Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-10-29
CHlCAGo'S RECORDS.
HOW TITLES To REAL ESTATE WERE
RECOVERED AFTER HE FIRE.

After the great Chicago fire the most
serious feature of the calamity seemed "a
be the destruction Of the public records,
bv which title TO all the real estate was
apparently DESTROYED when the bell fell
from the Court House cupola at 2ao
O'Clock on the morning Of the 9Th. 10
rebuild, money must be raised by mort
gage. And how could this be done II
title could not be proved? The solution
of that problem reads almost like The
telling Of miracle. A thread of title
was In the possession OF three abstract
firms-Chase Brothers, Shortall y
Hoard, and Jones & Sellers. These
were private firms and their offices were
all In the vicinity of the Court House
So that the supposition was that their
records met with the same fate as the
public records. But here was given an
other illustration OF where the concern
OF all i no ones concern, and where
private interests are always sure OF bet
ter protection than public. These three
firms realized the danger when IT threat
ened and protected themselves as far a.
possible and st the same time performed
n service 70 the public that Is beyond
computation.
John G.. Shortall had been impressed
by the story Of the fire OF SATURDAY
night as told him by Mr.. Hibbard, aud
when he saw the reflection in the sky
while returning from church he was im-
PEELED TO run to fire" for the firs'
time In ten years. He saw the flames
lick up the "Caton House in the prairie,
in exactly eight minutes, the air filled
with blazing boards and rafters, and
realized that condition and not y
theory confronted him. The office OF
Shortall L Hoard was on the northeast
corner OF Washington and Clark Streets
opposite the county record office. Ihe
burning cinders were falling like rain
aud Mr.. Shortall broke open his Office
door and cut down the awnings. Load
ed wagons and trucks were flying
through the streets. He engaged fifteen
OF them To come back at any price, but
not one retarned. Then he discovered
that all OF them were in forcible posses
sion of men trying TO save their own
household goods. James W. Nye help
ed him capture wagon By force and
gave him revolver. Later John l..
stockton came up with truck, which
was loaded, and with Mr.. Shortsll perch
ed on top with "a revolver in his hand and
the swaying volumes supported Oh
either side by two prisoners, who hac
been forced into service, the procession
moved 10 place of safety on the South
Side. Chase Brothers and Jones "
Sellers also saved many of their records.
and all lost some. But by coincidenc.
that Is suggestive of the providentiai
the parts that were lost by one firm
were saved BY another, so that when all
were pieced together the chains OF title
Of thousands of blocks Of property were
preserved.
The past history OF all Chicago real
estate and its future lay In the hands OF
six men. IL was their private property,
aud it was In their power 10 dictate
terms 10 the real estate interest OF all
Chicago. They were approached by
hundreds of scoundrels with proposi
tions 10 use this power.
But history has told how these six
men combined their records, gave,fre'
access 10 them TO the surveyors OF th'
city. and protected the interests OF th'
genuine property holders. They mad,
fortunes to be sure, but not tithe oi
what they might have made and still not
have exceeded commercial and profes-
sional rules. The Legislature was called
in special session 10 enact measures OF
relief for the stricken city and it passed
statute confirming the abstracts of title.
This Was known as the "burnt record
act" Suits brought under II had a
a.. lan1ar NJ their nwn