Donohue & Henneberry

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Printers’ Row

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Donohue & Henneberry, Donahue Building
Life Span: 1887-Present
Location: 407 to 429 Dearborn (old), 701-21 S. Dearborn
Architect: Julius Speyer, A. S. Alschuler (Addition)

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Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
Donohue & Henneberry Bldg.—407 to 429 Dearborn.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

Dating or appraising books printed by Michael Ambrose Donohue & William Henneberry is outside the scope of Chicagology, which is more focused on architecture. Donohue & Henneberry printed inexpensive & unauthorized copies of popular books and often did not put copyright dates because they did not own the material (not original publisher). Many of the books were used during down times to keep pressmen busy.

DO NOT CONTACT CHICAGOLOGY ABOUT DATING OR APPRAISING YOUR BOOK.

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Chicago Tribune, May 27, 1886

Nearly a million dollars’ worth of property was destroyed in this city early yesterday morning by a fire which burned the Adams Building, corner of Wabash avenue and Congress street (315 Wabash), occupied by Belford, Clarke & Co., publishers, Donohue, Henneberry & Co., printers and publishers, and others. The building was owned by John Quincy Adams. There was considerable excitement among the guests at the Brunswick Hotel, across the street, the intense heat cracking the windows and setting fire to the curtains.

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Inter Ocean, May 15, 1887

E. Baggot is completing his contracts for the plumbing and gas fitting in Donahue & Henneberry’s new building on Dearborn street, and in the Brevoort House, on Madison street, near Clark.

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Chicago Tribune, October 17, 1886

A Fine Printing House.
Tho structure known as tho Donobue & Henneberry Building, six stories and basement, being erected by J. Speyer, architect, with a frontage of 200 feet on Dearborn street and running. through to Third avenue, between Harrison and Polk streets, has some features in it which should recommend It to all architects who have in contemplation the houses of this character. The basement is made absolutely fire-proof, having a rock-asphalt floor throughout, which the firm intend to use as their press-room, thereby preventing that continual vibration und noise so disagreeable to other occupants where tho press-room Is located on any other floor.

In case of this basement will sustain almost any weight which may fall on it, thereby saving that part of the contents which is most valuable in their business. The boilers in tho basement are enclosed by heavy retaining-walls, which will entirely separate tho boiler-room from the balance of the space. Tho elevators will have automatic elevator-doors, where employes will be safe from accidents. The two fire-escapes on the Third avenue elevation are to be the finest arrangement at present known to builders, and, in fact, the only instance in the city where they are used on manufacturing buildings. They will be after the style of iron stairs on the outside of the building, with openings from each floor to a platform inclosed by a railing, which will render descent as easy as any ordinary stairs There will be a fire-wall running through the building from east to west, making two separate and distinct building. The wall will extend four feet above the roof, and the opening on each floor will have double iron doors. The building is provided with two large entrances. The Third avenue entrance, which will be used extensively by employes, will be inclosed by heavy brick walls running to and including the whole six floors. The large entrance on Dearborn will compare favorably with any of these on La Salle street. Above this entrance and in the centre will be a fine tower. The Dearborn street elevation will be faced with the finest pressed brick, with Connecticut brown-stone trimmings. The object of the owners is to make the structure of sufficient strength to receive two additional stories when they are needed. The cost will be $125,000, and the day set for its completion is April 1. The firm will occuopy the basement, fourth, fisth and sixth floors. The second and third floors will be stores, each floor to be furnished as one room and divided to suit the parties needing them.

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Commercial and Architectural Chicago, G. W. Orear, 1887

DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY.
No better illustration could be shown of the progress that Chicago has made in her various lines of industry , than to give a brief outline of the advancement and success of her representative houses in these lines.

