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John Kinzie

Chicago Magazine, March, 1857

The author of Waubun, remarks as the naive saying of the Indians, “the first white man who settled here was a negro.” Point-au-Sable, a native of St. Domingo, from a life of wandering, made his advent here among the Indians in 1796, as a character of some consequence. He had made the Indians believe he had been a chief among the white men and probably expected some such honor among his new friends. He made some improvements, merely driving the pre-emption stakes of civilization,-when he left in disgust or discouragement, and ended his days with Clamorgan, at Peoria, a St. Domingo negro friend, who had obtained large Spanish grants of land about St. Louis. A Frenchman by the name of Le Mai took possession of Point-au-Sable’s improvements, and commenced trading with the Indians. Le Mai’s establishment, a few years after was purchased by John Kinzie, Esq., then an Indian trader in the St. Joseph country, Michigan, who came with his family to Chicago to reside, in 1804, the year in which the fort was built. John Kinzie was the first permanent white resident of Chicago, the first man to establish permanent trade, and improvements, and to leave the impress of his enterprise and the marks of civilization on the first things from which Chicago has sprung. For nearly twenty years he was with the exception of the military, the only white inhabitant of Northern Illinois. If any person is entitled to the honor of being styled the Father of Chicago, that person is unquestionably John Kinzie.

John Kinzie was born in Quebec, Lower Canada, in the year 1763. He was the only child of his mother by a second marriage. His father died when he was but an infant. His mother married for her third husband, a Mr. Forsyth, and removed with him and her young son, to New York city. John was educated at a school at Williamsburg, Long Island. While quite young he left his home, without the knowledge of his mother, and traveled alone to Quebec, to fulfill a long-formed determination of visiting his native place. Here he found a protector, and in his family a home for three years, before being discovered by his parents. On removing from New York to the West, by way of Quebec, they accidentally found their long lost child. He moved with them to Detroit, where he commenced at an early age his adventurous life as a pioneer in the West. His taste led him, as he grew older, to live much of his time on the frontier. He entered early into the Indian trade, and at first established trading posts at Sandusky and Maumee. About the year 1800, he had so far extended his operations, that he opened establishments in the St. Joseph’s country, the region bordering upon the river by that name, which empties into Lake Michigan from the east, nearly opposite Chicago. In this year he married Mrs. McKillip, the widow of a British officer, and this lady was the mother of John H. Kinzie, Esq., our present respected citizen. His place of residence in Michigan, was at Betrand, a trading post near Niles, which was known by the term, Parc aux Vaches. In the year 1804, when the first fort was built, he removed to Chicago, to make here his home, still prosecuting the Indian trade. He was also sutler to the fort.

Mr. Kinzie made the point at Chicago, the center of an extended system of trade with the Indians. He established posts at several distant points, which he sustained from the central one here, and from which he received large stocks of furs, contributing to the stores of the general depot, until shipped off by the vessels that came here semi annually for the purpose; and keeping up the supply of goods necessary for the trade. He had a station at Milwaukee among the Menominees; another at Rock River for the Winnebagoes, arother on the Illinois and Kankakee Rivers with the Pottawotamies, and other stations in the Sangamo country, then called Le Large, and on the head wa ters of the Kaskaskia, for the Kickapoos. Each of these stations bad its superinten-dent, and corps of operators called engages; and its trains of pack horses and equip ment of boats and canoes. And by means and conveyances like these, were the furs and peltries, which had accumulated at the several stations, brought to Chicago, and the goods necessary to the “balance of trade,” transported in return. Many goods were sent up the Illinois river, from as low as St Louis, gathered up from the Indians along the course of the Mississippi as well as the Illinois, and were taken across the portage between this latter river and the lake, by cattle teams. Chicago was thus made the depot of this carrying trade, which was the slow pace progress of the preceding gene-ration; the present generation proving its right to the claim of being a fast people by its rail cars running over the same track plodded by old John Kinzie’s cattle team, driven by Ouilemette and his successors, from 1804 to 1820. The lake trade was at the same time carried on by a small sail vessel, coming in the fall and spring, bringing the season’s supply of goods and stores for the fort, and taking away the accumulated stock of furs and peltries. Such was the character and extent of the first regular business established in Chicago. At the head of this trade was John Kinzie, senior. He, without interruption, and with few incidents to change its routine, pursued his line of business from 1804, till the breaking out of hostilities with the Indians, which resulted in the massacre of 1812. By his uniformly consistent, kind and straightforward course with the Indians, he gained their confidence, and bound himself to them in strong ties of friendship, to which he was indebted for the preservation of himself and family, from the horrid fate of his white neighbors of the fort, at the time of the massacre. After the close of the war, he returned again to Chicago, and re-opened the trade with the Indians. Here he continued to reside till his death in 1828.

Mr. Kinzie’s residence was the first house built in Chicago. A part of it was the same rude structure put up by the so called first white man, the negro Jean Baptiste Point-au-Sable, about the year 1796. It was enlarged and improved by Le Mai (Jean Le Lalime), of whom Mr. Kinzie purchased, who further improved it, internally and externally, until he made it a respectable family mansion. It stood on the north side of the river, fronting the fort. Between this house and the fort, there was kept up a foot ferry, and a little boat swung in the stream awaiting the pleasure of any passenger. A foot path on each side, from the gate of the fort, or the door of the mansion, to the platforms at the water edge, from which the passenger stepped into the boat, marked the course of travel from one side to the other. This ferry occupied nearly the same crossing as the iron bridge structure now in process of erection, in the place of the Lake House Ferry. Mrs. Kinzie describes the house as a long low building, with a piazza extending along its front, a range of four or five rooms. A broad green space was inclosed between it and the river, and shaded by a row of Lombardy poplars. Two large cotton wood trees stood in the rear, one of which still remains, though seared and dry, as it died last year, a perishing land-mark of the early days. A well cultivated garden extended to the north, at the rear of the dwelling. Surrounding this “first house,” were a variety of out buildings, such as the primitive wants, and the condition of the family required, as dairy, bake-house, stables, and lodging rooms for the Frenchmen and attaches of the trading post. North of the homestead and along the lake shore, which then was sonsiderably inland of the present shore, was a low range of sand-hills, sprin kled over with stunted cedars, pines, and dwarf-willows. This was the boyhood home of John H. Kinzie. Here he resided to the age of eight years, when the family home was broken up by the Indians, at the time of the destruction of the fort. This scenery of his early life, is now impressed upon his mind in a vivid living picture. In the language uttered by him in casual conversation upon those early times of Chicago and his own life—every feature of the old home is distinct in his recollection. The Lombardy poplars which perished long ago, and the cotton woods which were but saplings, and trees planted by his own hands, which have stood until the more recent days as mementoes of the past—the rough hewn logs which formed the walls of his home, the garden and its shrubbery, the fence paling that surrounded it, and the green lawn at the front of the house gently descending to the water of the river—the tiny boat floating idly at the foot of the walk—and as the crowning mark of this picture, stood upon the opposite shore, upon the highest part of the elevation, the old fort, the whitewashed walls of the block houses, the barracks and the palisades, glistening in the bright sun; while a gentle slope of fine green grass extended from the enclosure to the very water brink. It was a beautiful sight. Over all this rose the few pulsations of human progress as seen in an occasional stray Indian with his canoe, or pony, and pack of furs; a French Canadian loitering here and there; a soldier pacing his rounds about the fort, or idly strolling over the prairies, or hunting in the woods. There was a deep repose in all this scenery, a quietness, which it was impossible to conceive could have been super-ceded within half a century by one of the busiest cities in the national Union.

Chicago Tribune, August 26, 1954

An historical document will be received a 11 a.m. today by County Recorder Joseph F. Ropa as the 16 millionth document to be filed in his office since, the current numbering system was started in 1874. The previous numbering system was destroyed in the great fire of 1871.

Alexander F. Beaubien of Waukegan, a great grandson of Mark Beaubien, one of Chicago’s earliest residents, will present the document to Ropa. Number 16,000,000 has been reserved for this document.

It was executed by Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable for the sale of property to Jean Lalime and was dated at “Chicagou” May 7, 1800.

Filed in Detroit
The property included a frame building and its furnishings, nine smaller structures, live stock, and numerous farm implements. The copy of the sale is certified from the records of the register of deeds in Detroit, where the sale was recorded Sept. 18, 1800. At that time Detroit was the seat of the territory which included Chicago.

