Two canal- boats were lashed abreast of each other, and two houses chained cross-ways on them. In this Avay we found no difficulty in going to the mouth of the river. But a storm had come up on the lake, AAdiich compelled us to wait two or three days until it subsided. A man who had been left on board as Avatchman, getting tired of such a solitary life, of his own accord hailed a passing tug, and by himself braved the rolling Avaves of Lake Michigan; and, though the storm had in a great measure abated, yet there was a heavy ' swell washing shoreward, and the consequence Avas, the minute the tug cast them off a couple of hundred feet from land, they began to drift in broadside to the shore, and were soon driven up on the beach, the outer boat sinking, leav ing the houses to all appearances, pitching into the lake. But, fortunately the chains held them, and, Avithout further damage they were landed on the shore. But AA-e Avere not so fortunate with the boat, which Avas Avrecked the following day before Ave could get a tug to lay hold of it. Two other trips were made and four more houses safely landed, without farther loss, ] ,0 .s* ?i <*» M- HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 101 Those houses are still standing, January, 1892, just north of Pier or Thirty-eighth street, on Lake avenue, and are the same that were floated down in 1851, more than forty years since, and with the brick build ing 50x160, three stories and basement, together with the slaughter-house and other houses erected the same year, were the commencement of the large settle ment of splendid houses built in that neighborhood now worth millions of dollars. The folloAving A/ear I built several more cottages, and soon found it almost a necessity to build a meeting-house, Avhich Avas done in 1854, in which school was kept and the gospel ay as preached for many years. This building was afterwards reniOA'ed to Hyde Park. In 1852, 100 acres bought by me — Avas platted and laid out as the village of Cleaverville, so named by the reporter for one of the papers of that day when I Avas in New York, and has since kept its cognomen, legally, at all events, although, from the station on the Illinois Central railroad being called Oakland, it has gradu ally become known by that name, until many suppose that to be the legal appellation, and Avant their title-papers so designated. It Avas bxxt a year after I erected the factory on the lake shore, that the Michigan Central came thundering along AA'ith their rails and iron-horse, within 100 feet of the building, thus rendering it almost useless for the purpose for which part of it Avas erected — viz.: a slaughter-house for the city butchers to kill in. They began killing there, bxxt the cars frightened the cattle so, in those early days, that they dropped off one after the other, although Col. Hancock made his debut in it, as a Chicago packer, killing a feAV hundred head of cattle 102 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. that winter. But others, as well as myself, soon recognized the locality as one of the most beautiful around Chicago for residence purposes, and I soon had an offer for a lot to build on, by Mr. Farrington, the Avell-knoAvu wholesale grocer, who Avas the first, except myself, to erect a building on the village tract. Others soon folloAved, and, on the Illiuois Central putting on a train to run three times a day, citizens began to be attracted by the beauty of the location, and the first week of the cars running I sold five or six lots. In 1853, 1 built a house for myself, where I haA'e since resided, and still live to see" the gradual but wonderful change that has taken place in the country around; from a farm, fenced in with a rail fence, to a populous neighborhood, filled up with ele gant stone, brick, and frame houses, .acknoAvledged by all to be one of the most beautiful suburbs ofthe city; with its large brick school-houses, containing hundreds of children each, churches of all denomina tions, and improvements of every kind. For the first ten or tAvelve years of my residence there I had to depend on myself for everything that was done to improve the neighborhood. There were no Hyde Park officials and the city Avould have nothing to do Avith us, so far as making streets and sewers were concerned. I well remember the making .of Thirty- ninth street. It was such a swamp, west of Cottage GroA'e avenue, that I had to employ men to shovel it' up, as a team could not work it. In fact, all the swales between the ridges were covered with Avater the summer through, breeding mosquitoes by the million, which was sxipposed to be one of the greatest drawbacks to the settlement of the neighborhood. »•¦ $ 8 ¦•* .** HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 103 But with the drainage of the land they soon decreased, and, on running a sewer from the lake in 1867, west on the street mentioned to Langley avenue, thus draining all the lots contiguous to it, they dissap- peared altogether. When this part of the country Avas first settled there was no public conveyances of any kind. For years I drove in and out ofthe city in a buggy. Then came the first omnibus, running to Twelfth street every hour. It was, after a year or two, extended to the city limits at Twenty-second street, and gradually more 'buses were put on. Then some public-spirited individual put on a four-horse omnibus, to run to Myrick's tavern, on Thirtieth street. That continued until about 1855 or 1856, when the^ horse-cars began to run, first to Twelfth, then Twenty-second, extending soon to Thirty- first, where they stopped for several years, until 1867, when the track was laid to Thirty-ninth, its present terminus. All who ride on them now know what success they have met with, as they are con tinually filled to overflowing, though running every three or four minutes for sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. Could Dr. Egan and Senator Douglas arise from their graves, they would indeed look on with astonishment. I mention them as the Doctor was the first to get a charter through the Legisla ture for a steam or horse-railroad from the Calumet river to Chicago. He, the Senator, and myself organ ized a company to build the road some time before it was commenced, but were defeated in the city council by their refusing us the right to lay down tracks in the city. Some two or three years after, the privilege was granted to others. 