The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-01
Some Facts and Figures De-
picting the Marvellous
Growth of the City
of Chicago.
From the Chicago Journal.

From the Chicago Journal.
Youngest and greatest of all great
American cities is Chicagol What an
clients occupied centuries in building,
the American people have constructed
in an Incredibly brief period. Chicago
stands as a monument to modern prog
gress, levanthlan, whera the sun of
golden era rises, aggressive, as spirit
in contemporaneous commerce, at the
van in the pageant of advance factors
of American greatness eclipsing compe-
titors, until it's own brillaace pales all
lesser lights. - ..-
Summarized briefly, Chicagos advan-
tages are many. 1t is in the heart OF
an agricultural empire. The great
broad west empties its grain and other
produce into Chicago's granaries and
storehouses. Cattle and pork are sent
mere for distribution throughout the
United States and Europe. Meat pack
ed within its limits feeds armies in all
parts of the world Grain from Chicago
elevators relieves the famine in lndla,
furnishes bread for English. German,
French and Russian housewives. Man
ufactured articles from Chicago fac
tories make life endurable in all parts
Oh Iile Olu anu llC" "OiiNo' O''N''1E
linancisrs conceive a project, give 1t life
with their millions. and the arteries of
rotd in the worlds monetary system
move more quickly. Not one reflection
comes al the name of the Worlds Fair
city but that il is a tribute to Chi
capo's greatness.
It's residences are the finest, its boul-
evards this most beautiful, its inland
marine the most important, its bank
ing stupendous and the matchless MS
tory of it's growth u matter of national
pride.
Omen a page of history and see from
what small beginnings came this peer OF
modern cities.
LASALLE'S EXPLORATIONS
IaSalle in 16S1-2, exploring the coun-
try of the Miamis, came to a river
called Checaugau, now Desplaines
river He crossed the river, designating
the SPOT as the portage de Chicagau.'
In 1921 the Miamis settled at the south
ern extremity Of Lake Michigan in
place called Chicago, from the small
river emptying into the lake. In 1899
100, a Jesuit mission was established
here. In 171S the Wea Indians had
village at Chicago, but being afraid
of the "canoe people," PottaWatomles
and Chippewas left It. BY the treaty
of 1895 with the Indians of the western
confederacy the United States secured
lone piece of land six miles square at
the mouth of the Chicago river, where
fort formerly stood"
In the war of 1912 the Indians vio-
lated their treaty and participated IN
the massacre of the Fort Dearborn
garrison. In 1921 the government pro-
posed to extinguish the Indian title to
land in this vicinity. A council was
held at Chicago. A deal was made by
which the government acquired 5,OOO,-
900 acres of land by paying the Potta-
watomies $4,000 annually for 20 years
and appropriating $1,000 each year to
support a blacksmith and a teacher
among them.
An English writer, who was present
thus d Chicago and the treaty.
"Fiye Indians collected
around thu - village to cede
their lands in and Illinois.
Companies of old p, sat on the
ground smoking, pala>- 4 pow
wowing. The little villag, IAN
uproar from morning to nigh, )hen
the housed portion of Chicago tried to
gain repose in the crowded plank edi-
yelled and whooped."
The Indians were removed to a wes-
tern reservation. Before departing
they informed the whites that Che
cau-gou was thus names because the
Indians holding it had beon Chi, from
gitchi, great" and Ka-go, strong
and big"
FIRST CIV lLIZED SETTr :.
The early settlement of this section
by Jacques Marquette, Jesuit priest,
and Louis Joliet, an adventurer, is IA
miliar to every school boy. The first
civilized settler of Chicago was Rap-
tiste Point De Sable negro, we'll ed
ucated and intelligent. He was born
at Santo Domingo, and for years lived
among the Peorias with a man named
Glamorgan, who was reputed to be the
possessor of large Spanish land grants
near st. Louis. He died in 1876, after
living for seventeen years in a cabin
at the mouth of the Chicago river. He
aspired to become an Indian chief but
failed to do so.
In 1903 Capt. John Whistler, of the
United States army with a troop OF
soldiers, his officers, Lieut.. j. S.Swear-
niger and Lieut.. Whistler, the latter
his son. and their wives were convey.
ed to the site of Chicago in a schooner
There were four traders cabins al.
ready on the spot. These were occu
pied by Canadian Frenchmen named
lie Mai, Oulmette, and Pettell, and
their wives. John Kinze built the
first home of a native American ir
Chicago on the site of lie MATS cabin
which he purchased. Fort Dearborn
was built by Capt. Whstler's troops
and the future American metropoli.
had firm foundation.
Datus Benton, an Indian trader, re-
fused to trade thirteen barrels of whis
key for twenty-five square miles il
what is now the heart of Chicago. IL,
is now a farmer in moderate circum
stances at Stockton, Ill.
In 1887, Chicago became a city, l