1863—The Great North Western Sanitary Fair

1865—The Great North Western Sanitary Fair

October 27, November 7, 1863

Chicago Tribune, October 28, 1863

Yesterday will never be forgotten either in the city of Chicago, or in the West. Memorable it will remain both as history and as patriotism. Such a sight was never seen before in the West upon any occasion; and we doubt whether a more magnificent spectacle was ever presented in the streets of the Empire City itself, than that vast procession of chariots and horsemen, country wagons, and vehicles, civic orders and military companies, both horse and foot, which converted Chicago for the time being, into a vast theatre of wonders.

From the carliest dawn of the day the heart of the mighty city was awake, and long before eight o’clock the streets were thronged with people—citizens hurried excitedly to and fro; and country women, with their children, came in early in the morning, with colors tied to their bridles, and decorating their wagons, and with miniature flags and banners on their horses heads. On the house tops, on the public buildings, daunted the glorious flag of liberty. By nine o’clock the city was in & roar; the vast hum of multitudinous voices Alled the atmosphere. Drums beat in all parts of the city summoning the various processions, or accompanying them to the grand central rendezvous. Bands of music playing patriotic tunes—bands of young wen, sod women, singing patriotic songs, enlivened the streets. Every pathway was jammed up with human bodies so that it was with extreme difficulty any headway could be made.

The procession was advertised to assemble at 9 o’clock precisely, and was composed of nine divisions, formed in the following order:

As near ten o’clock as possible it started, banners flying, drums rolling, and all manner of brazen instruments stirring the air, and the hearts of the vast multitudes of people with thrilling exciting music. On it came, that mighty pageant! followlog the course laid down in the printed programme:

From Michigan Avenue west on Lake to Market street; on Market street south to Washington street; on Washington east to Clark street; on Clark south to Harrison street; on Harrison street east to Michigan Avenue; north on Michigan Avenue to Lake a street; west on Lake street to Lasalle; south on Lasalle to the Court House Square.

Such earnest enthusiasm as accompanied the procession, from first to last, has rarely been witnessed on any occasion. It was a grand, and sublime protest on behalf of the people against the poltroons and traitors who were enemies to the Government, and opposed to the war. Bursts of patriotic feeling came from many a loyal bosom on that memorable and never-to-be-forgotten day. The people seemed to overflow with loyalty, and could not contain themselves. For a long time they had been silent, nursing their wrath, keeping alive their love for the old flag, keeping alive also their hatred of those who hated it—who had so long fired upon it in the rear—finding nowhere, in no event, in no newspaper, any adequate utterance of their passionate feelings. Now the mighty eloquence of that majestic and sublime procession spoke for them! That was the thing which they all along wanted to say—but could not! They were in themselves cyphers, were units of the Nation; but there, in all those thousands of men, they saw themselves multiplied into an incalculable, irresistible host, and felt that their hour of triumphant speech had come at last! That was the auewer which they thundered out in trumpet tones to the miserable traitors who had so long torn the bleeding heart of their country.

“I always knew,” said one old man at our elbow, in the crowd, while we were watching the procession, “that the heart of the people was all right. They didn’t know their daoger for a long while.”

We timed the procession as it passed the Court House and turned down South Clark street. It occupied precisely fifty-eight minutes in its splendid march. For splendid it truly was—such a sight as we never expect to see again, until the last trump! It was remarkable in many respects as a pageant, and particularly in the number of fine horses which accompanied it. A larger number of well mounted men has rarely been seen in a civic procession. The Police came at the head of it, under the command of Capt. Nelson; a fine body of men, with capital horses, looking as bold, and brave as heroes.

After these followed in stately march, the Michigan Sharpshooters; the 1st regiment of Illinois State Militia, (Chicago City Guards,) a fine lot of fellows! and the whole of the 1st Division, with their bands, and flags, and panoply of war.