104 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. While writing of public improvements, I will men tion the water supply. Citizens, the first year or two of my residence here, went to the river bank and dipped it up by the pailful. Then, for a few years, it Avas carted from the lake shore, in water carts, and sold at 10 cents a barrel. After that, a stream was pumped from the lake shore into a tank or reservoir adjoining the steam flouring mill built on the north east corner of Lake street and Michigan avenue, run by the late James H. Woodworth; the two tanks were certainly not over twelve feet deep, and stood probably four feet above the level of the ground, and from this, water was distributed through log pipes to a small portion ofthe city. This continued until about 1855-'56, Avhen J. H. Dunham called a meeting ofthe citizens to meet over his store on South Water street, to take into consideration the need of a better and purer supply of Avater. At that meeting there were only five individuals present, but it was the first of a series that at last accomplished the object sought, and Avas the commencement of the present system of supply throughout the city. For many years it was pumped from the shore at the present site of the Avater-Avorks, but finding at length that they pumped about as much small fish as they did Avater, the tun neling of the lake to the crib, two miles from shore, was conceived and successfully accomplished. Since that it has been extended two miles beyond to still deeper Avater, getting a fresher and purer supply from a depth of some thirty feet below the surface ofthe lake, and the city is hoav building another, extending into the lake some four miles from shore with a tun nel eight feet in diameter to connect it Avith the large ¥ i: «P -y-' r.f^ W S.T' ¦ r HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 105 iron pipes laid in the streets for distribution in the city. Seeing in the Tribune, the statistics published in December, '81, of the business done in the city, for the past year, both in packing and in grain, I thought it Avould be interesting to those con nected with the trade to know from AAdiat small proportions it originally sprung. I will com mence with the butchering and packing business, and to do that, must go back to the early days of 1833, Avhen Archibald Clybourn had a small log slaughter house on the east side ofthe north branch, a little south ofthe bridge hoav knoAvn by his name; he then killed weekly a few head of cattle, supplying the garrison and also the towns-people, and Avas one of the first Avho aftcrvrard put up both beef and pork for the surrounding country and villages north and AA^est of us. He did quite an extensive trade as early as 1836—7, and was reputed to be a wealthy man in those days, not only from success in his business, but also from his land speculations. It was about that time, or probably a year or tAvo later, that he made his famous trip to Milwaukee on horseback. He rode an old favorite gray horse of his, making the trip in ten or twelve hours, to secure a certain 80 acres of land in or near the city last mentioned, by which transaction he made some $20, 000 — considered a large amount in those times, andeA'er after gave his faithful old horse free fodder in his barns and pastures. In the Avinter of 1842-3, he slaughtered and packed for Wm. Felt & Co., two or three thousand head of cattle to ship to New York city— the first beef ever packed in this city for an eastern market. The same lir 106 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. season Gurdon S. Hubbard packed some cattle for the east, and perhaps he is entitled to the first place m Chicago packing, as he had a drove of about 300 hogs brought in and sold to the villagers as early as 1833, and from that time for many years, Avas largely identified with the packing interests of the city, con tinuing in the business as late as 1855 or '56, perhaps later. Mark Noble also killed a beast hoav and then, and sold among the people in the early days of 1833-4, keeping it up for two or three years later— when he married and left for Texas, making several trips to the city years after with, large droves of cat tle. His brother, John Noble, resided on the north side of the city until a year or two since when he died. Sylvester Marsh also started a butcher shop on Dearborn street, betAveen Lake and South Water streets as early as 1834, carrying it on until 1836 or. 37, when, from his success in the business and land speculations, he thought he was rich enough, and left for Dunkirk, N. Y., where, in some unaccountable Avay he soon lost all he had, and in two or three years was back in Chicago, in partnership with George W. Dole, under the firm name of Dole & Marsh. They did quite an extensive business, both in killing for market and also in packing for them selves and others at their slaughterhouse on the south branch. It Avas with this firm that Oramel and R. M. Hough served their apprenticeship to the packing business, who, for many years after were extensiA'dy known among those connected with the packing interests of Chicago, as Hough & Co., and Hough, Brown & Co. 1' A — < •- ''-V ! /Ml HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1S33 TO 1892. 107 Sherman [Orin] & Pitkin [Nathaniel], an extensive dry goods firm of 1842-3, also Avcnt heavily into hog packing that winter, keeping it up for several seasons thereafter; they A\rent into it when pork Avas at the lowest price ever known in Chicago. I bought several loads of dressed hogs out of farmers' Avagons that winter as Ioav as $1.25 a hundred. Packing in those early days was quite an experiment, and few were found Avilling to risk their money in it, as they had to carry everything packed till spring, and then ship it to the east by vessel. Williau and Norman Felt, extensive farmers near Rochester, NeAA' York, Avere the first to make a regular business of it, as they continued killing at different packing houses in the city until about 1858 or '59, and after that foryears Avere the most extensive shippers of liA'e stock from this place. Moshier & Clapp [Wm. B.] also packed largely of pork for the eastern market as earl}' as 1844 or 1845; they packed for a time in a store of Col. Gurdon S. Hubbard, in the center of the city, used by him for that purpose. They kept in the business for several years, until the death of Air. Clapp, about 1850. In connection AA'ith the slaughtering business of the city, I must not forget Absolom Funk, later Funk & Albce, Avho for years kept the largest and best meat market in the city. Mr. Funk had also several large farms near Bloomington, 111., where he raised and fattened cattle for his own killing, making semi-monthly trips between the two places on horse-. back, folloAving his droA'e of cattle; AA'hen railroads commenced bringing cattle to the city, rendering his riding unnecessary, he soon felt