Class Book COPYRIGHT DEPOStY THE GARDEN CITY i^t^Si=l:bi^^^oEj. THE admirable and oxteusive Park System of the "Fair" City testifies loudly to the fact that the legislative authorities of the State of Illinois had early recognized the high value of public gardens and the sanitary benefits which large cities derive therefrom. Ample provision is made that onr parks, the " lungs" of this large city, are from year to year enriched by new charms and additional landscape scenery, thanks to the munificence of the people who every year pay many thousands of dollars into the treasury of tlie park commissioners. The fact is conceded Ijy all that the parks are a necessity for the health of the people and a means for their moral and tiestlietic education. Every human being, who has an open heart for the beauties and joys of nature is gladdened when he gives himself up to the agreeable influences of these shady groves, for they help him to forget and bear more easily the troubles and cares of every day life. Soothed and with new vigor of body and soul he returns to his accustomed occupation. What then could be offered to the masses in large cities, earning their daily bread in the sweat of their brow, that would be more pleasant and bene- ficial than the opportunity to spend their short hours of recreation iu the glorious temple of nature with its innocent and precious joys ? Of special value arc our parks to the people of Chicago on Sundays and Holidays. Then they pour into these lovely groves on foot and in carriages to enjoy there the cool shade of the trees, the sight of the many colored flower b.eds and the purer air. This is indeed a recreation for the toiling laborer and where else could it be found within his reach, but in these gardens which are so richly endowed by nature and art? And what a refreshing spring of health and pleasure these parks are for the children ! They indeed prove a great blessing to all the people, and especially to those who between Sundays and Holidays are huddled together in dingy quarters and are exercising and tasking all their strength to keep want from their threshold. The pure fresh air, laden with the fragrance of flowers, the elevating sight of the green meadows, the groves with their feathered song- sters, the flowers, and the ponds with the swiftly flying boats plowing their mirror-like surface, give new courage and hope to the faint hearts ; and the children of the poor classes, growing up amongst want and privations in un- healthy hovels, generally preys to disease during the hot days of summer, gather new strength here, and the refreshing air, faniiing their feverish cheeks, together with the sights of all the beauties of nature bring sunshine and joy to these little sick and feeble ones, and in many cases no doubt health again, too. Extraordinary exertions were made last year ( 1892 ) not only to give the several parks increased scenic charms but also to complete before the opening of the Exposition the chain of boulevards winding around the city as an incomparable beautiful cycle of green gardens. Mr. John Thorjie, who knows perhaps more about flowers than any otlier man in this coimtry and who for this reason was .selected as chief of floricult- ure by the Director-general of the World's Columbian Exposition, has the following to say in regard to our parks and their floral decorations: — 10 — " Owing in great part to its geographical position there is probably no city in the Union whose Public Parks are as varied and interesting as those of Chi- cago. Each Park has its well known individual features and distinct charac- teristics, the result of their having been planned and laid out in each case undL-r entirely different management. Humboldt Park is particularly rich in natural landscape and the leading feature of Lincoln Park is found in its superb water effects. Douglas and Gartield Park each have attractive features purely their own, while AVashing- ton Park probably derives its great popularity from the magnificent way in wliich temporary material, flowering and bedding plants, are shown during the spring, summer and autumn, of each year. 1 am aware that the general work done in the Chicago Parks, and espec- ially that done by Mr. Fred Kanst, the Superintendent of Washington Park, has been criticized by writers in some of the leading publications of the country, but I feel that it is unjust to make such severe criticisms on work which is artistic in its way and no more counterfeit than is a portrait on canvas. I feel that many people would prevent children from seeing a chromo or a lithograph because their parents were not sufficiently rich to buy a Corot or a Turner pic- ture. It is a strange fact that of the hundreds of thousands of people, who visit the Chicago Parks, the large majority of them visit and linger most around tlie very features, which these so called critics condemn and it is in this vicinit}', that the grass is trodden down almost beyond recognition under the feet of the great masses of people, who gather there to enjoy these very effects; thus showing the great interest that is taken therein by the very people to whose pleasure and enjoyment it is the main purpose of the Public Parks to cater. It must be understood that there is a great deal of flower jilanting done that is as free from geometry as are natures groupings, so there is no fear of there being one class of work neglected to the advantage or disparagement of another." And the skillful florists of the several parks are determined to make a much finer show this year of flower decorations, than ever before. It is the purpose of this book not only to be a guide for the many World's Fair visitors to and through the parks and boulevards and its park-like ceme- teries, but also to furnish needed information regarding the beauties and peculiarities, the size and arrangements of these public gardens and the astonishing progress made in landscape gardening. With the conviction that such a description of our beautiful and much praised jiark and cemetery- system, as it is now seen in its perfection, is calculated to awaken interest in and strengthen the love for this beautiful city, which will in itself during 1893 be the most wonderful and curious object on exhibition, this book is sul)- mitted to an indulgent public and to all friends of nature by The Autiiou. ^CDi^ . Qur Beautiful Parks. Liiu'oln Park.— Kquestriiin Statue of General Grant. — 13 LINCOLN PARK. All of our beautiful parks ,i,nve evidence, that their high sanitary value was already fully recognized at a time, when Chicago was yet numbered among the smaller cities of our country, but none enjoy greater popularity among the ]K'ople from abroad, as well as among those from our own city, as Lincoln Park, over on the North Side, where the foaming billows of mighty Lake ^lichigan break over the rocky beach of this magniticent stretch of park- laud and moisten it witli their spray. The first move made in the direction of establishing Lincoln Park is found in the records of the Council proceedings of 1860, where a memorial is found signed by George Manierre, William Jones, Benjamin W. Raymond, Walter L. Newberry, Grant Goodrich and Mark Skinner (those jnoneers and earliest workers for Chicago's present greatness, but who all now lie in their silent graves), stating that the cemetery, located then upon the 60 acres now forming the extreme southern part of the present park, was in a shamefully dilajjidated condition and petitioning the Mayor and the city authorities to carry out in good faith their pledges to the purchasers of lots, to use the fund arising from the sale of lots in improving and keeping in repair said cemetery, and also stating that " it is not desired that there should be any extension of the limits" of the then existing cemetery grounds, and asking for the appointment of a special committee to take immediate action in the matter. In accordance with the request contained in said memorial James Long and Benjamin Carjienter were appointed such special committee to examine into and report on the matter. Jan. 10, 1860, said committee reported that negotiations were then pending with the officers of the Rosehill Cemetery company for a section of its ground wherein to bury the dead falling under the city's charge, and also to insure a place of burial for the poor. It adds : ' It seems to have become a settled thing in the public mind that no further extension of the cemetery grounds wiihin the city limits be permitted." And it acknowledges the jus- tice of such sentiment as follows: "That it is the sacred duty of the city to live up to its pledges and to protect, improve, and save from delapidation the spot where the remains of our early settlers lie, in order that the citizens may have the fullest confidence in its permanency. And it is further ordered that the cemetery should not be permitted to extend beyond its then limits, and that the north sixty acres should remain unoccupied. It is stated in this letter that the ground i)urchased by the city comprises 120 acres; that the south sixty acres only have been subdivided into lots and sold for cemetery purposes, and after other suggestions is the following: "We propose the abandonment of this tract (the nortli sixty acres) to the city to be used for a public ground, and such other public pur|)oses (if any) as the Com- mon Council may devote it to. We do not advise its sale; such a step we think would be unwise." On June 13, 1864, an ordinance was introduced in the city council by John M. Armstrong, of the then I8th ward, consisting of three sections as follows: 1. That hereafter no bodies shall be buried in the Chicago cemetery, ex- cept in the lots which have been sold by the citJ^ 2. All the north part of the Chicairo cemetery which has not been sur- veyed and divided into cemetery lots (iiere follows the description) is herel)j' set apart for and declared to be a public park, and shall be known l)y the name of . Sec. 3 provides, in substance, for the subdivision and sale of certain other property in the vicinity of the cemetery grounds, owned by the city, "the jiroceeds of Aviiich shall be applied to the improvement of a public park afore- said," etc. — 10 — The matter by the recouls appears to have stixxl iu this shape, it not appearing that any opposition was made; at least there is none to be found in the printtn:! records of the Common Council until Oct. 31. 1864. when it appears that Aid. Armstrong called the matter up. and after some controversy as to the third section the lirst and second sections were carrieil unanimously and the thinl section njected. and Aid. Holden moved that the blank in the second section be tilled in — ' Douglas Park." This was rejected by a vote of 14 to 9 AKl. ^\\xximan moved tliat the park l>e named "Lake Park." and the said two sections were then so unanimously passed. Subsequently July 5. 1S65. the late Aid. Iver Lawson moved, that as the park on the lake front and Michigan Avenue was named " Liike Park" the said sixty acres of the cemetery gn^muds be known as "Lincoln Park.' which was unanimously carried. But the Armstrong onliuance prohibiting burials in the potters' lieM, was almost entirely disregarded, and since its passage some 533 bodies of paupers had Ixen buried there (sixty-three of them at the city's expense), so on Sept. 4. of that year a n:»solution was intri.xluceil iu the Council, which was immedi- ately passed, onlering the proper authorities to attend to the rigid enforce- ment of s;\id ordinance in that regard. As a legal proposition, the rights of the lot holders under their purchases were inalienable and could not under ordinary circumstances be interfered with. April 2. lS6t>. a resolution to the Common Council was immediately adopted, appointing a special committee for the purpose uf consulting with the City Physician and other leading physicians as to the effect upon the gen- eral health of the city from the pn\ctice of burials iu the old cemetery and the Catholic Cemetery adjoining on the sc^uth.they Iviug so near our water supply, etc. Said committee shortly afterward reported in substance that as a sanitan,- measure all such burials should be prohibited as injurious to the public health, etc. Upon said report Alderman Proudfoot drew up and presentevl an ordi- nance as a sanitary measure, prohibiting all burials, extending such prohibi- tion to the entire limits of the City of Chicago, which was passeii by a vote of 27 to 2, May '.iS. 1S66. This put" a stop to sill future burials within the limits of the City of Chicago, and as a matter of course created a great deal of dis- satisfaction among the majority of the purchasers of lots in the said cemetery. Finally the authorities got the s;\id lot owners' consent to the removal of all the Ixxiies interreti in tlieir lots in exchange for equally valuable lots in some one or other of the new cemeteries, and the tinal result was that said cemetery was almost entirely vacateil and banded over to the city for park purposes. Mr. W. C. Goudy. President of the Lincoln Park Board for the last live years, who has been connected.! with Lincoln Park either as attorney or com- missioner from the time of the passi\ge of the original park onlinance. took an active part in originating the park system in 1863. It so hapi>ened that on a visit to the grounds, which lay betwt'cn Center Street and Webster Ave., the idea occurred to him also, that the ground was suitable for a park and he accord- mgly examined the title of property and ascertaineil that it was not dedicated for a cemetery, but l>e!onged to the city by an absolute purchase, with a right to use it for any public purpose. He then pnx?ureil the active service of Voluntine C. Turner, who was then in the management of the north side street railroad, and. after having revised the ordinance, with his intiuence exertetl upon other aldermen in aid of the efforts made by Aklerman Armstrong, the onlinance was passed. But notwithstanding the prominent part the aforesitid gentlemen have taken in the matter of originating or promoting the Lincx)ln Park pn>ject. a great deal, if not most of the creilit is due to the old Board of Public Works, which came into existence in the year 1861. To prove this assertion it is only necessary to go back to the early 'rep<^>rts of this b«xiy and to select fnmi these the one submitted to the city ctmncil February 8th. 186*2. Here Commission ers John G. Gindele ( president of the lilans for ornamental beds. The greenhou.se is of course under the supervision of Mr. C. Stromback. His work is important, surely. He has able competitors in the various parks of the otiier divisions of the city, and to see to it that Lincoln Park does not lag behind in the race for fioral excellence, keeps his brain and his hands bu.sy. All the buildings are connected and under one njof — if the conventional affair of iron and glass that covers a conservatory can be properly designated as such. The ))ropagaling houses describe themselves in their na'mc. Here are found countless foliage plants in little pots, (lu])licated from one another, as they out- grow their linuts, and constantly increasing in number. Tlie household iavor- — 32 — ites are here — all of them, as well as the varieties peculiar for their oddity as well as beauty. Besides all this wealth and beauty of flowers, 'which must be seen to be appreciated, Lincoln Park has to offer another rare attraction upon its floral domain, namely, two lily ponds. These are situated iu the eastern portion of the park, north of the waterworks, and they form, in a decidedly prominent degree, an object of genuine and unstinted admiration. This feature is a wel- come novelty ana deserves the highest praise. Excepting in New York, no attempt has been made in public parks of this country outside of Chicago to display with fullness the strange beauty of the gorgeous specimens of lilies, that make the rivers and pools of the tropics their home. Everyone has heard of the Victoria Kegia. or Amazon lily, tlie leaves of wliich are six feet in diameter, with blossoms fourteen inches wide. But not everyone has seen a specimen of this giant lily. The lily basins have been constructed after the most approved plans. Warmtli, shelter from high winds, and sunshine are necessary to ensure suc- cess. These requisites have been found in the little valley in which the pools are located. A bird's-eye view of the two pools, when stocked and with their plants in bloom, will furnish a pleasure to which the western sense is unused. There are numerous specimens of the genus Nymphaea represented, the most celebrated of which unquestionably is tlie Victoria Regia. This great lily, if properly protected, can be grown and flowered in the open air. When first open, the flowers are pure white and produce an odor of rare fragrance, which can best be compared to the flavor of the pineapple. After the first night the .flowers change to a {)ink tint, lose their fragrance, and after living through another day they slowly sink into the water, there to ripen their seed. A new variety of the Victoria Regia, of which a specimen will doubtless be obtained, is crimson flowered. This plant is more robust than tlie wliite flowered Victoria, and the young leaves are of a dark bronze color. The flow- ers of this new variety are white on the day of opening, but change to a dark crimson color later. The niglit-blooming water lilies — seven kinds — open their flowers after dark, beginning at about six o'clock and remaining expanded until about the same time next morning. The flowers appear on stalks elevated ten or twelve inches above the surface of the water. Tlie Nymphtea Devoniensis is one of the choicest of the night-1)looming lilies. In one season a single plant will cover a circle twenty feet across, witli leaves twenty-five inches in diameter and flowers that are a foot from tip to tip of petals Tlie Nympluea Devon- iensis can be successfully dwarfed, if it is desired. The leaves are green with serrated edges. Tlie blossoms, rose red with scarlet stamens, appear to great advantage by artificial light. We see here the Nympliaea Tuberosa and the Odorata Rosa, whose home is in North America; tlie lotus plants are of Egyp- tian origin, the Nymphaea Candidissima is of English origin, tiie Flava came from Florida, the dwarf water lily from China, the N. Devoniensis from India, the Zanzibarensis and Dentata from Africa. The N. Sturtevanti, a new semi- double, red water lily, is a very fine plant. Its foliage is of a light bronze color, approaching crimson. The N. Rubra is also a native of India and it somewhat resembles the N. Devoniensis. It must not be supposed that all the beauties of tiie lily ponds, with tlieir abundance of glorious water ])lants, can be seen at one visit. Fretiuent trips must be made, including night excursions, when electric lights will shod their lustre on the night blooming lilies. Many other plants besides water lilies are grown in and around the ponds. Water Hyacinths, Sagittarias, ornamental rushes and gra.sses, with the curious floating Stratoitis and otiier interesting forms of plant life, fill up the spaces not covered by the shield-like leaves of the Nymphaea's, making altogether a grand display either by day or under the electric iiglits. Another delightful spot is the "mall,"' north of the Lincoln monument, which extends for a ([uarter of a mile in a northerly direction and teriniuates in the lower artificial park lake. Here the pedestrian rules supreme. Bor- dered with beds of flowers, beyond which extend lawns of velvety softness, the — 35 — mall offers as enjoyable a promenade as could be wished. Here, as in the space between the greenhouses and the Schiller statue, the gardener's art is seen at its best. Carefully trimmed and well cared for beds of flowers lend color to the view as they shed fragrance abroad. Viewed from the mall, the lower lake presents ou a bright summer day an animated scene. Pleasure boats ply here and there, laden with happy oarsmen and their friends. The Swans have chosen for their home an island in the lower lake. Their graceful forms, as they float about in the water, are a pleasure to the eye. Before we turn away from the floral displays of IMr. Stromback to other spots of interest and delight, we will take a walk through the i)alm houSe just lately tinished. This floral palace has, with the exception of the horticultural hall lit the World's Fair grounds, no peer in this entire land of ours. It is of imposing dimensions, with its mighty arched glass roof and its gigantic pro- portions throughout. The palm house proper is 156 feet long and 90 feet wide: its height is 50 feet The conservatory, connected with the main build- ing, is 96 feet long, 31 feet wide and 21 feet high, and the other addition, ex- tending north from the paim house proper, giving shelter to a rare collection of orchids, measures 100 feet in length and 30 feet in width. To this complex of buildings another, a fernery, was added at the northeast corner. With the exception of the foundation walls, none of these buildings contain any other material than glass and steel, so that the light of day has full sway. In the heating of this fine building some comparatively new features are introduced. The hot water method has been adopted, radiating coils of one and a quarter inch pipes will be concealed in chambers behind rock work. The radiating pipe service is arranged in independent sections and each sec- tion controlled by an automatic heat regulating device. The boilers being distant from the palm house about 350 feet, leave the palm house range in its beautiful lines clear from suggestion of shed or factory. The floor grade of the house is established at a point six and one-half feet above the lawn surface. Broad terraces surround the building ou three sides. The frout terraces com- mand a good view of the flower garden, a broad handsome walk and stairways lead the visitor from the flower garden up the slopes of the terraces to the front entrance of the palm house; the plants are arranged in natural positions, branches, flower pots and tubs are banished. A winding path leads round a rocky point, then again across an open space, every turn revealing some new beauty, wliile from certain points the whole may be taken in at a general view. By planting out in the soil bed greater luxuriance of growth will be obtained, the plants will the sooner produce an effect proportional to the magnificence of their home. Harmonious arrangements of rocks were introduced to give character to the surface of the soil. Tall palms, cyeads, tree-ferns and bam- boos rear aloft their heads, while below are seen the shade loving ferns, mosses and other beautiful forms of plant life, and from truss and column hang climb- ers of many kinds, some of beautiful foliage, and others covered with flowers, twining atnong the iron of the structure and covering it with a luxuriant tropi- cal growth, blending the whole into a natural grouping of Nature's loveliest forms. The conservatory will be used for exhihition of jilants from temperate climes, or of plants of beautiful foliage or graceful habit of growth, requiring temperate conditions of heat. The fernery is striking and effective in some of its features; the design for the interior takes the form of a rocky dell with a glass roof. A cascade was introduced, the water tumbling from rock to rock into a pool at the bottom, wliile on ledges, in fissures, or on the faces of the moss covered rocks, are planted the various beautifid forms of the fern family. And now we will take a glance at some of the most important improve- ments accomplished within the last few years, namely the extensive work along the lake shore, consisting of nothing less than the building of a sea wall and beach, which has been carried forward under the efficient supervision of the park Stiperintendent, J. A. Pettigrew. This improvement became necessary to protect the shore along the park against the inroads of Lake IMichigan. The Fitz Simons and Connell Company, in 1874. built the first substantial break- water, commencing at Oak Street and running to North Avenue. Upon this — 3G — structure, cut down (at the suggestion of General Fitz Simons to Commissioner Adams in 1886). the present sea wall was built. The breakwater running north from North Avenue, the present new heacli improvement, was con- structed by the above named tirm in conjunction with the Green Dredging Co. and tlie Chicago Dredging and Dock Co. Commeucmg with a breakwater at Bellevue Place and running northward, a large tract was taken from Lake Michigan, making possible the extension of the Lake Shore Drive south to Oak Street; at North Ave. the scope of the work was extended, the breakwater was curved further out into the lake, until the plan as at present outlined, embraces on a frontage included within the park the reclamation from Lake Michigan of ul)out 140 acres. In 1886 the work of construction of the sea wall began, according to the plans of Major T. II. Handbury. Engineer Corps, U. S. A. The piling of the breakwater was sawn off below water line, a platform of three inch oak plank was laid across from front to back, and the work of casting the Imge blocks of concrete commenced: the magnilicent blocks, each weighing uearlyten tons, and formed out of the "'Germania" brand of Portland cement, were added one to the other, until in the fall of 1888 there stood on the breakwater an unbroken line (.extending from Bellevue to Burton Place), 2,889 feet long and 10 feet high, presenting a massive front to the storms of Lake ^Michigan. The paved beach work commences at North Ave. and is constructed from designs by Capt. W. H. 3Iarshall, Engineer Corps. U. S. A.: excepting the dredging and pile driving, all the work has been done by park employees. The breakwater facing this improvement seaward is constructed of two rows of close pile work. 10 feet in width from outside to outside. The lakeward row is faced to landward with close 3 inch oak-sheeting bolted to a lix4 oak wale, and the landward side of the landward row of piles faced landward with Waketield patent sheet piling, the breakwater being tilled with stone and sawn off to a point 10 inches above lake level. Landward from the breakwater rises the paved beach 48 feet wide, rising 1 foot in 8. then rising by two steps of one foot each to a promenade of 16 feet in width, which is further llanked on the landward side by a parapet of two steps rising from each side, the base being four feet six inches wide and the top two feet wide; landward of the promenade and parallel with it is a driveway 45 feet in width, and from thence to the inner lake or rowing course a sloping turf-covered bank planted with trees and shrubs. The character of the work is of the most substantial descrip- tion, the pavement of the beach being composed of granite blocks eight inches in depth, laid on a bed of concrete six inches in depth, while the joints are run with Portland cement grouting. The promenade and parapets are of the finest grade of granite beton on Portland cement concrete base. The ilriveway is granite faced with granite block and granite betim curbs and gutters. For connection across the inlet a swing or drawbridge was built, so that after con- verting Fullertou Ave. pier into a bridge connecting with the park, the drive from North Ave. along the beach to the park at FuUerton Ave. becomes con- tinuous and uninterrupted. The zoological garden forms one of the most attractive features the park possesses, and the mecca during each returning season of many thousands of children and adults. At the present writing it numbers among its numerous inhabitants the following: 2 African lions, 1 tlying fox, 5 monkeys, 2 tigers. 