The Times II
Life Span: 1873-1925
Location: Corner Washington Street and Fifth Avenue (Wells Street)
Architect: James R. Willett
The Chicago Times (aka The Times) is not to be confused with the Chicago Daily Times (1929 – 1948) which merged with the Chicago Sun (1941 – 1948) and became the Chicago Sun-Times (1948-Present). The Chicago Times (1854 – 1895), after several mergers, eventually became Chicago’s American which was known in its last years as Chicago Today.
“It is a newspaper’s duty to print the news and raise hell”—Wilbur F. Storey, The Chicago Times, 1861
The Land Owner, April 1872
NEW BUILDING OF THE CHICAGO TIMES
With that degree of pride every true journalist feel the prosperity, success, and growing power of the press, we point our readers anxious to see Rebuilt Chicago, to the superb illustration on our title page of the magnificent building now being erected by W. F. Storey, Esq., as the future home of The Chicago Times, at the northwest corner of Washington street and Fifth avenue.
The building is to be constructed of a handsome white sandstone from the interior of Michigan, and will combine a modern adaption of English massiveness and French symmetry. It will have a frontage of 80 feet on each street, and an altitude of five stories above a high basement, towering over all surrounding structures. The general idea to be conveyed by the exterior is one of beauty, from the harmony of every detail, and excellent taste in the apportionment of ornaments, rather than in their profuseness. In this respect, it will appear that the heavier work is upon the lower stories, decreasing as the building assumes height, thus giving permanence and strength. The corner will be truncated, similar to the First National bank building. The basement will be 10½ feet in the clear, the floor of the first story being four feet above the pavement. This floor will be accessible by a grand entrance, midway of the building, on the Washington street side; by another leading to the passenger elevator and the compositors’ stairway, midway of the building, on the Fifth avenue side; and by a third to The Times counting room immediately ay the corner, each flanked by circular sidewalks or buttresses. Above the Washington street and Fifth avenue entrances are twin windows running to the top of the building. The basement will be faced with heavy rusticated ashlar stone. It will have two entrances from each street, reached by stone steps extending all round on either side. The windows, which will be set with heavy French plate glass, will be capped with segmental arches. A heavy stone cornice will run between the first and second stories, with stone balconies projecting over each of the entrances, the entrance at the corner as well. The exterior of the first story will be, also, partially faced with ashlar work and beveled joints, and the windows capped with segmental arches, similar to the basement. The second story windows are to be supported with heavy stone columns of dimension stone with raised panels, surmounted with caps, ornamented with dentels. These support a heavy stone cornice, wit enriched mouldings. The third story windows are flanked on each side by columns which have ornamented capitals, and carrying a cornice having an enriched freize below it. The windows of the fourth story have semi-circular heads and heavy recess mouldings all around them. The fifth story has a series of twin windows directly over the windows of the other stories, over which are eliptical molded hoods, connected with each other, and running all round the building, The cornice proper is 6½ feet high, with heavy brackets running down over the supports below, giving an additional effect of solidity, and with like smaller brackets, over each window. There is an ornamental finial over each support, those at the corners being considerably higher than the others. Upon the corner entrance, at the first story, will be the inscription, The Times.
In the place of the twin windows at the corner of the fifth story, there will be a large illuminated dial, which will bestow the time gratuitously on all.
The main entrances to the building are flanked by heavy ornamental pilasters, on which rest the brackets that carry the balconies above.
Internally, this edifice is arranged for the express accommodations of The Times, in its various departments, and when completed and occupied it will be the finest newspaper building in America. Our limited space forbids a full description.
The architect of The Times building is Mr. James H. Willett, a new comer among us, but a gentlemen who thoroughly understand the profession, and who, in this structure, will have a monument of architectural art that will do him much credit.
The New Building of The Chicago Times, in Process of Erection
Corner Washington Street and Fifth Avenue
Chicago Tribune, October 9, 1872
THE TIMES BUILDING.
Keeping pace with the material improvement in the reconstruction of the city, the Chicago Times is erecting a building much superior in all respects to the former one, situated on Dearborn street. Formerly of Joliet limestone, it is rebuilt, on another site, of yellowish sandstone, changed in design and construction for the better; adapted to the increasing requirements of the concern, and an additional evidence of Chicago journalistic enterprise. It is situated on the northwest corner of Wells and Washington streets, is 81×81 feet on the ground, five stories high above the basement, and constructed of a yellow sandstone from Stone Point, Mich. Mr. Willet, the architect, describes the style as English-French. The main feature of the facade is the narrowness of the windows and the plainness with which they are treated. The corner is cut off, leaving a main entrance to the counting-room. This entrance is covered by a porch supported by stone columns. The words, “The Times,” indicate the purpose of the building, and are cut in letters similar to the head-line of the paper, which is suggestive and ornamental at once.