the Avant of his cus tomary exercise, sickened and died; his partner, iOS HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Cyrus P Albee, following him some years later Reynolds [Eri] & Hayward [John] were also early packers of- Chicago, taking Dole & Marsh's packing house, on the south branch, where they carried on the (business quite extensively for many years, packing for themseh'es and others. Tobcy [Orville H.] & Booth [Heman D.] com menced business in their present location on the cor ner of 18th and Grove streets, quite early. Mr Tobey commenced first melting in a small rendering concern he bought of Sylvester Marsh, and moved there from the north side, and from that worked themselves up to be the most noted shippers of pork to the old country, still keeping up their reputation to this day for curing the best of meats. Col John L. Hancock.came to the city about 1853, making his first venture in packing by killing some 1,500 head of cattle m my slaughter house, on the lake shore at 38th street, but soon became one o£ the largest pack ers m the state, carrying on an extensive business at Bridgeport, both in beef and pork for many years and Avas still there at his old trade in 1882 I have mentioned all of the first packers of Chicago, at all events, all I remember. There Avere only about 35,000 head of cattle slaughtered during the season from October to Jan uary, as late as 1857, and perhaps about 150,000 hogs;* this seems a small business Avhen compared with these times, Avhcn hogs are counted by the mill ion, but it Avas then thought to be a very large trade. MiKi,r Packing.— Capital invested, $650,500; No. of cattle slaiitfhUTcd. 2,800; bl.ls. packed, 97,500; annual receipts, $824,- 000.— Chicago Directory, December, 1850. 1 •t 1 H HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 109 Up to this time, 1857, I had taken all, or nearly all, the talloAV and lard from the various packing houses ofthe city, rendering it in the melting house adjoin ing my factory on the lake shore at 38th street, Avhcre it was manufactured into soap, candles, lard oil, neatsfoot oil, etc., supplying the country west and north of us, and also in later years shipping talloAV and oil to New- York and Montreal. I com menced in the fall of 1834, when a few hundred pounds a week Avas all I could get from, the different butchers; it kept increasing slowly until 1S43, when Felt and G. S. Hubbard commenced shipping beef, and Sherman & Pitkin pork, A\'hen finding it coming in faster than I could melt it by the old process, by fire, I conceived the idea of rendering by steam; John Rogers had tried it a year before in a small way, but did not make a success of it; but I found no trouble in bringing it into practical use.and from that day to this it has been used for all melting purposes; and at this late day has been brought to such perfection in the close tanks made of boiler iron, putting on steam at 80 to 10O pounds to the inch, that a tank of lard or talloAV can be melted in a few hours. The first tanks I used Avere of Avood, and took 20 hours to render out. P. W. Gates & Co., Avho had just then started as boiler makers and machin ists, set up the first boiler for me, with all the neces sary coils, pipes, etc., and from, that time until 1856—7, I did the melting, or nearly all of it, for all the packers then in the city. A firm from Cincinnati, Johnson & Co., put up extensiA'e melting works on the lake shore, north of 31st street, Avhere they pur chased five acres of Willard F. Myrick, in 1852, and !ft 110 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. spent some $40,000 in setting up their iron tanks, etc., but had not capital enough to carryiton, and it became a dead failure; but after it had stood idle for many years, Johnson came on and commenced suit against the Illinois Central Railroad Co., for ruining their business by putting their tracks between the building and the lake, and managed to get a check out of the company for $50,000 damages. Gurdon S. Hubbard did his melting there for Iavo or three years. Hough & Co. Avere the next to put tanks and boilers into their packing house at Bridgeport, about the year 1854-5; others soon followed, and in 1857 I gave up the business, and from that time all the different packing houses have had their own tanks and melting apparatus, and there I leave — allmy OAvn reminiscences of early packers and packing, but Avill copy a part of an article published in the Tribune Jan. 1st, 1883, in which they quote the names of some of the largest firms in the city at that time. I will hoav give my readers some idea of the begin nings of the present grain trade of the city of Chi cago, which has hoav reached such enormous propor tions that it is counted by millions of bushels ; in speaking of its groAvth it will be well to divide it into four different eras, which will also mark the prosper ity and growth of the city. For the first three or four years, or until about 1837, we were indebted to other states for the larger part of what was con sumed in the A'illagc and surrounding countiy, that would comprise the first era; from that time to 1842 or 1843, farmers began to raise enough produce for themselves and their neighbors' consumption, as ay ell as supplying the citizens of Chicago with all ~ t, ¦<» '^ if it- , ¦if ii ' .- 1 ;\ HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. Ill that Avas necessary; but those years began to show the necessity of having some foreign market to take off their surplus produce, for in the winter of 1842-3, farmers' produce of all kinds was so low it was hardly worth raising; for instance, dressed hogs sold as low as ten or twelve shillings a hundred, lard three dollars and a half a hundred, tallow six and a quarter, flour three dollars a barrel, oats and pota toes ten cents a bushel, eggs four to five cents a dozen, dressed chickens and prairie hens five cents each ; such a state of things could not last, as farm ers found it impossible to raise it for the money, and gradually all classes of produce were held till spring, for shipment round the lakes by vessel to New York; this Avould end the second era. From that period, prices gradually improved ; but the hauling of it so many miles to a market— as they had to do— took off nearly all the profit. Farmers living on Rock river would take five days to market thirty bushels of wheat, finding when they got home, not over ten or twelve dollars left out of the price of their load; but for some purposes they had to have a little cash, and so continued to bring it. This lasted until 1851 or '52, when the Michigan Central and Southern railroads made their entry into the city, taking