The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-11-25
The Small Days OF Chicago.


New York and Boston. about PSI
years old, have respectively 1000, 0O(
and $50, 900 inhabitants. Chicago made
up her half million in little over forty
years. In New York and Boston one
sees the graves of eight generations
and the relics of colonial times. In
Chicago NJ. Gordon S. Hubbard is now
living, an active man, seventy-eigh1
years. of age (and looking sixty, who
came to the spot when there were but
two houses there.
The site of this great city, favorite
one with the Indians, was early visited
by some of those splendid old ''pioneers
OF France in the New World" who
have been made famous in this genera
ton by the pen of that accomplished
and genial historian, Mr.. Parkman.
Old Pere Marquette was there in 1873,
and returned in the winter of 1674-75.
1t was also known to Joliet (for whom
a town not far off is now namely,
Hennepin and La Sale. The name is
of Indian origin, cheecaqua meaning
strong and being also the term for
kind of wild onion found on the shore
of the lake in old days. The place is
first known to geography as the Fort
Checagou' of a French map published
toward the end of the seventeenth GEN.
tury. Fort Dearborn was built by our
Government in 1904, and the late John
ii. Kinzie, an eminent pioneer and citi-
zen OF Chicago. celebrated the first an
niversary of his birthday on it's site, his
father having arrived three days before,
in company with Major Whistler and
his command. The Fort Dearborn
massacre, perpetrated by the Indians,
was in 1872 and the bones of the SOL
diers were lying unburied near the
shore when young Kinzie returned
from Detroit in 1916.
Here the memoranda which Mr.. Hub
bard has kindly prepared for the pur-
pose may be appropriately inserted:
= was born at Windsor, Vermont.
August %, 1902. In the spring of 1918
engaged, with the consent of my par
ents, to the American Fur Company
lof which John Jacob Astor was Presi-
dent), for the term of five years, at a
salary of 1920 per annum. On the 18th
OF May l left Montreal, in company
with twelve other clerks, of whom t was
the youngest; and am the only one of
them as well as of about one hundred
others of that day, now living. | was
in September detailed to the Illinois
brigade of traders, under command of
Antoine Dechamps. The brigade, of
about twelve bateaux, coasted Lake
michigan to Chicago, where were Fort
Dearborn and two white families-those
of Mr.. John Kinzie and Antoine Ouil-
NETT. After leaving Lake Ontario and
till within eighteen miles of st. Louis, I
did not seea white inhabitant, except at
Mackinaw and Chicago; nor were there
any signs of civilization in all this dis.
trlct until about 1926 or 1927. Up to
this date there was but one yearly arri-
val OF small schooner, sent from Buff
talo by the United States to take sun
plies to Fort Dearborn. From 1926 10
1857 there was an increase of vessels.
but none were over 100 tons burden.
The first steamer to Chicago came in
1882, bringing General Scott and troops
for the Black Hawk war. Quite num-
Der OF these troops died on the way and
at Chicago of cholera. Up to 1928 the
only means of transit on Lake Micbioan
was IN Canadian bateaux, known as
Mackinaw boats. In this way have
coasted Lake Michigan twenty-six
times, say, for thirteen consecu-
tive years, fall and spring. In the
tall OF 1928 went from Chicago to De-
troit On horseback without meeting a
white person Or seeing any indication
OF a white settlement until reaching
1psilanti, where were few rude loo.
cabins. Until 1882 the country north
and west from Chicago to the Missis-
slppl was almost a wilderness. A few
families had settled on the Lower Fox
and Rock Rivers and Galena and yicin-
lty had few people engaged in mining
lead. In the summer of 1888 / erected
on the corner of South and Lasalle
Streets, in Chicago, the largest brick
building q believe) then in this State.
the timbers for which were cut and
heWn on the Calumet River in the win
ter and in the spring RATED to CHICAGO.
The building had two stories and cellar.
steep roof; size, $50 by 60 feet. Work
men were brought from the Wabash to
make the brick. The finishing lumber,
ETC.. were brought from Cleveland. |
ohio, by vessel. This was called Hub |
oard's folly I was the first packer of
beef and pork, opened the first store. |
vas the hrst insurance agent and issued |
the first policy in Chicago
These lines were written by Mr.. Hub
bard, in the midst of active engage
nents, Just about sixty-two years after
he saw the beginning of the great city
which he now resides. 1t was in 1854
hat a village was organized and the
ATTY charter was obtained in 1887. The
ate William B. Ogden defeated Mr..
Ainzie by a small majority and was
made the first Mayor. The census that
ear showed a population of 4,I79.
'nly one man was reported as having
% regular employment and he (as
tated in the Hon. Isaac N. Arnold,s
ddress before the Chicago Historical
ociety in 1869 was denominated a
Ioafer. ID. q. Hayes. Jr., in Har.
er's Magazine.
Father Malo, who has been for
lany years Catholic missionary amono.
ne ahorigines of Oregon. confirms the
ff-rn annfp nd |