, 1881-10-09

, | founded the City of Cleveland, and the sal
j, | year "a colored man from San DoMlng
named Jean Baptiste Pont Au Sable,' stun
bled III his wanderings UPON the sa1l'
hills" and built hut on the north bank I
the niain branch of the Chicago River. II
| Aelghbors were Pottowattonles; and the III
{ gro aspired to become their chief, but, fai
ing of his ambition, he returned to Peoria, a
many ii better man has done since upon flint
inS it impossible to rise to the top of the sc
cial scale III that -arist0craiic quarter Of til
town. But Au Sable WIS the real pioneer u
Chicaso's greatness, for his hut became til
property Of one La Mai, Il Frencllman, an
after him of John kinzie. What could b.
more romantic than the fact that Chicago WI.
founded by negro III whose veins courses
the blood Of the race of heroes WIN sub5e
quently freed Hayti from foreign dominion
| Not much has been said Of All Sable III th
numerous sketches Of the early history O.
Chicago, doubtless BECAUSE Of the disgrac,
Of slavery which hung about his race, bu
! since the negro is now free citizen it is wei
to give prominence to the fact that Chicago
was founded BY scion of the then dcspiseG
race, and that he chose the north side " us
the immediate scene Of his hut-buildinS.
| We do not aver that it was through the
influence Of !Au Sable that the Indians ccdctl
| to the United States the site of Chicago fo1
the erection Of Fort Dearborn, but the treaty
| of ccssion was concluded the same year
u7o5) that the illustrious negro built Ills
hut 1t is hardly necessary to observe that
events followed each other slowly in those
days. The order for the construction of the
fort was not issued till1sU3. The sanlc year
Louisiana was purchased, of the cession Of
which Napoleon said: Il lnve given to
England maritime rival that will sooner or
later humble her pride" It is Il singular
coincidence that the building Of Fort Dear
born, which made the establishment CT q
city here, occurred the same year Of the
most Important acquisition Of territory ever
made by the United States. Thereafter the
great Valley Of the Mississippi WIS open to
advancing American civilization from the
Atlantic and the Gulf, from the East and the
South; aud Of these approaching waves Of
moving populations Chicago was destined
to become the centre
The disgrace which bcfell Chicago in the
evacuation of Fort Dearborn is nut to 30
charged to the citizens; but to Capt. Head
and his superior officers Of the United States
army. Mr.. kinZie, upon that occasion, we'll
represented the pluck and courage which
have always distinguished its people. Had
his advice been taken and followed, the hor.
rlble massacre Of 1Slo would not have uc-
CURED. LII 1916 the fort was rebuilt, and the
same year Alr. ki,tzie returned to Chicago.
It required the eye Of prophetic vision to dis
cern future for the city by the lake when
Mr. kinzic again took up his residence here,
only slSty-tive years ago. On tile sallu-lils
the bones Of the victims of the massacre still
lay bteaching-1ay scattered about where
now stately mansions stand; nnd they lay
there ten long years, until 1S2eaa, when they
were reverently gathered and buried with |
military pon1p.
Eleven years later, in 1885, the Village of |
Chicago was Incorporated. On that 10th day
Of August, when the village was founded,
. twenty-clsht votes were cast''-that is to
say, forty-eigllt years ago there were twenty
eight voters in Chicago. representing pop
Alation of 200 SOULS. There wasn't even u
lirt road in town; "a wagon track took
:ircultous way from one House to another,
accommodating itself to the oozy soughs
which scanned the landscape" There were
10 boulcvards and parks here then! But in
hsec -1S;6-Chcago had begun fairly
o "boom.' The population Of 200 had in
'reascd to $3.50 (cstinlatcd), and steps were
aiken to obtain city charter. i committee
vas appointed to draft charter, consisting
# Ehenczer Peck, J. G. Cation, r. ". Smith,
Y. =. Ogden, and Nathan II. Boles. Tho
harter was adopted, and in the March fol-
owing QS}}7) Chicago was Incorporated as !. !
ity. The Wlligs and Democrats contested
Or the 1layoralty. The Democrats won Fl
'ltli Mr. Oglen. John Wcntworth's vote fl
'as challenged on the ground of his alleged
outli, but lie "sWore it III in good Demo-
ratio fashion. There were 700 votes cast Mt
he first city election forty-four years ago.
But LONG before Chltago became city-in
s4-her commercial history, which is now
'garded with, so much pride, was iuaugu- /
tied py the sailing up the river Of the schoop- ,
!: Illinois. >"0ur citizens" says the Demo- s
ut OF July IT, "were not little delighted ! E
Saturday morning last by sight as novel i
it was beautiful. About o'clock their ]
tention was arrested by the appearance Of ! {
e splendid schooner Illinois as she came !
idfng up the river into the heart Of the | |
wn under full sail. 80. The banks of {
e river were crowded with delighted as 7
mblage, and as shb reached the wharf Of E
essfs. Newberry & Dole, where she stopped. !
9 was hailed with loud and repeated L
eers." 3
The first tax-roll Of Chicago, In 1925, then d
Peoria County, exhibited no millonaires. r
contained fourteen names. a tota! yalpa- s