Chase Hanford & Co. Building

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Chase Hanford & Co. Bldg., Standard Oil Building
Life Span: 1872-~1924
Location: Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water
Architect:

Edwards’ Annual Directory to the City of Chicago, 1870-71
Chase Hanford & Co. Bldg.—(O. P. Chase and P. C. Hanford), paints, oils, glass, white lead, varnishes, &c. 51 S. Water

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874-75
Chase Hanford & Co. Bldg.—Wabash av. sw. cor. S. Water

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Hanford P. C. & Co.—(P. C. Hanford) oils 51 and 53 South Water and 1 to 5 Wabash av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1885
Hanford P. C. Oil Co. P. C. Hanford, pres; S. N. Hurd, sec; 1 to 5 Wabash av.

Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1899
Standard Oil Co. Bldg.—J A Moffett 1st v pres; W P Cowan 2d v pres; G W Stahl treas 5 Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
Standard Oil Co. Bldg.—5 Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water

Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1907
Standard Oil Co. Bldg.—5 Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Standard Oil Co. Bldg.—222 N. Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water

Chicago Evening Mail, October 8, 1872

WABASH AVENUE.
The business limits of this great thoroughfare have been extended since the fire from Madison street to Hubbard court, and even beyond that point there are business houses on the avenue, though it is probable they will vacate for more congenial quarters in the business portions of the city. On the east side of the street, we have such fine four, five and six-story buildings as the Durand Bros., Stein, Couch, Peck, High, Fuller, Lord & Smith, Thatcher, Drake, Giles, Averill, Inter-oceanic, Willard, and Hough. On the west side are the blocks known as Chase & Hanford, Doane, Jaeger, Page, Ballad, Burdick & Mead, Horner, Scammon, Ryder, Pierce, and Prussing.

Inter Ocean, December 19, 1886

AN OIL HOUSE BLAZE
A Stubborn Fire.
Flames were discovered at 4:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon in the five-story and basement building at the southwest corner of South Water street and Wabash avenue. An alarm was immediately turned in by Patrick Sullivan, an employe of the P. C. Hanford Oil Company. A second alarm followed a few minutes after the first. The fire broke out on the third floor of the building, in the portion occupied by F. W. Thurston, dealer in glass and druggists’ supplies. It quickly spread to the fourth and fifth floors, which were occupied by Hanford, Hall & Co., dealers in paints, oils, and pigments. The fire also descended to the second floor, which is occupied by Robert Jeffrey & Co., tea importers, and where are also located the offices of F. W. Thurston, the Fairbank Canning Company, and A. Schubert, a cigar and tobacco agent. The first floor and basement is occupied by the P. C. Hanford Oil Company, the agents in Chicago of the Standard Oil Company.

The building owned by Hanford, Hall & Co. It has frontage on South Water street of 45 feet, and on Wabash avenue of 145 feet. The numbers on Wabash avenue run from 1 to 13. In the middle of the building. running from Wabash svenue back, is a firewall. The fire was all north of this wall, in the part of the building numbered 1, 3, and 5 Wabash avenue.

How the fire originated is unknown, but a rumor was afloat that it started from a pile of rags in the part of the third floor occupied by F. W. Thurston.

The losses are distributed about as follows: Robert Jeffrey & Co., total loss $5,000, fully covered by insurance in the London and Liverpool and Globe Insurance Company; F, W. Thureton, total loss $12,000 to $15,000, insurance unknown; P. C.

Hanford Oil Company and Hanford, Hall & Co., loss $20,000 to $25,000. fully covered by insurance in various companies; Fairbank Canning Company, loss nominal. The damage to the building was variously timated at from $5,000 to $10,000. No mineral, or other explosive oils, were kept In the building, but the stock of linseed and other heavy oils were stored in the basement, and mAy be Inore or less damaged by the vast quantities of water thrown into the building. The office of the Dupont Powder Company is directly across Wabash avenue from the scene of the fire, and a precautionary measure the small quantity of powder aud other explosives in Mock were removed to a greater distance.

It was an hour and a half from the time the alarm was elven until the fire was under control, and it was not entirely extinguished for three hours. No casualties were reported

Rand McNally Birds’ Eye Views of Chicago, 1893

⑨ The Standard Oil Building
Is at the southwest corner of Wabash Avenue and South Water Street, with frontages of 140 feet on Wabash Avenue and 40 feet on South Water Street. 65 feet high in 5 stories and basement, and brick and iron exterior. Here there are 1 passenger elevator and 2 freight elevators. The vast monopoly has its offices here, and shares its building with manufacturers’ agents and wholesale jobbers. The building, which was erected soon after the Great Fire of 1871, was remodeled in 1889.