The firm named above began to do a printing and bookbinding business immediately after the fire of 1871. They secured a location at 32 North Canal street. Finding this place too small for their business, they removed to a larger building, at 71 West Lake street. This building soon proved to be not large enough, and they secured the large buildings 105 and 107 Madison street, where they continued until the necessity of having still more room forced them to take the two commodious buildings at 180 and 182 Monroe street, and, in addition to these, to run a branch house at 54 and 56 Franklin street. Their business grew so rapidly that they concluded to get one large structure to accommodate it. Therefore they had erected for them the large six-story buildings at the corner of Wabash avenue and Congress street, to which they removed and were occupying, when the fire fiend overtook them in May, 1886. The destruction of these buildings—the entire plant constituting one structure—was the largest fire that has occurred in Chicago since 1873. The night was inky black, and when the flames burst out mountain high from the upper windows and from the roof, the light illuminated the whole city and drew thousands of people to the vicinity, who stood watching the grand sight, though terrific destruction. Notwithstanding this great loss, not only of property but also of much of their business, which would naturally have to seek other channels, temporarily at least, the firm were soon at work again, returning to their old quarters at 180 and 182 Monroe street, where their business soon found its way back to them. It was soon demonstrated that these premises were entirely insufficient to accommodate their business. However, they intended only to occupy them until they could erect a building for themselves. They purchased the ground and began the erection of a building suitable to their wants and purposes. The work was pushed as rapidly as money and mechanical skill could do it, and to-day they own and occupy as fine a building as there is in the country for such a purpose. The building stands on their own ground, which lies between Dearborn street and Third avenue, just against Polk street, and fronts 201 feet on both the former thoroughfares, the main entrance being on Dearborn street. It is eight stories high, built of St. Louis press brick, with granite and brown-stone trimmings. Over the main entrance there is a handsome tower extending the height of two stories above the roof, from whose dome one can overlook the whole city. The entire basement is occupied with great printing presses, some forty in number. In connection with the press department in the basement, they have provided a series of fire-proof vaults for the protection of electrotype and stereotype cuts and plates. This is a feature that publishers and those having printing work done, who have valuable plates, will appreciate, as it inspires a feeling of security. The great loss sustained in cuts and plates by the fire at Wabash avenue and Congress street decided the firm to provide absolutely against such a recurrence.

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The first floor is occupied as stores, the second, third, fourth and fifth as offices, while the sixth contains the general offices of the firm and the composing department. The seventh and eighth are exclusively devoted to the mammoth bookbinding department. The building and its equipment constitute the most extensive establishment of the kind in the United States.

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History of the Development of Building Construction in Chicago, Frank Randall, 1949

The Donohue Building, formerly known as the Donohue & Henneberry building, at 701-21 S. Dearborn street, was built in 1883 1887 with 200 feet of frontage, eight stories and one basement high, on spread foundations. Julius Speyer was the architect. In 1913 the south 100 feet of frontage, the Donohue Annex building, at 723-33 S. Dearborn street, was added, 10 stories and one basement high, on pile foundations (A. S. Alschuler, architect).

M. A. Donohue & Co. based in Chicago, Illinois was established in 1871. The company was founded by two bookbinders, William P. Henneberry and Michael A. Donohue. The company was initially known as Donohue & Henneberry. The publisher’s original location was 407-429 Dearborn St. in Chicago’s South Loop. The company was known for inexpensive editions of popular works of fiction. It focused on publishing sets and series of books (i.e. “libraries.”) In 1903, Donohue bought out his partner, Henneberry, and changed the company name to M.A. Donohue & Company. It continued in business to the 1960s at 711-727 S. Dearborn St., Chicago. The building was converted to condos in 1980.

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From The Standard Guide to Chicago For the Year 1891

Donohue & Henneberry, the printers, binders and publishers. This was one of the first of the great office buildings erected on South Dearborn street. It has a frontage also on Third avenue. It is eight stories in height and finished after the most modern fashion. The upper part of the building is occupied by the various departments of Donohue & Henneberry’s establishment -counting rooms, offices, book rooms, composition rooms, bindery rooms, etc. The lower floors are given over to numerous publishing firms, newspaper offices, advertising offices, printers’ supply offices, etc. The immense basement is occupied by Donohue & Henneberry’s presses—book, job, newspaper, etc., of the latest and most approved modern make. The firm of Donohue & Henneberry is one of the most prominent in the United States. It turns out an immense number of bound volumes annually, besides catalogues and other printed matter of the higher grade.

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Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views of Chicago, 1893

② Donohue & Henneberry Building
The Donohue & Henneberry Building Stands in front of the Dearborn Station, near the northeast corner of Dearborn and Polk streets, at Nos. 407-425 of the former street. It has frontages of 180 feet on Dearborn Street and Plymouth Place, and is 71 feet deep and 120 feet high. It has 8 stores, 30 offices, 1,700 inhabitants, and 1 passenger elevator; stone, brick, and terra-cotta exterior; occupied by printers, publishers, book-binders, and printers’ supply houses. Erected in 1886.