2 leopards, 5 pumas. 2 wild cats, 1 lynx, 3 wolf-hounds. 2 wolfs. 22 fo.xes, 1 ferret, 1 wild-cat, 4 badgers, 1 otter, 13 bears, among which are 2 brown, 7 black, 2 grey and 2 cinnamon-colored, 12 coons, 143 squirrels, 4 opossums. 1 sea-lion. 22 white rats. 5 beavers. 2 porcupines. 10 wood-cocks, 20 guinea-jugs, 24 rabbits and hares. 50 prairie dogs, 10 buffaloes, 1 wild goat. 15 cashmere goats. 7 mooses or elks. 1 fallow-deer, 11 Virginia roes. 1 lama. 1 elephant. 1 elk. 1 jaguar, 1 Turkish eagle. 17 eagles, 7 buzzards, IS owls, 3 magpies, 4 parrots, 3 cockatoos, 12 ring-doves, 19 peacocks, 3 pheasants. 4 iiuails, 2 cranes, 3 hawks. 11 white geese, 7 white swans, 3 pelicans, 20 turtles. 15 crocotliles, 2 lizards, 3 rattle snakes and 1 land turtle. During the Spring of 1^78 the Board converted the pier at North Avenue to the uses of a Floating Hospital; constructing proper guards and appropriate I — 39 — shelter for little children. Upwards of five thousand ailing children visited this resort annually and found health in the refreshing breezes from the lake. In some instances mothers have come with their babes at sunrise and tarried all day. A steamer made regular trips between the city and the pier during the season. Medical attendance, competent nurses and pure milk were furnished by the Floating Hospital Association. This floating hospital was abandoned some years ago, but since that time a much larger and more useful one has been established by the managers of the "Daily News" Fresh Air Fund. This sani- tarium can be found near the lake shore at the foot of Belden Avenue. The present Commissioners of Lincoln Park are: Wm. C. Goudy, President; Charles S. Kirk, John V. Clark, jr., R. A. Waller and August Heuer; E. S. Taylor, is the Secretary and C. J. Blair, Treasurer. New Palm House in Lincoln Park. 40 THE SOUTH PARK SYSTEM. In the year 1865 there was some talk of establishing a public Park some- where in tlie South Division of Cliicago, but the proposition did not assume detinite shape till the Autumn of 1860. Prior to the meeting of the General Assembly several meetings were held at which the question was discussed. It was thought advisable to make the effort. The City had no old Cemetery to donate, and the laud for the Park would have to be purchased outright. The gentlemen most prominent at that time in the agitation of the question were Tliomas Hoyne, Governor William Bross, J. Y. Scammon, H. H, Honore, Paul Cornell, J. Irving Pierce, L. B. sidway, Chauncey T. Bowen, Judge John M. Wilson, John D. Jennings. Governor Bross was very enthusiastic about it. lie had made the ac- quaintance of Fred Law Olmsted, the great American land.scape artist, who had made a wonderful success of Central Park, New York, and the "Deacon", as he was then called infused much sentiment into the scheme. There was a beautiful tract of land known as Egandale, lying west of Cottage Grove Ave- nue, and north of 55th St. which through the sentiment and enterprise of the late Dr. William B. Egan had become almost a perfected Park. It was planted abundantly with evergreens and other trees, was laid out with beauti- ful drives and in a general way was looked upon by the public as a desirable "catch" for Park purposes. Ezra B. McCagg, partner of Mr. Scammon, pre- pared a bill for the establishment of a Park, which substantially absorbed "Egandale." The 25th General Assembly convened in January, 1867, and the bill was duly introduced. But opposition was manifested at once. The estate of Dr. Egan had by foreclosures, substantially passed into the control of the Smith's of Chicago and the Drexel's of Philadelphia, and accordingly there appeared on the scene as representatives of those interested, Mr. Norman Williams and Mr. Norman C. Perkins, gentlemen well .selected to protect their clients' interests. The Egandale interests wanted a Park, but wanted no part of Egandale taken. They wanted Egandale to front on the Park, all around, or on as many sides as possible. The outsiders did not want their land taken, but were very desirous Egandale should be, for as they said, it was already a Park. The general public looked on with various degrees of interest. Some favored Egandale, some opposed any park scheme. Some said Egandale was too far away from the city ( !) The Press expressed all kinds of opinions — there were many battles fought, all harmless, but there was sufficient confusion and quarreling to bring matters to a dead-lock. At last a conference was held at the Leland House one Saturday evening. It was a circus. Besides the curious lookers on, there were present Chauncey Bowen, S. S. Hayes, H. H. Honore, James P. Root. Gen. George W. Smith, Gov. Bross, Melville W. Fuller, J. Irving Pierce, Norman C. Perkins, Norman Williams, J. K. C. Forrest, Paul Cornell, John C. Dnre and Frank Eastman, both senators, the members of the House from the south side, and others whose names do not now occur to the writer. It was a stormy meeting. Everybody tried to be wise and amiable, and everybody had a mad fit. At last the bill was passed around for amend- ment and a compromise was affected. Egandale consented to the taking of a strip from the west side along Cottage Grove Avenue, and a strip from the south side along 55th street. It was deemed advisable to get to the lake, so it was agreed that there shoidd 1)e a strip to Lake Michigan. Mr. Root agreed to tlie arrangement provided he could locate the south line of the strip, wliich he did as it gave him three hundred feet front on the strip. Others fixed lines with reference to their own proj^erty, and everybody became hilariously happy — the whole matter was referred to George W Smith and James P. Boot, to prepare a satisfactory bill. No one ever saw the bill after it left their hands until it was introduced in the legislature. The account of that meeting was written l)y Mr. Forrest, and by Melville W. Fuller, which ap- — 43 — peared in the "Chicago Times" tlie following Monday. While the authors of the report adhered to the fact, they let uotliiug of a Pickwickian character escape tlieai. The Bill became a law. It was required to be submitted to the people at the annual Town Meeting in South Chicago, Hyde Park and Lake. ^lany of the people who had not been educated up to a high apprecia- tion of the benefits of a grand Park, voted against it, and were joined by others who thought the whole thing was a real estate steal. The election was close, and the scheme probably carried in fact, bvit by reason of some confus- ion as to the ballot the result was declared against the Park. IVIr. Thomas Hoyne, then an earnest advocate of a park system, contested the matter in the Courts, but the result finally was a miscarriage. lu 1868, the question of a park was again agitated. The same gentlemen and others interested met often, sometimes in secret, and once in a while in public. The matter was discussed in every real estate office in Chicago. All kinds of parks were marked out on the maps. The papers would announce that a park had been agreed on, and when the public became advisetl of the location, a howl would go up all along the line. The promoters of the park, however, substantially agreed on the location, and the ground was designated in the act, which was prepared by Judge Beckwith, About the time the Gen- eral Assembly convened, the question was discussed as to who should intro- duce the Bill. As the park was on the south side, it was appropriate that it should be a south side member, and as the land was nearly, if not all, in Mr. Francis Munson's district, he was selected. There was no particular opposition to the bill. James P. Root was Clerk of the House, and he saw to it, that there was no unnecessary delay. It passed, became a law, was submitted to the people, and carried by a good substantial majority. No one person has ever claimed to be the discoverer of the South Park system, but each has ever been ready to accord to the other his full mead of praise. The West and North sides were out in force looking after their park in- terests, and when the General Assembly adjourned, three park systems were provided for. At the same session ( 1869) the " Lake Front " Bill was intro- duced. The public is too well advised of its purport to give here any details ■concerning it, but it may be well to consider, what connection there was be- tween the park bills and the lake front bill. As has been seen, the park interests from the three divisions of the city were in Springfield in force. They had prearranged their various interests, and of course were patent factors in the matter of legislation. The promoters of the lake front interest understood this very well, and either to secure the co-operation of the Park interest, or at least not to antagonize it, shrewdly provided that, when what remained as the property of the city after the Illi- nois Central Co. had taken what it wanted, should be sold, the proceeds should be divided among the several parks in proportion to the assessed value of prop- erty in the respective divisions of the city. The lake front bill became a law, and its subsequent history is known to all. None of the parks ever derived any benefit from it. By the way, the land was not purchased any too soon, for at present prices a park would have been impossible. Some of the prices at the time seemed extravagant. By the push, the enterpri.se, the public spirit of Chicago's cit- izens, we have an estate, whose value financially, aesthetically and sanitarily can never be estimated. The selection of these lands was made within the time specified by the act establishing the South Park. Immediately thereafter the lands were examined and diligent inquiry was made in relation to their value. The probable cost of the lands was estimated at $1,865,740 and an application was made to the Circuit Court for the appointment of three assessors to assess the amount upon the property benefited. This application was refused and then the Supreme Court was asked for a mandamus, which was granted. Thereupon the Circuit Court appointed assessors who entered, immediately, upon the performance of their duties. About this time a nursery was established cnntaining about five acres and over 60,000 tr^^es, from 1 to 4 inches in diameter, were set out. They consisted of Maple, Elm, Sycamore, — 44 — Beach, Butternut, Cherry, Balsam, Linden, Ash, Birch, Arbor Vitae, Pine and Hemlock and besides these there were purchased over 6,000 choice Evergreens from three to seven feet high. This nurserj^ for the future sup- ply of trees and shrubs aud the work performed therein proved very inter- esting to many of the visitors and for that reason it was made accessible to the public, but it is now a thing of the past, for it had to make room for the World's Fair Buildings along Midway Plaisance, and only a small portion of this tree school could be preserved. The South Park system embraces the World's Fair site and contains much more territory than all the other parks put together. Like the Com- missions of Lincoln Park and the West Parks, the Board of South Park Commissioners was organized in 1S69, by authority of an act of the Legisla- ture, approved April 16th, of that year. To defray the cost of acquiring the private property within the limits named in the act, a special assessment was levied upon all real property in the South Town of Chicago, Village of Hyde Park and Town of Lake, propor- tioned according to benefits to the property on account of the location of the Parks and Boulevards. The assessment was divided into eight annual install- ments. For improvement and maintenance an annual levy is made upon all property assessed in the three towns named, which is collected with the annual State and County Tax. The management of the Parks is vested in five Commissioners appointed by the judges of the Circuit C(mrt of Cook County; the term of office is five years, one Commissioner being appointed each year. The Commissioners constitute a municipal corporation, having exclusive jurisdiction over the Parks and Boulevards. In April 1869 Governor Palmer appointed as Commissioners the follow- ing gentlemen : John M. Wilson, George W. Gage, Chauncey T. Bowen, L. B.Sidway and Paul Cornell. This Commission commenced its labors by selecting the land designated by the act and the cost of which was at first estimated at $1,865,750. After the appointment of assessors, however, it was found that the land required would cost a sum much larger than the original estimate. Thereupon it was decided to increase the assessment to $3,320,- 000, and to issue bonds for the full amount of $2 000,000. The majority of the bonds were sold in New York and from them together with those that were used in part payment for the acquired land, the Board realized $1,827 399. In 1869 the landscape gardeners Olmstead & Vaux, of New York, were employed to furnish plans and specifications for improvement of the park grounds. Then work was begun in earnest and carried on with great vigor, when the great fire of 1871 put a stop to the operations. The headquarters of the Commission were burned and with them all the oritrinal plans and specifications, the records, atlases of the towns of Hyde Park and Lake, vouchers, contracts, estimates, assessment rolls, etc. A(;tual work had, how- ever, progressed too far to allow a long interruption of the undertaking. In the year following new boulevards were laid out and graded, and in Sep- tember 1872 II. W. S. Cleveland was appointed landscape gardener. To the plans furnished by Messrs. Olmstead & Vaux there was this objection raised, that the expense of constructing the Parks and Boulevards in the manner they had indicated, would involve an outlay far beyond the means at com- mand ; so it was decided to retain the main features of their plans modified, however, so as to produce the best possible effects by judiciously arranging and planting trees and shrubs and making the least expensive lakes and water-ways, without the use of statuary, stonework or costly buildings. Wliile public parks are intended to afford the means of pleasant and heal'hlul re- creation to all classes and conditions of people, it was considered of the ut- most important^" that all Improvements should be made with the especial view of affording the greatest facilities for their use, by persons who are compelled to spend the whole year in the city, and to whom extensive groves and lawns are of far more value than expensive drives, which cannot be used AVashiiigton Park. — 47 — to any great extent, except by persons of means. The only portion of the park territory that had been made accessible to the public was the northern neck of what was known as the Upper Division, but during 1874 the work was hastened along rapidly, although the Commission found itself hampered in various ways in regard to the financial management of this public enter- prise. About 200 acres of the western portion of the park w^ere put under cultivation and then already open air concerts were given weekly in a temporary music pavilion under the direction of Hans Balatka. On these occa>ions the attendance was so large, that the adjoining grounds had to be thrown open to the public. These open air concerts were as early as 1874 attended by immense crowds of visitors and would have drawn still larger numbers of people, if the fare by street cars from the city would have been reduced from fifteen to five cents — the present charge. During 1874 the third new greenhouse was built and a botanical garden established, which again was abandoned three years later, so as to avoid the large and constantly increasing outlay necessary for its maintenance. That part of the park, lying between Fifty-sixth and Sixty-seventh streets, Stony Island ave. and Lake Michigan (now Jackson Park and the site of the World's Fair) was originally named Lake Park, the western portion West Park and a tract of twenty acres at the intersection of Western ave. and Pavilion (now Garfield) boulevard, was given the name of Gage Park in memory of George W. Gage, one of the original members of the Commission. The entire amount of land purchased w'as 1045 acres and up to 1875 nearly four-fifths of the west division of the park had been improved ; the four main boulevards. Grand, Drexel, Garfield and Oakwoodwere completed and Midway Plaisance had been constructed. The floral department was given in charge of Mr. Fred. Kanst, a gardener of great efficiency and an adept in the art of lawn decoration. During the following years unimproved sections of the territory were brought under cultivation and by December 1, 1880, the Board had acquired title to all the lands required for park purposes and some 200 acres more in the eastern portion. The Commission had to wade through a great deal of annoying litigation, which arose from the various conflicting claims of numerous land owners aud agents. As years rolled by West Park became Washington Park, and Lake Park was named Jackson Park, while the memory of Garfield was honored by changing the name of Pavilion boulevard to Garfield boulevard. In 1884 the construction of a pavement beach and sea wall was commenced in Jackson Park, so as to protect the shore against the inroads of Lake Michigan. It is now finished and forms a fit subject for admiration; it consists of a lime- stone pavement, which has an average width of forty feet and is composed of blocks averaging twelve inches in depth, laid upon two inches of lake gravel ; at the landward edge of the pavement is set a lime-stone curbing and immediately back of this is a concrete flag walk twelve feet in width, for w'hich the "Germania" brand of Portland Cement was used, adjoining a fifty foot drive. The top of the curbing at the back edge of the beach pavement is eight feet seven inches above city datum, being six feet six inches above water level. The surface of the pavement rises from front to rear, not on a regular incline, but in a curved line similar to that formed by the waves upon a sand beach. The vpry first attempt at shore protection of a substantial character was made in 1874 at the Fifty-ninth street inlet to Jackson Park and resulted in the building of a north- and south-pier, which has formed the inlet up to the present time. Fitz Simons and Connell constructed about six thousand feet of breakwater, commencing at Fifty-sixth street and running to the present entrance to the World's Fair grounds. This sloping breakwater has proved a great success and, when kept clean of sand and debris, it forms a lovely margin to the blue waters of the lake. Mr. J. Frank Foster, the general superintendent of the South Parks, was the engineer of the work and to him is due largely the credit of having designed so effective and beautiful a shore improvement, as this one has become to be. — 48 — In 1876 a part of Washington Park was used as a pasture for a flock of South-down sheep, numbering sixty-eight, but this feature of park-life was soon after discarded. Quite early in the history of the South Parks the Board entertained the desire to secure control of Michigan ave. and Thirty-fifth street (from Grand boulevard to Michigan avenue), as those streets would form an important liuk between the Ciry and the Park system. The cost of improving Michi- gan boulevard so as to harmonize with the character of the other boulevards was estimated at $551,003 and after years of litigation and vexations delay the Commission has at last succeeded in improving the entire length of Michigan ave., from Jackson street to Washington Park, making it one of the finest pleasure drives in the world. About the time parks were decided upon for this city. Dr. G. H. Ranch, for many years the Secretary of the Illinois State Board of Health, in a paper read before the Academy of Sciences of this city, discussed in a very lucid and instructive manner the influence of public parks upon the moral, physical and sanitary condition of the inhabitants of large cities, and although many people may be familiar with the subject in question, it has such an intimate bearing upon the matter presented in this book, that we deem it desirable to republish a short extract therefrom. After a brief account of the parks in the chief cities of the world, Dr. Ranch goes more fully into the question as it affects the citizens of Chicago and presents many interesting facts regarding its situation and physical re- lations. Located on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan, the land that stretches back from it is almost as flat and low as the lake iiself. The average elevation for five miles around is but twelve feet above the water level, while a large portion of the ground is depressed and swampy, with but little drainage. The land upon which the city stands is the ancient bed of the lake (which has receded far below its former level), and consists of sand-banks, clay-beds, and vegetable mould. From the flatness of the region winds have an unbroken sweep, as there are no mountains, hills, or forests to arrest them. In an area of four hundred square miles surrounding Chicago, there are hardly twenty square miles thinly covered with timber. But, as even the enterprise of Chicago is inadequate to build mountains, and as hills also are very expensive, the city has but one way left to protect itself against its special exposure, and that is, to surround itself with artificial forests. Another aspect of the subject to which Dr. Rauch draws attention, is the sanitary influence of trees and foliage, the relations of climate to disease and of the parks to mental hygiene, and the special need which so overexcited a people as those of Chicago have for every kind of recreation and diversion. "We need parks to induce out-door exercise, and for the pleasant influences connected with them, which are so beneficial to our over-worked business men, to dyspeptics, to those aftiicted with nervous diseases, and, particularlj', to the consumptive. We need parks for our school children, as we have no places to which they can resort for out-of-door pla}', and where the}' can obtain healthful recreation, with the exception of the limited grounds sur- rounding the school-houses." "The moral influence of the parks is decided. Man is brought in contact with Nature — is taken away from the artificial conditions in which he lives in cities; and such associations exercise a vast influence for good." Dr. Rauch has indeed spoken the truth and the uses of our parks as a means of popular intellectual improvement, and their importance as an edu- cational