east the grain as it arrived, and making a better market for all kinds of country products. Previous to that time I have seen fifty teams in a line crossing tiie prairie Avest of us with their loads of grain for Chi cago. There was also another class of farmers from the south that used, in a measure, to supply the city with necessaries, in the shape of green and dried apples, butter, hams, bacon, feathers, etc.; these men would 112 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. bring their loads two or three hundred miles, camp ing out on the Ava}', cooking their rasher of bacon, corn-dodgers, and boiling their pot of coffee over the camp-fire, sleeping in their wagons at night, and saving money enough out of their load to purchase a fc\AT bags of coffee, and the balance in salt — this Avas the invariable return load of all Hoosiers, as AA'e used to call all avIio came from Southern Indiana, who used to come in great numbers in their curious-shaped covered .Avagous, knoAAii in old times as prairie- schooners. I haA'c seen numbers of their teams camped out on the dry ground east of State street, and counted one hundred and sixty from the roof of Bristol & Porter's Avarehouse, near the corner of State and South Water streets ; this closes the third era about 1852, AA'hcn the iron-horse made its triumphant entry into the city from the east, snort ing forth its volumes of steam and smoke, a blessed clay indeed for the great west, for without the rail road Avhat could avc have done? Before the Michigan Southern and the Michigan Central railroads entered Chicago from the east, the Galena -**. Chicago Union Railroad Company Avas laying its tracks, and pushing on to the west, mak ing its first stopping-place at the Desplaines river, ten miles from the city, then at Wheaton, then the Junction, and so on to Elgin, Pigeon Prairie, Belvi- dere, Rockford, and other stations until at last it reached Freeport, relieving the farmers at every stopping place from their long and tedious journeys by team, enabling them to utilize their own labor, and the service of their teams, in improving their farms, find adding everv season to the amount of 'r? HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 113 grain sown, until with the great increase in the last few years of farm-machinery, and the facilities for moving and storing grain, there seems to be no end to the amount forwarded; and although railroads have stretched their iron arms through even'' county in the state, and for thousands of miles into other states and territories Avest of us, it is as much and more than they can do to relieve the farmer of his surplus produce. What will be done AA'ith it in the next fifty years, time alone will reveal, for the crops of grain were so large in 1891, north and nortliAvest of us, that the different lines of railroad could not furnish cars enough to carry it off. There Avere, it was said, some fifteen hundred car loads aAvaiting transportation at Duluth, the western port of Lake Superior, on the 1st day of last December. *jj, — 114 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 115 TRADE AND MANUFACTURES OF CHICAGO DURING 1891. The commercial record of last year for this city is one of activity in most departments, and generally of strength. It also presents some marked contrasts, of time as avcII as of place, and the order of 1890 Avas reA'ersed in that the last half of the year was dis tinguished by buoyancy following comparative dullness in the first six months. In both seasons the measure of prosperity accorded to Chicago was greater than that which blessed most other cities in the United States, and this country was prosperous as against the world. In the great Mississippi val ley nature fairly laughed with a superabundance of cereal wealth, while Europe was unusually deficient in food supply from its own harvests, and the ener gies of our grain mexxhants were severally taxed most of the time after midsummer to meet the novel con ditions. Previous to that date, before the crop sur plus Avas ready to move, the trade of many other cities in the Union was dull, and compared unfavor ably Avith that of other years, but we were relatively actiA^e. While other sections suffered by sympathy Avith the financial stringency in the old world the Avork of preparation for the great Fair supplied the necessary stimulus here, and, when the crops got •*^ .~t ~**J^ M* P^ ¦*¦/' under Avay the two made us by far the busiest city on the continent. Under that double spur Chicago far excelled any previous trade record, and the rush was so great as to be embarrassing to many avIio had not the full tide of youthful vigor coursing through their veins. Every avenue Avas crowded to the utmost, and personal travel was often performed under difficulties, due to the fact that the demand for accommodation far exceeded the supply of vehicles. The Aveather of the year Avas exceedingly favorable throughout, botlx to local development and uninter rupted communication with the areas surrounding us. Work on buildings for the Fair and those erected for private citizens Avas carried on last winter almost without a break, while the summer season was uni- formerly cool and free from storms. The only local disadvantage attending the absence of normal rains was veiy low water in the lake and river, which somwhat hindered navigation. And. the present winter has not been so severe up to date as was generally expected, though there is yet ample time in which to compensate for mildness through the last three seasons that include the beginning and ending ofthe calendar year. Some branches of trade, those handling winter goods, were decidedly slow ten to twelve months ago because of the absence- of severe cold, but this condition was in marked contrast to that prevailing on the other side of the Atlantic. The season there was a fearfully rigorous one, the result being extraordinary short crops, especially in Russia anil France. But for that the crop abundance in this region would probably have induced another era of low prices for farm produce, such as was passed 5 / 116 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1S33 TO 1892. through two years ago, and our farmers Avould be again poof in the midst of plenty. It is estimated by Secretary Rusk of the Agricultural Department at Washington that the better yield and prices are worth to the farmers^ of the United States $700,- 000,000 more than Avere the crops of 1890, of Avhich extra A-alue he credits $500,000,000 to grain and $150,000,000 to live stock. The greater part of this gain falls to the lot ofthe farmers in the Mississippi Valley. A portion of it fioAvs into their laps from the