The Du Sable transaction was recorded in the French language and Ropa had the Berlitz School of Languages make an English translation to be attached to the document.

Property involved in the sale was on the north bank of the Chicago river, facing Fort Dearborn at what is now Michigan av. The property included the land now owned by The Tribune east of Michigan av. on the north bank.

Bought later by Kinzie
John Kinzie Sr. was one of the witnesses to the sale and purchased the property a few years later from Jean Lalime.

After the sale, the main structure became known as the “Kinzie mansion” and was the temporary residence of many noted guests, including Capt. John Whistler, designer and builder of the first Fort Dearborn.

Filing of the document will officially fill the missing link in the long history of the property, Ropa said.

In 1800 Point du Sable sold his farm to John Kinzie’s frontman, Jean Le Lalime, for 6,000 livres. The bill of sale, which was rediscovered in 1913 in an archive in Detroit, detailed all of the property Point du Sable owned, as well as many of his personal effects. This included a house, two barns, a horse-drawn mill, a bakehouse, a poultry house, a dairy, and a smokehouse. The house was a 22-by-40-foot log cabin filled with fine furniture and paintings.

The Massacre Tree

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Fort Dearborn

History of Chicago, A. T. Andreas, 1884

here is now standing in Eighteenth Street, between Prairie Avenue and the lake, a large cottonwood tree which marks the site of the massacre of 1812, and which, there is reason to believe, possesses even a greater historic value; as it is believed by many old settlers to have been standing at the time of the disaster. In order that the appearance of this landmark might be preserved, and that the memories clustering about it might not pass from mind, we have caused the tree to be photographed and engraved, and have also obtained documentary evidence that the Kinzie family regarded both the site referred to and this particular tree as historic.

On the morning of August 15, 1812, the troops and settlers left Fort Dearborn, proceeded southward about a mile and a half, and were attacked by the Indians.

Having ascertained that Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie had, during her lifetime, informed her friend, Mrs. Henry W. King, of the belief concerning the tree, a reply was sent:

151 Rush Street, Chicago
January 25, 1884

Dear Sir, I am very happy to tell you what I know about the tree in question, for I am anxious that its value as a relic should be appreciated by Chicago people; especially since the fire (1871) has obliterated nearly every other object connected with our early history. Shortly before the death of my friend, Mrs. John H. Kinzie, I called upon her and asked her to drive with me through the city and point out the various locations and interests that she knew were connected with the “early days” of Chicago. She said that there were very few objects remaining, but localities she would be happy to show me. She appointed a day, but was not well enough to keep her appointment; went East soon afterward for her health, and died within a few weeks. However, at the interview, I mention, she said that to her the most interesting object in our city was the old cottonwood tree that stands on Eighteenth Street, between Prairie Avenue and the lake. She remarked that it, with its fellow, were samplings at the time of the Indian massacre, and that they marked the spot of that fearful occurence; though she was not sure but the smaller one had either died or cut down. I expressed surprise at the location, imagining a massacre occured further south, among the small sandhills which early settlers remember, in the vicinity of Hyde Park. I remember her answer to this was:

“My child, you must understand that in 1812, there was no Chicago, and the distance between the old fort and Eighteenth Street was enormous.” Said she, “My husband and his family always bore in mind the location of this massacre, and marked it by the cottonwood trees, which, strange to say, have stood unharmed in the middle of the street until this day.”

The above facts, I communicated to the Chicago Historical Society, soon after Mrs. Kinzie’s death, and believe, through them, was the means of preventing the cutting down of the old tree, which the citizens of the South Side had voted to be a nuisance. I sincerely hope something may be done to fence in and preserve so valuable a relic and reminder of one of the most sad and interesting events in the life of Chicago. Trusting the above information may be of some use to you, and that you may be able present the matter in a more entertaining form than I have done. Believe me, sir,

Yours most respectfully,
Mrs. Henry W. King

Hon. Isaac N. Arnold, whose residence in Chicago since 1836 enabled him to enjoy the friendship of the Kinzie family, was asked to state what he knew regarding the subject. His response reads thus:

Chicago, January 25, 1884.

Captain A. T. Andreas, Dear Sir: I have your note of this morning asking me to state what I know relating to the massacre at Chicago in 1S12. I came to Chicago in October, 1S36; the Fort Dearborn Reservation then and for several years thereafter belonged to the Government, and there were but a few scattering houses from Fort Dearborn south to the University and between Michigan Avenue and the beach of Lake Michigan. The sand hills near the shore were still standing. The family of John II. Kinzie was then the most prominent in Chicago, and the best acquainted with its early history. From this family and other old settlers, and by Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie, I was told where the attack upon the soldiers by the Indians was made. There were then growing some cottonwood trees near which I was told the massacre occurred. One of those trees is still standing in the street leading from Michigan Avenue to the lake and not very far from the track of the Illinois Central Railroad. This tree was pointed out to me by both Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie, as near the place where the attack began. As the fight continued the combatants moved south and west over considerable space. Mrs. John H. Kinzie was a person of clear and retentive memory and of great intelligence. She wrote a full and graphic history of the massacre, obtaining her facts, in part, from eye-witnesses, and I have no doubts of her accuracy.

Very respectfully yours, Isaac N. Arnold.

A. J. Galloway, Esq , who has resided in the vicinity for many years, says:

Chicago, February 5, 1884.

CAPTAIN A. T. ANDREAS-My Dear Sir: At your request I will state my recollections concerning the cottonwood tree in the east end of Eighteenth Street. When I removed from Eldridge Court, to the present No. 1808 Prairie Avenue, in 1855, the tree was in apparent good condition, though showing all the marks of advanced age. The large lower branches (since cut of after
mounting upward for a time, curved gracefully downward, so that a man riding under them could have readily touched their extremities, with his whip, at a distance of twenty or twenty-five feet from the body of the tree. From an intimate knowledge of the growth of trees, I have no doubt but its sapling life long antedated the time of the massacre of the Fort Dearborn garrison. I will venture the opinion, that if it were cut down and the stump subjected to a careful examination, it would be found that the last two inches of its growth covers a period of fifty years, at least.

Yours truly,
A. J. Galloway.

Charles Harpell, an old citizen, now living on the North Side, says that so far back as he can remember, this locality was known as the “Indian battle-ground:’ that years ago, when a boy, he, with others, used to play there (the place from its very associations having the strongest attractions), and hunt in the sand for beads and other little trinkets, which they were wont to find in abundance. Mr. Harpell relates also that he, while playing there one day, found an old single-barreled brass pistol, which he kept for many years before it was finally lost.

Mrs. Mary Clark Williams, whose father, H. B. Clark, purchased in 1833 the land on which the tree now stands, says that nearly fifty years ago she played under the old cottonwood, and that it was then a large and thrifty tree. In 1810 an old Indian told her father that the massacre occurred on that spot.

Although there is no way of positively determining that the tree pictured on the opposite page is the identical one that stood, a mere sapling, on the spot during the massacre, there is strong, almost conclusive, cause for declaring it the same. At all events, the proof of the site is satisfactory, and the view herewith presented is an interesting one, as showing how the scene of barbaric treachery appears after a lapse of nearly seventy two years.

Chicago’s Historic Tree

Chicago Tribune, May 20, 1894

Early yesterday morning a crowd of people collected on Eighteenth street, near the residence of George M. Pullman, and began digging through the asphalt pavement of the roadway. They were as excited and industrious as if they were a rescuing party, digging after entombed miners. The occupants of the Pullman mansion ran out to see what was the matter, and found the crowd was digging for the roots of the historic cottonwood tree, which after standing there for a century or more, and witnessing at short range the Fort Dearborn massacre Aug. 12, 1812, went down before Friday’s storm at 5:15 o’clock in the afternoon.

This celebrated tree might have lived another century if it had been let alone, but civilization killed it. Long after it had attained a great size the grade of Eighteenth street, where it stood, was raised six feet and the earth piled deep over its roots and around its trunk. Then the inevitable gaspipe, which is always death to trees, was laid near it, and finally the whole street as covered with asphalt close to the very bark of the tree. There was nothing left for it but to die, which it did several years ago, and the northwest wind did the rest. The howling of the blast prevented its fall being heard, so that it sank to rest apparently as noiselessly as a rose leaf falls to the ground.