agency in connection with the great school system of this city, are by no means yet fully recognized. Their rich array of trees, shrubs, and flowers, in their season, are not only objects of attention from their varied beauty, but they minister to a still further and most important use as objects of engaging study to the youth of the schools of Chicago. The Sf)uth Parks became more of a resort for the general public after the cable lines in Cottage Grove avenue and State street were completed a few short years ago ; previously, on account of the lung distance lying be- — 51 — tween them and the thickly populated districts of the city and the difficulty people, not owners of private conveyances and unable to patronize livery stables, experienced in getting there, these parks principally formed the destination of the upper tendom, the wealthy and fashionable, whose elegant equipages and turnouts thronged the boulevards and park driveways. There the richly attired ladies and stylish looking gentlemen reigned supreme and the common people did not block their way. Thanks to th^ extension of the afore mentioned cable car-lines way beyond the southern limits of the park territory and to the facilities afforded by the trains of the Illinois Central and the Elevated railwaj% all leading to these health giving pleasure grounds, men, women and children on foot are now largely in the majority in the South Parks. Especially gratifying is it to witness the signs of joy and happiness, which the little ones seem to feel when brought out here among the green trees and beautiful flowers, where their pale cheeks at once assume a healthier color, their limbs greater elasticity. Even the most distant quart- ers of the city send large delegations of tenement-house occupants, dwellers in unhealthy, disease-breeding basements to the shady meadows of the South Parks, where they spend many happy hours in the enjoyment of the blessings that kind nature and the handiwork of man have spread out before them in such glorious profusion. As early as 1873 it was found desirable to increase the attractions of Washington Park, by providing a place of resort for children and families who came by cars and were seeking their pleasure with'n such distances as were easily accessible on foot. To meet this want, a ramble was designed and laid out immediately south of the entrance from Drexel Boule- vard and adjacent to the car track on Cottage Grove avenue. The effect of intricacy and variety was secured by means of irregular plantations of shrub- bery, to form thickets and copses, interspersed with bits of open ground or broad lawn to serve as play grounds for children. The paths wind about among these scenes, opening new vistas or views at every turn and conveying the impression of a much more extended area than it actually occupies. We have already endeavored to convey some idea of what the South Parks were, when they were first laid out and came into the hands of the Com- missioners, who by tiie way receive no pay for their services. Since then the improvements have been steadily going forward. Excellent drives, and walks, and bridle paths, and artificial lakes have been constructed and beauti- ful trees, and shrubs, and evergreens have been judiciously planted to give character and variety to the meadows and lawns ; no touch of the landscape gardener could add very considerably to the fresh appearance of its glades and groves, and cool secluded nooks. The public knows how to prize the noble sycamores, the stately maples, the superb catalpas and the large variety of other magnificent trees, that adorn Washington Park and the boulevards. In short, the transformation of these grounds from a sandy waste to beautiful flower gardens, lawns and shady retreats ever was and still is a great surprise to the public. In the Park the passing observer is verj'' strongly impressed with the manner in which everchanging views are successively opened before him; views, which possess every quality of complete and impressive landscape compositions. As an authority on landscape gardening remarks: "Other forms of natural scenery stir the observer to warmer admiration, but it is doubtful if any and certain that none which under ordinary circumstances man of set purpose can induce nature to supply him, are equally soothing and refres^hing ; equally adapted to stimulate simple, natural and wholesome tastes and fancies, ani thus to draw the mind from absorption in the interest of an intensely artificial habit of life." In the improvement of this territory attractive and picturesque scenery has been fornved and accommodations were prepared for great numbers of people, each class of which is led to enjoy and benefit by the scenery without preventing or seriously detracting from the enjoyment of it by all others. To repeat, the scenery of Washington Park is diversified and it commands fine distant views. These advantages and its exemption from factory smoke or — 52 — foul smells compensate for the necessity the citizens are under to travel a number of miles to reach it. Every thing is useful just in proportion as it in some waj' adds to human enjoyments and the Park is certainly one of the foremost things, that give pleasure to human beings. Its civilizing and humanizing influence is something wholly incalculable. The visitors belong to every class and grade of society, and yet every one seems there to be on his good behaviour. The Commissioners have kept steadily in view the one object of making it a pleasure ground; admitting notliing, which would interfere with this, prohibiting nothing which would conduce to it. The regulation formerly quite generally in use in all of our parks: "Keep ofE the grass," is one of the things of the past in this Park, and any one who has seen the glee with which men, women and children repose or play upon the soft velvet sward, will see how much the actual enjoyment of the Park is enhanced by permitting the free use of the lawns. The toil- worn artisan, his weary wife and pining children are, thanks to the wise fore- thought of the Commissioners, assured that on any bright summer or autumn day they will find sward and shade open to them. Everything done here is done according to the best rules of the land- scape gardeners art; in the process of grouping as well as in the endeavor to secure those fine contrasts of color which by a proper selection of trees and shrubs, the autumn foliage can be made to display. According to these rules the Park shows principallj' the character of free and unrestricted nature, where the hand of man should not be noticed except through well kept walks and drives and the judicious distribution of buildings. The extensive territory Wasliington and Jackson Park occupy, of which the former contains 371, the latter 580 acres, whereto 100 acres must be added covered by Midway Plaisance, made the construction of park lands possible on a much larger and niore imposing scale-, than could be done in either of the other four large parks of the city. If it was possible to lift them up and carry them to the South Parks, they would all of them easily find room within the boundaries of Washington and Jackson Park. In the western part of Washington Park, near the entrance from Garfield boule- vard, is .situated an open lawn containing one hundred acres, which the Com- missioners have turned over to those fond of playing "lawn tennis,'' "cricket" and similar out-door sports ; the Commissioners even went so tar in their praiseworthy anxiety to please the public and make people feel happy, as to purchase the articles necessary for such amusements and to loan them out to the players. This character of open park scenery — of wood without under- growth and of lawn irregularly bounded by groups of large trees — is pre- served in Washington Park throughout in order that it might be left open to the public at all tunes, by day and by night, without risk of such abuse of its privileges as might exist, if exclusion and concealment were secured by the presence of thickets and copses of shrubbery. The wisdom of such provision for the future, when the neighborhood of the park becomes thickly inhabited, is obvious. In the immediate vicinity of the aforesaid western park-entrance Mr. Kanst, the head gardener, has obtained very picturesque effects by means of climbing plants, which have crept up over tall tree stumps, from where they droop down in graceful garlands or stretch across shady paths to trees on the other side, thereby forming a canopy of rich foliage. South of the large baseball lawn lies the glittering park-lake, covering an area of about twenty acres. Its green shore stretches around in graceful curves, where stately trees throw their deep shadows upon the mirror like surface of the water; upon these shores beautiful flowers bloom in great variety and children love to roam and play. The paths and driveways througii the park are without any exception laid out in such a manner, that each one of them will lead the traveler to the most advantageous points of view. — 55 — Crossing over to the extreme eastern portion of Washington Park we find here the Palm House and just west of it, in tlie centre of a circuitious drive- wa}', the floral display of Mr. Kanst, his pride and the joy of the public. To get a glimpse of this panorama of flowers and plastic floral designs is indeed worth a journey from a distance. We will not attempt a description of the various figures, emblems, Moral fancies as they should be called, carpet-beds rich in colors and unique in design, for everybody interested in flowers and floral decorations, every lover of the sweet-scented children of flora, should personally visit this highly fascinating spot. It required not less than 300,000 plants and flowers to embroider and embellish these emerald lawns, in which number however are included many thousands that were used for beautify- ing the center of Drexel boulevard and the surroundings of the Drexel fountain at the southern end of said boulevard. A remarkable piece of work and a triumph of art among many floral masterpieces was a portrait of General Grant, which was executed by Mr. Kanst in the spring of 1885 and elicited much favorable and well deserved comment. The interior of the palmhouse with its large variety of tropical and semi-tropical plants will also prove highly interesting to the visitor. Before we take our departure from this beautiful park let us not forget to take a look at the lily-ponds, situated only a few paces south of the palm house; here, among the numerous specimens of the family of water lilies we also behold several fully developed Virginia Regia's, the queenly sea-rose of the tributaries of the Amazon river. It truly deserves to be ranked among the foremost objects of interest and admiration in the floral kingdom, and for those who gather aroilnd these ponds with their array of lotus-plants and water-lilies, natives of China, Japan, Africa, Egypt and our own country, it forms the centre of attraction. We find here Nymphaea odorata, N. alba, N. tuberosa, N. dentata, N- rubra and other species, but, as before remarked, the grandest of them all is the Victoria Regia. Though it was discovered by the botanist Haenke as early as 1801 and scientifically described by Professor Poeppig of Leipzic in 1832, it was not named till 1838, when Lindley dedicated it to his sovereign, and in 1850 it was for the first time introduced into cultivation through the efforts of the traveler Spruce. The gigantic circular leaves of this wondrous plant measure six feet and more in diameter and have a turned up margin as a border from two to five inches high, giving the leaf the resemblance to a huge tray or salver. The upper surface of this leaf is of a rich green color, while the lower surface shows a purple or violet color and is traversed by ridge-like veins or ribs, which radiate from the centre and are connected by ribs running cross ways, so that the entire surface below is divided into air-compartments, which give the leaf great carrying power. By placing a board upon one to distribute the weight, it is capable of holding a child from 10 to 12 years of age. The life of the flower is of short duration, lasting only two days. It opens late in the afternoon and remains open about twelve hours ; during that period it is cup-shaped, from 12 to 10 inches across, with hundreds of pure white petals and very fragrant. The second day the flower again opens towards evening, but it now presents an entirely different appearance, for the petals are changed to a rosy pink color, and reflexed in the shape of a coronet, but now odorless. Towards morning the flower again closes, never again to open, and during the day it sadly sinks back into its watery bed, there to ripen its seed. The maintenance of this grand system of parks: police protection, repairs of roads and footpaths, transplanting of trees, etc., last year required over ^200,000, which figures explain better than a detailed description of the work done inside of one year for the good of the public can do, the amount of labor that has been performed. For those, who are the fortunate owners of a buggy or carriage or who possess the means for hiring one, a drive along the broad and well kept boule- vards leading north from Washington Park into the heart of the city, or west, where the boulevard systems of the South Parks and the West Parks join — 56 — hands, will surely prove a most enjoyable one. Those leading north are Drexel boulevard, Grand boulevard, Oakwood boulevard, Thirty-fifth street boulevard and ilichigan boulevard. Drexel boulevard is 200 feet wide; it starts from Washington Park at Fifty-first street near Cottage Grove ave. and terminates at Thirty -ninth street, a point 13^ miles north. It consists of a double roadway, embracing a central ornamental space 100 feet wide, arranged with paths, grass plots, magnificent floral decorations, and planted with trees and shrubs. Elegant and costly residences line this magnificent boulevard on both sides, inuring the year 1882 the Drexel Brothers of Philadelphia presented to the Commissioners a costly and superb bronze fountain in memory of their father, after whom also the beautiful Boulevard is named. This fountain is located at the turn of said Boulevard at Fifty- first street and is massive, unique and of beautiful design and workmanship. It is crowned by a life size bronze statue of Drexel. From the northern terminus of this boulevard Oakwood boulevard, a hundred feet wide, extends half a mile west to Grand boulevard, which has a width of 198 fpet the entire length from Washington Park (at Fifty- first street) north to Thirty-fifth street, which is exactly two miles. Grand boule- vard is on the line with South Park ave., which connects at Fifty-fifth street with Garfield boulevard. It comprises a central drive-way, 55 feet wide, with a grass border 20 feet on each side, planted with rows of trees and separating it from the side roads, which are intended for business traffic. Going north in Grand boulevard we at its northern end enter Thirty-fifth street ; for a distance of barely }^ of a mile, from Grand boulevard west to Michigan boulevard, this street is under the control of the Park Board as a necessary link between all the afore mentioned boulevards and Michigan boulevard, which latter leads to the business centre of the city. This boulevard is now finished its entire length, from Fifty-fifth street (Garfield boulevard) to Jackson street, a distance of 5^^ miles, and as a street of palatial residences it has no superior in this or any other country. A delightful pleasure drive is afforded those, who will select Garfield boulevard (Fifty-fifth street) where it emerges from Washington Park, for a visit to the West Park system. The road here naturally leads us in a westerly direction past fine residences and stores far out into the open country, where dwelling houses as yet are thinly scattered. Garfield and Western avenue boulevards, the connecting links, have a length of over six miles and the greater part of the way they pass through wide stretches of prairie, wliich as far as the eye can reach is profusely stud- ded with lovely wild flowers, who merrily bow and nod in the breezes, Tliat part of the boulevard, which leads from Washington Park directly west over Fifty-fifth street, is called Garfield boulevard in honor of our lamented President, James A. Garfield. It has a uniform width of 200 feet and is lined on both sides of the main drive way with tliree rows of shade trees. At the intersection of AVestern ave., which is distant 3% miles from the point where Garfield boulevard emerges from Washington Park, the boulevard turns north and follows in the road of Western avenue, from which it has taken its name, for a distance of 2.81 miles, until it reaches the Illinois and Michigan Canal, where it crosses by means of a neat drawbridge, constructed by the South Park Commissioners. Between Fifty-fifth street and this Canal the boulevard is enclosed along the western border for long distances by beautiful shrubs and small groves, that lend an additional charm to the landscape, through which the road passes. We behold here a natural garden, in which we can not fail to see the painstaking care of the gardener with sprinkling cart and pruning knife. North of Thirty-ninth street the boulevard passes through Brighton Park, where a small but very picturesque flower garden enhances the beauty of the immediate vicinity and where stately elms and catalpas throw their cool shade over rustic spats and lovely walks. AVestern avenue boulevard is 200 feet wide, the same as Garfield boulevard. 2^S-«^B>^ ^•.: }i'M^-J - iiitter^:.^ 59 Areas and Distances, S. Parks and Boulevards. Jackson (East) Park Washington (West) Park Gage Park Midway Plaisance Grand boulevard, 198 ft. wide Drexel boulevard, 200 ft. wide Oakwood boulevard, 100 ft, wide Michigan avenue boulevard Thirt.y-fifth street boulevard Garfield boulevard, 300 ft. wide Western ave. boulevard, 200 ft. wide .... Fifty-seventh st. boulevard, 100 ft. wide. Totals. Total Area. Acres . 586 371 20 80 Total Imp'v'd Length Drives Miles. Miles. 2.00 1.48 .50 5.73 .32 3.50 2.81 .03 1057 16.37 25.16 1.50 6.06 1.38 3.55 3.05 .50 3.73 .32 3.75 1.29 .03 The present Commissioners are the following gentlemen : Joseph Don- nersberger, President; Martin J.Russell, Auditor; John B. Sherman, William Best and J. W. Ellsworth. H. W. Harmon is Secretary and John R. Walsh,, Treasurer. 00 THE WEST CHICAGO PARKS. The first Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners consisted of the following gentlemen: Geo. W. Stanford, President; E. F. Runyan, Auditor; Isaac R. Hitt, Clark Lipe, David Cole. Chas. C. P. Holdeu and Henry Greene- baum. Treasurer. The act of legislature creating this board was approved Feb. 27, 1869. The commissioners were not appointed bj- the Governor, how- ever, until April 26, nearly two months later. The labor incident to selecting the lands necessary for the Parks and public grounds contemplated by the law creating the board, and acquiring the title to the same, was greater than was at first anticipated; the conflicting interests of real estate owners ari.d the de- mands and necessities of the public were to be harmonized. While the law prescribed the limits within which these Parks should be located, still the par- ticular locality within these limits was a matter left to the discretion and judgment of the board. "By a resolution adopted June 25, 1869, the preliminary labor of selecting or designating locations for these public improvements was devolved upon a special committee of three, consisting of Messrs. Gkeenebaum, Hitt, and Runyan, who spent some time and labor in securing to the public, locations for these Parks which should be accessible to the great mass of tlie people over some public means of travel, and still be within such distance of the bus- iness and residence portion of the city as to be readily accessible to pedestrians and carriages. Under the law, the board was required to locate and establish a Boulevard running from the north branch of the Chicago river, commencing at a point north of Fullerton Avenue, running thence west, one mile or more west of Western Avenue, and thence southerly, with such curves and deviations as the board should deem expedient, tothe'Chicago.Burlingtouand Quincy railroad line, and on line of said Boulevard to establish three Parks: the north Park to be in size not less than 200 acres, to cost not to exceed $250,000, to be located north of Kinzie Street; the middle Park to be located between Kinzie and Harrison Street, to be in size not less than 100 acres, and to cost not to exceed $400,000; the southern Park to be not less than 100 acres in size, and to cost not to exceed $250,000, to be located south of Harrison Street, and north of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad line, — the aggregate cost of Parks and Boulevards not to exceed $1,050,000. It will be seen that the power of the board was so prescribed by limitations and restrictions, that the selecting aud jirocuring of the lands within the limits designated, and for the price or cost indicated, and at the same time within a reasonable distance of the residence portion of the city, was a problem of no easy solution. It is only by remembering the sandy desert out beyond the former west- ern limits of our city, and the marshy prairie land of the years gone by that one can realize the wonders that have been worked in making this Kceming Nature what it is. That thickets and trees abound; that vines clamber up over trellises and the walls of the great palm houses; that calm lakes refiect the blue heavens or white clouds; that Nature has been tamed and civilized and her ruggedness and her softness Avoven into a garment for the earth — this can only be apiireciated by remembering how all this territory looked in 1869 or by seeing how some of the adjacent similar lots and acre* look now. The supply of this city with pure lake water was the noblest labor, but the gift of its great lungs or breathing places ranks next. They are favorite resorts at all seasons of the year. In summer, there is the leafy (luiet aud almost breath- Tlie Iluiiibohlt Monuiiif iit in Iluinlxtlcit I'ark. — 6J5 — less stillness of the summer-woods; there is the drowsy hum of the bee, and ceaseless whir-r-r of the hummiug-bird's wiug, as it poises iu air before a flower its little body of green and gold. There is the sweet monotony of the splash of fountains or ripple of little cascades, lulling the senses into half-for- getfulness, till one dreams that the noisy city has ceased to exist, and that the enchanted gardens of some new Alhambra environ him forever. There is the deep green of the grass, the darker emerald of the leaves, the density of vines and thickets, the faint perfume of summer flowers; and in the holy hush of imitated Nature the rabbit lifts it great ears and eyes without fear, the splen- did peacock suns its great eye-embroidered fan and the stately swans sit motion- less on the water, like birds of snow in realms of blue, and await the pleasure of the goddess of the lake. In autumn, when the spirit of the breeze has invaded the sylvan solitudes, and the genii of the season have tired each thicket with gold and crimson, and strewed the grass with the purpling spoils of all the trees; when the vases overflow with floral treasures and the song-birds wake up to pipe a farewell to the flowers; wlieii the enchanted summer-sleep is broken by the flrst breath of the spirit of the north and the quick-moving children come to look brighter than the birds and sweeter than the passing flowers — the great Parks are a thing of beauty still. When winter comes to spread her broad white mantle over the grave of the dead grass and shelter with her cold beauty the delicate roots of the flowers; when the delicate birds and animals (of Lincoln Park) are also sheltered and the lakes harden their bosolns into ice; when beautiful girls and strong men buckle on the steel wings to their feet, and the swiftly-darting forms look like the broken fragments of some rainbow of humanity; when the short winter- day has furled itself in the blue blankets of the night and the great moon looks down to flood tiie white landscape with pale glory and tip every barren branch with silver; or when the modest light of stars hesitates in rivalry with brighter eyes, and electric lights arise and recreate the day — then too, the Parks are beautiful. On the 15th day of July, 1869, the committee submitted to the public ten plans or suggestions for the locations of the Parks. Tliese were exhibited for ten days thereafter, and offers for the sale of lands and donations of the same invited. The result was that no offers were received, whereupon the com- mittee prepared three other plans or suggestions, which were, on the 5th day of August, submitted to the public, and donations a'gain solicited. The result was that donation for a portion of the Boulevards were made, and 14 acres promised conditionally, to be used in the purchase of the north- ern Park. The committee having this matter in charge, made their report to the board on the 19th day of August, setting forth the plans which had been submitted to the public, and reporting the donations made or promised. Final action was not taken on this report until the 4th day of November, 1869, when the board definitely fixed and established the lines and boundaries of Parks and Boulevards. By the action of the board, a system of public Parks and pleasure ways w\as secured, which combined all the advantages which the topographical nature of the country afforded, having due regard to the means of access, and proximity to the city. The boundaries of the Parks having been established, the great work undertaken had just been entered upon; to secure the title to tliese lands at prices which should be fair and equitable, as between the public and the owner, gave rise to prolonged negotiations. The Park Commissioners were in the market desiring to buy these lands, without money or means of getting it until special assessments could be levied and collected. Prices of lands in the vicinity of the Parks, under the excitement which existed during the early part of 1869, had run up to a high figure, from which owners were slow to recede, yet the board was so thoroughly convinced that the prices asked were speculative and not the real value, that they refu.sed to buy except in cases where concessions of from 20 to 25 per cent were made from these ex- treme prices. The Commissioners were willing to pay for the lands, taking the value as it should be determined by the assessors appointed by the courts to condemn — 64 — the same. They were willing to ascertain this value without appealing to the court, and much time aud labor was expended in establishing or agreeing upon the true rule to be followed in determining this question. That insisted upon by the board, was to enquire what was the value of the lands taken for the improvement contemplated at the time the same were selected, without regard to any elfect which the contemplated improvements might have upon other lands in the vicinity. Upon this basis, substantially, the purchases were conducted — making the purchase money payable in three installments, thus dividing the special a.ssess- ments into three annual assessments, instead of raising it by one assessment, as would have been necessary if the land had been secured by condemnation. The resources of the board from which to realize money to pay for lauds thus purchased, were. 1. The power to levy and collect special a.ssessments upon the real estate deemed benefited. 