consumers who live in the Eastern States as Avell as from Europe. Also they arc groAving richer as compared with the South, the cotton crop of that section being estimated to return less by $14,000,000 than the one of 1890, though the latest is much the larger ofthe two. The enormous gain by the Western farmers has directly helped Chicago. They haA'e been better able to buy clothing, footAvear, groceries, and other personal comforts, and to invest more in lumber, machinery, wagons and A'arions other material [for aiding work or adding to conveniences on the farm. In conse quence of this the mercantile and manufacturing industries of the city have been highly, prosperous eA'er since there Avas i-easonable assurance of larger crops than usual. In the first few months these industries suffered from the depressing effects of poorer cereal yield in 1S90 in this country and the money stringency in Europe Avhich culminated with the Baring troubles nearly fourteen months ago, and from then till now have dragged their slow length along with accumulating losses from bad iiiAest- meuts in other lands. This, with a smaller amount * V^ n A. r ¦%* **• ''- \ --¦*fc HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1S33 TO 1892. 117 of railroad building, has prevented the total manu facturing -output of the city from surpassing the record of 1890, in addition to which the farmers of the West have not bought so much/"? many had expected. There AA'as a good general a. position on the part of such of them as had mortgage indebted ness to pay off wholly or in part, and the number of such liabilities released before maturity of the con tract far exceeds that of other years. The debtors did not care to wait for the opportunity of paying Avith the fiat money demanded by theOcala platform or even for the cheap money promised by the advo cates of free silver coinage. Both of these measures were extensively agitated up to a few months ago, but are not hoav so Avidely favored, though the lat ter Avill be pressed and probably the other asked for in Washington this Avinter. The business of this city has already been materially augmented by the reciprocity arrangements between the United States and other countries authorized by Congress. Our merchants have somewhat extended trade with South America and islands in the Gulf of Mexico, and anticipate great things to result erelong from carrying out the Blaine policy. Germany, Den mark, Italy, Austria and France haA'e successively- lifted the- bars which forbade the entry of our pork products into those countries and shut out $20,000,- 000 worth of hog products per year for the last decade. A treaty is concluded Avith Germany by which other produce will be admitted on favorable terms from the United States in return for our con tinued reception of her beet sugar free of duty. And the closing ofthe year was marked by an advantage- 118 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. ous arrangement between the United States and the principal West Indian colonies. The total addition to the track mileage of the rail roads in the United States during the year is reported as 4,168 miles against 6,280 miles in 1890, 5,195 in 1889, 0,079 in 1888, and 12,667 in 1887. The total mileage to date is 171,000. In only tAA'o ofthe last ten years — 1883 and 1885 — was the construction less than in 1891. The additions during the last year have been in the Avay of short extensions and branch lines, the average length of neAv lines being but 16.7. This country has been at peace, though surrounded by wars and vexed Avith rumors of foreign prepara tions for Avhat threatens to be the most gigantic armed struggle of the century. The revolution in Brazil and Chili did not involA'e us, though the lat ter led to a complication that looked dangerous. There ay as a shadoAv of strife with England over the seal fisheries on our Avestern coast and a deep diplo matic mutter from Italy over the Avork of Judge Lynch in New Orleans. These things have, however, been trifles compared with the apparent gravity of the situation among the great powers of Europe. Russia is reported to be menacing China, has demanded the passage of her vessels through the laud-locked avenues that connect the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, and is understood to have joined Fiance in a broad hint that England must evacuate Egypt or take the conse quences. The laud forces ofthe Muscovite have been for months facing those of Germany and Austria, and a mere spark has seemed to be all that was needed to start an explosion that might shake a great part of rr s, Ij-*-**^ HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM, 1833 TO 1892. 119 the old Avorld as badly as Japan was torn up by its recent earthquakes. More than one of the poAvers is asserted to havepurchased Avar supplies in the United States, and some have thought that only the cereal destitution in Russia has prevented an armed conflict ere this. But so far all is peace, though it seems hardly possible the same can be truly said many months longer. It is difficult to say Avhat Avould be the effect of a rupture on the commerce of Chicago, but undoubtedly it would stimulate to greater activity in more than one channel. In the following columns containing a summary of the business of the city for 1891, the totals do not include the speculative transactions in pro duce, except those sales which have been folloAved by the aetualdeliverv of the property on its Avay between the producer and the consumer. Of course those values have been affected by the speculative fluctua tions, but that does not alter the fact that the busi ness is counted on a strictly cash basis. The esti mates do not take account of the value of buildings except as the preparation of materials for their con struction has swelled the totals in the list of manu facturers. The real estate transactions are treated at length in a special revie\Ar, and in the figures in this article the values ofthe real estate transfers are not included. AGGREGATE VALUES FOR THE A'EAR. The following is an approximation to the total value of our trade during 1891: T'miliice trade , $l'.