A Rush for Souvenirs.
The significance of this event was fully appreciated in Mr. Pullman’s neighborhood. The venerable trunk had no sooner struck the ground than everyone within a quarter of a mile who had a saw or a hatchet came to hack a piece off it as a souvenir until the Pullmans got scared. It is probable the tree belonged legally to the city, but Mr. Pullman has been its protector so long that he seemed to own it, and as he was absent at the East his representatives begged the crowd not to carry the whole trunk away. As soon as they had scattered the trunk was sawed into two parts, and deposited in Mr. Pullman’s two gardens, one on each side of Eighteenth street, where they still lie. If any one thinks they are not watched let him try to whittle a piece off them with a jack-knife.

The greatest friend this tree ever had is Fernando Jones, who came to Chicago in 1833, and played baseball under its branches when he was a great deal younger than he is now. But for his veneration for this ancient relic and his constant watch-care over it the street officers of Chicago would long since have removed it as a nuisance. It was with a beautiful poetic justice therefore that he was in at its death. It had hardly touched the ground before he was by its side, declaiming its history, and offering to take the corpse home and embalm it. But that matter has been adjourned until Mr. Pullman’s return.

Traditions Cluster Round the Spot.
Mr. Jones is also the repository of the traditions concerning this tree. He says a similar tree used to stand 200 feet south of this one, and an Indian named Capt. Isaac, who participated in the massacre, often told him it was between these two trees the wagon was stopped by the Indians and Black Partridge rescued Mrs. Helm, as represented in the bronze monument erected near the spot by Mr. Pullman. Isaac mimicked the shooting and scalping in such a realistic manner that it left no doubt in Mr. Jones’ mind that he was a thoroughly reliable Indian on this point.

Mr. Jones delights in relating how he once did the same for the tree as Bmck Partridge did for Mrs. Helm. Many years ago the Street Commissioner, seized with a passion for improvement, made ready to lay this tree low, though covered with leafy boughs.

Mr. Jones resented this as he would the sacrifice of a human being, and never ceased his protestation until the relic was delivered and appropriately protected. Mr. Puliman furnished the iron railing which was placed around its base, and which still adheres to the prostrate trunk, and Mr. Jones, with a passion for scriptural quotations, hung on it a board, which was found dangling to one of its limbs when it fell, and on which was this inscription

Chicago Tribune, May 23, 1942

THE MASSACRE TREE.
H. A. .Musham of Chicago, who has delved deep into the story of Fort Dearborn writes us about the cottonwood tree which tradition says sheltered the fighters of 1812. as they fought for their lives during the battle with the Indians: “It is my conclusion, after considerable study, that it not only could not have been standing at the time of the battle, but that the place where it stood was far removed from where the battle took place.

Reasons: (1) Cottonwood trees seldom live as long a time as the so-colled “Massacre Tree” is reputed t have lived. … Its location was unfavorable to the attainment of that age. Its roots would have been bedded in loose sand and it would have been exposed to the fury of the gales on the lake.

(2) This tree must have been planted or have taken root at a later date, probably after this part of Chicago was graded and subdivided into blocks.

(3) According to pictures of this tree (see Kirkland and Andreas) it was, in the year 1884. about 3 feet in diameter at the butt. According to statistics on cottonwoods, it was then about 30 or 33 years old. which would put its start in life about 1850, when the Prairie avenue neighborhood became a subdivision.

(4) The battle did not take place where the tree stood, but about Michigan avenue and 13th street. This is clearly shown by a study of the numerous accounts of it.

(5) The bullets in the tree probably came from the guns of wandering hunters.

1872-1923—Chicago Fire Department Vehicles

Chicago Fire Department

Chicago Chronicle, December 13, 1897

Chicago Tribune, February 7, 1904

A street car truck, by means of which it is proposed to transport fire engines to distant points at a high rate of speed was tested yesterday afternoon in the presence of Assistant Fire Marshall Horan and Battalion Chief Kenyon. It was suggested that such trucks be used in answering alarms in Kensington, West Pullman, South Chicago, and Irondale. The test was made at Seventy-seventh street and Wentworth avenue.

The platform of the truck is eighteen inches from the ground. Then the gates are lifted and assist in holding the engine in place. The truck is then attached to a trolley car and ready for the first run to the fire.

The firemen expressed themselves as being pleased with the working of the truck. The City railway company, which built the truck, is now building another for a hose cart.

Chicago Tribune, February 5, 1923

CEREMONY FOR LAST RUN TODAY OF FIRE HORSES
Motor to Slip In After They Rush Forth.
Today will be a memorable one in the history of Chicago’s fire department. It will mark the passing of the last fire engine horses and the last horse drawn equipment. The department will become 100 per cent motorized.

At 1:30 o’clock, amis appropriate ceremonies, Buck, Teddy, Beauty, and Dan, drawing a fire engine a hose cart, will dash from the house of engine company No. 11 at 10 E. Grand avenue in answer to their last alarm, and when they return they will be without a home. During their absence a new, shiny motor truck will have usurped their place.

The ceremonies will begin shortly before noon, when the mayor, the aldermen, city officials, several hundred firemen with the department band and the fire fans of three generations will assemble at city hall and parade to the fire engine house.

At 12:30 firebox No. 848 at Chicago avenue and State street will be pulled and the old equipment will answer the alarm. The alarm will prove to be a false one and Buck, Teddy, Beauty and Dan will go out to the stables at the house of correction to be sold at auction.

Motorization of the fire department began in 1917 under the direction of John F. Cullerton, then business manager, and has resulted in the savings of millions of dollars to property owners and taxpayers of the city. The department now has nearly 250 pieces of motor equipment.

Mr. Cullerton, who is now fire commissioner, said:

The motorizing of the Chicago fire department cost something more than $1,000,000, but it is saving the taxpayers nearly half a million a year, to say nothing of the saving in fire losses.

Mr. Cullerton pointed out that operation of the motor equipment had made it possible for the department to be operated under the double platoon system, where firemen work twenty-four hours and are off twenty-four hours, without an increase in personnel. With horse drawn equipment each engine house had three men, an engineer to operate the engine, and two drivers, one for the engine and one for the hose cart, who were now available for actual fire fighting duty,

With motor engines this work is all done by one man. He operated the truck and then tends to the motor while it is pumping water. The department now has 126 pumping engines, 37 hook and ladder trucks, 10 squad wagons, 2 high powered pressure pumping wagons, 60 automobiles for fire marshals and battalion chiefs, and 2 wreck, service and gas tank wagons.

PASS INTO HISTORY.

Pre-Fire—Parks of Chicago

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Chicago Parks System

Chicago Illustrated,

A Strangers’ Guide to the City of Chicago, 1866

THE PARKS OF CHICAGO.
Although Chicago is now a city of 250,000 inhabitants, it is not so closely built as to require parks as ventilators simply. On the North and West sides especially, there are wide expanses of ground unbroken by dwellings or other buildings, and as near the business centre as parks could be established. Yet a creditable beginning has been made in the way of securing ground for and constructing parks. Already several important projects have been adopted for the improvement and ornamenta- tion of these parks, on a scale of magnitude and beauty fully commensurate with the present and future greatness of the city.

Dearborn Park.
Dearborn park is the oldest of the public breathing places of the city, is an oblong piece of ground extending from Randolph street to Washington, and from Michigan avenue to Dearborn place, half-way to Wabash avenue, and containing about one and a half acres. This ground was the property of the United States early in this century, when the mouth of the Chicago river was defended by Fort Dearborn. By the general government it was presented to the city to be used forever as a public park. It has been inclosed by an iron railing, and at one time had a few promising trees and a handsome lawn, but these were smothered out by the great Sanitary Fair building, which covered its whole extent in June,1865. Since that time it has been replanted, and will probably soon be green again.

Lake Park.
Otherwise called the Esplanade,or the Parterre,fronts Lake Michigan, and extends along the Basin, on the east side of Michigan avenue, from Randolph street to Park place. Its proper name is Lake Park. It is a mile in length, but as yet it is wholly unimproved. It is proposed, however, to erect a stone wall along the shore of the basin, the whole length of the park, and surmount it with a tasteful iron railing, opening at suitable intervals, with stair cases descending to the water’s edge for those who resort hither in great numbers in the summer time to indulge in the amusement of boating. The park is to be graded and turfed and will be intersected with walks and ornamented with shrubbery, fountains, evergreens and flowers, making it one of the most charming and attractive places of promenade and resort to be found in the United States.

Private Parks.
There are no other parks in the South Division except two private parks opposite the University of Chicago, entitled, respectively, Woodland and Groveland. These were laid out by Senator Douglas in the beautiful grove called Oakenwald, and are intended for the especial benefit of the proprietors of the lots which front upon them.