2. The right to issue bonds to pay the amount found payable by the public; and 3. To issue bonds to pay any deticiency which might exist after exhausting the other resources of the board. The first assessment made by the assessors was for the sum of ^231,880.73, which was confirmed by the Circuit Court, and extended on the general Tax Warrant for the year 1870. The amount collected under this warrant, less commission for collecting, was $169,887.51, the balance, $55,810.91. was re- ported to the County Court at the August term, 1871. as delinquent, aud judg- ment rendered against the property. Parties contesting this tax in the County Court perfected appeals from this judgment to the Circuit Court about the loth day of September following, and were pending in the Circuit Court at the time of the destruction of the records of said Court by the great fire, October 9. 1871. Accordingly, measures were taken to restore the Kecord of Appeals taken by delinquent owners; and the second assessment authorized by law, amounting to $212,108.51, was made, and reported to the Circuit Court for confirmation. During the year 1871, four artesian wells were sunk, one in each of tlie parks, and one in Humboldt Boulevard. The sinking of these wells was then a matter of necessity, as at that time the municipal water mains did not extend to those distant parts of the city. The well in Central Park is 1,220 feet deep, the one in Douglas Park 1 ,165 and the well in Humboldt Park 1,155 feet deep. The well in Humboldt Boulevard is located in !Maplewood, at a point nearly midway between the eastern terminus of the Boulevard and Logan Square. In*1868, the year before the Park Act was passed, the land added by this Act to the city, were assessed and paid taxes on a valuation of ^429.600; in 1872, the same lands were assessed and paid taxes on a city assessment of $9,506,230. This increase in the value of real estate was attained during a period of the time most trying to the City of Chicago and its interests — a fear- ful conrtagration in a few'hours wiping out of existence a vast amount of its wealth, utterly ruining many of its most active citizens, and followed in a few months by a depression in business generally, reaching to every person in the country, with a stringency in money centres which for a time threatened the overthrow of all classes; yet through it all, these lands have steadily from year to year advanced, and tiiey have been an important element in securing this result, wit/tout which other- important interests would have been diverted to more favorable localities; they have formed the nucleus arounil which all other interests have centered. Soon after the terrible conflagration of Oct. 8 and 9, 1871, it was suggested by the city press that, with relics from the ruins, a monument ought to be erected in Garfield Park, which should be unique in construction, and serve to commemorate in some degree the fearful elYect of the fiery elements which had swept over the fairest portion of our city. Seizing upon the suggestion thus made, the Board adopted a plan, alTording opportunity to cut in lasting marble the grateful acknowledgments of a suffering city. The ceremony of laying the cornerstone came off on the 30th of October, 1872, when it was laid with Masonic ceremonies, in the presence of a large number of citizens. From the address of Hon. S. S. Hayes, who was one of the jirincipal sjieakers on that occasion, the following may be quoted in reference to the great Chicago fire; Residence of Win. Schmidt, u^'hv Lincoln Parli. — G7 — "On tlie iiiiiht of Oct. 8th, 1871, the Great Fire broke forth and raged with resistless liny until the close of the uext day, when by the blessing of Divine Providence its ravages were stayed. It was the greatest coutlagration of Avhich history gives an account, un- less we except the burning of Moscow on the loth and Kith of September, 18 1 2 The great fire in London in IGGO did not equal it in extent, or the amount of loss. The London fire swept a space a mile long and half a mile wide and the value of buildings and goods consumed was estimated at from fifty to sixty million dollars. In the burning of Moscow, the private loss by the destruction of houses and their contents, exclusive of public buildings, was calculated at one hundred ami fifty millions of dollars. The Chicago tire devastated a space nearlv a mile in width and three miles and a half in length, containing two thousand acres. Forty churches, fifty hotels, and u.-arly all the public buildings, newspaper oflices, banks, theatres and finest wholesale and retail storehouses, besides thousands of dwellings, many of the most costly character were laid in ashes. The number of buildings destroyed was 17 450- of persons rendered homeless, 98,500. The losses on property of all descriptions a.side from depreciation of land, were estimated at t.vo hundred millions of dollars. No one who beheld tho.se terrible scenes can ever forget them. The earth and air for miles a pandemonium of flames, full of all hor- rors, the roaring hurricane of fire sweeping down and devouring massive blocks of brick, stone and iron as though they were wood, terror-stricken people half clad crowding the streets audltleeing for their lives, some into the water of Lake Michigan, others to the suburbs and adjacent country, over one hundred thousand men, women and children without shelter or food, the water supply destroyed, the firemen and police worn out or saving their families, no hope of preserving any part of the city except from the continuance of the south- west wind— such was the dreadful scene that neither tongue nor pen can des- cribe. And through these trying scenes what self-sacrifice, what devotion, what tenderness, what endurance, feeble women carrying from the flames the aged and infirm, little children suppressing their terror to comfort their stricken parents, and men became giants in energy, and everywhere risking their lives, and spending their last strength to rescue the helpless, and save them from impending death. , . . , , -u- A few brave men were still fighting the fire, and mining the buildings with gunpowder, on the South Side, others trying to rescue and succor the helpless. A little band of heroes from Milwaukee were making the last stand with their engines at Indiana street bridge. The last almost hopeless efforts were blessed with success. The fire was arrested and driven slowly from its prev But the great and beautiful citv was in ashes; its glory and its pride were in the dust, a boundless expanse of blackened ruins. For miles there was no sight or sound of life, only smoking heaps, solitary chimneys and towers, broken portals and ragged and tottering walls, with here and there the spectral outline of some great building empty and roofless and bare, a mournful scene of lonely desolation. We all know that Chicago has risen asain in greater magnificence than before. This was to be expected from the speedy resurrection of Rome, of London and of IMoscow. It was also to be expected from the sagacity, the foresight, the patient industry, the indom- itable courage and the high intelligence of our people. Individuals have lost their all. but the city knows no loss; it stands with its resources undiminished, its trade, its population, the value of its property largely increased. The burnt district in the business quarter in a single year has been mostly rebuilt in a style of greater solidity and of surptissing beauty. Two-thirds of the dwellings have been restored. In another year scarcely a vestige of the Great Fire will remain. This monument is being erected to keep that event in re- membrance, to make known to future ages our sense of its magnitude, our thankfulness to a merciful Providence for our rapid recovery, and our heart- felt and endless gratitude to a sympathising world for their over-flowing kind- ness, their unmeasured benefactions in the time of our sutTering." Central Park was opened to the jniblic in August, 1874, and the throng of people who visited the park on the occasion, and the concert days thereafter, was a highly satisfactory demonstration of the interest taken in the parks. — 68 — From the origin of the West Park Board in 1869, until jMarch 1st, 1877, the important offices and practical control of the Board had been in the same liands, until the retirement of E. F. Runyan, in the fall of 1876andthe appoint- ment of Hon. J. F. A. Muus as his successor caused a change in the balance of power, resulting in the election of Clark Lipe, President; AldenC. milliard, >ec- retary, and B. Loewenthal, Esq., President of the International Bank, Treas- urer; instead of Messrs. Stanford President, and Greenebaum Treasurer, -who had from the tirst occupied their respective positions. The Governor, at this time, attempted to remove four of the members, namely: Clark Lipe, President; A. C. Millard, Secretary; A. Muus and C. C. P. Holden, from the office of Park Commissioners; and'ou October 8th, 1877, each of the Commissioners named received a communication from the Gover- nor, from which the following is an extract: Sir: It has been evident for some time that the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, as at present constituted, has lacked the harmony neces- sary to enable it to do its duty in a manner which should be a credit to the individual members, and command the respect and confidence of the citizens of the town of West Chicago. The Board is divided into two parties, which seem to be irreconcilable, each demanding the removal of the whole or part of the opposing faction. I am fully convinced that in their capacity of Commis- sioners, the present members of the Board of West Chicago Park Commission- ers do not possess the kind of qualifications which are necessary to the dis- charge of the duties of said office, and that the successful administration of the Parks of West Chicago demands a change in said Board. I, therefore, by virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution of the State of Illinois, do hereby remove C. C. P. Holden, Alden C. Millard, Clark Lipe, and J. F. Adolph Muus, West Chicago Park Commissioners, and declare their offices vacant. S. M. Cullom, Gorcrnor. On October 11th the Governor appointed the following named gentlemen West Chicago Park Commissioners: Peter Schlittler to succeed C. C. P. Holden, Emil Wilken to succeed Alden C. Millard, Sextus N. Wilcox to suc- ceed Clark Lipe, and E. E. Wood to succeed J. F. Adolph ]\Iuus. Peter Schlittler declined to accept the said appointment as to himself, and there- upon the Governor appointed John Brenock in his place. The Commissioners removed pronounced the Governor's action illegal and luiconstitutional and appealed to tJie courts for protection. Long and weary litigation followed, and by a decision of the Supreme Court the Governor was sustained in his removals; the assumption of a life interest in the office of Conunissioner was limited to a term of .seven years. The new administration, although organized on the 15th of ]March, 1878, did not gain possession of the office, books and documents until the 5th day of July following, when the financfal affairs of the Board were found to be iii an unsatisfactory condition; some time was required to ascertain the amount of tlie immediate liabilities of the Board for men's wages, bills for supplies for the Parks and amount of overdue interest, and the available resources to meet such claims. The new Board of Commissioners was comjiosed of the following gentle- men. Willard Woodard, President, Samuel II. McCrea, Sextus N. Wilcox, Joim Brenock, Auditor; Emil Wilken, E. Erwin Wood, George Kalilfs. P>er- tliold Loewenthal was Treasiu'er and R. McChesney Secretary. The follow- ing year Mr. John Buehler was appointed Treasurer and Y,. E. Wood Secretary. Many of the primary plans for developing the grounds and obtaining the l)est results from tlie unpromising blank on which first to operate — a flat, naked, cold and undrained jjraiiie of clay, destitute of any natural beauty, in landscape or otherwise — were of necessity experimental, and in some instances recjuired the handling and re-handling of earth two or three times to obtain satisfactory results. Eartli suited to the recjuirements of tree, siirub and lawn nature had not supplied, and without a .soil loamy and ricii, no sinidy grove or velvety lawn was jiossible. To supply this necessity, therefore, it became necessary to make up artificially large (piantities of compost, involving much — 71 — labor ami expense in collection and subsequent treatment of its ingredients. Garfield (then Central) Park was the first battle ground. The experimental park, though only partially developed, was thrown open to public use fully four years before either of the others, and during these four years the Park management were gaining in experience and wisdom, which accrued to the benefit of the other parks when active work was commenced therein. This work was continued in Douglas and Humboldt Parks under more favorable conditions. Labor and material were cheaper, and witli the experience ob- tained a given sum of money obtained a greater and more perceptible amount of improvement than a like sum would or could have done during the earlier labors of the Board. And, fortunately for the taxpaj'ers, arrangements were concluded by the Board by which two of the largest railway companies enter- ing Chicago disposed of the earth and ordure from their stock cars so that it was conveniently situated and readily available for use in any of the parks. The debit value of Garfield Park was increased by an abortive attempt to commemorate the great fire of 1871 by the afore mentioned monument, which entailed a cost of nearly $14,000, and which has long become a part of the earth surrounding it. Up to 1883 the citizens could not expect rapid development, much less great perfection of Park and Boulevards, while the Board had but the limited revenue of $100,000 from which all expense, both of new work and maintain- ing the old was taken. Thereafter a petition was presented and a bill intro- duced to the Legislature, providing for an additional tax of two and one-half mills, which added nearly $90,000.00 to the income. A movement sprung up in 1880 among certain property owners on the line of Humboldt Boulevard, with the intention to secure the building of a driveway similar to that connecting Garfield and Humboldt Parks, to extend north and east, and eventually connect with some similar driveway extending west from Lincoln Park. The Board then owned in the town of Jefferson the right of way for Boulevard purposes, extending north and east from Hum- boldt Park to Western Avenue, a distance of about 13.000 feet. That town at that time contributed in part the expense of grading and of planting trees. As a whole, there was probably never on this continent, nor in the old world, such a grand and complete conception of pleasure grounds and drives as was here presented. A great commercial mart of then over half a million souls, with rapidly increasing wealth and population, with untiring energy, and every condition that was necessary to insure its future position as the great metropolis of this continent, encircled on every side by park and drive- way, so developed, improved and perfected as shall render it a garden indeed; a restful spot, a breathing space of pure air, and free as the drawn breath to the thousands who may seek its quiet and repose; open to the son of toil and capitalist alike, and of such ample space as will meet the demands of a city of millions; surely the apprehension of this great idea was worthy of the far- sighted appreciation of the intelligent citizens of Chicago,and of the coming wants of this great city when its ample wealth shall insist upon the develop- ment of the esthetic as well as the material growth of its inhabitants. With such encouragement and material aid as was afforded by the intelli- gence and wealth which made up the city's greatness, one could with reason expect that the present generation would be able to enjoy the pleasure of twenty-five mdes of continuous driving, commencing at Lincoln Park on the north (a wonder in itself) then west, south and east through woodland and grove, by gravel road and rustic viaduct, by lake and stream and bubbling fountain, by greensward and velvety lawn, the air redolent with the perfume of a thousand flowers, and song of bird as clear and free as in virgin forest; till South Park, with all its grand appointments, is reached on the south. In 1881 the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners consisted of tlie following gentlemen: Harvey L. Thompson, Consider li. Carter, George Ilahlfs, Samuel H. McCrea, John Brenock, Willard Woodard, Sextus. N. Wilcox, and J. Frank Lawrence. S. H. McCrea was President; John Buehler. Treasurer: Willard Woodard, Auditor; Thomas J. Suddard, Secretary, and O. F. Dubuis, Engineer. Mr. Wilcox was drowned in Lake Superior in June. — 72 — 1881, and Mr. J. Frank Lawrence appointed to succeed liiin. John Breuock, who was elected President of the Board in 1882, resigned that ottice in March of thtit year, and Patrick J. iNIcGrath succeeded him. In connection with Mr. Wilcox, it may be mentioned, that early in the sprini;- of 1878, he attempted to remove the treasurer of the board, Mr. Bertli- old Lowenthal, from office and for no other perceptible reason than that Mr. Lowenthal refused to make loans out of the funds of his bank to the board, who at that time had to battle with might and main against tiuancial difficul- ties. The demand for his resignation was sent to hira in writing, but the sender had chosen a very inappropriate time for the delivery of the message, for on that very daj' ]\Ir. Lowenthal was carrying to the grave two of his be- loved children, who had suddenly been torn from him by relentless death. As no charges could he brought against 3Ir. Lowenthal, he of course paid no heed to the ill timed peremptory demand, and remained in office to the end of his term. In accordance with an act of the State Legislature, and a petition signed by the owners of a majority of the frontage of the abutting property, the City Council, on September 29, 1879, conveyed by ordinance to the Board of Com- missioners the control of Wa.shington Street, from Halsted Street to Garfield Park. On October 17, 1879, the Board, by formal action, secured control, and in 1881 the work was put under contract from Halsted Street to Rockwell Street. The Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, in the years 1883-4, was constituted as follows: Henry S. Burkhardt, Patrick McGratli, Harvey L. Thompson, Christian C. Kohlsaat, George Rahlfs, David W. Clark and John Brenock, and in 1885-6 the members of the Board were the following: Chris- toph Tegtmeyer, Henry S. Burkhardt, Patrick McGrath, Harvey L. Thomp- son, Christian C. Kohlsaat, George Rahlfs, David W. Clark, with George Rahlfs as President. In the year 1885 contracts were let for the new greenhouse in Garfield Park and for the new conservatory in Humboldt Park. The green-houses are compo.sed of stone foundations, brick substructures and wood, and consist of e.xotic houses, hot, cold and propagating houses, boiler, fuel, potting and store rooms, offices, passages and entrance porches. The Humboldt Park houses were built with glass superstructures, and cover an area of about 15, 000 .square feet, divided as follows: Exotic house, 48x64 feet and 62 feet high; hot and cold houses 25x60 feet each, and four propagating houses, each 12x100 feet, and the remainder of the buildings for working rooms and passages. This plant is so arranged that the large and lofty exotic house is in the centre, sur- mounted by two cupolas, with hot and cold houses as wings at the .sides, entrance porches and offices in front, and working rooms in the rear, the pro- pagating houses radiating from the same. The Garfield Park plant covers an area about as great as that at Humboldt, divided as follows: An exotic house 48x48 feet, and 65 feet high, hot and cold houses 26x55 feet each, and four propa- gating houses 12x100 feet each, and the remainder for working rooms and passages. The Garfield plant is so arranged that the exotic house, octagonal in shiipe and surmounted by a dome and cupola, occupies the center, with hot and cold hou.ses as wings on eitiier side, entrance porches and offices in front and working rooms in the rear, the propagating houses radiating from the same. Each plant is heated by a hot water system skilfully constructed, and so arranged that each house is independent of the other, and the water, after passing through almut 7,000 feet of pipe, returns to the two large boilers to be re-heated. The; main houses are covered with ribbed glass, decorated with stained glass, and have cement walks. The Humboldt Park conservatory was built at a cost of $22,594.08, and that in Garfield Park at about the same amount. Union Park, located just east of Ashland Avenue, on the line of Wash- ington Boulevard, was, by ordinance of tiie City Council jiassed October 9, 1885, turned over to the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, and the Board accepted the control of same by ordinance passed October 12, 1885. Tliis Park, with Washington Boulevard extended through it, provided quite an acquisition to the Park system. It was acquired by the city by pur- — 73 — chase from S. S. Hayes, W. S. Johnston, Samuel L. Baker and others, in December, 1833, and February, 1854. It contains 14 4-5 acres and is bounded by West Lake Street, Bryan Place, Ogden, Warren and Ashland Avenues. Union I'ark was improved a few years ago as follows: The lake is divided into three parts: First, one basui 300x200 feet, of an oval form; the contours are regular and defined by a moulded stone coping laid on stone foundations. Opposite Park Avenue is a lake landing 06 feet long and 35 feet wide, divided in its center by broad stone steps, and ornamented with stone pedestals for vases and Hagstaff. The central feature is a canal 30 feet wide and 75 feet long, spanned by a stone bridge. The third feature is a basin 100 feet in diameter, with stone railing and central decorative fountain. These basins are of Portland cement concrete, and the water in each is six inches on the edges, gradually tiecpening to three feet in the center. The walks are "well shaded, furnished with seats, and are much easier of ingress and egress than formerly. The olfice building erected in Union Park during 1888 at a cost of $15,864.60 is a picturesque structure, set back from frequented