Schweizer Block

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Schweizer Block
Life Span: 1872-1888
Location: Madison NE cor. LaSalle, 135 LaSalle and 153-155 Madison
Architect: TBD

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874

Anchor Line Ocean Steam Steamships

Citizens Bank of Chicago

Henderson Brothers

The Land Owner, January, 1872

The Streets of Chicago.

Chicago Evening Post, January 10, 1873

Formal Opening of the New Offices of the Anchor Line.
Among the many important openings of prominent business houses and offices in the reconstructed district, is that of the agency of the famous and popular Anchor Line of ocean steamships. That liberal and energetic gentleman, Mr. James Warrack, represents the company in Chicago, and, through his foresight ard good management, his principals have secured one of the best locations in Chicago. The new offices are situated on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Madison streets. They are large, well-lighted, and elegantly furnished, with every facility for carrying on the large and constantly increasing business of the agency of the Anchor Line. Mr. Warrack has the emblematic anchor in prominent positions in the office. He has systematically arranged the rooms so that the business can be dispatched without delay.

At the formal opening and reception on Thursday, Mr. Warrack had caused to be prepared some choice viands, and during the afternoon over two hundred prominent business men visited the elegant new offices. Among the visitors were officers of the Board of Trade and Federal city officials. The agents of competing steamship lines were also present, and congratulated Mr. Warrack on the fine location and commodious offices be had secured for the Anchor Line. There were present several provision shippers, patrons of the line.

The rapid growth of the traffic of the Anchor is unprecedented in the annals of ocean navigation. In 1856 two sailing vessels were altered to screw steamers, and in this way the Anchor Company set out to do business, By careful management and judicious advertising, the line soon became well known and popular, and its traffic increased rapidly, so that now there are 34 splendid steamers on the route. By the next spring season there will be several new steamers in commission.

The great ship yards of Tod & McGregor, on th Clyde, at Glasgow, have been recently purchased by Henderson Brothers, the world-known proprietors of the Anchor Line, and they will be used to construct new steamers and to repair those now on the line.

Persons who design traveling to Europe should visit Mr. Warrack at his new offices, and obtain information from him concern ing the splendid line which he so ably represents.

Inter Ocean, February 5, 1888

Judge Tooley entered a decree in the case of Samuel P. Parmly against Wirt D. Walker. The latter owns the lot on the northeast corner of Madison and LaSalle streets, and Mr. Parmly owns the Boone Block, which adjoins Walker’s property. Walker intended to connect the three upper floors of his building with the three corresponding floors of the Brevoort House on the east by hallways or galleries, to be covered with roofs. Such an improvement, complainant declared, would diminish the light and air coming to his building. Besides, he claimed that Walker had no authority under his deed to interfere with the alley, because one of the provisions of the contract made a restriction in that regard. The Court finds that the construction of bridges across the alley will create a nuisance and result in irreparable injury to complainant. The defendant is perpetually enjoined from making the construction.

Chicago Tribune, March 18, 1888

THE WALKER-PARMEY TRANSACTIONS.
The negotiations between Wirt D. Walker and the Parmlys for the Boone property, just north of Mr. Walker’s corner of La Salle and Madison streets, are still uncompleted, owing to some legal questions, but there is no doubt that they will soon be consummated. As has already been stated, the price which Mr. Walker is supposed to pay for the Boone lot and building, 55×101 feet, is about $250,000. The transaction is not for cash, however, but involves an exchange. Mr. Waiker will turn over to Messrs. Parmly his property at the southwest corner of Indiana avenue and Eighteenth street, and his land at Grand boulevard and Forty-seventh street. The former is 96×158 feet. The buildings are an apartment house of five stories and five three-story and basement houses. The income on this property is not far from $15,000. The boulevard tract is 300×315 feet, and is thought to be worth $150 per foot. These two properties would be worth more than the Boone lot, but there are some other elements in the transaction which have not yet been fully figured out. The plans for the building on the corner of La Saile and Madison are not yet complete, but there is no doubt that the structure will be one of the finest in the city. A careful study has been made of the question how to get the most light with the least sacrifice of space, and an important feature will be a court in the northeast part of the Boone lot. It will have a width of thirty feet or more. One set of rooms will face on this court, the rest facing the streets. There will be four passenger elevators near the centre of the building and one freight elevator.

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