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Chicago Tribune, January 5, 1893

Thirty-one men were burned and injured yesterday afternoon by repeated explosions of natural gas in the vaults of the Donohue & Henneberry Building on Dearborn street, between Harrison and Polk streets. At least one of the injured men will probably die. The force of the explosion shattered hundreds of plate-glass windows and shook the great eight-story building to its foundations. It lifted the huge flagstones of the side-walk like an earthquake and twisted the iron and glass vault-covers into tangled knots. Huge jets of flame burst through the broken vaults and firemen and employs were caught and terribly burned.

Outside the building thousands of people crowded and with each explosion fought for escape, while horses, frightened at the noise, plunged frantically into the crowds. Within, hundreds of employés were at work. Three hundred girls in the bindery on the seventh and eighth floors were brought in safety down a single narrow stairway, while beneath explosion after explosion sounded and from without came the yells of the excited crowd and the roaring of the working engines.

Mr. Donohue of the firm estimated the total loss last evening at $20,000. By the superintendent of the insurance patrol, however, it is fixed at not more than one-tenth of that amount.

The injuries of most of those hurt consisted of burns. These burns were painful in all cases, and in many were serious. It is believed, however, that but one man will die, although the fate of several who inhaled the flames will hang in the balance for several days. Scores of persons were slightly injured by the shock and flying débris. The most seriously injured are:

Probably Fatally Injured.

Nolan, Michael, No. 14 Shalton street, fireman, Fire Insurance Patrol No. 1; severely burned about the head, face and hands, and internally by inhaling flames; taken home.

Others Injured.

Cleveland, Clinton, No. 416 West Taylor street, pressman for Dohohue & Henneberry; burned about the face and hands; taken home.
Donlin, John, No. 336 South Morgan street: fireman truck No. 1; face and hands burned and front teeth knocked out.
Eiserman, Len, employé of Economic Gas company; burned about face and hands: taken home.
Earragh, John, No. 60 Clifton avenue, employé; slightly burned about the face.
Fleming, William, No. 28 West Lake street; fireman engine company No. 40; face and hands barned; taken to Alexian Brothers’ Hospital.
Gallagher, Thomas, Monroe street and Michigan avenue. fireman truck No. 9; severely burned about the face and hands; taken to Mercy Hospital.
Griedt. August, No. 60 Clifton avenue, pressman; badly burned about the head and body; taken home.
Guatt, Gustav, No. 60 Clifton avenue, pressman; face and hands burned; taken home.
Jackson, Frank, No. 423 State street, pressman; cut about the face and hands; not seriously lajured.
Kaeder, F. J., No. 3658 Wabash avenue, fireman, Captain Engine No. 21; leg hurt by falling wall in basement.
Kelly, J. F., No. 84 Pacific avenue, fireman, Track No. 1; burned about face and hands: taken home.
Koch, Mat, No. 200 Hudson avenue, fireman, Engine No. 10; burned about face and hands: taken home.
Jones, Richard, body badly bruised by falling wall. in basement: burned severely about face, hands, and bods.
Lacy, Martin, No. 24 Superior street, fire-man, Lieutenant Engine No. 13; burned about the face and bands; taken home.
McDonald, J. C., No. 471 West Harrison street. fireman, Captain Engine No. 10; severe burns about the head, face (particularly the eyes), and hands; taken home.
McInerney, William, No. 501 West Twenty-first street, fireman, Engine No. 10; burned about face and hands; taken home.
Mullen, Edward, vault man, face and hands burned; taken home.
Murphy, John, Delaware place and Rush street, fireman, Engine No. 10: badly burned about the head. face, and hands; taken home.
Mullen, E., residence unknown, employe.
O’Malley, Patrick, NO. 32 Pine street, Chief First Battalion: face burned.
Padden, William, No. 84 Pacific avenue, fire-man, truck No. 1, burned about face and hands: taken home.
Russell, James, No. 39 Vedder street, fire-man, engine No. 10, burned severely about face and hands, and internally by inhaling flames; taken to St. Luke’s Hospital.
Schroeder, Henry, No. 90 Barclay, street, pressman, burned about the face and hands; taken home.
Seifert, Charles, No. 137 West Polk street, fireman, Captain truck No. 1, hands and face burned and internal injuries from being thrown against a wall twenty feet away; taken home.
Shaughnessy, J. C., Twenty-second street, fireman, Lieutenant truck No. 4, burned about face and hands; taken home.
Sheehy, John, No. 392 Desplaines street, pressman, face and hands burned; taken home.
Swenie, D. J., No. 36 Pearce street, Fire Marshal, severely burned about head, face (particularly in the eyes), and hands; taken home after fire was out.
Sain, Clint, No. 304 East Twenty-second street, Lieutenant Insurance Patrol No. 1., badly burned about head and hands, injured internally; taken home.
Shovelin, Michael, Fifth avenue and Van Buren street, fireman Engine company No. 1: face burned; taken to engine-house.
Williamson, E., Lake View, pressman: face and hands badly burned.