paths, as befits its purely business and {irivate character, and forms an agreeable feature of the park landscape. It has a stone basement, with a brick and frame super- structure and a one-story roof of tlie English cottage style, the gables being built with exterior timber and sluice panels. The entrance is through a veranda under the roof to the main business office, handsomely partitioned off , with a meeting room for the Board and offices for the President, Secretary and General Superintendent. In the basement are toilet rooms for ladies and gentlemen and a storage room for tools and implements. The interior fini.sh of the building is of red oak, and the walls are sand finished and painted a neutral green. Three large vaults have been built to accommodate the large mass of books and papers which have accumulated. The conservatory is limited in extent, its contents consisting principally of palms and ferns, but nevertheless a very pretty view as seen from the Board room windows. A graceful winding staircase leads up the interior of the tower, and to the rooms for the janitor and gardener. The material excavated from the basement has been utilized in filling the surroundings of the building and forming new lawns and terraces. A new driveway with an entrance from Bryan Place has also been constructed. The total cost of the improvements has been $19,135.09. Vernon Park, located on the line of Polk Street, between Center Avenue and Loomis Street, was on October 12, 1885. turned over to the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, who accepted control of same by ordinance passed November 9, 1885. This park, covering an area of four acres, laid about four feet below the level or grade of the surrounding property. Thir- teen thousand four hundred and sixty-three dollars and sixty-five cents were expended in re-constructing tliis park. Tlie total park area has been raised above the street grade, over 25,000 cubic j-ards of clay, sand and black soil have been used in the filling, 382 trees have been planted and 603 feet of stone curbing set. The park now is one of the most beautiful of the small parks in the city. It is in the center of a large and rapidly improving district, and will perhaps confer as much real benefit and pleasure to the public as any improve- ment heretofore made in our parks. It was donated to the city by Henry D. Gilpin, October 17, 1859, and is bounded by Macalister and Gilpin Places, Loomis, Sibley and Lytle Streets and Centre Avenue. Jefferson Park, located between Monroe and Adams Streets on the north and south and Throop and Loomis on the east and west, is a pretty little park of about five and one-half acres. It is in the form of a square, and is sur- rounded on all sides by tine residences. This park was, by ordinance of the City Council passed October 9, 1885, turned over to the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners. Wicker Park, triangular in shape, located between Robey, Park and Fow- ler streets, in the northwest jiortion of the city, was turned over to the West Chicago Park Commissioners October 26, 1885. This park is inclosed on all sides by handsome residences, mostly owned by well-known and well-to-do Germans and Scandinavians. — 74- Tlie pul)lic spirit of the ])eople of West Chicago took form during the early winter of 1891 and resulted in the passage by the General Assembly of this State' of an Act, approved by Governor Joseph W. Fifer on the 12th day of June, 1891, authorizing the corporate authorities of the town of West Chi- cago to issue bonds for tlie ]jurpose of imjiroving and completing the parks and boulevards held, controlled and maintained by the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, excepting therefrom, however, all boulevards acquired from pre-existing streets. In compliance with the provisions of this Act, such proper action was taken on June 30, 1891, by the corporate authorities of the town of West Chicago, as was necessary to place in the hands of the Park Board bonds of the town of West Chicago aggregating the total sum of one million dollars, to be applied in improvements of tlie original Park and Boule- vard system as specified in such Act of the General Assembly. These bonds are payable within a period of twenty years from the first day of July, 1891, wnth semi-annual interest thereon at the rate of tive per cent, per annum. In order to secure the payment of the interest on those bonds as it becomes due from time to time, and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof, accord- ing to the provisions of said Act, as the same shall mature, the corporate authorities of the town of West Chicago, in strict compliance with their legal duties under the constitution and laws of the State of Illinois, have provide/1 for the levy and collection of an annual tax of one and one-half mills of the dollar on all of the taxable property of the town of West Chicago. The bonds so issued and delivered by the town authorities of the town of West Chicago to the West Chicago Park Commissioners are of the denomi- nation of one thousand dollars each. The amount received by the Park Board applicable to general park purposes during the year 1891 was but one hundred and ninety-four thousand six hundred and twenty-six dollars and eighty-three cents. Of this amount one hundred and tifty-seven thousand eight hundred and thirty -four dollars and lifty-one cents were expended in the maintenance of the park system as it was then, leaving the sum of thirty-six thousand seven hundred and ninety-two dollars, thirty-two cents for expenditure upon new improvements. The extension of improvements upon the park system necessarily increased the amount necessary for the purpose of maintenance, and without the timely provision of the one million dollars obtained through the legislation above referred to, it would have been many years befoi'e the system of parks could have been completed. The burden to the tax-payer occasioned by the issue of the one million dollar bonds is imperceptible when the beneficent results of a complete park system are considered and appreci- ated. These bonds came to the aid of the West Chicago Park Commissioners in a most opportune time, and enabled the Board to place its parks and l>leasure-ways in a most attractive condition at all times, and especially for the delight and enjoyment of the millions who are our guests during the World's Columbian Exposition. Contracts were at once awarded for all the material necessary in the construction of the boulevards and for the completion of the unimproved portions of Douglas, Garfield and Humboldt Parks, and for such additional buildings as have been deemed necessary. Contracts were also let for the construction of a bridge across the west branch of the south branch of the Chicago river and the building of a bridge in conjunction with the South Park Commissioners across the Illinois and Michigan Canal; both bridges were built within the South-West Boulevard. The construction of these two bridges effectually luiites the South Park and the West Park systems, and gives to the world a iMiblic jileasure-way unsur- passed anywher(> in length, width and attractiveness for jdeasure seekeis. On March 14th, of this year, Governor Altgeld appointed the following as members of the West Chicago Park Board : John W. Garvey to suceed'George Mason, E Imund Z. Bnidowski to suc- ceed John Kralovec, resigned; Andrew J. (irahara to succeed Hermann Weinhardt, resigned; Carl Moll to succeed Harvey L. Thompson resigned; and James J. Townsend to succeed Jefferson L. Fulton, resigned. 77- HUMBOLDT PARK. This popular pleasure garden is situated in the northwestern part of the city, the two main entrances being on California Avenue at the intersection of this street with Division Street and North Avenue. It offers to friends of nature a greater wealth of picturesque views and sylvan retreats, than any other of our artificial forests and is especially fortunate in having been laid out and fostered by enlightened taste and skill, displayed in a high degree by Mr. Frederick Karnatz, the veteran landscape gardener and superintendent of this charming park. Here as in all of our other large public parks much money was spent in ornamental and landscape gardening, the fruits of which the large number of noble trees, judiciously and picturesquely planted, add' the greatest value to these grounds. Of course here too all the landscape, so to speak, had to be manufactured, but the grounds being naturally soine- what higher than those at Garfield and Douglas Parks, less difficulty was en- countered in preparing the waste lands for their blessed purpose. The main feature of Humboldt Park is to be found in the magnificence and healthy ap- pearance of the great number and large variety of shade trees. The well kept driveways and footpaths leading through the length and width of the park present a series of natural vistas of land and lake scenery, which break like sudden glimpses of fairy-land upon the gaze of the delighted pilgrim from the hot and dusty city. A net-work of such drives and walks leads deftly over hilly formations, through forest-like groves, through glade and glen ; they take us from changing sunshine to shadow, from the margin of the glittering lake to.beds of fragrant flowers, to ever recurring vistas of rare beauty and variety — these, and the skilful arrangement of the flower garden in front of the palm house, the judicious grouping of blooming shrubberies here and there and many other beautiful things besides have transformed this spot into one of the liveliest and most delightful suburban parks in this country. It was opened to the public in July 1877, but was at that time only par- tially completed. The Germans of Chicago, of whom a large number reside in the northwestern part of the city and the vicinity of the park, were greatly pleased when this park was named after the great naturalist and master in science, Alexander von Humboldt, their illustrious countryman, and they celebrated the day of the opening, it being a Sunday, in regular German fashion. They had a large and imposing street-procession, which was fol- lowed at the park by music, song and speeches, the whole taking the shape of a highly enjoyable "Volksfest." The promise given by Humboldt Park at that early day, when it yet was in its infancy, has been faithfully kept, thanks to the skilful hand of the aforementioned landscape gardener. In no other of our parks is the separa- tion of the system of park-landscapes from that of garden-landscapes so plainly visible and so ably carried through as in this model-park. Humboldt Park has an area of 200 acres, of whichln 1891 only half were under cultiva- tion. Since then however the entire northwestern part which until then had been a barren waste, has been taken in hand by a host of workmen, who are transforming all that territory into beautiful groves, lawns, drives and lakes. For these extensive improvements the board of commissioners appropriated no less than $220,000, this sum being a part of the $1,000,000 derived from the sale of bonds authorized by the state legislature. The new work comprises the excavations for a new lake, which will have an average width of 400 feet and will cover an area of about 31 acres. On its northern shore a handsome Casino, to cost f 00,000, is now in the course of construction; it will be three stories high, and beneath it on the lakeshore will be the boat landinu;-piace. This part of the park was also chosen for the erection of a handsomH%nu«ic- pavilion and promises as a whole to add quite an attractive feature to lovely — 78 — Humboldt Park. All these improvements were greatly hindered in their progress by the long weeks of rainy weather in the spring of 1892, to which is owing the fact, that instead of bringing this new section to completion at the end of last year, it will not be read}' for public use before next fall. On the 16th day of October last (1892) there was unveiled in this park a very handsome bronze statue of Alexander von Humboldt, after whom the park was named. Fully 20,000 persons — some enthusiasts go so far as to claim double that number — witnessed the dedication. Even the lesser number was a tremendous outpouring considering the limited means of transportation to the beautiful park. The occasion was one long to be remembered, not only by the thousands of Germans who participated, but b}' the countless numbers of other nationalities present. Vast as was the crowd, it testified in mute though powerful manner to the truism that a truly great man belongs to no one nation. It seemed as if by silent agreement all the speakers on this occasion had taken this truism as their leading thought, for all dwelt up- on the fact that, abstruse as scientific research of necessity is, Humboldt had in a rare degree the faculty of teaching all people of whatever nation and whatever walk in life. It was a glorious and impressive tribute to the great man's "Kosmos." There was, of course, a grand parade of civic societies; there was '-music by the band" as well as by vocal societies, and there was an elaborate oratorical programme — separately and together effective, but far more impressive than it all was the great throng of people that was massed around the central space in front of the old pavilion, where the bronze figure of Humboldt stands, the earnest face whith its massive brow and the sharply accentuated features turned toward the rising sun. The Humboldt statue, the generous gift of Mr. F.J. Dewes, a prominent and highly respected Ger- man citizen of Chicago, is pronounced by connoisseurs a masterpiece of the sculptor's art. It was cast in the famous foundry of Gladenbeck & Son, in the German capital. Its height is ten feet and it shows the great savant in the position of a lecturer. In the half raised right hand, which rests against the body, he holds a flower, while the left, in which is clasped a book, rests easily upon the limb of the tree trunk by his side. Partly visible is a globe at his feet, alongside of which the head of an animal and other symbolic figures are seen, indicating the various sciences in which the great naturalist excelled. The whoje breathes truth and warmth, pulsating life; the figure shows noble dignity, and the artist has admirably succeeded in portraying Humboldt's nobility of soul, genius and self-reliance. The observer is deeply impressed with the repose and equipoise so dominant in this work of art, and by all real artists considered the first law of sculpture. The monument is an original work of Felix Goerling, a young German artist of rare talents. The granite pedestal was designed and executed by H. C. Hoffman & Co., of this city. It is made from the celebrated Freeport, Me, granite. Tiie ceremony of un- veiling the statue was conducted under the auspices of the German Press club. The first step in the direction of making arrangements worthy of the occasion was taken by several friends of F. J. Dewes, the donor of the statue, during his absence in Europe last summer. A committee of thirteen was chosen, and as a large majority of these were also associate members of the German Press club, the desire was expressed that this organization should take full charge of the preparations. The entire committee, to which two mem- bers of the Humboldt Celebration club — an organization formed for the sole purpose of arranging the parade of societies who participated in the ceremon- ies — were added, was as follows: A. C. Hesing, Ed. Uihlein, John Buehler, C. H. Plautz, Louis Wolff. J. Rosenthal, Harry Rubens, Edward Rose, H. Greenebaum, J. Goldzier, A. St. George, Dr. H. Harms, H. VVeinhardt, F. Am berg, Edward Koch, Andreas Simon, Theo. Janssen, Dr. M. Henius, Paul Hnedicke, F. Glos^auer, J. P. Arnold, Dr. P. H. Bernard, E. F. L. Gauss, Felix L. Senff. Car] Haerting, — 81 — Henry Greenebaum was selected as chief marshal and Jacob Gross, George Heinzmann and Franz Amberg were his aids. The arrangements in the park, for seating the distinguished guests, several hundred singers, and particularly for handling the vast crowds were in charge of Park Commis- sioner Weinhardt, and it is but just to state that not a single hitch occurred to mar the impressiveness of the scene. The formal programme opened with the arrival of the parading societies, twenty in number and several thousand strong, held well in line by Major Heinzmann, the chief of staff. Tlie Hum- , boldt Select Knights of America, in very handsome regalisi, formed a circle around the veiled statue and Professor Hand's orchestra intoned a liymnus, which was followed by Mohr's Cantata "At the Altar of Trutli," executed by the following singing societies, under direction of Gustav Ehrhorn: Teutonia Maennerchor, Schiller Liedertafel, Liedertafel Vorwaerts, Freie Saenger- bund, Humboldt Saengerclub, Almira Saengerclub. Then Mr, A. C. Hesing, president of the monument committee, formally presented the statue to the west park board in a German speech full of his characteristic vigor and earnest- ness. Formal though the remarks of necessit}'- were, Mr. Hesing was again and again interrupted by applause, especially when in conclusion he said: "Thismonument will not only be an ornament to the city, but it will prove a mighty incentive to deep thought and intellectual activity to every beholder. Douglas, Drexel, Martin Ryerson's Indian group, Schiller, Lincoln, LaSalle, Linmieus and Grant ornament our parks and give silent but effective proof of the drift of our people. For Alexander von Humboldt no better place could have been chosen than this beautiful park that bears his name." Then, amid the vociferous cheers of the thousands, little Martha Wein- hardt, daughter of the park commissioner, unveiled the statue, and when Chief Marshal Greenebaum deposited two beautiful floral tributes from the Schlaraflia and from the Citizens' club of Avondale upon the pedestal, cheers upon cheers were given by the multitude. Harvey L. Thompson, president of the West park board, accepted the magnificent gift in a speech full of enthusiasm, in which he said : To the people of Chicago the present occasion is one for sincere congratulation. The thoughtful and generous gift of Mr. Dewes to the people of this city is an- other evidence of that large hearted interest manifested by so many public spirited gentlemen by contributing in a public way something to the adorn- ment of our public places and pleasure grounds. Chicago is without a rival in the extent and magnificence of her pleasure domains and the splendid work of art presented to us to-day by one of our citizens and neighbors is an assured promise that the high born spirit of her people, destined to make Chicago peerless among the cities, will also secure to her public places those works of art — those fascinating expressions of the human affections, which so aptly illustrate the progress of an intrepid and exalted civilization. Mayor Washburne made a happy speech on behalf of the city and Dr. Max Henius, president of the German Press club, paid a masterly tribute to Humboldt in a speech in the German language. The English orativm of the occasion was by Professor Albion W. Small, of the University of Chicago. He expressed his sincere reefore this wicket ? iiehold the blooming flowers in plat and thicket ! Whence comes this fragrance rising in sweet waves ? — " From graves." See here, oh mortal, where thy paths are endinsr 1 hough snake-like through the world their course they're wendine It rustles at thy feet midst waste and rust • ^ wenuing,. — " In dust I " Where are they all, men's ever changing chances, 1 he hckle fortunes which this earth advances ' Ihese crosses preach the fact to every eve : — " Gone by ! " Where are the hearts which in their days' brief measure So faintly beat in grief, so high in pleasure V Which once so ardently by love and hate were swayed ? — Decayed I " Where are the thoughtless who with health were brimmine And through this world like butterflies were skimmiS ^ What lies here covered by these mossy stones ? — " But bones j »» •' Where are the strong ones who through life were scourinjr And heavenward their haughty schemes were Swerlng ? With croaking voice the ravens cry it flurried • — " They're buried ! " Where are the dear ones whom, when death did sever l.ove swore their memory should last forever ? 1 he cypress-trees the answer have begotten • — " Forgotten I " & • And saw no eye which way all those are throngin Mucker. 11.5 EARLY HISTORY OF CHICAGO CEMETERIES. Prior to 1835 this city liad no stated place for tijc iiiternicnt of the dead. Up to tiiat time the friends and relatives of the deceased hurled them in some convenient spot near their homes. Then, as time passed, the people living- near the forks of the river, had a common piece of ground, where they buried their dead. The bodies from old Fort Dearborn mostly found a resting place north of the main river and east of the old dwelling in which John Kinzie lived. Here too, the latter was buried in 1828, but in 1885 his bones were dis- interred and removed to the North Side cemetery, which was situated where to day the north side pumping station is standing, but even there they found no rest, for in 1842 they were again taken up and transferred to the Lincoln Park Cemetery, from where they were removed to their last resting place in Graceland. In 1832 there was a small burying grovmd near the northwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Lake Street and there the soldiers, who died of cholera in that year, were interred. Quite a number of deceased persons were buried along the banks of both branches of the river and it freciuently happened in later days, that the workmen employed in excavating came across forgotten graves, without being able to ascertain, whose remains the mouldering coffins contained. In the summer of 1835, the official surveyor of the town was commissioned to select and survey two pieces of ground that could be used for cemetery purposes, one of the tracts, situated in the south division of the city, to con- tain sixteen acres, the other, which was to be established on the North Side, to have an area of ten acres. These were the first regular cemeteries of Chi- cago, and they were located as follows: on the south side near what is to-day Twenty-third Street and the lake shore; on the north side near Chicago Ave- nue and immediately west of the lake shore. As soon as these grounds were turned over to public use, interments were prohibited elsewhere within ihe limits of the town. The South Side tract served as a burying ground until the year 1842, and five years later the bodies slumbering there were taken up by order of the city authorities, and re-interred in the Lincoln Park Cem- etery, which in the mean time had been laid out and put to use. This tract, of which more details are given in the chapter relating to Lincoln Park, con- tained three thou.sand one hundred and thirty-six burial lots and w^as com- monly known as the ''Milliman tract." Here also the remains interred in the old North Side cemetery near Chicago Avenue found their next resting place, but in 1865, when the city council ordered the vacation of this cemetery, they and all the rest were again dis-interred. The lot-owners were authorized to select other lots of equal size in any of the newly founded cemeteries in ex- change for the lots surrendered in the Lincoln Park tract. At that time Rose- hill, Graceland and Oakwoods had been established, and when the two years had expired, within which the city had to clear the "Milliman tract" of all the bodies l)uried there, the city comicil named the Aldermen Woodard, Lawson and Wicker as a committee to make the selection for nearly two hundred lot- owners, who had failed to hand in their claims and whose whereabouts could not l)e ascertained. The bodies were divided among Graceland, Rosehill. Calvary and Oak- woods. In the latter cemetery the city held the title to the entire "Section B, third Division," which had been jiurchased and upon the ownersof all lots, in this manner exchanged, were conferred the ])rivilege of obtaining a deed to the new lot. The Chicago cemetery in Ijincoln Park, where the present Alderman from the twenty-first ward, Joseph H. Ernst, held the position of Sexton for a number of years, in 1869 passed under the control of the Lincoln Park Com- missioners. ' 116 — GRACELAND. Before the close of the year 1893 the number of the silent inhabitants of the necropolis Graceland will have reached 60,000. This cemetery is justly famed as one of the finest among Chicngo's cities of the dead, and occupies a similar rank here as does Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, Spring Grove in Cincinnati, Forest Hill or Mount Auburn in Boston. Among the 500 cemeteries in this country there is but a small number that can compare with Graceland in point of beauty of landscape and the splendor of its monuments. But the greatest of the remarkable W(irks, which the art of the landscape-gardener has created there, belong to recent times, to the last 15 years. At the time when the older sections of this