Amongst these, the carriage containing the captured rebel flags, attracted much attention, and excited great enthusiasm. These were the daunting rage which the rebels had borne on many a battle field, and which our brave Illinois soldiers had torn from the hands of their standard bearers. There they were, bellorum exuria, spoils of war, flaunting no longer in haughty defiance at the head of rebel armies, but carried in triunph at the head of a civic procession in the pescefal etreets of Chiengo. Many a tearful memory they must have conjured up in the minds of many a spectator there present, whose sons were in the battles where these flags were taken-and many of whom are, ere now, at rest for ever in their bloody soll.

The second and third division followed-and it was a most picturesque and plentag sight, to ba hold the long lines of members of the various Lodges, Socletles and Associations of the city in their many colored regalias. Then came the Benevolent Societies, the Religious orders, making an imposing spectacle, which it would require the painters’ art to represent, and to which no words could do anything like justice.

The fifth Division, ushered by a fine band, and headed by J. Q. Hoyt, esq., then came tramping by. There were scores of carriages containing members of the press, the clergy, the municipal Authorities, Judges, and Officers of the Courts, Governors and ex-Governors of States, etc., etc.

One of the most strikingly beautiful features of the procession was a superbly decorated four horse car, bearing the employees of the liberal hearted Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Co., represented in this city by Geo. R. Chittenden, Esq., and suggestive by the presence of working-women and sewing machines at work upon soldiers’ overcoats, of the utility of the Sewing Machine in clothing armies. –

Then the sixth Division consisting of wagons choked with children, singing the song of “John Brown’e Body Lies Mouldering In the Grave!”

Then the seventh division of Butchers, Horse Shoers—of Ponies and Oxen, contributed, and last, but not least—nay, greatest and mightiest of all, the sublime spectacle of the Lake County Delegation.

At The Sanitary Commission.
The scene presented at the Sanitary Commission rooms, was worth going a great distance to witness, and thousands improved the rare opportunity. Here more than 100 wagons were drawn up before the Commission, delivering their treasures to the agents who are to forward them to the boys in the field. The sidewalks and street were filled with boxes, barrels and sacks, and scores and hundreds of bystanders eagerly put their shoulders to the work, and were proud to take part in handling some of this soldiers’ produce. Madison street, for nearly a block, was blockaded for fully half an hour. Judge Fuller came to see what was the matter—why the Madison street cars were so long delayed, but when he saw the cause, and the effect upon the people, he concluded passengers could well afford to walk around the blockade.” This grand donation was worth about $8,000—an immense amount of farm products of every variety-better than gold for the Sanitary Commission, and through them, for the boys in the field and in hospitals.

The back room of the “Commission” was filled with wheat; Mr. McVicker tendered them the use of hie cellar, which was soon flied; next B. W. Raymond offered storage room in one of his large cellars, which was gladly accepted, and promptly used. And right here we would suggest that liberal donations of empty barrels and sacks are wanted at the Sanitary Commission Rooms by noon to-day, to enable the officers to send these articles forward to-night! We regret that some photographist was not on hand to take a view of that crowd, and present duplicates to the Fair, They would have sold by thousands.

View of Bryan Hall
Bryan Hall is the most attractive of the varions rooms in the city, devoted to the exhibition of goods and fancy articles for the Falr. The old hall le so completely metamorphosed that scarcely a citizen—most familiar with it—would recognize it, in its new aspects, and decorations. Entering by the front stairs, the visitor comes at once upon the almost fairy-like scenes which it presents to his delighted eyes. The auditorium is crowded with citizens, and country people, beautiful girls, and splendid women, and enthusiastic young folks of both sexes; to say nothing of venerable old men, and young bucks, who are quite as eager after the parti-colored crinolines, as these latter are after the gay things on the well-furnished stalls. Three years ago it wold have been a matter of great attraction also, that so many military wen were present in the crowded assembly—for one could scarcely move a step without jostling a soldier of the rank of Colonel, or at least Captain. We, for our part, were glad to see them—they were living proofs of the ubiquity of Uncle Sam’s military arm; proofs, also, that if the copperheads are one man, the soldiers are one hundred!

