Stag Athletic Club, Commonwealth Edison Sub-Station (1904)
Life Span: 1897-Present
Location: 77-79 Plymouth (Old), 521 South Plymouth Court
Architect:
Chicago Tribune, October 12, 1897
From all points of view the new athletic club which is being formed in Chicago under the name of the “Stag Amateur Athletic club,” is likely to prove an important issue in various branches of sports.
The club, which has been the pet idea of Harry Romaine for some time, was only broached last Thursday, and it was immediately seized upon as a feasible scheme by the parties to whom the idea was imparted. Measures were at once begun to put the plan in operation, and as a result nearly 600 members have signed the lists, a site has been selected, and plans are nearly ready for submission.
It is proposed to have 1,000 members at $10 each and when that number is secured to raise the initiation fee, the amount of which has not been decided.
The club will be patterned after the big athletic clubs, but is in no way competing against any of the local organizations, and its purpose is to allow those in moderate circumstances to become members.
That there are a large number of people In Chicago desirous of entering a club and who are fond of such athletic sports as boxing and wrestling is the main reason given for forming the club.
Locate in Plymouth Place.
Harry Romaine and Billy Myer have had their eyes on several locations for the club quarters, but as several were out of the question they decided on 77 and 79 Plymouth place as the site, and already have had plans drawn for remodeling the building into a comfortable clubhouse.
The chief feature will be the gymnasium, 100 by 50 feet, which will be fitted up with all the modern paraphernalia and all the latest contrivances intended to put muscle upon the body.
In the basement there will be the tanks, baths, and bowling alleys, while on the upper floorg will be arranged a handball court and training quarters.
Members will not suffer for want of a boxing instructor, for several well known boxers have been spoken to with a view towards obtaining a first-class man to take charge of that department. Among them are Choynski and Tommy Ryan.
It is thought that Choynski will accept.
No professional goes, it is said, will be allowed, as it is the idea of the club to give matches of a limited number of rounds under the rules of the Amateur Athletic union, in which organization the new club will ask for membership. It will try to bring out the best local amateur talent in Chicago and other cities.
The opening nights it is proposed to hold tournament of matches. Bag punching and wrestling will also be a feature of the program.
Romaine said regarding the proposed club last evening:
To Hold Amateur Bouts.
“We are not competing against any of the local clubs, such as the C. A. A., but have started the club with the idea of forming an organization which those in moderate circumstances can join and help to foster athletic sports of all kinds.
“The boxing matches will be merely tests of science and will not in any way be slugging matches, as we will bring them off under the A. A. U. rules and we hope that this will be an incentive to the amateur boxers of Chicago.
“The club has already, a large number of men on its lists and we have applications from many more. Several Board of Trade men will join and I expect a number of C. A. A. men will also become members.
“We will be governed by the A. A. U. rules and will also have the usual bylaws and rules.”
The club will apply for incorporation papers and it will probably be a month before the doors of the new club swing open to its members.
Romaine says neither Hankins nor M. C. McDonald is connected with the new club, although Hankins has sent in an application. Colonel J. D. Hopkins has applied, as has also Malachy Hogan.
Chicago Chronicle, October 14, 1897
STAG ATHLETIC CLUB.
New Building Under Way.
Work has been commenced on the building of the new Stag Amateur Athletic club. The ground has been leased from the R. J. Gunning company and the contractor began work yesterday. The new building, which will be at 77 and 79 Plymouth place, will be modeled after the modern athletic clubhouses and will cost when completed $50,000. The work will be pushed to the utmost and will be finished in less than thirty days.
The new club will be opened to its members Nov. 10, when a large reception will be held. The charter membership promises to reach 1,000.
The first floor will be fitted up with club-rooms, a handball court and a gymnasium 150 feet long and 50 feet wide. In the basement will be a swimming tank, Turkish baths, dressing-rooms and bowling alleys. The second floor will be given to an exhibition hall, with a seating capacity of 1,700 In addition to these the club will have a billiard and pool room and a large cafe.
“Billy” Meyers has been engaged as instructor in boxing and other trainers will be engaged for the opening of the club.
Inter Ocean, November 20, 1904
The Chicago Edison company has purchased from William Patterson the property at 71-79 Plymouth place, 50×100 feet, with two story building, for $80,000, as against a board of review valuation of $65,500 for last year. The company will utilize the property as site of one of its branch stations.
Chicago Tribune, December 3, 1904
The facility with which business can be done under the Torrens system was illustrated yesterday in the purohase of the property at 77-79 Plymouth court by the Chicago Edison company, the transaction, Including two conveyances and a trust deed to secure $40.000 of the purchase money, consuming less than an hour.
William M. Patterson first conveyed the property to Frederick A. Sadier for $80,000, and the latter after executing the trust deed transferred the holdings to the Edison company for the same consideration as in the first conveyance.
The property fronts fifty feet, with a depth of 100 feet, and is improved with a two story brick building. This will be replaced by a three story building, to be used as a substation by the company. The sale of the ground was estimated to be on the baste of $1,044 a front foot and $10.14 a square foot.
COMMONWEALTH EDISON SUBSTATION
521 S. Plymouth Ct. (near Harrison St.)
Equipped for DC 1906, rotary converters 25 hertz, owned by Chicago City Railway. Served surface lines only.
Originally installed 1 1,200 kilowatt rotary converter, total 1,200 kilowatts. 1908 added 1 1,200 kilowatt rotary converter from 20th Street, total 2,400 kilowatts.
Remains a Commonwealth Edison substation, decommissioned as CTA substation.
- Commonwealth Edison Plymouth Court Substation
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906
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