The basement, which will contain the presses, folding machines, etc., has been constructed fire-proof, with iron and brick arches, which will eventually protect the printing machinery from injury, even should the building be destroyed by fire.
The main floor is divided into thee compartments, the centre one containing The Times counting-room, and the others bank offices.
The second and third stories, which will be finished handsomely in hard wood, and contain all modern improvements in the way of furniture, such as steam coils, open grates, and wash-bowls, will be rented for office purposes.
The fourth story is to be given up to the editorial staff, liberal accommodations having been provided for the attaches. The library of the office will be 20×28 feet.
The fifth floor will be occupied by the composing and stereotyping rooms, with ample room.
In the centre of the building is a large glass skylight 32 feet in diameter, throwing plenty of light into the interior of the building. The fourth floor is reached by a passenger elevator, as well as a main stair-way from the second floor to the top of the building. This stair-way is spiral in form, and diminishes from 6 feet in width at the bottom to 3 feet at the top, and will be graceful and pleasing to the eye. The printers’ stairway from the second floor to the composing room is smaller and in the rear of the building.
The building will be finished handsomely, and heated with steam. The delay in its erection is due to want of punctuality on the part of the contractors, who ought to have furnished the stone. It is expected that the roof will be on nect month, if the stone comes in at a fair rate.
The Lakeside Monthly, October, 1872
The Times is putting up a handsome and well-planned building for its own use, on the corner of Washington street and Fifth avenue — a much finer office than it had before the fire, and an effective contrast to the barracks in which it has been quartered since.
The Times
1886 Robinson Fire Maps
Volume 3, Plate 2
Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views of Chicago, 1893
③ The Times Building is at the northwest corner of Washington Street and Fifth Avenue. Before the Great Fire Fifth Avenue was called Wells Street, and still bears that name north of the river. The structure was erected by Wilber F. Storey, under the direct supervision of Franc B. Wilkie, a writer famous as “Poliuto,”and for his many valuable books. The history of the building is given in Wilkie’s “Recollections.” While it was uprearing, in 1872, the Times occupied a long one-story shed near the river south of Adams Street on the West Side, where the Union Passenger Station’s immigrant room now stands. The Times Building is exceptional in its advantages of light, heat, and elevator service, which have been continuous, night and day, for twenty years. The edifice was a valuable and elegant one in its day, and its hardwood finish has given it an enduring character, though the wear and strain on the interior of a daily newspaper office are great. There are 5 stories, and the presses are in the basement; 80 feet on Washington Street, 189 feet on Fifth Avenue, 75 feet high, 2 steam passenger elevators, 36 offices, 4 stores, counting-room of the Times, and offices of the daily Freie Presse, The editorial rooms and composing room are on the upper floor, and many of their conveniences were for fifteen years the best in Chicago.
Chicago Tribune, December 9, 1893
The headquarters of the Chicago Times are to be moved from Fifth avenue to Dearborn street. The northwest corner of Fifth avenue and Washington street, which has been identified with the paper for years will be vacated. A lease of the main floor of the Boyce Building has been made by the Harrison Brothers and this office is being fitted up for immediate occupancy/ The Boyce Building is the new thirteen-story building which adjoins the University Club Building on the north. At the time the building was in construction it was understood that the first floor would be taken by the Market National Bank. There was some delay completing the building and the Market National Bank made a lease of a portion of the banking floor of the Major Block. The Boyce Building is forty feet in width and ninety feet deep. The first floor, with exception of an entrance hall, is in one large room.
At the office of the agent of the building, A.C. Gehr, it was said that two-fifths of the first floor had been secured by the proprietors of the Times for a branch office. Mr. Boyce, the owner of the building, is now in New York. The present Times corner is owned by the Blodgetts, of Grand Rapids, Mich. A lease is now in force running until May 1. Up to that time the tenancy of the building will remain unchanged. May 1 the building will be entirely remodeled and brought up to the standard of a modern office builsing. It has been known for a long time that the representatives of the Blodgett estate and the Harrison brothers had failed to come to terms for a new lease, and that the Times was on the lookout for a new location. Promising negotiations were carried on for some time with the owner of the building and leasehold of the southeast coner of Fifth avenue and Calhoun place. The small size lot was a serious drawback, however, and the deal was finally declared off. It appears that the problem has been solved by a lease of quarters in the Boyce building.