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In Five Fierce Explosions.
The first of the fire explosions occurred at 2:35 o’clock, and Ed Mullen, August Griedt, John Sheehy, Clinton Cleveland, and Williamson, all employes of Donohue & Henneberry, were the injured left by the first terrible flash of flame. Two other explosions of lesser violence followed in quick succession, and after a pause of twenty-five minutes, during which time the
Fire Departinent arrived and the firemen had gotten to work, the fourth and heaviest explosion occurred that shook the building from foundation to cap stone and the earth for the distance of a block in either direction, sending forth a flame that filled the basement of the building and reached out onto the sidewalk, terribly burning nineteen firemen, one of them probably fatally. A fifth explosion come then in a few seconds, and those brave fire fighters who were in the basement of the building were wrapped again in the sheets of roaring, hissing flame. Then it was that Michael Nolan received his terrible injuries and those of his comrades the more serious injuries that were sustained. Comparatively little damage was done to the building and its contents; the fire fiend wasted its fury in a short time, but left thirty-one victims in its train.

Flames First, Then an Explosion.
It was 2:30 o’clock when the gas first caught fire and blazed up. Eugene Le Beau, the assistant engineer, first caught sight of the flames breaking through into the basement above the top of the vaults. Several employes of the Economic Gas company were at work at the time in the vaults making connections for the turning on of natural gas. In the basement ten pressmen were at work and the big room was filled with the roar and rumble of machinery.

Engineer Hill rushed up to the first floor and brought down the hose attached to the water works in the building. He opened the vault door and commenced to play on the flames, when a fierce explosion threw him and his assistants to the floor. Instantly the whole buildig was in confusion. Smoke poured up the elevator shaft and out onto each of the eight floors. An alarm was turned in and when the first engines arrived the street and sidewalks were packed with excited people.

Then in rapid succession followed four violent explosions. The pavement shook under the feet of the frightened crowds and blinding sheets of flare shot up into their faces.

With the first explosion people gathered in great crowds on the street eager to learn the cause. As soon as the Fire Department arrived the dangerous character of the fire became apparent to them, and they turned the hose on the crowds to drive them out of harm’s way. Then began the work of knocking holes with sledges in area coverings to give vent to the terrifie force that was confined in the vault under the sidewalk.

Firemen Wrapped in Flame.
A few moments after the vent holes were made the heaviest of the explosions occurred.
A sheet of flame half the length of the big building burst forth, and, extending into the street as far as the curb, enveloped the firemen and all those who were on the side-walk. The great flagstones of the sidewalk were lifted from their settings, and the men who were on them were thrown into the street.

Chief Swenie was hurled through the air and burned about the face. He refused medical attendance until after all danger was past. The pavement upon which he was standing while overseeing the work of his men was thrown up and them dropped partly into the basement underneath.

For an instant only did the rumbling and blinaing flashes of light last, and then came the great sheets of window-glass raining to the ground from the shattered windows above.

Fire Department Horses Scared.
The force of the explosion shook the building like a giant tree in a storm. The vast crowds across the street became panic-stricken, and two of the horses attached to hose reels—accustomed as they were to fires—took fright and ran into the mass of scrambling men and women on the opposite sidewalk. One horse mounted the sidewalk and bore down on the tangled mass of people. A woman fell right in the path of the horse on the sidewalk and a moment later a dozen men, women, and children were piled in a screaming, terrified mass on top of her. Just then some men who had not lost their senses seized the horse in time to prevent the fatal consequences that would have followed had the horse and heavy cart gone a few feet further.

When the tremors and reverberations of the concussion died away and spectators looked to see the result, there the big building was still standing, and then from the basement a moment later came the injured firemen and pressmen, with their faces blackened and hair singed. Some were running, groaning as they ran, for something to relieve their terrible pain. Others were carried out by their more fortunate companions.