Union Park.
In the West Division, contains about sixteen acres. It is of an irregular pentagonal form, bounded on the north by Lake street, on the south by Warren street, on the west by Reuben street, on the northeast by Bryan place, and on the southeast by Southwestern avenue. It is perfectly flat, and in its natural condition was a portion of the bare prairie, as level as a floor and adorned only by a scanty growth of grass. The plan of improvement, commenced in the year 1865, contemplates the transformation of the ground with hills, rocks, rivulets and cataracts. The plan is a very tasteful one, and includes a beautiful pond in the centre of the park. When completed it will be really an ornament to the city. Beyond Union Park, on the west, in the district bounded by Madison and Randolph streets, are situated some of the most elegant and picturesque private residences in the city of Chicago. It is here that real home life may be found, combining the attractions of semi-suburban quiet with the social festivities and excitements of the city. It is the West End of Chicago, where in the future, undoubtedly, will gather a goodly portion of Chicago’s aristocracy, wealth and refinement.

Jefferson Park.¹
Jefferson Park, but two blocks south and one block east of Union park, and embraces but a single square, bounded by Monroe street on the north, Throop street on the east, Adams street on the south, and Loomis street on the west. It contains an area of more than five acres. At present the visable attractions of the place are a number of stately and beautiful residences facing the park.

Vernon Park.
Is an oblong piece of ground about 300 feet wide by 600 feet long, just six blocks south of Jefferson park. It lies just west of Rucker street, and interrupts the continuity of Polk street.

Washington Park.
A little square between Clark and Dearborn streets, north of Chestnut street, and containing two and one-half acres, has a number of shade trees of tolerable size, and is really pleasant to look upon, though but little attention has been paid to its ornamentation. It needs walks and seats, as well as trees and shrubs and artificial ornaments, to make it what it should be.

Lincoln Park.
The only park in the city which presents any variety of surface is Lincoln park, just north of the City Cemetery on the lake shore. Moreover, it is larger in extent than all the rest of the city parks combined, containing as it does about 60 acres. It is intended, moreover, to add to its area the ground now occupied by the city cemetery, from which the bodies are to be removed, and also the large open sand waste to the north of it. A plan of improvement is now in progress which will eventually make this resort the Central Park of Chicago. The surface will be broken into hills, dales and lawns, and varigated with bright pieces of water and clumps of trees and shrubs, while the walks and drives are so planned as to magnify the real extent of the grounds and give the impression of a wide and intricate woodland, while beyond all, and crowning all, the broad lake will stretch out to the horizon, as boundless and sublime as the ocean itself.

Chicago Tribune, December 6, 1868

Among the many objects which are now receiving from the public that attention which the heat and excitement of a hotly-contested election has not recently allowed to be given them, is that of the creation of the great public park, which the best interests of the city demand, and which, though discussed for so long a time, has not yet been secured. Not only is this question receiving much consideration among the people, but it is more than probable that at the next session of the Legislature bills will be introduced providing, in one way or another, for the creation of parks and boulevards. In view of this, and as the public sentiment seems to be in favor of the establiahment of something of the kind, we have prepared a brief statement of the size and condition of the parks now existing, as well as of the location and dimensions of those which it is proposed to lay out, so far as we have been able to ascertain anything concerning them.

South Side Park.
The proposed South Side Park commences with a boulevard four hundred feet wide, running on Kankakee avenue, from Douglas place, to about Forty-sixth street. There it opens into a park of six hundred acres, extending southward one mile. It then turns eastward on a tract one-half mile wide, and runs to the lake shore, where it opens into another park of five hundred and fifty acres, making in all one thousand one hundred and fifty acres. It is understood that the projectors of this scheme will present a bill to the Legislature at its coming session, and that it is also contemplated that before it is finally adopted, the matter shall be submitted to a vote of the people. The Riverside Park interest is supposed to be hostile to this project for a south Side park. Another project, whether independent of this, or connected with it, we do not know, contemplates

The Land Owner, October, 1869

A Drive or Boulevard
three hundred feet in width, extending entirely around the city, commencing at Lincoln Park, on the north, running westward on North avenue to Western avenue, south on Western avenue to about Fifty-fifth street, and eastward on Fifty-fifth street to the contemplated South Side park, or to the lake shore, as the case may be.

West Side Park.
This project also contemplates a park of suitable dimensions—probably not less than one thousand acres—for the West Division, to be selected either by the Common Council, or by citizens of the West Division, as may be deemed most advisable. This last-mentioned plan of a road connecting Lincoln Park with those proposed to be laid out on the South and West Sides has for its main object the harmonizing of the interests of the three divisions of the city, with a view to some concert of action.

Riverside Park,
comprising a tract of sixteen hundred acres, including the well-known Riverside Farm, located on the Desplaines River, about six miles, in a southwesterly direction, from the city. Riverside is intended for a resident park. The entire territory within its limits will be interspersed with walks and drives, groves, arbors, fountains, &c. The river will be formed into innumerable artificial lakes, and the stream will be crossed at a score or more of places by fancy bridges. The ornamentation of the grounds is in the hands of the architects of Central and Prospect Parks of New York and Brooklyn, Messrs. Olmsted, Vaux & Co., which is a guarantee that it will be well performed. Mr. Olmsted is very enthusiastic in furthering the plan, and says that Riverside has as fine natural advantages as any grounds in the world. The park will be connected with the city by the finest drive in the West. It will probably be opened from Union Park, and run in a direct line, by what is now known as the Northwestern Plank Road, to the Desplaines River. It is further proposed to connect the drive with Twelfth and perhaps Twenty-second street. Over one hundred workmen have been engaged during the past month in building the foundations for the road, and three miles of ditching and grading will be completed by the 20th inst. The drive will be ornamented with five rows of trees, dividing it into carriage and wagon roads, riding paths, &c. An artesian well is how being sunk on the grounds, that is intended to furnish the residents of the park with water. A fifty thousand dollar hotel will be finished in the spring, and a dozen villas, at a cost or $10,000 each, are now being constructed. Olmsted will take especial pride in bringing all his genius to bear in the embellishment of this park. It is his first undertaking of the kind in the West, and, if a success, will prove a great recommendations for designing future projects. If the proposed parks in Lake and Hyde Park towns ever become realities, it is proposed to connect them by drives with Riverside Park. The Burlington & Quincy Railway runs through the centre of the grounds, and the hotel is being erected near the track, where a depot will shortly be established. The Chief Engineer of Prospect Park, Brooklyn is retained for Riverside, and has been at work over a month in executing the designs of the projectors and architects. He has with him twelve of his most expert assistants. This park, although a private enterprise, will, no doubt, prove of incalculable benefit to Chicago, people need breathing places, and they don’t care much how they are procured. But, private enterprise as it is, it is being carried out on a grand scale, and probably no less than half a million dollars will be expended in its improvement.

Lincoln Park
is situated on North Clark street, about two miles north of the Chicago River, and embraces, in its present limits, sixty acres of land, park fronts upon the lake, with the old City Cemetery to the southward and purity adjoining. It is contemplated to include the latter tract within the park as soon as the process of disinterment, which at present progresses but slowly, shall have been completed, and it is also designed to purchase the Canal Trustees tract of forty acres lying north of the park, so that the latter may connect with a sixty-acre tract lying till further north. These additions, together with the Millman tract, which partially separates total Part from the cemetery, would give a total area of about two hundred acres, and would comprise a park which the world could scarcely surpass. It is now about three years since ground was first broken in Lincoin Park, since when about $52,000 have been expended in beautifying the park, planting trees, laving out gravelled walks and drives, erecting bridges and buildings, supplying seats, creating artificial mounds and lakes, etc. During the past year about $20,000 have been expended in this way, and the park at present contains two and a half miles of carriage drives and nearly two miles of gravelled walks; thirty acres have been graded forty seeded: five hundred and sixteen evergreen trees have been planted; and one hundred wooden and ten iron seats supplied. In another year Lincoln Park, which has grown to be almost indispensable as a source of health and pleasure, will have vastly improved in appearance by the development of the improvements already begun.

Union Park.
comes next in order as to size and development. It is situated in the West Division, with Bryan place on the northeast, Southwestern avenue on the southwest, Warren avenue on the south. Reuben street on the west, and Lake street on the north. It comprises nearly fourteen acres of land, and, although limited in extent, is capable of being made a valuable feature in its vicinity. For some years past this park has been almost entirely neglected, but during the present season a large amount of work has been done there. The carriage drives and walks have been finished; the miniature lake filled with water and sloped; two iron and two rustic bridges erected for carriages and pedestrians; a number of seats supplied, and the ground seeded anew. These improvements have involved an expenditure of $14,228, and it is estimated that $12,000 will be required to carry on improvements and keep the park in order next year.

