Chicago Gas Light and Coke Co.
Location: Corner Monroe and Market streets
Life Span: 1857-1871
Architect:
D. B. Cooke’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60
Chicago Gas Light and Coke Co., Monroe, cor. Market
Halpin & Bailey’s Chicago City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Chicago Gas Light and Coke Co., office 40 Dearborn, works, Monroe and Market
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870-71
City Gas Works—Corner Monroe and Market streets
Chicago Tribune, August 31, 1858
People’s Gas Light and Coke Co.
An ordinance was called up, allowing to this new Gas Light and Coke Co. to lay down their pipes in streets, etc. It was amended by Ald. Long, restricting the Company from any infringement or invasion of the exclusive right of the Chicago Gas Light and Coke Co., which expire in February, 1858. Passed.
Chicago Tribune, May 9, 1862
The New Gas Company.—The People’s Gas Light and Coke Company bare effected & purchase of all the property, rights and privileges of the Chicago Gas Light and Coke Company on the west side of the river, The transfer will take place on the first day of June next, at which time the new company will commence the manufacture of gas at its works on the south branch, and attaching its mains to the pipes of the old company, supply the west side and west siders with light.
Chicago Illustrated, November, 1866
ARMORY.—This building belongs to the city of Chicago. It was built in 1856-7, and was intended as a general building for the keeping, and storage of arms belonging to the various volunteer military companies of the city, and such guns and other arms as belong to the city. Hence, the name popularly given to the building. With the exception of being used in part by an artillery company, and for the storage of some muskets belonging to the city, it has long since lost all its military character.
The building is now used for police business. It contains the temporary prison for all persons arrested and awaiting examination by the magistrates. The police court, which meets twice a day, is held in this building, and the “Armory” is the scene wherein the degraded and the criminals of this great city appear and play their parts. The location of the building is in the very center of the abodes of crime, degradation and vice of every form, which, by some strange impulse, have gathered under the very walls of the tribunal where it is daily arraigned, subjected to penalties, and discharged, to be brought back, within a few hours, to pass through the same ordeal.
On the right side the picture is the view of the buildings of the Chicago Gas Light and Coke Company. They cover a large space of ground, and the works are not only extensive, but very complete in every particular. When this site was selected for the Gas Works, it was supposed to be sufficiently removed from the central part of the city, as to be inoffensive; but since that period, while improvements and business have carefully avoided the immediate locality, the city has been extended miles in every direction beyond the Gas Works. Until 1858, this company had the monopoly of supplying Gas in Chicago; but, in that year, a new company was organized, which, by a subsequent arrangement, has the exclusive supply of the West Division.
West of the Works, are the Coal Docks belonging to the company, where is received and stored, the vast amount of coal necessary for their business. The removal of these Gas Works, to some remote part of the city, is now a mere question of time.
James W. Sheahan, Esq.
November 1866
- People’s Light and Coke Company
R.P. Studley
1871
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