cemetery were first laid out for their present purpose, it was still the fashion to surround the family-lots with low stone walls or fence them in with iron railings or natural hedges and then to adorn them with monuments and grave-stones, more or less gorgeous, as the means of the owners would permit. About 50 acres of the grounds were dis- figured in this way. Of course at that time this ancient system had not as yet been recognized as a mistake. That did not become apparent until later on, when the beauties and charms of the park-system created by Strauch had been introduced and welcomed everywhere. But what has thus far been ap- plied of this system at Graceland entitles this cemetery to be termed an ideal burial-ground. We see it well exemplified in the larger eastern half, where Nature, assisted by art, produces alternately solemn and cheerful effects, where the undulating, park-like scenery gives the impression of repose and peace. We see there the chief aim of art is to but modestly indicate what the skillful hand of man can do in artificial and architectural ornamen- tation, and to leave the main work and effect to Nature itself. The principal charm of "new Graceland" is found in the large rolling lawns, which appear as grand velvety green carpets, from which the blooming decorations of the low mounds dotting the lawns here and there stand out like many-colored embroideries. Nothing can be compared with the impres- sive simplicity, which is seen in this serio-bright picture, neither the stately trees with their heavy foliage, nor the well-kept shrubbery throwing their shades over the resting places of the dead, nor yet the bright-blooming dowers and grasses covering the graves, moistened by the dews of heaven or the tears of the mourners. It is the earnest purpose of the present managers of the cemetery to check the excesses in the decoration of burial places so exten- sively practiced, and to convince the people, that overdoing things in this direction only tends to show to the world the wealth left by the deceased, but is no indication of good taste. An effort is also to be made to convince people of the impropriety of geometrical flower-beds upon lots; they are not in keeping m ith the sanctity of the place, but rather remind one of a pleasure-garden. In short, the rules laid down for the park-part of Graceland show the intention of the management not to permit any longer the close erection of monuments and grave-stones nearly alike in size and form, nor the erection of monuments of too great a height. A very commendable advance in the general embellishment of this cemetery, and one worthy of imitation, has of late been noticeable in the southeastern portion,where the single graves are found. In this jinrt in recent times many graves were seen — as is alas! the case also in other cemeteries — — 119 — for which in years no one had cared and which therefore were covered with high grass and weeds and in every respect showed the greatest negligence. The flowers and the obvious care that had been bestowed on some of the other graves by loving hands, only made this wild disorder the more noticeable. These graves, forgotten by the living and allowed to go to ruin by them, have now been cleared of the weeds and grass covering them by the management; the mounds have been levelled and the whole has been changed into a beau- tiful lawn, on which appear here and there the tops of small numbered stones, marking the resting-places of the dead. This together with the care given to the other graves by loving bands, conveys to the whole the character of a flower- garden, divided up into small sections, and the shade-trees and bushes lend it the additional characteristics of a park. The greatest similarity to the gardens of the living is found in the north-eastern part of the cemetery, where the landscape is embellished by a fine lake with a wooded island in the centre and surrounded on all sides by fine trees and blooming shrubs. In the immediate neighborhood of the lake are the most expensive family-lots, which are in great demand. They are grouped in "sections" and are given such names as "Lakeside," "Bellevue," "Fair Lawn," "Maplewood," "Ridgeland" and the like. They have all been given undulating surfaces, which, together with the beautifully bright-green lawns showing good and constant care, attract the wealthy buyers. Here ground is sold at a dollar to a dollar and twenty five cents per square foot, and as the family lots in this neighborhood contain from 5000 to 12,000 square feet, only persons blessed abundantly with this world's goods can think of buying. The "brotherhood in riches" is one of the chief requirements to obtain a family-lot, but the same condition we also find in other cemeteries. The prices of lots in the leading cemeteries about New York, Philadelphia and Boston range from f 1.50 to $5.00 per square foot. It is sometimes regretted that man is dependent even in death upon the prices asked for land, and that people of small means must content themselves with burial places in the out of the way corners of the cemeteries. The adage, that in death all are equal, is therefore not true. But there is another way of looking at the matter. If a cemetery as a whole is considered as a work of art, the broad stretches of lawn, the grand spreading of trees and the beautiful quiet vistas that can only be preserved where there are very large lots, add a value to even the smallest lot. Near the centre of the cemetery stands the new chapel not long since completed. It is in the gotliic style of architecture and the whole building is reared in rich colored Wisconsin granite, whilst red tile cover the roof. The north half of the chapel has a red tile-fioor and is supplied with long cushioned pews, whilst the south half is filled with beautiful plants and ferns. The ceiling and walls are decorated with frefeco-paintings in harmony with the bright and pleasing color of the benches, doors and wainscoting, which are all constructed of oak finished in natural color. In the middle of the floor is an oblong drop door through which the coffin is lowered after the funeral services. The lower rooms, partly built under a hill, cont;iin the heating apparatus, a coal-magazine and the vault proper, on the sides of which there are 298 receptacles for coffins. These receptacles are constructed entirely of heavy slate-plates. Much care has been spent upon the immediate vicinity of the chapel. Few persons would guess that the tine elms which give so much dignit}^ and grace to this building were planted as late as the year 1889. The largest of these is about 60 feet in height, and has a trunk of 2% f^et in diameter. It is believed that this tree is the largest one that was ever transplanted up to that time, but since then a still larger tree has been moved a long distance and planted inGraceland. The abundant foliage with its dark green color shows that these trees have taken a good hold on the soil and are quite at home in their new locations. Besides numerous elaborate monuments Qraceland has also many private vaults which are however, aside from a few exceptions, no ornament to the cemetery. The exceptions are the vaults more recently erected. Thpse are 5 — 120 — built entirely above ground under the direction of the management and are embellished by artistic decorations of real merit, for other ornaments are no lonajer suffered at Graceland. The praiseworthy exceptions are led by the vaults frovided with which is connected the office of the tiorist, Mr. M. N. Angelsberg, an adept in floriculture and floral decoration. The two greenhouses contain all the most desirable and ])eautiful bedding-plants, such as bigonias, geraniums, — i:3G — heliotrop, pinks, pansies, fuchsias, echevcrias and countless numbers of other plants, sucli as are generally used for carpet bedding. The rose too is cultivated here, because no other flower forms such a beau- tiful emblem of affection and tenderness. This shrvib was earlj^ used for grave-yard ornament by the Greeks and Romans, who frequently made it their dying request that roses should be yearly planted and strewed upon their graves. They conceived that this custom had a power over the dead. Anac- reon declares that it "Preserves the colil inliumed clay. And marks the vestige of decay." How^ delightful to behold filial affection thus employed in decorating and beautifying tiie spot where the ashes of a tender parent, a beloved child, sister or brother repose! How pleasing to think, that even here we shall not be forgotten — that our memory will be cherished by those who once loved us, and that the spot where we rest will be sometimes bedewed by the tears of sorrowing love, and decorated by the hand of tenderness — that flowers will fringe the pathways leading to our lowly resting-place. Among the memorials placed on family-lots there are quite a number that can justly lay claim to high artistic value and refined taste. Besides the mon- ument erected by frieuds and admirers of the gallant soldier Col. Mulligan, those of Wm. M. Devine, Thomas Lynch, Chas. J. O'Neill, John D. TuUy, John Cudahy, Philip H. Murphy, Mrs. -John Ilogan, John ]\lcAvoy, W. B. Snow, David Thornton, etc, are very conspicuous for their elegance. Then there is the handsome and costly family vault erected by Richard M. Hooley, and the P. J. Sexton mausoleum also makes a very fine appearance. Of great artistic value is the monumental sarcophagus for J. A. Wolford and wife, a masterpiece indeed of the sculptors' art. Not less than 120,000 bodies have been laid to rest in this "Yard of Peace" from the day its grounds were consecrated up to the present time. It is truly a cosmopolitan burying ground, for with the exception of the Chinese perhaps all nationalities are represented here by some one of their own people having been permitted to enter these fields after reaching the end of life's journey. Even an Indian Chief — "Little Thunderer" — is sleeping beneath the green sod of Calvary, Before Mount Olivet, the Catholic cemetery situated southwest of the city, on the Grand Trunk railway, was established, the daily average "f interments at Calvary had reached 15, since then it has been reduced to 14. The cemetery is located south of and adjoining the village of South Evan- ston, ten miles north from the City Hall. It is the largest and oldest of the Roman Catholic cemeteries of this city and is fronting Sheridan Drive and Lake Michigan. It is the favorite burying-]ilace of the Irish Catholic Church- es and was consecrated in 1859, although prior tot*liis some of the bodies taken from the consecrated groimd in the old Chicago Cemetery were re-interred liere. The cemetery is a large one, containing 110 acres, which were purchased in the year 1856, by Bishop O'Regan from John Devlin and John O'Leary. Trains of the Ciiicago & Northwestern Railway (Milwaukee Division), and of the Evanston Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad stop in front of the handsome gate leading to Calvary. The money derive(i from the sale of lots and single graves is turned over to the Arclibisliop who, as liead of the Catholic Churches of this city, manages this fund in the interest of Calvary and Mount Olivet Cemeteries, where from time to time costly improvements become necessary. A large part of this money is kept in reserve for the purchase of additional territory for cemetery purposes, for it is only a question of time and a comparatively short one too, when Calvary will be completely tilled with l)odies and new fields will have to bc! opened somewhere in the vicinity of the city for tiiose, who during com- ing years will throw off the "mortal coil" and go on their last journey: to the grave. The city office of Calvary Cemetery is on the second floor of the Reaper Block, on the northwest corner of Clark and Washington streets. Mr. Tiiomas Brenan, favorably known to most of our citizens as a gentlemen of uiKiues- ^i^^ "^ J — 139 — tioned honesty and intetrrity, who has served the public faithfully for a great many years in various hi,:,4i public olfices of honor and trust, is the General Superintendent of Calvary and Mt. Olivet, and as such he acts as the financial and trusted agent of the Archbishop. His able assistants are I). P. Kinsella, who lias charge of the cemetery management at Calvary, John Baynes, who serves in a like capacity at Mt. Olivet, and Joseph McLaughlin, Mr. Brenan's valuable adjunct at the main olHce. MO- ST. BONIFACE. The first cemetery we encounter on our return from Rosehill ( along the Greenbay Road or Chxrk Street) is St. Boniface, wliich, together with St. Mary's, situated southwest of the city, and the Orphan Asylum at Rosehill, is managed by a board of directors composed of members of the following parishes: St. Michael's, St. Joseph's, St. Peter's, St. Antonius, St. Frauciscus, St. Boniface, St Paul's, St. Augustine, St. Alphons, St. Aloysius, St. Martin's, St. Peter and Paul's, St. George's, the Holy Trinity, St. Mary's, St. Henry's and St. Mathias. The cemetery has an area of 36 acres, of which ten acres are not yet divided into burial lots. In the new, eastern part of the cemetery, the spirit of progress has plainly manifested itself, as the lots laid out there are arranged in accordance with the park system in vogue now in most burial-grounds. Thereby the difference between the older portion in the eastern half of the grounds and this new part becomes very pronounced and at once noticeable and there is nothing but praise among the owners of lots in the western portion concerning the arrangements, the dispensing with fences or stone-enclosures around flower-covered mounds. But in view of the fact, that the old part with its regular squares and low stone-enclosures, is kept in excellent order and receives the best of care on the part of the lot owners and the manage- ment, there is not much to be said against this part either, for the rigid straight lines are largely lost sight of through the tasteful floral ornaments or other emblems of mourning produced by nature or the handiwork of man. This cemetery, upon which many, very many, of our best-known and highly respected German citizens have been laid to rest in their graves, was laid out in 1863 and consecrated the .same year. On the 19tli of October it received its tirst silent inhabitant in the person of Marie Jung, a nine-days old infant. To-day there are resting in the cool earth of St. Boniface, 26, 200 bodies, to which are added on an average five each day. From the stately portal, adjoining which are the offices of the Superin- tendent and Secretary L. Biehl, a beautiful wide avenue flanked bj' stately trees leads straight through the cemetery past the vault; beyond that it term- inates in several winding driveways, in harmony with the park-like nature of that part of the grounds. St. Boniface cemetery differs from most other burial grounds, the public, as well as the church cemeteries, in so far, that the surplus of the annual receipts are expended for benevolent purposes, especially for maintaining the ori)hanage at Rosehill, while the often large profits of the other cemeteries, with hardly an exception, find their way into the pockets of single individuals or the coffers of cori)orations. Take for instance the year before last, in which there were buried in St. Boni- face about 1,400 people and the total income amounted to $14,410.90. Of this sum $8,511.72 were expended upon the cemetery, including $1,500 the direct- ory paid towards the Soldiers-Monument of the Catholic Veteran Association, leaving a surplus of $5,899.18. This cemetery is rich in costly monuments, an indication that many of those who ended their life's pilgrimage here, have left their families in very com- fortable circumstsnces. The majority of the older monuments are of marble, but those erected more recently are made of lasting granite, which can better resist the elements, than marble and softer stone. The Soldiers monument, unveiled and consecrated on Decoration Day a few years ago, is a great ornament to the cemetery. The other monuments St. Boniface.— Monument of Mrs. Louise Hesing. — 143 — deserving special mention arc those of Joseph Haunschikl, Marie New, Anton Schillo, John C. Roeder, Chr. Brick, Amelia C. Boyle, John Temple, Micliael Siebeu, Chas. Dominick ^liville, John Zender, Anton Detmer, F. Scholer, Nicolas and Leo P. Lciendecker, Mich. Diversy, Henry Wischemeyer, John Herting, J. Schoenewald, A. Hagemann, A. Baier, John B. Busch, A. Zulfer, Anton Cremer, Bernard Miiller, Catharine Hechinger, J. Arnold, Albert Wag- ner, the Pfeifer family, Marie Sledek, Peter Wagner, Felix Blatter, M. Coss mann, F. Mayer, Louise Hesing, etc. Of these the last named monument in the south-eastern portion of the cem- etery ranks first in the choice of the subject as well as in the artistic execution of the same. Certainly in no other are the characteristic virtues of the deceased expressed so well symbolically and perpetuated as in this granite statue of St. Elizabeth, erected to the memory of Mrs. Louise Hesing. It was indeed a happy thought to decorate the grave of this noble woman, who knew no greater joy than to do good and make happy the oppressed and needy, with an almost life-like representation of the saint, whom we are wont to look upon as the ideal of the purest charity, The statue measures 7 feet 6 inches in height and represents the j^ious landgravine of Thuringia, distributing bread to the poor with her outstretched right hand. In the folds of her dress, which she holds with her left, are seen the roses, into which the victuals she was carrying to the poor of the City of Eisenach, changed at the moment when her husband, the landgrave Ludwig, forced open the basket in which she carried her charitable gifts from the castle. The model for this statue was executed by Mr. F. Engelsmann , a talented young German artist, and the statue itself, measuring with the base 9 feet 6 inches, was made at the steam granite works of Burkhardt and Sou, No. 138 Kingsbury Street, Chicago. The monument is cut out of light-gray Westerley, ( K. I. ) granite, which, owing to its hardness and other desirable properties, is espec- ially adapted to monuments. Upon the front of the base above the simple inscription: Louise Hesing, is seen a bronze-medallion of the deceased, also the work of Mr. Engelsmann. The special merit of the statue lies in the mild and loving expression of the face, in which are plainly reflected nobility of soul and kindness of heart. It is scarcelj^ necessary to say, that the figure bears also in every other part the mark of high artistic ability. The grave of Mrs. Hesing is covered with a thick mass of blooming evergreen. The lot of Marie New is ornamented with figures representing a mother and child, whilst the monument of Christian Brick is in the shape of a Christ- chapel. Upon the foundation supporting the monument on the grave of Amelia C. Boyle a female figure is represented resting upon a cross, symbolizing mourning. The momnnent of John Zender consists of a pyramid of rocks upon which stands Jesus with the Cross. Very expressive is the monument on the grave of F. Scholer. It represents a block of stone with cross and anchor, which latter is fastened with a rope cut out of the rock to the ( stone ) trunk of a tree rising in the middle. The tall marble monument of John Her- ting is crowned by the life-size figure of St. Boniface. Many other monuments could be mentioned if the space woiild permit, but it may here be mentioned, that besides the statue of St. Elizabeth Mr. BurkJidrdt has made many monu- ments for St. Boniface and other cemeteries, which are notable for their origin- ality and artistic value and are not copies of models too fre(iuently copied. Among others furnished by him, the Wacker monument at Graceland is especially conspicuous. We may conclude this article with the translation of two lines we have found upon a grave-stone in the old portion of St. Boniface: " Thee, also, death will call away, Thou, too, wilt in thy grave decay." ^Jl^^ 144 WUNDER'S CHURCH-YARD. JEWISH CEMETERIES. The greatest ditficuUies managers of burial places meet with, are en- countered by German churches, who have established their own cemeteries. In the German mind the resting-places of the dead are inseparately connected with their religious life and church associations. Their cemeteries are conse- crated spots, "church-yards," " fields of peace," "God's acres." They do not lilce to be buried outside of these, and therefore all German congregations aim to have their own burying ground. But they generally consist of working people, who hardly ever have much beyond their needs. It is therefore not an easy thing for them to accumulate enough wealth, wherewith to purchase a piece of ground sufficiently large to receive their dead during generations, and it is equally difficult for them to keep it in order, as that requires a constant outlay of money; neither can they ask for their lots any such sums as are paid in the larger cemeteries. The consequences are, that the graves have to be used over and over again and have to be largely left to themselves or to the care of the relatives of the interred. Though the congregations who bury their dead in Wunder's cemetery are doing their very best to overcome these difficulties, the aforementioned evils are nevertheless sadly noticeable. There are portions of it, however, which are well kept and are in every way in keeping with the solemnity of the place. A decided stej) towards a thorough improvement of the cemetery is a recent reso- lution of the management, not to permit any more interments in single graves, but only in family lots. That, if anything, will insure a better state of things. The cemetery is situated but a few feet south of Graceland and was con- secrated in the beginning of the fifties. How many were buried there in the course or the last forty years, cannot be determined, owing to the repeated use of the same graves. The family lots are chiefly found in the front part of this German necropolis and as a rule show loving care. Upon many of them are seen fine monuments, some of which have artistic value. A very pleasing feature are the inscriptions upon these monuments, tomb-stones and even the plain wood crosses adorning the graves of the poorer of those sleeping there, which are mainly of a religious character. Some also tell a sad story, as the in.seription on the oljelisk just oppo.site the gate does, which runs in German: "Wanderer, standstill! Here rests in God a true husband and father, who had to lose his life in his calling as fireman," and in English: " Jolin Streming, killed at a fire on South Water Street, June 8th, 1865, while on Duty." On the more beautiful of the monuments the following names are inscribed: Charlotte Becker, John Janke, Family Fiedler, William Hallermann, C. Spren- gel, A. Drechsler, Ludwig Sommer, Friedrich Iloermann, Albert T. Ilaeberle, Amanda Hallermann, Conrad Oberg, F. Schramm. Heinrich Junker, Dora Lasman, Henry Schultz. Wm. Rohn, L. Hildenbeutel, John G. Dohl, and others. Just on the other side of the fence, south of Wunder's Church Yard, is a Jewish cemetery, which presents a very pleasing appearance. • Everything there is kept in the best of order. The signs above the gate show tiiat several congregations bury their dead in these grounds. One sign reads: Chebra Geniilothe Chas.sadim Ubikor Cholim, and another: "Hebrew Benevolent Society," besides these also the " Bnai Sholem " congregation buries its dead in this place. — 147 — The cemetery contains five acres of land. The family lots as well as most of the single graves are not only well-kept, but show tender care. The roads and paths also are well cared for by the attendant, a Hwede named P. N. Nei- glick, and he being a gardener, the place everywhere shows his skill and good taste. Mr. Neiglick is of the Christian faith, but attends to his duties in the Jewish burial place with as much reverence as a Jew could do. He receives no regular salary for his services, but contents himself vvith his income from the sale of tiowers and plants for decorating purposes and from the care of graves. In this cemetery about 2000 i)eople are buried, of whom not a few were laid to rest here at the expense of Societies. There is no lack of handsome monuments. The inscriptions on some of them testify to the tendency on the part of many Jewish people to anglicise and corrupt their honest and generally very pretty German names, in such a degree that they hardly can be recog- nized in their new English dress. Among the monuments which deserve to be specially mentioned there are those of: Morris Rosenfeld, flerman Seaman, Isaac Goldstein, Isaac Waitzel, Moses Ruhl, M. M. Spiegel, H. L. Marks, Henry Abrahams, Marcus Jampolis. David Adams, Heiman Solomon, Jacob Pieser, P. Goldstein, Shrimski, Samuel Goldmann, etc. The cemetery was opened in the summer of 1854 and the body of Ida Kohn, who was buried there on August 6th of that year, was the first one laid to rest there. Further south on Clark Street, at the southwest corner of Belmont Ave- nue, formerly was