Jefferson Park,
also in the West Division, includes about five acres and a half, lying between Rucker and Loomis streets on the east and west, and Monroe and Adams streets on the north and south. The park is simply a breathing space, with no improvements of consequence. The Board of Public Works have under advisement of the proposition of citizens in the vicinity to donate two dollars each per foot fronting the park for an iron fence, and the improvement will probably be made next year.

The Land Owner, January, 1871

Vernon Park
is another vacant piece of public property in the West Division, lying between Harrison and Polk, and Loomis and Rucker streets. Its area comprises about an acre and a quarter, and is more a public square than a park

Dearborn Park,
in the South Division, is too well known to need any description, were it capable of any, beyond the mere mention that it includes about one acre and a half of valuable ground, fronting along Michigan avenue, between Washington and Randolph streets. An iron fence surrounds the park, which is admirably adapted for cutting cross lots when desired.

Lake Park.
is also a prominent and well-known tract of municipal real estate, which extends from Randolph street along Michigan avenue to Park place, forming a narrow strip of land between the street and the basin. Within the past season four acres and a half at the northern end and have been filled, graded, and fenced, being mainly made land. When the entire basin is filled in the park will comprise about one hundred acres of land.

Ellis Park
is little known and remotely situated in the vicinity of the Douglas Monument. It embraces an area of about three acres, and is but little improved.

Washington Park,
situated between North Clark and North Dearborn streets and Washington and Lafayette places, is a pretty square of two acres and a half with no improvements beyond a fence, a few trees and foot walks. The latter have been laid with concrete during the past season.

Recapitulation.
The following table shows the number of acres devoted to park purposes, should all the above projects be carried into effect:

The Boulevard.
The proposed grand boulevard connecting the three parks will be three hundred feet wide, and will run about two-and-a-half miles on the North Side, nine on the West, and three-and-a-half on the south.

The Land Owner, July, 1869

The Land Owner, March, 1870

NOTES:

¹In 1934, Jefferson Park became part of the Chicago Park District’s portfolio when the West Park Commission and the 21 other park commissions were consolidated into the Chicago Park District. The park became known as the “the first Jefferson Park” because the Park District had previously acquired ownership of another site named Jefferson Park on the City’s Northwest side.

The first Jefferson Park remained unchanged until 1955, when it was renamed in honor of the adjacent Mark Skinner School. One of Chicago’s earliest school inspectors, Mark Skinner (1836-1887) went on to serve as a U.S. attorney for Illinois, and a State Representative. The City of Chicago transferred ownership of Skinner Park to the Chicago Park District pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act of 1957.

1872-1879—Chicago’s City Directories

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Chicago’s City Directories

Chicago Tribune, January 6, 1872

Edwards’ New Directory.
Edwards’ Directors, in reduced form, is now out, and probably in a week every one will have a copy of it. It is neither as comprehensive nor as extensive as the last, but he never published one which was looked for with wore impatience. It contains about 5,000 names of business firms, and the advertisers’ directory at the end is reliable. Under the circumstances, Mr. Edwards deserves great credit for the volume, the disadvantages under which he has labored being manifold and great. Had business men noticed him, as requested, of their whereabouts, he would have done better; but, as it is, he has done exceedingly well.

Chicago Tribune, August 16, 1872

For the fifteenth time Richard Edwards, historian and statistician for Chicago, has issued his annual report of the progress of the city,— a publication which flatters us all, and is acceptable to us all, since there we find that niche and that possibility of immortality which is denied us in the cyclopedias, the Lives of Great Men, and even in the papers. Therefore, the greater the disgust a man feels when he finds that he has been wrongly labelled, that his house number is incorrectly given, and that he will go down to the limitless future as having lived at No. 248 Smith street, instead of No. 258. It is like an incorrect epitaph on a tomb-stone. But there are a few such inaccuracies that, like moles upon a woman’s face, they really are a most serviceable foil.

In fifteen long years we have been under obligations to Mr. Edwards for directories which have enabled us to hunt up our debtors, and to get track of our friends. But besides that, his directories serve, from year to year, to indicate the increase of the population of the city, and also of the number of business houses. To have a set of them would almost be to have a record of the city for the length of time they cover. But no one cares for an old directory. It is dismissed like a superannuated horse. This last one is in many respects an improvement upon its predecessors.—not in typography,for they have all been excellent in that respect, but as regards the amount of matter furnished. The book contains 1,194 pages, of which 938 are occupied by the list of names, the directory proper, the business directory, street and avenue guide, and the city and county record. The latter, which is very full, and is always serviceable, gives all desired information touch, leg our societies, churches, schools, libraries, and hospitals, as well as the names of the members of our Common Council, Boards of Police, Health, Education, etc, ward boundaries, fire limits, hack ordinances, street railroads, public halls, theatres, United States offices, etc. It has evidently been prepared with care, but, owing probably to tbe early day at which the first pages went to press, le not, in all respects, correct. Since July 2, the Board of Education has been greatly changed, and Mr. Kiokke has been appointed Police Commissioner in the place of Mr. Rehm. The boundaries of the Ninth Ward are not correctly given, and James E McLean is not Collector of Customs. These are about the only exceptions to its correctness, and they do not harm this title’s annual of information, which Mr. Edwards has obligingly famished us in a condensed form.

The list of names is a pretty safe basis upon which to calculate the population of the city, and, upon examining it for this year, it proves a most gratifying increase. There are published 126,174 names, It is customary in Eastern cities to estimate five and a half persons to a name, but that proportion will hardly hold good here, owing to the proportionately smaller number of women and the recent great influx of unmarried mechanics, laborers, etc. We keep within bounds, however, in estimating it at three and a half to a name, which gives 441.609, or 91,000 more than in 1870, and 210,000 more than in 1866, at which time it was looked upon as quite a city. This list also snows that the effects of the fire of last October upon the population was very transitory, and that it has made remarkably rapid progress despite that set-back.

The following is a comparative list of names under each letter for the years 1866, 1870, and 1872:

The following is a detailed statement on the name point:
There are 3,320 names that begin with letter A. Of these there are 47 Abbotts, 185 Adamses, 58 Alexanders, 691 Andersons, 85 Andrews, 140 Allens, 62 Armstrongs, 78 Arnolds, and 51 Austins—which are the most popular names among the As; an increase of 604 names.

Of the letter B, there are 11,579 names: 191 Bakers, 72 Baldwins 72 Barnseses, 110 Beckers, 90 Bells, 80 Bradleys, 73 Bradys, 690 Browns, 204 Burkes, 211 Burnses, and 95 Butlers. Beck, Bennett, Bishop, Black, Blake, Bowen, and Brook are also among ih« prominent names ia letter B; an increase of 2,183 names.

The letter C numbers 8,955 names. Of these 170 are Campbells, 90 Carpenters, 147 Carrolls, 115 Caseys, 410 Clarks, 100 Coles, 203 Collinses, 75 Connells, 81 Conways, 200 Cooks, 70 Coopers, 85 Cunninghams, and 76 Curtises; an increase of 1,389 names.

Under the letter D there are 5,700 names. Of these there are 271 Davises; Days, 70; Deans, 64; Donohues, 77; Doyles, 135; Duffys, 70; Dunns, 140; Dwyers, 70; among the most prominent names in this letter are Daleys, Danielses, Day, Dodge, Drake, Drew, and the Douglases; an increase of 1,060 names.

There are only 2,386 whose names commence with E. The Edwardses are 88 in number; the Egans, 60; Elliotts, 60; Ellises, 55; Ericksons, 125, and Evanses 105; an increase of 360 names.

The letter F includes 4,648 names. The Farwells are 105 in number; Fields, 40; Fishers, 396; Fitzgeralds, 175; Flynns, 90; Foleys, 95; Fords, 78; Fosters, 85: Foxes, 84; Franks, 93; Frenchs, 76; and the Fullers are 85. Fitzpatricks, Fowlers, and Freemans are well represented in letter F. There is a gain of 211 names.

