, 1874-06-14
YOUNG CHICAGO.
Startling Stories About Early
Days. in This City.
"Reminiscences of an Old Inhabitant.

"Reminiscences of an Old Inhabitant
The Jacksonville F1a.) Union has been pub
fishing senes Of communications on lnd'al
life in the Northwest, written by T. $. Eels, on
of the early settlers in Northern Illinois. lh'
following extracts from his letters hare spec1a
reference to primitive Chicago:
MARE BEAUBIES.
When the Sac and Fox War was over, Chlcage
was mud village and people rode to chuscn ~
ox-carts, and often got stuck in the nuo III 'le
principal streets. Not carriage or buggy "as
in the place. Col. Beaubien got the n1s1 car
riaco there, and the citizens turned out ID pro-
cessiou and paraded the Streets at tha1 LING
boarded with Mark Beaubion, who kept log
tavern. where tho Exchange Hotel now Stands.
His entire stock of blankets we're IN constant
use. for the traveller would not think OF aeklug
for a bed, as that Was luxury not expected lie
must INV 50 cents in advance for blanket, and
it is said that when be got to sleep some one
would take his blanket and Mark would rent it
again, So that one blanket would te rented many
times during the night. Mark WAS ambitious, too,
mud as there was only one brick store in Chi
cago and no brick house. he built one-story
brick house adjoining his hotel One day IS We
marched out from dinner. We were stopped py
Mark aud his eon. ''Gentlemep, '' want to sho"
You something grand follow me-" Marching
Us around, we halted in front OF tho one-story.
IIarl1 waved his hat and commanded attention.
t'o,n1ine to the house and to brass plate On the
door, he said, " Gent!emens look oar, what Tt nas
eay ha /! read him Mark =" (to bis son). Tue
son read, shark Dcaubien.:' Read him nEaln,
Mark. Ha! Sacre! What tho people IN York
ayto that, la Mark Beaubien one great man,
lie build the first brick house in Chicago, put his
name on the door. He keep tavern LEG III,
ard play the fiddle like the deV-.'
THE FIRST PLANO.
Chicago began to improve aud another arrival
caused 3 great sensation. As l WAS f1dibs
through the village one Sunday (after Witness
ing number Of the first citizens OF the place
With bottles OF champagne IN their hands, Tdlng
into the churches among the audience and drlnk-
ing the health of the reachcr, and then statlou-
ing themselves at the door to shoot pigeons ana
prairie hens} my attention Was attracted TO
partv Of Indians who had surrounded the house
Fl Sheriff Sherman whose daughter had received
q piano fr5n Buffalo. and which she VAS playing
for her own amusement. Tho indians usleneo
with wonder and astoniahmeat to such Hweet,
heavenly music which must be the voice OF the
Great Spirit. As I approached, the Indians
motoncd me to diemount. eSclalm'nR, haso-Kn-
90, ne con, o tuck Eha, lie snaw uanito, Wetono.
1Tne Great Spirit is speaking, keep sllent)
HARPER
Among my first acquuiniances at Chicago Was
q youp. man named Harper, who WIS the sou Of
geslthy parents in England. He frequently hid
reuaittances from there and would go out in the
morning dressed in fine clothes. with plenty Of
noIcy, ard by the next caJ his money and tine
clothes we're gone, and he would be c!othea IN
rags for Lie Unsuitable love for strong drink Was
such that lie would make any sacrifice to get it.
When money and clothes we're gone Counsellor
SEring and myself took care Of and made every
effort to reform him, but it seemed Impossible.
Frequently he would be arrested and the Justice
would try to commit him for yagrancy, but Har~
7,er would be too sharp for BIN. At one time
the magistrate felt sure he had him there he
was q poor, miserable. drunken vagabond,
without home Or friends, and penntless.
Harper, Eou are n;, yae1ant .a and snai order
7agrant now. Squire, what is vagrant One
without visible means OF support, is it Look
ere, Squire. what do you call this quilting
loaf Of bread from under his filthy clothes). Is
not this is visible means Of support = 5.o Aar.
{Btowa) was obliged to discharge him, md Har.
;;Ir walked out Of court aB proud as if he had
been O millionaire. A short time after Harper
was again arrested, aud having no bread or vlsi-
BILE means Of support, WIS ordered to be sold at
puollc auction as vagrant. (No ]ails or poor
1ouses then.) Harper WAS marched to the stems
Of the fremont House, then kept by Starr Foote,
aud while Black George, the auctioneer. was
drumming through the village, announcing that
Harper. 4 WQlLo HAL duA q AAAA%I "o5 ~ no
sold st public auction, Harper, in rags, and filthy
in the extreme, WAS matching up and down IN
front Of the hotel, wondering, doubtless, who
would buy such q filthy wretch as he. George
returned with his drum, Harper mounted the
steps OF the fremont. ready to be sold. The
nuctioneer announced the terms Of the sale.
- white man to be sold to the highest bidder
as . vagiant! Who bids? One cent! Go on,
gentlemen; bid again Two cents!---three!-
ten cents THANK you! Live stock is advancing!
m. 4 - t.ngF I1o tepv
ing!-going!- aud last time !-gone!!"
George, the black drummer, buya him for shil-
ling. and, with the tune Of the ;'Rogues March,"
he marched him off to his home, where, by in
dustry and perseverance in the science OF boot
cleaning. be could work out the SHILLING, and
once more be free man.
CHICAGO FUN.
Harper WAS sold as yagrant on the steps OF
the fremont House, and at the same time there
WAS being enacted within the bar-room Of the
the best men Of Chicago had bought the con-
tents of the bar for 81 200, and closing the door,
they had general s1nash-up. Decanters and
bottles, filed with all kinds OF liquors, we're
the wall faucets were turned the room was
flooded with assorted liquors, and cigars OF vari-
GUS brands were scattered profusely on every
side, while the three men, crazed with cham
payne, danced, vhooped, and howled, among the
broken glass and floods OF liquor. Yankee Gu
1iosity prompted me to look at them through tile
crnck Of tho door, when crash came cham
pagne bottle, missing my head by a hairs
breadth. After quitting the bar they called in
the landlord. paid him Il 200. shook hands with
him, and. utter assuring him that they had sam-
pied his liquors and cigars and that they
would give HIM another call (Which they did
eoon aftcr), they went up-staiis and gambled
sway few Thousand, and in the ''wee sma'
hour" of night went home wondering why they
had such an ''infernal headache" Chicago ran
rot then. II g. merchant or professional man
wanted to so on bust, nc had but to visit the
different stores or Offices and every man must
Join the crowd, and then for grand blowout,
At the celebration of the passage of the Illinois
Canal bill I do not think there were ten sober
men in Chicago. The champagne and liquors
drank that dav and night would send wealthy
man into bankruptcy.
4 NOVEL VERDICT.
Tie Circuit Court WIS held in a one-story
frame store next to tho fremont House. At the
first session of this court, HI Irishu,au was be-
i,g tried 10, murder. His wife was nv washer
woman. aud the night previous to my going to
the Indian country went for my clothes jim
my, the 11ishman, was beating his wife, and,
fearing that might get stray blow from his
shelah, I did not venture in, but went
into the country without my clothes,
When I returned, I went to the court
room; Jimmy had killed his wife