situated the cemetery of the Anshe Mayrive congregation. The same contained about four acres, and was laid out in 1856. But the con- gregation recently had another cemetery surveyed, of which it now has taken possession. It is located in Jefferson in the neighborhood of the Cook County Poor House, and contains 20 acres, five times the territory of the old one. The remains of those buried in the old grounds together with a number of the monuments have all been transferred to the new cemetery, The number of bodies that had been interred in the old grounds was 985. Here too, formerly a number of monuments were standing, which cost a great deal of money and at the same time furnishes further proof of the corruption of names. On one appeared the name of Falk Austrian, whilst along side of it stood an older tomb-stone for which the good German name of Oesterreicher had evidently been still considered good enough; the inscription there read: "Malla, wife of Abraham Oesterreicher. " — 148 OAKWOODS CEMETERY. This beautiful cemetery stands in the front rank, as one of the handsomest of Chicago's burial grounds. It is located south of 67th St. between Cottage Grove Ave. and the I. C. R. R. tracii. The distance from the business centre ,is about seven miles. It is readied by the "Hjde Park" cable trains, and by the I. C. and Pittsburgh &, Ft. Wayne R. R's. It is also easily accessible by several convenient carriage drives. There are numerous dwellings in the im- mediate vicinity of this cemetery, nevertheless, Oakwoods is protected from future interference, and guaranteed absolute permanency by a special charter of the legislature. In drawing the plan for the grounds, the Association was fortunate in securing the services of the late Mr. Adolph Strauch. Superintendent of S]iring Grove Cemetery, at Cincinnati, who as a landscape gardener and Superintend- ent of cemeteries, probably liad no equul. Before work was commenced in 1864, he visited and made a thorough examination of the land, and assiu-ed the Association that it was well adapted for the puri)ose it was designed for. Then, with a detailed survey, showing the surface elevation, he drafted the plan now presented to the public, designating the lowest land for artificial lakes, and the higher to be made still higher, and formed into beautiful mounds with the earth taken from the lakes. The avenues are laid out in gentle curves and on an established grade. Perfect drainage of the survej'ed portion is secured by judicious grading. The land is of a gravelly, sandy nature, the kind best suited for sepulture, and is covered by a good soil of considerable depth, ensuring a vigorous growth of grass, trees, shrubbery and flowers. Like other cemeteries that can lay claim to landscape beauties, Oakwoods is devoid of fences and enclosures that often surround burial lots; it is arranged on the lawn .system, by which the natural charm of the scenery is sustained. It is ornamented and kejit like a park, at the same time being invested with all the sacredness and solemnity befitting a burial place for the dead. Oakwoods comprises a territory of 184 acres, of which a little less than half is now in use. The first burial took place on May 30th, 1865. It is now the silent abode of the mortal remains of nearly 20,000 former inhabitants of this city. The cemetery company has recently erected a tine building at an expenditure of $10,000. It contains the office, store-room, etc. Also a magni- ficent entrance, consisting of a number of highly-polished granite .shafts, ar- ranged in the most presentable manner, forming a new departure in the archi- tecture of cemeterj' gateways. The design for this really handsome gateway and entrance was furnished by Mr. Marcus A. Farwell, the popular President of the Association, and it does him great credit. The charming residence of director II. II. Sheppard is situated near the main entrance. Close to this are the large green-houses, of which there are not less than ten; the dimensions of each being 100 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. They are under the supervision of the skilful head gardener, Alexander Reed. All varieties of ran; flowers are cultivated here, and used in the ornamentation of the graves, .and for other pur|)oses. The company derives a hand-some rev- enue from the .sale of flowers and i)lants alone. A separate office is used, and a force of clerks employed, to supply the demands of patrons. The water-works are near to this, which sujiply jibout .5 miles of water pipes. The water works system is entirely independent of any outside ap- l)liance. There are five artificial lakes of considerable size, the banks of which are sloping lawns to the waters edge. In Oakwoods there are many costly monuments and mausoleums, and a spacious vault connected with a cliapcl building. The vault has a capacity for holding -jOO bodies, and is built in the latest and most approved styh;. — 151 — Upon entering, the first conspicous monument that meets the eye is that of Conrad Seipp, a granite obelisk with urn attached. The following is a par- tial list of the more costly monuments, to be found in this cemetery. Those of Wm. H. Newman, Jos. E. C. Zellcr, Wm. II. Harper, Mead Mason, John N. Gage, Van Bokellen, Lena Robinson, S. M. T. Turner, Israel Holmes, Sam. 11. Noe, Alphonso Goodrich, Wm. S. Hancock, F. K. Dium, Frank Drake, Cyrus E. Cole, Harry AV. Phillips, Gabriel Steiger, L. G. Gall. Henry Hoyt, Dan'l Goodman, Henry A. Spence, Frank Van Houtin, David Burcky, Nellie W. Ullmann, Giesbert Pottgieser, F. Kublank, Louise Lehrkamp, F. Sorgenfrei, George Kress, August Keller, J. Werkmeister, E. T. Wadlow, C. Gieliske, C. F. "Kauffert, August Geilfuss, A. J. W. Jahncke, Emma "\y. Jacob, Paul Kleiner, Wm. Hickling, Paul Cornell, Chas. Stein, Ben Carver, Burton C. Cook, Christian Schmidt, Chas. Tessmanu, Peter Abt, Henry Apple, Henry G. Oehmich, John H. McAvoy, Robert Cunningham, Angus, James Campbell, H. H. Cooley, Williams, W. H. Schimpfermann, H. Guth, B. Artz, Conrad Stuckart and Catharine Friesleben. The monument of Oale Cramer, who lost his life July 27, 1887, in a collision near York, Ind., consists of a shattered locomotive of stone. The soldiers' monument was erected l)y one of the directors of the Chicago Soldiers' Home. The statue represents a private soldier with his rifle, and is finished in stone; the pedestal consists of marble. In the foreground there are four cannons guarding the graves of about 70 veterans. The remains of over 5,000 Confederate soldiers, who died at Camp Doug- las, (a war-prison, situated on Cottage Grove Avenue during the late war), are interred here in a thicket of elms. The local society of confederate soldiers, have in contemplation the erection of a suitable monument to the memorv of their departed comrades. Jeff. Davis himself, in his lifetime, evinced great interest in the erection of this memorial. Oakwoods contains also two small Jewish cemeteries of the congregations of Beth Hamedrash, and Ohoveh She- mil, respectively one acre and one half acre in dimensions. That this cemetery can never be diverted from its present use and purpose is fully guaranteed in the following section of the charter: "And no road, street, alley or thoroughfare shall be laid out or opened through their said grounds, or any part thereof, without the consent of the directors; nor shall any corporation now existing, or hereafter created, be authorized to take, hold or possess any portion of said cemetery by condemnation, without such con- sent." Oakwoods is one of the very few cemeteries in Cook County that is organized luider a special charter granted by the Legislatiu-e, which protects it from interference, and guarantees its absolute permanency. No cemetery or- ganized since the adoption of the present State Con.stitution, which took effect in 1870, has or can obtain a special charter. Under the present laws all new cemeteries are liable to be ruined by common roads, streets and railroads being forced through them. They have no protection like those organized under the old special charters. This cemetery has every security that the State of Illi- nois, through its Legislature, can confer. Oakwoods Cemetery is indeed a rural cemetery, and the Original Rural Cemetery of Chicago, ornamented and kept like a highly cultivated park, while at the same time it is invested with all the sacredness pertaining to a burial place for the dead. The Association makes the improvements, grades the lots, excavates the lakes, and plants orna- mental trees. The prices of lots vary from fifty cents to one dollar per scjuare foot, according to location. The price at present for a single grave for an adult is ten dollars; for children, six to eight dollars. The funeral trains by the Illinois Central Railroad leaving the city at 2 and 3 p. m. go to the cemetery gate. The Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne Railroad suburban trains also stop at Cottage Grove Avenue, near the south-west corner of the grounds. There are good carriage roads from the City through Washing- ton Park and Cottage Grove Avenue; also by 63rd, South Park Avenue and 67th Street. The officers of the company are: Marcus A. Farwell, President; James McKindley, Vice President; W. C. D. Grannis, Treasurer; George M. Bogue, Secretary, and J. H. Shepard, Superintendent. 6 152 ST. MARIA.— MT. GREENWOOD. Of the four cemeteries situated beyond the souuhwestern limits of the City: St. Maria, Mt. Greenwood, Mt. Olivet and Mt. Hope, the first named lies nearest to the City and is the one where the funeral trains of the Grand Trunk Railroad coming from the citj^ make their first stop. ST. MARIA CEMETERY is a German Catholic burying ground, which was consecrated on May 13, 1888, by Archbishop Feehan in the presence of a large concourse of people. Its northern boundary lino is formed by Eighty-seventh street; the cemetery con- tains one hundred and tv/o acres of ground, which lie on the western slope of Washington heights at an elevation of tifty-tive feet above the level of Lake Michigan and of from sixteen to twenty feet above the level of the surround- ing prairie-land. The German Catholics of the South and Southwest Sides have long felt the need of a burying ground somewhere near the southern limits of Chicago, where those of their people, who died in the Catholic faith, could tind a final resting place, but not until the year 1887 had nearly passed was there an earnest effort made in this direction. Then it was that through the generosity of Heinrich Wischemeyer and his wife j\Iaria, the Association which has also con- trol and the management of St. Boniface, the German Catholic cemetery on the North Side, was presented with sixty acres of the land which now forms St. Maria Cemetery, under the condition that the i)rotits derived from the sale of lots and single graves be turned over to the Orphan Asylum at Rosehill, which together with the two cemeteries is managed by a directory, chosen from the different German Catholic congregations of Chicago. After the sixty acres donated by Mr. and Mrs. Wischemeyer had been laid out and embel- lished, forty-two acres more of adjoining land was purchased at a very low figure. Opposite the entrance gate on Eighty-seventh Street the management has erected a pretty depot-building in Swiss cottage-style. When the grounds passed into the possession of the association, the entire area showed neither tree nor shrub; to-day more than four thousand shade trees of healthy growth are jilanted along the winding drives and foot-paths and scattered in pictur- esque groups all over the jilace, which at no distant day will equal any of the older cemeteries in point of landscape and general arrangement. The niodern lawn-system has found favor here from the start and when the drives were mapped out, they were so arranged as to form a connecting system of carriage roads throughout the grounds. The different links of this chain of driveways have been given names such as: St. Anthony, St. Henry. St. Peter, St. Fran- cis, St. Paul, St. George, St. Augustin, St. j\Iartin, St. Ferdinand, St. Aloy- sius Avenue. At a central point where all tiie roads converge, a monument has been erected to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Wischemeyer, It is hewn out of mai'ble and is the gift of the Cemetery Assocjiatlon, who desired to ex- press, in this manner its gratitude for the liberal donation of land by the hon- ored couple. Not far from this monument, the receiving vault, a massive and spacious structure, arrests the attention of the visitor. It has room for four hundred cotlins and is covered by a blue slate roof, beneath which two circular colored glass windows admit the light of day to the interior. From here St. John's Avenue leads to tlie iiighest point of the cemetery, where we also tind the dwelling of the .sexton, who from liis ;ibode can overlook the entire terri- tory under his immediate control. — 155 — At the suggestion of Rev. Peter Fischer, of. St. Anthony's Church, who •was the tirsl president of tlie board of management, a novelty has been intro- duced in this cemetery, tlie lilve of which probably will- not be met with in any other Catholic Cemetery. One of tlie choicest portions of the grounds, section A, has been set aside for the burial of families of mixed religion, so that the protestant wife of a catholic husband laid to rest here can be interred after her death by the side of her spouse and vice-versa. Besides the Wischcmeyer Memorial, there are several more very hand- some monuments in this "God's Field," of which may be mentioned tho.se of ^lichael Reidi of Englewood. Anton Tennie, August Bauer. Johann Ferber, Isiibella Vaesgcn (of Blue Island), John Wessendorf (Washington Heights), Theresa Gott.sellig, Peter Thomas, etc. In wandering over that sacred ground and gazing upon the mo'numents soaring high in panegyric of the wealthy dead and upon the humble tombstones of those less favored when pilgrims of this world, now made equal though by the impartial hand of Death, we feel the belief grow within us, that there are sermons indeed which we may gather from Stones, and we also are fully convinced frouT what we see here, there and everywhere, that this German "Friedhof" will at some day near at hand, be not only one of the most interesting, but also one of the largest German Cath- olic cemeteries of this country. MOUNT GREENWOOD CEMETERY. This well known and beautiful cemetery is found three and a half miles south of St. Maria's on the Grand Trunk Railroad. It was opened to the pub- lic in 1879, and is situated upon the crest of Washington Heights and in the mitlst of a rolling country well covered with timber trees. Mt. Greenwood occupies the highest point of the chain of hills, which here rise to an elevation of seventy feet above the level of Lake Michigan. It contains eighty acres of land, of which no more than eighteen or twenty are used for purposes of sep- ulture. Here too the lawn-system is in full operation and was adopted in the beginning, so that Mt. Greenwood comes under the head of Park Cemeteries. The winding, serpentine drives are mostly macadamized and kept in excellent repair. The tirst body was buried here April 28, 1880, and since then more than three thousand people, who had ended life's pilgrimage, were interred under the mighty oaks that stand sentinel within the inclosures of Mt. 6reen- w^ood. Much importance is placed here on the propagation of plants for or- namenting graves and lawns and the lovely and tasteful beds of flowers that in summer meet the eye everywhere, give sufficient evidence of the earnest aim of the management, to make this Burial Park another point of interest for friends and strangers, for in point of decoration it will take rank with many ornate parks and gardens. The entrance is situated on 11 1th Street, east of the railroad station, and is tianked on the righthand side by the cemetery office, constructed nearly alto- gether out of the limbs and bark of trees, and over all climbing plants have w'oven an emerald awning. The cultivation of plants and flowers is carried on within three roomy green-houses wliich have a length of one hundred feet each. The public vault, situated in close proximity to the plant houses, has a capacity for holding five hundred coffins: tnere are many elegant and costly monuments, of which a few only may be mentioned. The one most prominent and conspicuous among them is the obelisk of the dead philantropist, Karl Uhlich; it towers into the air to a height of thirty-three feet and is crowned by a female figure, symbolizing Hope. The wife of Uhlich, four of their chil- dren, and Henry Klein, an old * \ TJ) BOHEMIAN NATIONAL CEMETERY. The extreme north-western portion of our city, the Town of Jefferson, likewise possesses a number of cemeteries and near iliem people, to whom these cemeteries and the funeral corteges arriving and leaving furnish the means of subsistence. These people are the grave diggers, saloon-keepers, gardeners, manufacturers and dealers in monuments, etc. The largest and most extensively used of these burying grounds is the Bohemian National Cemetery, situated about one mile from Irving Park in a north-easterly direction on Crawford Avenue. Here the pilgrim who has arrived at the end of life's journey, can enter without being questioned about his religion, color, or nationality. Equal rights are accorded to all. The immediate vicinity of this city of the dead is very charming, made so by the many pretty groves and other natural beauties the surrounding country possesses. Since the Bohemian National Cemetery has been opened the whole neighborhood has greatly improved and all the property around has risen in value, especially after the region had been annexed to the city of Chicago. The place is but seven miles from the Court House, and will soon be connected with the center of the city by an electric railroad which the enterprising citizens of the 27th ward are going to build soon, having been incorporated for that purpose in September, 1892. This railroad will also connect the Insane Asylum of Cook County, and the Bohemian and Polish Catholic Cemetery with the city, and will greatly help in enlivening and settling this beautiful part of the city; here the Chicago River glides through beautiful fields and groves, having its water untarnished and not yet poisoned by the additions received farther on from so many shops and factories along its shores. The cemetery was opened in the summer of 1877 and owes its existence to the freethinking half of the Bohemian population of Chicago. There were about 40,000 Bohemians in the city at that time, of whom about 25 per cent belonged to the Catholic church and the others where freethinkers, hav- ing a large congregation of Bohemian Freethinkers founded in 1871, called the "Svobodna Obec" and meeting at the large Bohemian Hall on Taylor street, that was destroyed by fire not long ago. The minister of this congre- gation was Frank B. Zdrubek, and the Catholics were led by their pastor, Rev. Jos. Molitor, at the St. Wenceslaus Cliurch on Dekoven street. In the year 1876 a discord of long duration broke out among the church members of the St. Wenceslaus' parish. Many persons who considered them- selves good Catholics were prohibited from burying their relatives and mem- bers of their families in the Bohemian and Polish Catholic Cemetery, situated on Milwaukee avenue, about 13 miles from the Court House. The parson ])ut forth different reasons for his actions which where not acceptable and did not seem reasonable to the Bohemians, and their discontent grew alarmingly, as the repeated refusals of burying caused great troubles and discords among the mourning relatives. To end all tliese disturbances, the Freethinkers con- voked a mass meeting on January 7th, 1877, and tliere the foundation of the new organization for the purpose of building a Bohemian National Cemetery was laid. The beginnings w ere small and slow, but good will and earnest endeavor succeeded magnificently. Many and great obstacles stood in the way of the undertaking, but all were overcome, and the cemetery, which originally had but 80 acres of ground has 50 acres now, and at this writing nearly 9,600 bodies sleep their eternal sleep there. The organization began with but seven strong Bohemian Societies and Lodges and grew every year until it now counts 36 Lodges or Societies. Every — 180 — Society and Lodo:e sends two representatives to the Board of Managers, con- sisting now of 72 members who are mostly elected alternately from their societies for one and two years. The incorporation of the Board ot Managers was signed at Springfield, 111., April 11th, 1877. Up to the present time about thirty acres of the entire area have been devoted to sepulture, and the superintendent deserves to be complimented for the excellent manner in which he performs his duties. The Board of Managers meet every two weeks at the Bohemian and English Free School building, No. 400 W. 18th street, and are untiring in working industriously for this undertaking, having no other remuneration i)ut the thanks and — sometimes ingratitude of their societies. Some of the members of the manage- ment have served throughout these fifteen years faithfully without pay, deserving high acknowledgement for their labors and sacrifices in the inter- est of this great cause. During the summer and autumn months the grounds represent a beauti- ful garden, artistically laid out and preserved by the skillful cemetery gardener, Mr. Leopold Ine, who takes good care of five green-houses in con- nection with the cemetery, devoting most of his time to artistic flori-culf ure, being especially clever and successful in bringing forth the rarest kinds of roses. How profitable the raising of flowers proves itself here, becomes evident from the fact that from the sale of flowers, the decoration of graves, and from watering the plants on these little mounds, no less than $6,600 was taken in during 1892. The five green-houses with all their improvements have cost $1 1,615 and the artesian wells $3,000. As has been the case in the most other cemeteries, here too the beginn- ing was made with stone copings and railings around graves, but several years ago the popular lawn system found favor with the Board of Managers and has happily now become the rule. Especially the western part of the cemetery is laid out in accordance with this system, and forms one of the most pleasant spots in the cemetery. The management has very properly placed a great deal of importance and paid out large sums of money on the drainage and water systems, which are models of perfection, and have so far cost over $9,000. The walks and roads in tho cemetery up to the present time involved an expenditure of $15,000. The first artesian well was sunk to a depth of 1610 feet, from which 250 gallons of pure and clear water gush forth each minute. All the pro- perty of the cemetery with its improvements amounts to $80,000, according to the last report of the financial committee. The Board of Managers devote a considerable portion of the clear profits of the undertaking to benevolent and educational purposes. They bury from 30 to 50 poor dead persons every year gratis, and allow besides other small gifts for charitable purposes, several hundred dollars for Bohemian and English free schools, of which Ihere are five in the city of Chicago. In 1885 a monument to Rev. Prof. Ladimir Klacel, a Bohemian philo- ^ophe^ and scholar who died at Belle Plaine, la., in 1883, was erected at a cost of $800 with the bust of the great freethinker faitli fully carved in white marblo by the sculptor Frank Hess of Irving Park. In the spring of 1802 a fine Soldiers' Monument was erected and dedicated, costing about f5,000. Many of the Bohemian Societies have taken steps leading to the erection of % Bohemian National Monument in this cemetery, for which space has been reserved in a large circular plat of the main driveway. There are quite a number of handsome and costly monuments scattered over this cemetery, cpon which we read the names of the most prominent Bohemian families of Chicago. The following are the officers for 1893: Vaclav Matas, President; Joseph !I!ora, Vice-President; Joseph Becvar, Corresponding Secretary, St. J. llalik, Financial Secretary; Joseph Babka, Treasurer; Joseph A. Smejkal, Joseph bindelar, Frank Fucik, Board of Trustees; Joseph Koslner, Superintendent. ^Jts lioheiiiiiiii National <«>iii<'(«Tj .