Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1903-11-25

The theory of the making Of the city
of Chicago. sounds more like a thou.
sand and second tale told by the queen
of dreams scheherezade, than it does
like the history Of a nineteenth Gentry
city.
The year 1888 began the good work
Buildings began to go up on all sides.
The government started the work Of
cutting through the sand spit at the
mouth Of the river in order to give
the place a harbor vissels being
obliged to anchor outside and dis
charge passengers and freight by
boat. The first newspaper, the "Chi'
cago Democrat" was established.
Five thousand Indians gathered in
council on the lake front and formally
ceded the lands east Of the Mississip-
pi The future seemed so bright that
a local government was felt to be a
necessity, and town organization
was effected. The election Of the
first trustees showed population OF
about 22S voters.
Chicago grew like the proverbial
green bay tree during it's four years
OF town government-from August 10,
1898, to March 4, 1887, when an act
was passed incorporating the place
as a city.
The progress of those four years
was marvellous. Starting with pop
ulation of 200 in 1888 there we're near
ly 1000 by the fall OF 1884. A school
census Of 1885 showed a population OF
3279. The first census taken under
the city charter, July 1, 1887 gave
417O.
With it's organization as city Chi
cago may be said to have fairly en-
tered upon it's career. Though II
faced G. great panic in its very first
year. IL opened a theater, bought
steam hro engine, built a steamer
and exported its frst wheat The
things that every city must have
came along in due course of ume-a
$4,000 fire in SO: permanent estab'
lishment OF public schools In 40; a
city directory in 43; a power press
in AS; a port Of entry in '46; a law
school and county hospital in az. In
1s4s Chicago began to get In touch
with the rest OF the world. That year
the Illinois and Michigan canal was
opened, the first railroad got few
miles out OF town in the direction OF
Galena. and the first telegram ar
rived (from Milwaukee).
The next year was one TO test the
nerve and endurance OF the thriving
little city. The river front, ship
ming and bridges we're wiped out by
a flood. There was a second big fire.
a third cholera epidemic, and a bank
manic But Chicago had struck her
eait and things like these could NOT
even check her. Gas, waterWorks'
grand opera. the first through train
from the East-over the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern-the compile
lion of the main line OF the Illinois
Central. street cars, a paid hre de
partment, the first swing bridge, and
the national convention at which LIN
colin WAS nominated were steps In the
development OF the city up TO 1901
Nowadays the dividing line between
the old Chicago and the new Is the
great FIRE. The man who can SPEAK
Of experiences before the nre' is
genuine Chlcagoan; the citizens who
came "after the fre' must have an
unusually fine record 10 offset tha'
handicap. October 7, and In 1871
Was the date. The story OF those
davs Is too big 10 be told here; Dc
sides all the world knows H. As &c
the hre itself. il may be said sener
ally that II probably was started Dy
COW that kicked over lamp ID
West side stable, thar a drought nae
made things very dry, that there va
a strong wind blowing diagonah'
across the city. that after the hame'
got fairly under way they melted mrs
proof" buildings in less than h'e
minutes By the watch, that flames
broke out blocks ahead OF the man
hre from the heat, and that nothins
even checked it untl it had burned
10 the very waters OF Lake Michigan
As 20 the loss, the accepted figures
are hat ala4 acres q suildings Wef'