No Panic In the Building.
Strange to say there was no panic in the upper stories of the building and no one was iniured, except those in the basement, while leaving it. The third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth floors and basement of the big building are occupied by Donohue & Henneberry, who employ about 800 persons, 300 of whom are girls employed in the two bookbinderies operated by the firm. As soon as Isaac Cole, the colored elevator man, was assured that the fire was likely to be dangerous he went to every floor and notified the different foremen to get their operatives out.

“Mr. Donohue says take the back stairway and you are perfectly safe,” the colored man enjoined.

Without a moment’s delay every one of the employés seized wraps and hats and without waiting to put them on tiled down the rear stairway at a double quick. The foremen went with their forces and cautioned them to be calm, as there was no immediate danger.

John Harrison, the foreman of the composing-room, said:

I went to my men when I heard of the fire and told them to get out without making any noise, and I warned them that the first man to raise his voice or run or do anything to cause a panic would be dealt with seriously. They took the advice I gave them and went out like soldiers, and not a person was injured. The least panic among them would have precipitated awful consequences, as scores might have been trampled to death.

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Chicago Tribune, January 15, 1906

Fire causing a lose of probably $130,000 attacked an eight story building at 427-429 Dearborn street, occupied by M. A. Donohue and Company, printers, at 2 o’clock this morning and spread to the sixth floor of the structure.

Donohue & Co. occupy all the eight stories of the building at 427-429 Dearborn except the second floor which is filled with the stock of the H. C. Hildebrandt Laundry Supply Co.

Watchman’s Narrow Escape.
Joseph Tierce, watchman was on the fifth floor when, he detected the smoke which was then pomIng up the elevator shaft. He hurried to the basement and in groping his way there he was overcome by smoke. The engineer, J. A. Flynn, who had been in another part of the building, also hurried to the basement and found Tierce. He dragged the latter to the air where he soon revived.

Donohue & Co also occupy as press rooms and store rooms all the basements in the row of buildings from 407 to 429 Dearborn street

Spread at First Feared.
The fire at 3:30 this morning was in danger of sweeping through the whole length of these basement rooms, filled as they are with heavy and costly printing machinery. But later was believed to be under control in the Donohue building.

The building at 421 Dearborn is occupied by the Western Book Binding company and Is filled with immense quantities of inflammable material.

The firms in the northern building are as follows:

R. Schwan. saloon, 425 Dearborn street.
Thayer & Lynn, electricians, 423 Dearborn street.
Western Book Binding company. 421 Dearborn street.

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Chicago Tribune, January 12, 1913

The property at 729 to 733 South Dearborn street, 50×71. feet, has been sold by George Spry to Michael A. Donohue, owner of the holding adjoining on the north. The consideration was not disclosed, but as part of the grantee has given back a trust deed to secure the payment of $50,000 in two years, with 5 per cent interest. White & Tabor represented the purchaser and Hyde W. Perce the seller.

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Chicago Tribune, November 18, 1913

A large number of Chicagans will find interest in the announcement that today Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Donohue of 4543 Grand boulevard will celebrate the golden anniversary of their wedding. They were married in Chicago on Nov. 18. 1863. Mrs. Donohue, whose maiden name was Jane Furey. was born in Dublin on May 14, 1843. Her parents. Mr. and Mrs. William F. Furey, moved with their family to New York In 1847. They settled in Chicago In 1855. Mr. Donohue was born in the village of Gort, County Galway, Ireland, on Sept. 19, 1841. He came to America in 1852. He resided in Philadelphia until 1856. when he moved to Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Donohue have nine children and eight grandchildren. Four sons still survive. J. W. Donohue. 4543 Michigan avenue; W. F. Donohue. 6519 Sheridan road; M. A. Donohue Jr., 6617 Harvard avenue, and E. T. Donohue, 4543 Grand boulevard, and two daughters. Mrs. A. E. Whitaker. 4943 Washington Park court, and Miss Jeannette Donohue.

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Inland Printer, July 1922

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This plaque has erroneously stated that the Donnohue & Henneberry building was constructed in 1883. Donohue and Henneberry actually rented space in the then brand new John Quincy Adams building located at the corner of Congress and Wabash streets. This building was burned to the ground on May 26, 1886, and a new building was built on Dearborn street in 1887.

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Chicago Tribune, January 28, 1978

Harry Weese is converting Printing House Row, a 10-story building at 711-727 S. Dearborn St., into a unique combination commercial-residential complex.

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Donohue & Henneberry
Greeley-Carlson Company’s Atlas of Chicago
1891

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Donohue & Henneberry
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906

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