>7,0nn,noo Wliolcsiilc 517,2(1(1,00(1 Manufactures Mi7,()i:.',oo0 Total SI. 581, 000,000 120 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. These three departments, however, overlap each other, especially the last tAvo, as material manufact- urered here is sold at wholesale by the manufacturer FolloAviug up the same plan as in former years in estimating for this doublixxg up, there should be deducted from the above $122,000. The statement then stands as follows: Total trade, 1891 $1,459,000,000 Total trade, 1890 1,380,000,000 Increase $79,000,000 Or 5.7 per cent. The folloAving are the Tribune's totals for a series of3'ears. The figures in the twentieth line are for the twelve months from October 11, 1871, to October 11, 1872, the series having been interrupted by the great fire: 1878 $650,000,000 1877 595,000,000 1870 587,000,000 1875 560,000,000 1874 575,000,000 1873 514,000,000 1871-'72 437,000,000 1870 377,000,000 1809 336,000,000 1808 310,000,000 I860 97,000,000 1850 20,000,000 1891 $1,459,000,000 1890 1,380,000,000 1889 1,177,000,000 1888 1,135,000,000 1887 1,103,000,000 183(5 997,000,000 1885 959,000,000 1881 9.'i:i,()()0,000 1883 1,050,000,000 1882 1,045,000,000 1881 1,015,000,000 1880 911(1,0(10,000 1879 701,000,000 It has been a year of recovery. The shock given the financial world by the Barings panic in the fall of 1890 Avas severe. Why at the close of 1891 we haA'e only just about got back to a normal state of public confidence. The d istinctive feature of the first half of the year was an export movement of gold in amount without precedent in the history of the country. About $75,000,000 Avas scut in answer to the urgent t !,. 0h H o a < w Vs- U H Oh ¦4 h ¦4 and all over the district close around Chicago are factories and factory towns AA'here hides are turned into leather goods. The west still gets its finer goods in the east, but it is making the coarser grades, and to such an extent as to give a touch of Ncav England color to the towns and vil lages around Chicago. This is not an unnatural rivalry that has grown up. The former condition of western dependence was unilateral. The science of profitable business lies in the practice of economy. Chicago has in abundance all the fuels except hard coal. She has coal, oil, stone, brick— everything that is needed for building and for living. Manufactures gravitate to such a place for economical reasons. Thepopulation ofthe north Atlantic division, including Pennsylvania HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 147 and Massachusetts, and acknowledging New York as its center, is 17,401,000. The population of the northern center division, trading with Chicago, is 22,302,279. Every one has seen each succeeding census shift the center of population further and further west, but not every one is habituated to put ting tAA'o and tAvo together. " Chicago is yet so 3'oung and busy," said he AA'ho is perhaps the leading banker there, "she has no time for anything beyond each citizen's private affairs. It is hard to get men to serve on a commit tee. The only thing that saves us from being boors is our civic pride. We are fond, proud, and enthus iastic in that respect. But we know that Chicago is not rich like New York. She has no bulk of capital lying ready for investment and reinvestment; yet she is no longer poor. She has just got over her pov erty, and the next stage, bringing accumulated wealth, will quickly follow. Her groAvth in this respect is more than paralleled by her development into an industrial center." But the visitor's heart warms to the town Avhen he sees its parks and its homes. In them is ample assurance that not every breath is "business," and not every thought commercial. Once out of the thicket ofthe business and semi-business district the dwellings ofthe people reach mile upon mile away along pleasant boulevards and avenues, or facing noble parks and parkways, or in a succession of vil lages, green and gay with foliage and flowers. Land in New York has been too costly to permit of these villa-like dwellings, but that does not alter the fact that existence in a home hemmed in by 148 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. other houses is at best but a crippled living. There never has been any valid excuse for the building of those compressed houses by NeAAr York millionaires. It sounds like a Celtic bull, but, in my opinion, the poorer millionaires of Prairie avenue are better off, A peculiarity of the buildings in Chicago is in the great variety of building stones that are employed in their construction. Where avc would build two blocks of brown-stone, I have counted thirteen vari eties of beautiful and differing building material. Moreover, the contrasts in architectural designs evi dence among Chicago house-owners a complete sway of individual taste. It is in these beautiful homes that the people who do not know what to do with their club-houses hold their card parties; it is to them that they bring their visitors and friends ; in short, it is at home that the Chicagoan recreates and loafs. It is said, and I have no reason to doubt it, that the clerks and small tradesmen who live in thousands of these pretty little boxes are the owners of their homes ; also that the tenements of the rich display evidence of a tasteful and costly garnering of the globe for articles of luxury and virtue. Chicago's park system is so truly its crown, or its diadem, that its fame may lead to the thought that enough has been said about it. That is not the case, hoAvever, for the parks change and improve so con stantly that the average Chicagoan finds some of^ them outgrowing his knowledge unless he goes to them as he ought to go to his prayers. It is not in extent that the city's parks are extraordinary, for, all told, they comprise less than 2,000 acres. It is ¦ -,; A " \ f HISTORV OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 149 the energy that has given rise to them, and the taste and enthusiasm which have been expended upon them that cause our wonder. Sand and swamp were at the bottom of them, and if their surface iioav roll in gentle undulations, it is because the earth that ay as dug out for the making of ponds has been subse quently supplied to the forming of hills and knolls. The people go to some of them upon the boulevards of which I have spoken, beneath trees and beside lawns and gorgeous flower beds, haA'ing their senses sharpened in anticipation of the pleasure grounds beyond, as the heralds in some old plays prepare us for the action that is to folloAV. Once the parks arc reached they are found to be literally for the use of the people, who OAvn them. I have a fancy that a people who are so largely American would not suffer them to be otherwise. There are no signs warning the people off the gr^a^sjor_ann^imjring--that they- " may look, but mustn't touch ' ' whatever there is to sec. The people swarm all over the grass, and yet it continues beautiful day after day and year after year. The floral displays seem unharmed; at any rate, Ave have none to compare with them in any At lantic coast parks. The people even picnic on the sward, and those who can appreciate such license find, ready at hand, baskets