There are 5,899 names In the letter G. Gallaghers are 78 in number; Gardners, 76; Gleasons, 85; Gormans, 86; Grahams, 90; Greens, 147; Grays, 85; Griffins, 100; there are also 70 Grants, and several of the Greeleys, which comprise the most prominent names in the letter G. The increase in this letter is 1,067 names.

In the letter H there are 10,089 names,—189 Halls, 50 Hamiltons, 180 Hansons, 126 Harrises, 305 Harts, 170 Hayeses, 130 Hills, 125 Hoffmans, 105 Hogans, 100 Hugheses; an increase of 1,819 names.

There are only 436 names in letter I. Among the most numerous are the Ingersolls, Irwins, and the Iversons; an increase of 47 names.

Letter J numbers 3,088 names, 995 of which are Johnsons, 370 Joneses, and 145 Jacksons; an increase of 218 names.

There are 6,276 names under letter K, among which are 994 Kellys, 134 Kennedys, 170 Kings, 70 Kochs, while Kane, Keating, Kehoe, Kline, Knight are among the most prominent names in letter K; an increase of 1,694 names.

Letter L numbers 6,146 names, among which are 190 Lynchs, 130 Lyonses, 105 Longs, 131 Lewises, 195 Lees, and Lawrences, Lanes, Livingstones, Leonards are also prominent in this letter. There is a gain of 1,442 names.

Letter M numbers 11,589 names. There are 3,052 Mcs, 576 Millers, 427 Murphys, 357 Myerses, 264 Martins, 200 Moores, and 185 Mitchells; a gain of 1,994 names.

There are 2,639 names under the letter N. Nelsons, Nortons, and Newmans are the most prominent names in this letter; an increase of 789 names.

Under letter O, there are 2,892 names, 325 of which are O’Briens; O’Connors, O’Donnells and O’Neils, are about the the same. The Olsons number 280, the increase of 656 names.

There are 5,804 names under letter P. Parkers 160; Petersons 175 ; Phillips, 150; and Powers 320; a gain of 1,620 names.

There are only 39l names under the letter Q. A decrease 33 names. Quinns, 105, and Quinians 69, are about the only prominent names in this letter.

Letter R has 6,285 names. Of these there are 382 Ryanses. The Reeds, Rogerses, Russells are the most prominent names in this letter, making an increase of 1,620.

S is the leading letter in the Directory,-numbering 13,915 names, among which are 1,160 Smiths, 287 Sullivans, and 120 Stewarts; a gain of 3,115 names.

Letter T has 3,967 names: 200 Taylors, 170 Thomases, 315 Thompsons, and 100 Turners, making a gain of 1,234 names.

Letter U numbers only 415 names, of which the Undersons are the most prominent.

There are 1,218 names in the letter V, not many of which are spelled alike. The increase is 255 names.

W has 8,256 names under its head, of which 140 are Wagners, 125 Walkers, 170 Walshes, 125 Wards, 275 Whites. 406 Williamses, and 315 Wilsons, making a gain of 1,932 names,

In letter X there is not a single same.

Y has 499 names, 19D of which are Youngs, the most prominent name in the letter. An increase of 144 names.

The letter Z numbers 382 names, Zimmerman being the only name of any prominence. The last name in the book is Zwoll. No increase.

The following is an abstract of the business report compared with the one for 1872, which shows a very general increase. There is a gratifying dime in the number of dentists and physicians. The insurance companies have also fallen off:

These are the principal features of the Directory. Of course, everybody who has the money will buy one, and will see for himself a number of matters of interest which are not touched upon here.

Chicago Tribune, February 16, 1873

Edwards’ New Supplement Directory,
embracing thousands of changes and removals since the publication of the large Directory, has just been issued. This book is indispensable to business men, and is worth ten times its value to every purchaser. Price, $2. For sale by the agents and at the book stores.

Chicago Tribune, August 9, 1873

The Chicago Directory for 1873, compiled by Richard Edwards, will be ready for delivery in a few days. In the meanwhile, we have been furnished by the publisher with proofs of the preface to his work, and are thus enabled to lay before the public the valuable information relative to the population and growth of this city, which has been worked up and tabulated by Mr. Edwards. His constant comparisons with St. Louis are owing to the fact that Mr. Edwards has been personally attacked by the press of that city, and the accuracy of his work steadily denied.

The Chicago Directory of 1860 contained 28,708 names; that of 1860, 70,103; that of 1870, 100,555, and the new one, 133,043. Assuming that each name represents three and a half persons, the total population of the city would bo 465,170, or 168,738 more than was give by the Government census of 1870. This difference, however, is partly owing to the defective character of that census, as was shown by the one subsequently taken by Mr. Edwards. So for as his ratio of three and a half is concerned, every person who pays any attention to the population in his own neighborhood will find that all the private families around him so far exceed that number per household as to compensate for the unmarried people, and for those who are packed in boarding-houses and hotels, who constitute in this city only about ten and a half persons out of every hundred; while in St. Louis eighteen out of every hundred come under that category. Therefore, estimating by the names in the St. Louis Directory, that place has a population of 201,628, or a little less than was shown by the United States enumeration of three years ago.

The Rapid Increase of Chicago,
as shown by the now Directory, might bo questioned, were it not for the immense amount of labor which has been bestowed upon the collection of these data, and the care with which every fact has been sifted and arranged. The likelihood of fraud is really less in those Directory statistics than in the census figures of the Federal Government. The latter are filed away beyond all reach of verification. The former are in the hands of everyone. Any person who chooses can take the book and hunt up every firm or person mentioned in it. Until the Directory figures have failed to meet this test, they can bo relied upon.

In addition to the business catalogue and the Directory proper, this volume will contain a great amount of valuable information relating to the political organization of the city, county, and State, the 212 churches. 83 benevolent and public societies, 49 Masonic and 110 other secret societies, the 1,100 public streets, 80 odd newspapers, and 31 railroad companies, etc.

Chicago and St. Louis Compared.
In order to enable the reader to test the correctness of these statements relative to the comparative population of St. Louis and Chicago, Mr. Edwards gives the following table, by letters, of the number of names in the Directories of the two cities for 1860, 1866, 1870, and 1873:

Business Statistics.
So much concerning the population. As regards business statistics, Mr. Edwards’ figures aro full and very satisfactory. The following table shows the number of business houses, by an actual count, as reported in the commercial reports issued in July, 1873, by the three mercantile agencies of R. G. Dun & Co., Tappau, McKillop & Co., and J. M. Bradstreet & Son:

These figures show, when averaged, that the number of business houses in Chicago is 68 per cent greater than the number in St. Louis. The commercial agencies do not, however, claim to bo exhaustive in their reports. The two Directories, when called into requisition upon this point, show totals as follows:

The details of these business statistics follow, in a table which has been prepared with great care, and which will prove both interesting and useful.

From these figures it will be seen that, while St. Louis, by dint of reckoning over several times each of her dealers who have several businesses, slightly excels Chicago in the number of her savings banks, shoemakers, foundries, wholesale grocers, ice-dealers, iron-workers, lithographers, tin and copper workers, white lead makers, upholsterers, and undertakers, Chicago overwhelmingly excels St. Louis in every one of a hundred and thirty other branches of business. Against her 29 banks and banking offices, Chicago shows 70; against her 187 retail dry goods houses, Chicago shows 239; and in wholesale dry goods houses Chicago has 20 firms to balance her 10, and one of Chicago’s firms would offset the biggest half-dozen of St. Louis’. In retail groceries—a good test of the number and character of consumers—Chicago has 1,107, St. Louis 541; in flour and food. Chicago 137, St. Louis 72; in retail hardware, Chicago 139, St. Louis 34; in hotels, Chicago 105, St, Louis 74; in real estate firms, Chicago 642, St. Louis 85; in furniture, Chicago 230, St. Louis 104: and so on through the list.

It appears by the Directories that there are 28 railroad companies located in St. Louis, and 81 in Chicago; but the proportion between the railroad facilities of the two cities is at least times in favor of Chicago,—a ratio which is more than sustained by the latest statistics on the subject of railroads. Taking Poor’s Manual for 1873 as authority, and leaving out of the count all of the great trunk railways to the seaboard (in which Chicago has the advantage of her “rival” at least three to one), we find there are 8,483 miles of railroad converging at Chicago, and 2,745 miles—less than one-third—converging at St. Louis. This footing gives St. Louis the benefit of one-third the mileage of the Illinois Central and Chicago & Alton Roads, and leaves to Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado their own local roads, except such as are operated directly by Chicago or St. Louis corporations. This makes no account of the thousands of miles of railroad already under contract into Chicago, as the Chicago & Northern Pacific Air Lino (150 miles), the Chicago, Omaha St. Joseph (210 miles), the Chicago & Paducah (200 miles), the Chicago, Hamilton & Western (coal road), the Chicago & Wisconsin Midland, etc., etc. We find by the same authority that the name of Chicago appears in the title of 15 railroads, and St. Louis in that of 15.