The agents of the building are not inclined to discuss the lease in any form. It is intimated, however, that the offices and composing-rooms will be secured on the upper floors and that the front portion of the basement will be used for press-rooms. In addition to the Boyce Building property Mr. Boyce controls the building known a No. 5 Calhoun place, or more familiarly known as “Billy Boyle’s Chop-House.” One agent who is somewhat interested in the change advanced the theory that the Times press-rooms would be located in this building building and that the chop-house would be moved into the rear of the Boyce and University Buildings. Mr. Boyle said last night that he held an eight-year lease of the Calhoun place building and had not been consulted in the matter. The main floor of the Dearborn street building can be fitted up for occupancy in a short time, and the agents of the building expect that a change of the newspaper office at least will be made at once.
Chicago Times-Herald Consolidation
March 4, 1895
William Wallace Denslow
Inter Ocean, April 1, 1895
A fire in the northern portion of the old Times building yesterday afternoon caused damage amounting to over $70,000. At the early stages of the fire it looked very much as if this old landmark of Chicago would be destroyed, and it was only by extremely energetic work that the flames were contained to the building. The fire was first discovered at 2:40 o’clock by R.A. Hamilton, employed in the composing-rooms of the journal of the American Medical Association on the fourth floor. He was engaged in closing up the office when he noticed a strong odor of burning wood. Running downstairs to the basement he norified the engineer, who upon investigation found that a brisk blaze was under way in the air shaft at the back of the staircase. A still alarm was given to the engine company, No. 40, a block away, but when Chief Horan, of the first battalion, arrived he promptly sent in a 4-11, which was followed ten minutes later by a special call for ten engines.
The building is a five-story stone and brick structure on the northwest corner of Washington and street and Fifth avenue. On the first named street it has a frontage of 100 feet, while on Fifth avenue it extends north 200 feet. The building is divided into two parts by a heavy fire wall, and it was in the northern portion, extending from Nos. 84 to 92 Fifth avenue, that the fire occurred. When the first company arrived they found that portion of the building about the air shaft, at the rear of the entrance, between Nos. 86 and 88, blazing furiously, and before they had time to get a stream of water of the flames, the fire had burned its way to the roof.
Handicapped by the narrow staircase the firemen could not do any effective service from the inside, and long ladders were rapidly raised to the upper windows and several streams of water poured in. The long fire escapes in the front and rear of the building were also utilized, but despite the torrents of water poured in the fire continued to spread. Chief Swenie then called for ten extra engines, and from the roof of a five-story building adjoining, but separated by the alley, several other streams were played on the flames. A two-story building in the alley in the rear of the fire was also utilized as a vantage ground for pouring water into the building. The flames were finally subdued after nearly three hours’ work.
The difficulties contended with by the firemen on the outside were but little when compared to those who were ordered up the staircases. The fire here had obtained its firmest hold, and was rapidly burning up everything before it. The air shaft acted as a flue to carry the blaze along. On the top floor, which has been used as the composing-room by the Times, the flames had a free sway. Several hundred wooden type cases and frames made a hot fire. In the publishing rooms of the journal of the American Medical Association, on the floor below, there were several cans on benzine, used for cleaning the type, and these soon exploded on account of the fierce heat overhead. One after another, fire cans of this fluid exploded, and as it was distributed, the fourth floor became a seething mass of flame. This room contained several large printing presses and a lot of type, which are ruined. Still spreading, the fire got into the printing-room of DeClerque & Schmetzer, on the same floor, where it also did considerable damage.
The greatest damage was caused by the tons of water poured into the building, and on every floor it was at one time six inches deep, and running down the staircase in a torrent. The offices on the three lower floors were deluged, and the loss by water alone mounts up to several thousand dollars. Max Stern, a printer and stationer, who had a large stock of blank books and stationery stored on the second floor at the north end of the building, was the heaviest loser from this cause, while the John Simons Printing Company and the George G. Gregory Printing Company on the floor above lose heavily from water.
In the basement of the building the water was nearly three feet deep and the machinery and printing presses there, which are owned by the Time Building Company, were also seriously damaged.
On the second floor the German daily paper, the Freie Presse, has composing-rooms, which were thoroughly soaked with water, but as soon as the fire was effectually put out they set a large force of men to work to clear up, and last night it was stated that the paper would be brought out on time this morning.
The most damaged portion of the building, which is owned by D.A. Blodgett, of Great Falls, SD., is the fifth floor, which was completely gutted, the roof falling in in places. The fourth floor is also partly wrecked, while on the second and third floors the flames were confined to a very small pace. The entire building is completely watersoaked.