in which to hide the litter which folloAVS. And, O ye who manage other parks, avc wot of, know that these Chicago play grounds, seem as free from harm and eyesore as any in the land. The best parks face the great lake, and get won drous charms of dignity and beauty from it. At the North Side the Lincoln Park Commissioners at great 150 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. expense are building out into the lake, making a handsome paved beach, sea-wall, esplanade, and drive to inclose a long, broad body of the lake water. Although the great blue lake is at the city's edge, there is little or no sailing or pleasure-boating upon it. It is too rude and treacherous. Therefore these Commissioners ofthe Lincoln Park are inclosing be hind their new-made land a water-course for sailing and roAving, for racing, and more indolent acquatic sport. The Lake Shore drive, when completed, will be three miles in length, and will connect with yet another notable road to Fort Sheridan, 25 miles in length. All these beauties form part of the main ex hibit at the Columbian Exposition. Realizing this, the municipality has not only voted $5,000,000 to the exposition, but has set apart $3,500,000 for beautifying and improving the city in readiness for -.the- exposition and its visitors, even as a bride be- decketh herself for her husband. That is Avell ;- but it is not her beauty that will most interest the visitors to Chicago— but Chicago itself, as a city, will be the attraction. In intcrvicAvs with Chicago men the newspapers have obtained many estimates ofthe number of visit ors Avho will attend the Columbian Exposition. One calculation Avhich is called conservative, is that 10,- 000,000 persons will see the display, and will lea\-e $300,000,000111 the city. It is not easy to judge of such estimates, but we know that there is a Avider interest in this exposition than in any that was ever held We know also that in the foremost countries of Europe workmen's clubs and popular lotteries have been established or projected for the purpose of S ' y A j, i y * HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 151 sending their most fortunate participants to Chicago —a few of many signs of an uncommon desire to Avit- ness the great exposition. Whatever these visitors have heard or thought of Chicago, they will find it not only an impressive but a substantial city. It will speak to every under standing ofthe speed with which it is hastening to a place among the world's capitals. Those strangers Avho travel farther in our west ma}' find othe~ towns that have builded too much upon the false prospects of districts where the crops have proved uncertain. They may see still other showy cities, where the uiain activity is in the direction of "sAvapping" real estate. It is a peculiar industry, accompanied by much bustle and lying. But they will not find in Chicago anything that Avill disturb its tendencj' to impress them with a solidity and a degree of enter prise and prosperity that are only excelled by the almost idolaltTOU^foith^oX^he- people-in- their coui- TTumtyT "TiieTcity's broad and regular thorough fares Avill astonish many of us avIio have imbibed the theory that streets are first mapped out by cows; its alley system between streets Avill win the admira tion of those who live Avhere alleys are unknown; its many little homes will speak volumes for the respon sibility and self-respect of a great body of its citizens. The discovery that the city's harbor is made up of forty-one miles ofthe banks of an internal river will lead to the satisfactory knowledge that it has pre served its beautiful front upon Lake Michigan as an ornament. This has been bordered by parks and parkways in pursuance of a plan that is interrupted to an important extent only where a pioneer railway 152 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. came Avithout the fore-knowledge that it would ^event ually develop into a nuisance and an eyesore. Its splendid hotels, theaters, schools, churches, galleries, and public works and ornaments will commend the city to many avIio Avill not study its commercial side. In short, it will be found that those who visit the Exposition Avill not afterwards reflect upon its assembled proofs of the triumphs of man and of civilization without recalling Chicago's contribution to the sum. Julian Ralph. The following is a copy of Mr. Gage's report : The South Park system consists of two great parks, connected by the Midway Plaisance, a strip of land a mile long and 000 feet. wide, and united by bouleA'ards with the heart of the city and Avith the West Side and North Side parks. Both Washington and Jackson parks, and the Midway Plaisance as well, embracing acres have been placed at the dis- -;pasal of the Columbian Exposition. The South Side system of cable cars connects with the fw6~paritS7 — and the Illinois Central railroad passes near the western boundary of Jackson park, and with other roads will be directly connected with the fair during its continuance. By reason of the greater pictures queness of a lake shore site, and the superior accessibility of Jackson park, both by Avater and land, and for the additional reason tha.t, its being now for the most part improved, it is more readily adaptable to our pur poses, so Jackson park has been chosen as the princi pal site of the fair. The thirty acres at the north, which are noAV laid out -and under cultivation, form but a small fraction of the entire area of this park, /" -\ I. v HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 153 which extends a mile further south, broadening con stantly along the curving shore of the lake. In this improved portion, much of which is thickly wooded with native trees, the ground is being pre pared for a system of lagoons and canals from 100 to 300 feet wide, which, with the broad, grassy ter races leading clown to them, will pass the principal buildings, inclose a wooded, island 1,800 feet long, and form a circuit of three miles navagable by pleas ure boats. These canals, which will be crossed by many bridges, and will connect Aviththe lake at two points, one at the northern limit of the improved portion of the park; and the other, half a mile further south. At this point, extending eastward into the lake, 1,200 feet, will be piers, which will afford a landing place for lake steamers, and inclose a harbor for the picturesque little pleasure boats of all epochs and nations, Avhich will carry jpassengers_ along^ rthe^canals7~aiidr "stopping at numerous landing places. This harbor will be bounded on the east, far out in the lake, by the long-columned facade of the Casino, in whose free spaces croAvds of