Inter Ocean, July 12, 1894

While alone in his sleeping apartments in the Metropole Hotel yesterday morning Philander C. Hanford shot and killed himself.

Business complications are said to be the cause of the deed, Mr. Hanford was second vice president of the National Linseed Oil Company with offices in the Old Colony Building, and was supposed to have been worth several million dollars.

For two months Mr. Hanford and wife and an adult daughter have occupied apartments in the Metropole. Tuesday night Mr. Hanford slept in a room adjoining that occupied by his wife and Miss Hanford. About 9 o’clock yesterday morning the younger woman found her father unconscious in his apartments.

Hotel employes were notified and Dr. Hale was soon in the room. He found the bullet had penetrated the region of the heart, and that death had resulted from shock and hemorrhage. Neither Miss Hanford nor her mother heard the shot fired, although Mr. Hanford was heard moving in his apartments about 5:30 o’elock. It is thought he took his life shortly after this time.

Mr. Hanford’s death surprised his friends and business associates. Tuesday he was at his desk in the Old Colony Building. His associates noticed nothing unusual. Tuesday night he visited with Landlord Miller, of the Metropole, and during the day discussed plans for a sea-shore trip, on which he intended starting yesterday morning.

No Cause for the Rash Act.
His business and family life seemed happy, and, although his wife was an invalid, her condition was not alarming. The family formerly lived at 2008 Calumet avenue, and owned a richly furnished house at that umber, where Mr. Hanford had fine collection of paintings. Since last spring the residence has been closed. Mrs. Hanford was absent for some time at health resort and on her return joined her husband in the apartments in which he committed suicide the Metropole Hotel.

Years ago Mr. Hanford controlled the Hanford Oil Company, and at its head waged determined war against the Standard Oil Company, About five years ago he surrendered, and the great Rockefeller combine absorbed his business. He represented the trust in Chicago for a time, but five years ago became an officer of the National Linseed Oil Company, a position which he held at the time of his death.

Yesterday Mr. Hanford’s wealth was estimated at a million. In addition to his oil interests he owned mines in Montana and Arizona. Much of his time was devoted to private enterprises, and his associates in the Old Colony Building offices knew little of the exact condition of his affairs. It is thought possible that the depression in prices for the last year may have cost Mr. Hanford large sums of money.

The National Linseed Oil Company controls much of the trade in that product, and handles the greater part of the Western linseed mills. Alexander Euston is its president, and Thomas McCulloch its secretary.

The Inquest.
Deputy Coroner O’Brien held an inquest at the Metropole Hotel at 1:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Miss Blanche Hanford, a daughter of the deceased, was the first witness.

She testified that it had been the custom of her father to open the dining-room door at 8:30 o’clock each morning so that breakfast might be served. Yesterday morning Mr. Hanford did not appear and at 9 o’clock his daughter went to his room. As she opened the door she discovered him lying on the floor and immediately notified her mother. She also sent at once for Dr. Hale.

Miss Hanford said her father appeared to be in his usual health and spirits when he retired Tuesday night. The witness added that for some time her father had been worried over business matters, but she never saw nor heard anything in his actions or conversation that indicated that her father contemplated suicide.

Dr. Edward M. Hale, of No. 2200 Prairie avenue, testified to having been called to Room 406 in the Metropole Hotel at 9 o’clock yesterday morning. He found the deceased lying dead on the floor and near his body revolver. Blood had flowed from a wound in the left breast in the region of the heart, and also from the mouth. It was the opinion of the physician that Mr. Hanford had been dead two or three hours when found.

The jury found that the deceased came to his death from a pistol-shot wound inflicted by himself with suicidal intent.

The revolver used was of 38-caliber, the hammer being loose and requiring care in cocking it.

Chicago Tribune, October 28, 1924

Start Jewelers Building In November.
Earl A. Clemons, president of the Riverside Plaza corporation, announces that it has acquired title to the entire site for the proposed Jewelers’ building at the southwest corner of Wabash and South Water street, and that work will start about the middle of next month on the forty-two story structure.

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