The records of the Post-Office Department at Washington show that there were collected and delivered in Chicago and St. Louis during the month of June, 1873, letters to the following number:

The aggregate daily newspaper circulation of Chicago is about 98,000; that of St. Louis, 40,000.

In reference to the delay which has occurred in the issue of this book, Mr. Edwards says that the canvass began on the 1st of May, with a larger force than was ever before employed, but that the marked growth of the city, the confusion and frequent change of localities arising from the fire, and the desire which the author felt to make the canvass exceptionally thorough, will probably be regarded as satisfactory reasons for the extra time consumed.

The remainder of the preface is devoted to a very animated defense of Mr. Edwards against the charges made by the St. Louis papers, and he is able to show from their own columns that up to a recent period he was held in high favor in their city, and became obnoxious there only because his Chicago census report showed that the latter city was, in population, far ahead of the rival one on the Mississippi.

Chicago Tribune, May 3, 1874

Lakeside City Directory.
On Monday, May 4, we commence the active canvass for directory information. To insure correctness, we would ask the public to give canvassers information promptly. Advertisers are reminded that their favors must be handed in within ten days.
WILLIAMS, DONNELLEY & Co.,
Room 1, Lakeside Building.

Chicago Tribune, June 14, 1874

The publishers of City Directories in late years seem to misinterpret the real scope of such works. Instead of issuing their volumes promptly for the accommodation of the public, they concentrate their efforts on the preparation of statistics which are intended to strike terror into the hearts of municipal rivals, and which are generally a rehash of what the newspapers have already printed. While the subscribers are waiting for the new Chicago Directory, the publishers are pursuing the same course as their predecessors. It is very gratifying to know that nearly 19,000 additional names have been added since 1873; that a fair estimate on this basis shows Chicago to have a population of more than half a million; that we are a couple of hundred thousand ahead of St. Louis, etc., etc.; but it would be more gratifying to have a directory in hand which would tell us where John Smith lives when we want to find him. The sooner the publishers attain this practical end of issuing a directory, the better will they discharge their duty to their subscribers and the public.

The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874-75

No recent census has been taken, but the proportion usual in numbering from a good Directory corresponds in this case with every other hypothesis. The total number of names in this book is 151,918—which, multiplied by the usual figure (3½) shows our population to be 531,713; and adding, say, 30,000 of the suburban residents, at having daily business in the city, and we have a grand total of 561,713 residents. But the far greater question is whether the past rate of increase is to continue?

Chicago Weekly Post, June 18, 1874

THE NEW DIRECTORY
Important Pacts Gleaned From the Proof-Sheets.
A new business and city directory will soon be published by Messrs. Williams, Donnelly & Co., which contains some interesting commercial information. It claims that manufactures in Chicago have increased in ten years at the rate of 682½ per cent, while in New York the rate has been but 209½; the dealings in merchandise have also increased very much. The total receipts of grain for the entire year 1872, of all cereals, were equal to 88,426,842 bushels. For the entire year 1873, they passed a hundred million bushels. Ending with the shipments for 1872, and going back thirty-five years to the first 78 bushels ever shipped, there is found to have been an average shipment of 39,789,865 bushels a year, a grand total of 1,432,435,140 bushels of grain, equal two years ago to a bushel apiece for the human race.

There were in 1873, 4,603,362 hogs and cattle packed here to 463,793 for St. Louis in the same time The lumber trade for that year in Chicago shows the following receipts: Lumber feet 417,980,570; shingles number 436,827,375. There ware 12,824 vessels entered with an aggregate tonnage of 3,059,752 including 43,802 tonnage in 152 foreign vessels. There are only counting those lines which are tributary to this city 10,101 miles of railroad track used. Chicago is claimed to appear in the corporate names of railroads amounting to nearly a third of the whole in the United States. The debt of the city is fixed at $70,000,000.

“The present area of Chicago is thirty-five square miles in which in comparison with New York there is no crowded locality. As population increases, suburban area extends as business increases, the business centers multiply. The former is well shown by the fact that 40,000 people inhabit sixty-four suburban villages within twenty miles of the Court House; the latter by the fact that the best business lots seldom reach $20 per square foot, while in London and New York, ground on which no more business is done might be paved with gold for their price. Also, the fact that Potter Palmer’s Hotel stands on soil bought in 1866, below $1.50 per square foot, and similar facts. Of public pleasure grounds there are 2,353 acres more than an acre to every ten acres or 200 inhabitants within the city limits.” The business population is 151,918; the total 531,708.

On the basis of the rate of increase in Cook County, as compared with that of New York and Boston, the population here twelve years hence will be one million. The preface to Messrs. Williams Donnelly & Co’s Directory is well written and argues that the whole is carefully and thoroughly prepared.

The following are a few of the strange names with the number of people owning them: Ash, 15; Bass, 8; Birch, 7; Briar, 1; Burr, 18; Bush, 51; Greenleaf, 8; Greenwood, 19; Groves, 16; Heath, 26; Heather, 1; Hedges, 10; Blessing, 7; Bliss, 41; Blood, 6; Bloom, 15; Book, 2; Bootjack, 1; Boss, 5; Botch, 2; Bottles, 2; Beer, 8; Grace, 22; Guest, 6; Guinea, 1; Happy, 2; Hate, 1; Hazard, 11; Heldback, 3; “Peter Funk,” 4; Bacon, 20; Bean, 14; Berry, 85; Butter, 2; Egg, 2; Fish, 42; Flesh, 2; Grain, 2; Grub, 2; Ham, 12; Duck, 4; Goslin, 3; Heifers, 1; Doll, 17; Hat, 1; Hay, 13; Head, 11; Brick, 6; Buggy, 2; Buttons, 7; Battles, 5; Castle, 11; Drum, 4; Fife, 3; Gore, 10.

The number of houses engaged in various trades and occupations are as follows :

Agricultural implements, 19; architects, 95; banks and bankers, 84; boots and shoes (wholesale), 37; clothing (wholesale), 17; commission merchants, 519; dry goods (wholesale and commission), 32; furniture manufacturers, 85; foundries, 29; grocers, wholesale, 72; hardware, wholesale, 41; hotels, 117; iron works, 29; insurance companies and agencies, 223; lawyers and notaries, 857; newspapers, 132; planing mills, 44; real estate dealers and agents, 822.

Chicago Tribune, June 21, 1874

THE NEW DIRECTORIES.
The great aim of directory-makers in Chicago hitherto has been to prove Chicago a city of surprising importance. As this is already an axiom, the compilers seem to miss the point. What is wanted is, a directory which will give an unerring list of names with reliable places of residence. The wonderful growth and overpowering population dodge is a little old. St. Louis has learned it at last, and her directory-makers have jumped clear out of reason. We are content, therefore, in considering the first directory issued this year, to compliment the Lakeside Publishing Company upon their enterprise, the neat typographical appearance of their work, and their correctness, so far as can be ascertained from a dozen names chosen haphazard. Exclusive of advertisements proper, the directory has 1,432 pages very neatly printed, and solidly bound. The front cover has a good gilt stamp of the Tremont House, and is otherwise handsome. As the first directory issued by this popular house, the present is a great success. Competition is the soul of trade, and the Lakeside Company have made a leap of three weeks in advance of the ordinary date of issue.

In addition to the general directory, is an abbreviated business directory, on the London plan, printed and published by G. J. Roberts & Co.. 148 Clark street,—a very useful and carefully prepared volume. It contains a distance map of the city with a radius of eight miles from the Court-House, with half mile circles, showing the distance of almost any point from the centre of business. There is also a city and county record, and a schedule showing the arrival and departure of mails by different railroads, as well as the postage on foreign letters; a business directory of the streets, together with the number of prominent business houses on the street; the number of business offices and names of their occupants, and finally a classified business directory of the city.

The two volumes together are complete, if reliable. Time and experience only will show their value in this respect. Certainly no directory ever looked better or promised so well.