men and women, pro tected by its ceiling of gray aAvnings,can look east to the lake and Avest to the long vista betAveen the main edifices as far as the gilded dome of the Administra tion building. The first notable object on this A'ista Avill be the colossal statue of Liberty rising out of the lagoon at the point where it enters the land. Beyond this, will lie a broad basin, from Avhich grassy terraces and broad walks will lead, on the north, to the south 154 HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. elcA'ation ofthe enormous main building; and, on the south, to the structure dedicated to agriculture. The main building extending northAA'estward a third of a mile, will be devoted to manufactures and liberal arts, and Avill receive from all nations the rich products of modern workmanship. Recalling archi- • tecturally the period ofthe classic revival, it has the vh'acity, the emphatic joyousness of that awakening epoch. The long, low lines of its sloping roof, sup ported by roAvs of arches, Avill be relieved by a cen tral dome over the great main entrance, and emblem atic statuary and flouting banners will add to its festive character. The north elevation of the classic edifice devoted to agriculture Avill show a long arcade behind Corinthian ^columns supporting a series of triple arches and three low graceful domes. Liberally adorned will sculpture and enriched with color, this building, by its simplicity, refinement, and grace, will _be. jdyllically expressive of_pastoral serenity and peace. At its noble entrance a statue of Ceres will offer hospitality to the fruits of the earth. Beyond it at the south sixty-three acres of land will be reserved for the live stock exhibit. The lofty octagonal domes of the Administration building forms the central point of the architectural scheme. Rising from the columned stories of its square base 250 feet into the air, it will stand in the center of a spacious open plaza, adorned with statu ary and fountains, with flower beds and terraces, sloping at the east down to the main lagoon. North of the plaza Avill be the two buildings devoted to mines and electricity, the latter bristling with points ¦^ HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1892. 155 and pinnacles, as if to entrap from the air the ^ in- tengfble element whose achievements it will display South ofthe plaza will be Machinery hall, with its power-house at the southeast corner. A sub-way at fewest wall will pass under the terminal railway loop of the Illinois Central road to the circular machinery annex within. North of thisrailAvay loop and along the western limit of the park will be the T asportation building. Still further north, lying test ofthe north branch of the lagoon, at the po where it encloses the wooded island, will extend the ong shining surfaces and the gracefully curving roof ofthe crystal palace of horticulture. FolloAvmg the Sgoon northward one will pass the Women's build- ing and eastward will reach the island devoted to the' novel and interesting fisheries exhibit, shown in an effective low-roofed Romanesque structure flanked by two vast circular aquaria, in which the spectator can look upw ard thrcugiTclear voters and Uidy the creatures of ocean and river. This build ing will be directly west of the northern opening of the system of lagoons into Lake Michigan, and in a straight line Avith the Government building and the main building, which extend along the lake shore to tl iVorffTtiie lagoon which bounds this fisheries island lies the present improved portion of Jackson park, which will be reserved for the buildings of states and foreign governments. The Illinois bu, d- ing will occupy a commanding position here its classic dome being visible over the long lagoon from the central plaza. 15G HISTORY OF CHICAGO FRpM 1S33 TO 1802. At the junction ofthe Midway Plaisance AA'ith Jack son park is the site chosen for the Proctor tower, which, rising 1,100 feet into the air, Avill command a majestic yicAv ofthe beautiful grounds and buildings brilliant Avith light and color, and the great city lying between boundless levels of land and sea. Thus the various portions of the exhibition will be equally accessible by Avater and by -land. The traveler may come by carriage, by cable, or by rail ; and be carried from one section to another on the 'elevated roads which Avill connect and perhaps pene trate the buildings, or folloAv the broad foot-ways which Avill surround them, or he may arrive by steamer from the lake, and board one of the gay boats which will glide from building to building along the lagoons. By whatever path he comes, he will behold a scene of commanding beauty— noble edifices grouped with consumatc art in grounds admiiably disposed. The geaius ofthe late consult ing architect and his eminent coadjutors Avill here proclaim to the Avorld the supremacy of American architecture, the artistic resources of the new world Columbus discoA'cred four centuries ago. Art Avill avail herself to the utmost of her noble opportunity. She will follow- the fine example of nature, avIio docs not insult the majestic monotony of her oceans lw piling high mountains along the shore. From the infinite level ofthe lake Ave folloAv the long, Ioav monotonous lines of thechief exhibition edifices until the gilded dome of the Administration building strikes upward toAvard the sky. Still fur ther landAvard rises the Proctor tower, the eyes' final resting place in if s. progress upward. The effect, HISTORY OF CHICAGO FROM 1833 TO 1802, 157 briliant bv day, will be dazzling at night when the kvcl roofs'and the domes are outlined with electric lights, when foaming illuminated fountams-gor- gcous colors in the,air/when the long lagoons reflect the myriads of st ange lights, and the towers soar heavenward like a constellation of glowing stars He who ascends to that discscy height on a clear day in the eventful summer of 1893 will look down upon a scene more splendid than the famous pageants o antiquity. He will see beautiful buildings radiant Avith color and flashing the sunlight from their gilded pinnacles and domes; blue lagoons and rivers break- Lr into sparkling fountains and enclosing islands Uodcd with primeval oak. He will look down on flowery terraces sloping to the stone paved beach, on statues rising from land and water to welcome the people of the earth, on waving flags and gorgeous banners like floating rajs of broken hgl t And beyond all, harmonizing and glorifying the bright picture, he will behold the boundless waters of Lake M chigan, linking the beautiful with the sublime, the present with the past, the finite with the ,n finite 1 Charles Cleaver. 0136 Y f\ l_ C"!