Upon the fifth floor, formerly used as the Times composing-room, the fire destroyed about $3,000 worth of stereotyping machines and type. The north end of the fourth floor was occupied by the American Medical Association, who sustain, a loss of about $7,000, which is also the amount of insurance carried upon the plant. The loss was mainly upon presses and other printing apparatus. De Clerque and Schmetzer on the same floor, operated a printing and bookbinding plant, and two large cylinder and ten job presses were partly destroyed, while the offices were completely gutted by the flames. Their total loss is estimated at about $10,000, fully covered by insurance.
The George H. Gregory printing concern, on the third floor, were damaged by fire only in the rear of that portion of the premises occupied by their company. Their offices and the stockroom in the front were flooded with water, causing altogether a damage of $4,000. On the south end of the same floor is located the John Simons Printing Company, whose loss is placed at $5,000. The company carried a heavy stock of paper, which was damaged mostly by water. The Mercantile Printing Company’s plant was practically burned out. The fire i the rear of the building destroyed their presses and type, causing a loss of $6,000, partially insured. Their plant was located on the floor above the point where the fire originated, and the flames gained such rapid headway that little or no material part of the company’s stock or machinery could be saved.
The Freie Presse composing-rooms, on the south end of the second floor, were damaged somewhat in the rear by fire, while the rooms were drenched with water. The loss will be about $2,500. The Gregory Printing Company’s job office was damaged by fire to the extent of $800, while J.K. Wright, manufacturers of printers’ ink, in adjoining rooms, had, about $200 worth of their stock damaged by water.
On the ground floor the damage by water was most severe, and not a single establishment escaped a heavy loss from that cause. The premises at Nos. 84 and 86 Fifth avenue were occupied by Max Stern, printer and dealer in stationery, whose stock is nearly a total loss. The storeroom in the rear was flooded with water, and a damage of $5,000 done.
B.R. Ladew, at No. 90 Fifth avenue, a cigar merchant, had his stock soaked by water, entailing a loss of $2,000. William Bauer, a dealer in cutlery in the same store, sustained a loss of about $2,000.
C.A. Freudenberg’s saloon, at No. 92 Fifth avenue, was damaged by the torrent of water which flooded his place to amount of about $2,000. His fixtures were badly damaged and his billiard-room was practically ruined.
The Times Building was owned by D.A. Blodgett, of S.S., and his loss of $15,000 is fully covered by insurance.
Chicago Tribune, September 3, 1925
Joy Morton, president of the Morton Salt company, is having plans drawn by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White for a skyscraper office building to be erected at the old Times building at the northwest corner of Wells and Washington streets. The site fronts 182 feet on Wells and 160 feet on Washington, extending west to the telephone company’s building.
The new structure will be either eighteen or twenty-one stories and will cost several million dollars. Ross & Browne, agents of the old building on the corner, have notified tenants to move within sixty days. Mr. Morton has a ninety-nine year lease on the corner.
The Times
Sanborn Fire Map
1906
The Chicago Times (aka The Times) is not to be confused with the Chicago Daily Times (1929 – 1948) which merged with the Chicago Sun (1941 – 1948) and became the Chicago Sun-Times (1948-Present). The Chicago Times (1854 – 1895), after several mergers, eventually became Chicago’s American which was known in its last years as Chicago Today.
Chicago Times, 1854 – 1895 (became Chicago Times-Herald)
Chicago Morning Post, 1860 – 1865 (became Chicago Republican)
Chicago Republican, 1865 – 1872 (became Inter Ocean)
Chicago Times-Herald, 1895 – 1901 (became Chicago Record-Herald)
Inter Ocean, 1872 – 1914 (became Chicago Record-Herald)
Chicago Daily Telegraph, 1878 – 1881 (became Chicago Morning Herald)
Chicago Herald, 1881 – 1918 (merged with Chicago Examiner)
Chicago Examiner, 1902 – 1918 (merged with Chicago Herald)
Chicago Herald-Examiner, 1918 – 1939 (became Herald-American)
Chicago Record, 1881 – 1901 (merged with Chicago Morning Herald)
Chicago Morning Herald, 1893 – 1901 (merged with Chicago Record)
Chicago Record Herald, 1901 – 1914
Chicago American, 1900 – 1939, (became Chicago Herald-American)
Chicago Herald-American, 1939 – 1958 (became Chicago’s American)
Chicago’s American, 1958 – 1969 (became Chicago Today)
Chicago Today, 1969 – 1974