As a pictorial effect they showed well, in their blue and gold, amidst the more sombre citizens? as they mingled with the general crowd. The decided color of ther costames set off the dresses of the ladies to a most appreciable advantage.

It is time, however, to speak of the facial changes which the hall has undergone; and it would be difficult to say which part of it is the more maricod in character. The platform in surely not the same old, dreary looking thing that it used to want the good old days of lecturing and political speaking, when there were no articles of furniture upon it save a miserable table, where two reporters could not sit with ease, and a lot of ugly forms and Kitchen chairs and yet it must be the same; the geography of it is the same, and there is the came painted canopy hanging over it.

Machinery Hall.
A temporary hall has been erected adjoining Bryan Hall on the east, for the reception of the heavy and bulky machinery which have been contributed to the bereft of the Fair by the manufacturers and other generous parsons. The contributions in this department have been very liberal, and embrace almost every article of farm and household economy. They are already sufficient in number and importance for a good sized State Fair. The articles thus contributed were mostly manufactured by the contributors especially for the purpose, and are of course made of the best material and the very best style of workmanship. We give a catalogue of the contributions to this department, and we would suggest to our friends who may be in want of the articles named, that here is just the place to purchase. They will be sure of getting a first class article, and at the same time will be contributing their mite to a blessed charity. The following articles may be found for sale in the Machinery Hall.

Plows.
One deep Tiller, made and contributed by J. H. Deere of Moline, Ill., a splendid article.
One Michigan Double Plow, contributed by J. H. Deere, of Moline.
One cast steel Plow, from the same liberal gentlemen.
The employees of the Peru City Plow Factory, contribute a beautiful plow, while the Company also contribute another.
Furst & Bradley, of the Garden City Agricultural Works, Chicago, have contributed two most excellent Stubble Plows.
Faster & Gammon, 46. 48 and 50 Lake street, give a cast steel Collins Plow, of superior finish.
A splendid cast steel Plow also comes from the Pittsburgh, Pa., Sanitary Commission.
The Badger State Plow Company, Kenosha, Wis., sends a beautiful cast steel plow.

There may be one or two others which we have overlooked. Any person in want of an articie of this kind can do no better in any market.

Nails.
The Nall manufacturers of Pittsburgh have been very liberal in their contributions. There are more than 100 kegs of Nails in this department, which opens a good bargain for some dealer. Among the contributors are:
Twenty kegs nails from Eagle Iron Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Twelve kegs nails from Birmingham Iron Works, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Twelve kegs nails from the Duquesne Nail Works, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Twenty kegs nails from the Sable Nail Works, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Twenty kegs nails from the Pittsburgh Sanitary Commission.

There are several other contributions from the same city, but we have not their names.

Stoves.
Collins & Burgie, corer of Jefferson and Van Buren streets, contributed four most beautiful and successful cooking stoves, with all their fittings.
Jewitt & Root, Bufislo, sent to the Fair a splendid Ranger.
Morsel & Thompson, of New York, contribute a ” McGreggor”
H C. Von Schask, State street, contributes a “Morning Glory.”

Reapers, Mowers and Planters.
C. H. McCormick, of Chicago, contributed a large and elegantly finished Reaper, Mower and
Self-Raker combined.
George Esterly, of Whitewater, Wis., contributed an elegantly finished Reaper and Mower combined.
A Corn Planter, from Brown & Co., 86 Lake street.

Trunks.
From Bicher & Kapsell, 103 Randolph street, comes a beautifully finished and capacious “Saratoga,” price $30—well worth the money:
From H. G. S. Wright, 61 Clark street, a “Saratoga,” not quite so large, but big enough for a home for a small family with one or two boarders.
S. J. Hughes, 58 State street, also contributes two trunks.

Oils.
The Pitteburgh, Pa., Sanitary Commission contributed ten barrels of oil, of various brands, a portion of it put put up very elegantly varnished brass bound casks. There are contributions of oll from several other sources in Pittsburgh, but we aro unable to obtain the names of the generous donors at present.

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