Inter Ocean, June 22, 1875

The Inter-Ocean has received from Messrs. Donnelley, Loyd & Co. advance sheets of the prefatory address to the patrons of the new city directory from which we excerpt the following statistics:

Assuming that each name in the directory represents a family of three, which is rather below than above actual average, the population of the three cities would compare as follows:

The following table of professions, employments, etc., is also of peculiar interest, as it shows that in nearly every department of business Chicago leads her ambitious rivals (advance sheet on left, actual published sheet on right):

Inter Ocean, June 27, 1876

THE NEW CHICAGO DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside Directory for the city of Chicago for the present year has just been issued to the public. It is quite voluminous, covering 1,310 pages with closely-printed matter, the names contained within its cover being 153,335. This gives the city an estimated population of 536,673, am increase over last year of 25,172. Of this number the M’s have added the largest number, 746, and the A’s have added only 34. I’s, X’s, and Y’s do not seem to thrive in Chicago, for they show a decrease below of last year of 24, 1, and 72 respectively. The Smiths, as usual, blossom out strong, there being 91 of the straight Johns. All the Ann Smiths named in the directory are widows, while the whole family, including the ones with a “y,” fill 17 columns of the volume. The O’s, beginning with O’Brien and winding up with O’Toole, take up 21 columns, and the sturdy race of Mc’s use 50 columns of space.

The advocates of woman’s suffrage will find but little to meet their views in the pages of the book, as but very few women appear in the conductors of business, most of them being marked as widows. Thirty-one, however, appear as music teachers, 1 as a loan agent, 1 as a lawyer, 1 as a proprietor of a theater, 9 artists, 1 woman keeps a barber shop, and 2 are the engineers of bath rooms. Boarding houses, bakeries, and stationery establishments without limit are presided over by the fair sex, and they loom up well in the saloon line.

One Mr. Aal has the honor of opening the directory, and a gentlemen delighting in the cognomen of Zwisele closes the list. Of course nothing like a close analysis of the work is here attempted, for that would be the work of weeks, but in a cursory overlooking the above facts appear. The publishers have figured up that our suburb at the other end of the bridge is 163,981 behind us in the matter of population, and that while we have made the gain above noted St. Louishas lost 8,130 within the past year. Two thousand five hundred and one saloons furnish us with spiritual comfort, while the village just mentioned has but 1,135. This may account for the increase of population on the one hand and the shrinkage on the other. The 25,172 people which we have gained during the last year cannot be smooth-shaven men, for it takes only 34 more barbers to do the tonsorial this year than it did in 1875. Unfortunately, there are only 8 more life insurance agents here now than last year, but by a strict attention to businesses they can, in the course of a twelve month, get around to every one of the 25,172 at least once, which will satisfy the 25,172. There are 125 hotels in Chicago, while visitors to St. Louis have only 71 to choose among. There are 725 physicians and surgeons, and only 40 undertakers, a fact which it is unnecessary to comment on. It requires 804 milliners abd dressmakers to keep our feminine population “looking decent,” and 715 boot and shoe dealers to furnish understanding for the Chicagoans.

Chicago Tribune, July 1, 1877

Messrs. Donnelley, Loyd & Co. have just completed the Lakeside Annual Directory for 1877-78, and the books will be ready for delivery Monday. The publishers in their preface state that two important changes have been made in the general plan of the work,—the first, a continuation of their former policy; the second originating with their present volume. In the first place, they are compelled to adopt a more condensed style of giving the names and addresses. They have also cut down the floaters,—persons holding a residence of only a few weeks or months, such as those brought here by the opening of navigation, etc. In the next place it is stated that in large Eastern cities it is the custom to exclude such names as give only a business address, or place where employed without residence or boarding-place,—such as “John Manny, car-driver, Chicago City Railway.” This information is usually obtained from pay-roils of large establishments, and is the main source of names without addresses that appear in a directory. In all cases, however, where there are valid reasons for not giving the residence, or where persons are traveling and have a permanent business location instead of being merely temporarily employed by others, such information as can be had is always given. It is found useless to give the names of persons belonging to transitory trades, as for instance waiters in hotels and restaurants. The fact that the Chicago directory, notwithstanding this severe pruning, contains some 39,000 more names than the St. Louis one, which indicates the Chicago publishers reject, seems to seems to occasion no little vexation to the neighboring city. The St. Louis newspapers are filled with startling statements of that city, but give no figures. The Chicago publishers, more honest in their way of doing business, append a tabular statement of the actual number of names recorded in the directories of each city for the present year, and a table of the number of persons and firms engaged in the more prominent branches of business.

The following table shows the comparative number of names in the Chicago and St. Louis directories for the present year:

Total population as shown by number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name:

The following table gives the comparative number of persons following the principal professions and employments in this city and St. Louis:

These figures are eminently satisfactory, and are a good proof of the thoroughness with which the publishers have gotten up their book.

In typographical appearance, and so far in the completeness, it is fully the equal of previous publications.

Inter Ocean, July 2, 1877

THE NEW CITY DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside Annual Directors, which has just come out, more than equals its predecessors. A complete general and business directory, it is a volume which every business man in the city should have at hand. The publishers have very wisely omitted the names of persons belonging to the merely transitory classes that form a large portion of the population of all large cities, and which are published in and go to make up the directories of St. Louis. Notwithstanding. however, the omission of this considerable part of our own city, the new Lakeside Directory contains 39,000 names more than the St. Louis Directory, which, as above stated, contains the names of this transitory population. As these, 39,000 names represent the heads of families, they indicate a majority of 137,616 souls above the population of St. Louis. It is sufficient, in conclusion, to say that Donnelley, Loyd & Co., the publishers. have got up a very handsome and presentable volume.

Inter Ocean, June 27, 1878

VERY ROUGH ON ST. LOUIS.
The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago” will be issued by Messrs. Donnelly, Loyd & Co. in a day or two. Its compiler, Thomas Hutchinson, may be congratulated upon its apparent completeness. The increase of population during the past year, taking into consideration the excestionally depressing influences of the times. is very statifying. Altogether there are 153,607 names recorded, gain over last year 4,481. Comparing the Chicago and St. Louis directories of the past year with those or the present the following is the condition of the case:

In 1877—Chicago, 149,126 names; St. Louis, 109,807 names; excess of Chicago, 39,319. In 1878—Chicago, 153,607 names; St. Louis, 108,120 names: excess of Chicago, 45,487. Thus during the past year Chicago has gained 4,481 names, while St. Louis has lost 1,687 names. The total population, as shown by number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name is: Chicago, 153,607×3½—537.624; St. Louis, 108,120×3½—378,420; excess of Chicago, 45,187×3—159,214.

Chicago Daily Telegraph, June 28, 1878

The New City Directory.
Donnelly, Gassette & Loyd have issued for the present the Lakeside Directory year. It is, as usual, a valuable work, attractive in appearance, and evidently thoroughly accurate.

The Commercial Advertiser, July 1, 1878

CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS.
The honest and reliable Chicago City Directory for 1878 is out. In looking through its contents we feel impelled to compliment its compiler, Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, for the careful and conscientious manner in which he has performed his arduous and responsible work. It is highly gratifying to observe that he is guiltless of the glaring monstrous deception practiced by Mr. Gould, the compiler of the St Louis Directory; for Mr. Hutchinson has not resorted to the infamous means of amplifying his work by canvassing the cemeteries taking down the names of long defunct residents; neither has he incorporated the name of every bellboy boot blacks, servant girl, transient hotel guest, peripatetic lightning rod peddler, and homeless tramp in the city.

Despite all these things, the Chicago Directory, on a fair and honest basis, makes a very creditable showing of the growth and prosperity of the Western metropolis. The volume contains 153,607 names, again of 4,481 over 1877. The compiler says: “Taking into consideration the exceptionally depressing influences of the times which particularly affect cities, this substantial addition to our population is very gratifying.

Comparing the Directories of Chicago and St. Louis for 1878, the following exhibit:

While Chicago has gained 4,481 names during the last year, St. Louis has lost 1,687. The total population of each city as shown by the number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name is:

Inter Ocean, June 28, 1879

FACTS FROM THE NEW DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside annual Directory of the city of Chicago for 1879 has just been issued from the press of the publishers, Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd. It is a handsome-looking, well-printed volume of over 1,700 pages, and is issued considerably in advance of former volumes. It contains 161,212 names, which, at the rate at which population is counted, is equal to 537,373 souls; a very handsome showing, and one which is no doubt nearly correct. The Directory shows an increase of 7,605 names over that of last year. As usual, the volume contains a large amount of carefully compiled general information touching the churches. schools, societies, and government of the city.