— Soltliers' Moiiiiiiu^iit. ._^< Qther Sketches and Views I I I iSl — p. S. PETERSON'S ROSE HILL NURSERY. About a mile and a half west of the cemeterj- at Roseliill and the ad- joining station of the Northwestern Railroad, in the midst of a charming stretch of country, is situated an extensive plantation full of interest to the friends of arboriculture and the lovers of Nature in general. This picturesque oasis in the wide plain given over to agricultural pursuits, covers an area of over four hundred acres and forms the w^ell known Nursery of Mr. P. S. Peterson, whicli is not only the largest but also the oldest " tree-scliool " in the vicinity of Chi- cago, having been established by the present owner twenty-eight years ago, dur- ing which time it has furnished a very large number of the shade-trees and orna- mental shrubs now adorning our public parks, cemeteries, residence streets, and private gardens. From this it may be inferred, that arboriculture is car- ried on here as a business enterprise, but notwithstanding this fact Mr. Peter- son deserves to be ranked among the most prominent promoters of the public welfare, for without his ceaseless and highly successful labors upon the field of tree-growing for so many years, the people of our Metropolis would at the present day not be enabled to enjoy the blessings which are dispensed through the planting of foliage-trees and blooming shrubs upon our public grounds and streets, in such a large measure as is really and happily the case. Many thousands of the most beautiful trees in our parks: maple, linden, catalpas, elms, ash, poplars, etc, numberless shrubs and bushes, that cover themselves in the spring-time with a gay and festive mantle of sweet-scented flowers, re- ceived their tirst training at the hands of Mr. Peterson and his able assistants, at the head of which stands the only son of the proprietor, Mr. Wm. A. Peter- son, a young gentleman of extensive knowledge and learning. Among a people of culture and enlightenment planting and embellishing Nature herself, ranks among the first of public virtues. Gardening was prob- ably one of the first arts that succeeded to that of building houses, ))ut no iloubt the term Garden for many centuries implied no more than a kitchen- garden or orchard. Then the custom of making square gardens enclosed with walls were established to the exclusion of nature and prospect and these gar- dens became selfish and sumptuous solitudes. To crown these impotent dis- plays of false taste, the shears were applied to the lovely wildness of form witli which Nature had distinguished each various species of tree and shrub; the compass and scpiare were of more use in plantations tlian the landscape archi- tect. Sir Henry Englefield was one of the first who saw the errors, the landscape gardeners of his time had fallen into and he selected with singular taste that chief beauty of all gardens, prospect and fortunate points of view. Prospects were before this sacrificed to convenience and warmth and since then the art of landscape gardening has made such rapid strides in the direction of dis-' covering the point of perfection, that we may be justly proud of what has been achieved in softening Nature's harshnesses and copying her graceful touch. But in forming ornamental plantations the selection of the proper species of trees and shrubs is a most important point. In the choice of trees, four things are observable: tlie height, the form, the color and the use. The lat- ter is more essential to a good selection than may appear at first siffht, noth- ing lieightens the idea of ornament more than utility. Immediately under the eye, the gaudy shrub and the ornamental, though useless. Exotic may be ad- mitted, but for more distant objects and in less embellished situations the Timber tree ought to prevail. There is harmony in taste, as in music; variety — 188 — and even wildness, in its proper place, may be admitted, but discord ought not be allowed. , Trees should not only be well chosen, Ijut also well ar- ranged and well planted. If that is done, it will soon be observed, that even grass and trees alone are capable of producing a wonderful richness and ele- gance. The cheerful and inviting country-residence, in which Mr. Peterson dwells with his family, seems a suitable accompaniment to the stately trees, that em- bellish the recluse landscape, of which tlie delightful domicile of the propri- etor forms the main attraction. No wonder that strangers that pass by pause to admire this rural scenery; and the liberality of Mr. Peterson is equal to his taste. His gratifications are heightened by those who seek enjoyment in his place; giving orders that nothing may be omitted which can increase their pleasure. The house throughout shows that it is the home of intellectual pur- suits and refinement, being fully in harmony with the charming effect of the lofty grove without, whose fine old trees contribute not a little to make up an assemblage, which gives the mind ample food for reflection and great satis- faction to the eye. There are a number of outhouses, of which the imposing and massive stable is the most conspicuous. It is inhabited by many fine draft and riding- horses, cows of the Jersey breed and also contains the wagons and coaches in use on the place. From this park the tree and shrub plantations extend in all directions; the plants may there be seen in endless straight rows like s(jld- iers in line stretching as far as the eye can reach and producing charming ef- fects with their various shapes and color-tints. With the view of laying down a crop destined to stand for generations, Mr. Peterson has taken every j)re- caution to secure its vigor and success, by selecting plants of the most approved varieties of the species; he well understands the importance to obtain young l)lants grown from a good stock, or from the most approved trees of their kiud. Another thing in which he excels is the process of transplanting large and heavy forest trees. Nowhere else has this branch of nursery-work been brought to such a high state of perfection. Trees that weighed from 15 to 20 tons and had attained the ripe age of 100 years, were successfully removed from their native soil and transplanted to new parts. The growing of trees and shrubs on these lands is as a matter of course confined to the cultivation of such as are ornamental and suitable to climate and soil. The majority of the plants are propagated on the premises, some are imported from foreign countries and they comprise principally new or rare spe- cies,in fact mostly plants that may be classed among the latest achievements upon the field of tree and shrub-culture, and wliich possess all the qualities requisite to a successful growth as an ornamental tree in this section of our country. And what is very important, a rolling appearance can given to our flat land- scape by the judicious arrangement of trees and shrubs of different sizes and shapes. Taking a stroll through the extensive plantation, we find among the trees many kinds, that have a large number of family relations, all adapted to our climiite and many of recent introduction; all promising to become valuable and ornamental. While wandering about, with Mr. Peterson as our guide, let us make brief notes of some of the best known and most popular ornamental trees and shrubs that present themselves to our notice. The Mountain Ash is a well-known beautiful tree with smooth branches and the leaves pinnate, with uniform, serrate, smooth leaflets. The beauty of its foliage is hardly surpassed by any other deciduous tree. The tall or common Ash attains to a great size, reaching in fine specimens to about 100 feet. It i)ossesscs a very elegant figure and forms during sum- mer a very desirable object in lawn or park scenery. The chief use of the Linden or Lime tree is to form an embowering shade along avenues and as a park tree or lawn ornament. In Scotland on the lawn at Gordon Castle stands a Linden tree with a head of nearly 100 feet and a trunk of over 16 feet in diameter. Uur American Linden is of a more ro- bust habit than the European tree. — 191 — The whole geuus of Maple is remarkably handsome and some of the species grow rapidly at an early age in almost anj'^ soil. Many kinds are interesting on account of their flowering early at the time of the expansion of the foliage; and from their elegantly-lobed leaves, o^ the finest texture, which in autumn furnish the most exquisite tints of every shade of 3'ellow and scarlet, they are highly prized in ornamental plantations. The Elm (Ulmus americaua) is a tall elegant tree of rapid growth. From the density of its foliage and its clustering habit of growth in bright weather it displays a variety of light and shade such as painters appreciate in such objects. The Poplar tree, like the Willows, is luiisexual — either u male or female plant. Tile poplar trees are remarkable for rapidity of growth and therefore they are frequently employed to furnish immediate effect in a bare locality. Among ornamental WillotDS the Salix Babylouica (Weeping Willows) forms a very graceful and interesting tree, but the American varieties have a higher value on account of their being extremely hardy. Their long slender twigs droop down with much elegance and become agitated by the slightest impulse of the wind, like the spray of a playing fovmtain. The JVlahogauy- willow, coming from France, with its bright red stem and branches makes a warm and attractive addition to our cold and long winters. The Birch, adapting itself to various soils and situations, possesses a wider range than any other plant. There are some very fine weeping l)irches, espe- cially the cut-leaved, which add a graceful variety of verdure to scenes in them- selves beautiful. The Alder in a cultivated state and in good soil attains to a considerable size and often 1)ecomes very picturesque in tigure and displays a ramification little inferior to that of the oak. Considered as an ornament few trees attract more attention than the Beech. Its stem is massive and powerful, its bark is smooth and of a silvery cast, and when the heat of summer unfolds its silken foliage, it displays a ver- dure of softness and delicacy and when viewed in the park, amidst "the sun- shine and showers of summer time, it is a gem indeed. The weeping Beech is a very valuable and ornamental tree and so is the out-leaved weeping beech, which is one of the most elegant pendulous trees in cultivation. It has the advantage of at once assuming the pendulous habit of growth. The JVbrwai/ Spruce is also of great beauty, of very uniform growth and, when allowed sufficient space in a congenial soil, it retains even at an advanced age, its branches and luxuriant foliage. The Pine tree tribe is too well known to need any description. It con- sists of evergreen trees, natives of Europe, Asia and America, and is perhaps one of the most valuable of any genus of ligneous plants. The Sycauiore grows to a great height and ample size, throwing out a wide- spread top. Its leaves are vine-shaped. Haubury says, the Sycamore being wounded exudes a great quantity of liquor, of which is made good wine. There are three varieties of the Sycamore. The beautiful Gatalpa will grow to a height of 40 or 50 feet, ana as the leaves are fine and large, it should be planted as a standard in the midst of fine openings, but these should be such as are well sheltered, for the leaves, being quite large, make such a resistance to the summer's high winds, as to occasion whole branches to be si)lit off by that powerful element. Of great beauty are the white flowers breaking open late in the Spring and adding in a great measure to the elegance of this handsome shade-tree. The Saow-drop tree or white Fringe tree, a native of Virginia, will grow to the height of about fifteen feet. Its leaves are large, shaped like a laurel, broad and roundish, and the flowers of a pure white, come out in bunches, in May, from every part of the tree. As an ornamental tree Chestnut also has a degree of greatness belonging to it which recommends it strongly to the gardeners attention. The Hydranrjea seldom grows to more than a yard or four feet hi^h and affords as much pleasure to those who delight in fine flowers as it does to the — 192 — botanist. The leaves are a great ornament to these plants; being very !arge and having their upper surface of a line green and their under rather downy. But the Howers constitute the greatest beauty of these plants, for they are pro- duced in very large bunches in August. Their color is white and the end of every bunch will be ornamented with them. They have an agreeable odor and make such a show altogether, as to distinguish themselves even at a con- siderable distance. Of the shrubbery St. John's Wart, or Hypericum, there are several varieties, one .of which will grow to a height of eight feet. The flowers are yellow and make a good show in June and July and are succeeded by oval black-colored capsules, containing ripe seeds in the autumn. The deciduous Privet ( Ligustrum Vulgare ) will grow to a height of about ten or twelve feet. The dark green letxves continue on the tree very late and the flowers, which are white and very beautiful, are succeeded in tlie autumn by black berries, which at that season constitute the greatest beauty of the plant. The black and garden Mulberry is principally cultivated for the fruit and in ornamental plantations a few of them will be sufficient to make the collect- tion general. The two thorned Acacia (Robinia) gets its leaves late in the Spring, but for this it makes ample amends b}^ the beautiful foliage it will display soon after. But its greatest beauty it receives from its flowers, which are produced in long pendulous bunches in June, their color is white. The Locust tree (false Acacia) grows very rapidly in rich, dry, well shelt- ered soil and becomes a tree of considerable height. The Lahurninn is the largest species of the very ornamental genus Cy- tisus. It is a low deciduous tree with trifoliate leaves. The Ehkr tree comprehends several species and has been known medicin- ally from the earliest period of our medicinal history. Besides those mentioned we also find many elegant species of Clematis, Ivy, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Magnolia, Syringa, Sumach, Rose bushes, Lilac, Spiraea, Arbor Vita', Viburnum, Calycaiithus, ]Mock Orange, Bignonia, Vir- ginia Creeper, Xightshade, etc. Naturally there are not a few of the shrubs which find it very difficult to thrive and keep up a healthy growth in smoky factory-districts; others again can ill endure cold winds, while another class will demand a sunny location to ripen out its twigs and a fourth a position with jjlenty of shade; such con- ditions can be found many more. In laying out parks, gardens or cemeteries it is of the utmost importance to make a' wise selection of shrubs and to place them in positions, where they will grow and become an object of delight to the beholder. Especially is this true in regard to cemeteries. There the gar- dener can produce much more pleasing effects and impressions, than the sculp- tor with masterpieces of his art. — 195 — EGANDALE. \ The prevjiiling disposition amoug the people of the eastern cities to turn away from the overcrowded and inconvenient summer-resorts and seek recrea- tion and repose in country -homes of tlieir own, is rapidly taking hokl of their brethren in the western states, but instead of having to choose worn-out, aban- doned farms, like many of those in the New England states are, where natural scenery alone atones for the shortcomings indicated, "Chicagoites" have with- in easy reach of their city homes and business places a section of country, full of scenic beauty — where picturesque woodlands and water-views, fern-clad dells and velvety lawns vie with each other in well asserted claims for genuine admiration. Commencing just north of our city and bordering Lake Michigan for forty miles or more is a magnificent stretch of land yet largely in its primeval beauty. Gradually rising, the surface extending northward culminates in a height of about ninety feet, forming at the shore-line bold and precipitous bluffs. From Winetka north to Waukegan for quite a distance landward the surface is ramified by heavily wooded ravines, gradually growing deeper as they approach the lake and widening out until they represent a "sunken for- est" of considerable area. At Highland Park, these ravines are at their best and within the last few years many of Chicago's prominent citizens have here selected sites for summer-homes. Here the surface is gently undulating, form- ing numerous knolls, from which enchanting scenic-effects are everywhere vis- i\)\e; commanding views of the lake, with a sail or two mostly always in sight, for along this shore the great commerce of the lake passes on its way north and south; magnificent ravine-pictures, showing the feathery tree-tops, spring- ing from a low level, nod their plumes as a greeting to the passing breeze, thus calming and quieting the mind through the medium of our vision. The most conspicuous points of landscape-beauties are rapidly being taken for human habitations and many costly imrovements of this kind are imder way. We choose for the i)urpose of illustrating some of the natural beau- ties of this north-shore paradise with its glades and groves and cool secluded nooks "Egandale," a typical and model summer home, where peace and re- pose reign supreme, where rural, rustic beaxity exerts its soothing and refresh- ing influence. The broad vine-clad verandah suggests a cool retreat indeed during the mid-day hours. From this leafy bower is seen as charming a water- view, as some of the most renowned lakes of this country can boast of. A roadway near by, descending a ravine bank on its way to the lake some eighty feet below, cuts through the overlapping trees, through which is visible, em- bowered in emerald-green, the merrily dancing waters over the partly sub- merged pebbled shore — and by a lucky chance the bright light of the rising harvest-moon is spread out over the path of this vision and illuminates the rippling surface with its silvery fleece. Egandale consists of five and a half acres, nearly one-third of which is composed of wooded ravines. A main ravine forms the southern and western boundary line and small sub-ravines extend into the tableland — thus forming lovely bays and other points of interest. Being heavily wooded they act as shrubbery belts to hide and mask "surprises," which the wanderer constantly meets with — be it a rustic bridge, or a vine-covered bower, or some unexpected enchanting lake-view — there are many of them. One lake-view is particu- larly fine, where from a point, looking over the main ravine eighty feet deep, — 19G — which here makes an abrupt turn, a broad expanse of water is seen over the tree-tops. The trees of the upper portion of the banks form a V-shaped frame for the pictures and here again is seen the rising moon with all its accompany- ing glory. We have room for only a few illustrations of the many interesting sjiots of this summer-home. The "Rockery" speaks for itself as a good illustration of what can be accomplished in this department of landscape work. The "Baskef'-picture shows part of the lawn — the ravine trees bounding it on the south— the "Rockery," in the distance, in a line with the "Basket, "and the roadway leading to the lake. 199 DOMESTIC CONSERVATORIES. There are degrees of beauty in the leaves of plants; and while it is not reasonable to suppose that any one cultivator can tind accommodation for all the choice Exotics which are to be found in the principal gardens of this country or Europe, it is quite reasonable to conclude that from want of space he would be compelled to make a selection, retaining only those which most commend themselves to his admiration, either on account of their bold and striking or distinct character, or from their delicacy and beauty. Amateur plant growers have everywhere largely increased during the last few years and the collection of plants they cultivate is a proof that tlieir con- ception of the beautiful is not confined to brilliant colored flowers alone, but that tliey are able to appreciate grace and elegance in the form and markings of the leaves, independent of bloom, which has been for so many years the sole aim of the horticulturist. But although the beautiful-leaved plants are exceed- ingly ornamental and gay when grouped together by themselves, a judicious selection from both classes, according to the space at disposal, is the surest means of producing a gay and cheerful effect throughout the entire year. As a well known writer says: "For so many years it was the sole aim of 1 he horticulturist to look forward to the development of tlowering plants as the sole reward of a whole seasons labor. Now, however, we live in happier times, and derive a greater share of pleasure from our plants, because we grow and prize many which have beautifully variegated or otherwise richly orna- mented leaves. How it was, that we were so long learning to love tJiese highly ornamental plants, it is difficult to say; but we are becoming thoroughly ali^■e now to the noble and massive beauty displayed by some, to tlie graceful and elegant outlines of others and to the richness" and singularity in the colors and markings of the leaves of many more." The love of the beautiful in nature, from a pansy to a forest oak, is deeply implanted in the human breast, and constitutes a source which requires only to be reached and acted upon in order to ditfuse on every side innumerable ad- vantages to individuals and to society. We see the love of plants and flow^ers existing, apparently under the most discouraging circumstances, and in spots where poverty chokes almost all the springs of wholesome pleasure. It is piti- able to see these sickly objects of care in the pent-up city pining under the influence of the dry atmosphere; and deep must be the inherent taste which can persevere in resisting the obstacles to healthy vegetation, caused by dele- terious matter floating constantly in the air, the excess of aridity or moisture, excessive heat and cold, sudden alternations of temperature, and nipping blasts from over the level plains. Against these destructive influences, the green-house or conservatory, which formerly was regarded as exclusively the appendage of the stately man- sion, or the suburban residences of the opulent, is a protection. The domestic green-house has been made an inexpensive means of gratifying a taste, whicli, while it is at once refined and elegant, excites an inquisitive spirit that raises those who are fortunate enough to be under its influence, above low and friv- olous pursuits. The exclusion of i^articles of soot and other noxious matter adapts the green-house for the city as well as the country, and we may select any space of sufficient size in which to build our green-house and l)id the plants of tropi- cal regions flourish in the most unpropitious spots in the heart of Chicago. In prisons, men have solaced themselves for the loss of liberty by the visits of a — 200 - spider or a mouse, whose motions they have studied and watched with delight; but here is a study open to a great many of tliose who enjoy the comforts of a liome, which is pregnant with the most admirable results, at once gratifying the eye and informing the mind and opening a page of the book of nature to the dweller of the city. The foregoing must not lead the reader to the belief, that a treatise on greenhouse-gardening and plant-culture is to follow. That is left to those who possess the necessary qualifications and knowledge of plants. The subject presented itself to the author during his visits to several of the most complete private collections of plants under glass-roofs in this city and among them none have obtained a greater celebrity than the plant-houses of the gentlemen named in the pages following. Tliese men have spared nei- ther time nor money in gatliering together from almost every quarter of the world some of the most wonderful and remarkable productions of the veget- able kingdom. ADOLPH SCHONINGER'S CONSERVATORY AND GARDEN. Mr. Adolph Schoninger is one of the few Chicagoans that have realized their youthful ideals. They had clung to him; lie had never deviated from the pro- gramme he had maj^ped out in his mind many years ago. And later he set about putting them in concrete shape. For a number of years he had found untold pleasure in horticulture and hot-house gardening at his residence, and recently, with practically illimitable means at his disposal, lie resolved to real- ize his boldest dream. So he bought a large plat of desirable property on Mel- rose Street, way out in Lake View, midway between Evanston Avenue and the lake. And on this he laid out a spacious garden and built him a tine house — commodious, just to his taste. And then he proceeded to build, adjacent to and directly connecting with the house, a fine and large private conservator}'. And it is this conservatory and the propagating houses belonging to it which are worthy of a description. Among the 1,500 kinds of foliage plants, flowers and fruit-trees represented in the green and liot houses under the care of a gardener, there are a hundred or more of the rarest and costliest. Some new varieties have been propagated by his own skill, and a few of these are as j'et not generally known to florists, and are still awaiting baptismal ceremonies. It is in the matter of orchids, those eccentric and luxurious children of the tropics, that this conservatory is especially rich. The collection comprises several hundreds of them, and among them are a score or more of very rare ones. Tbe dining-room connects with the conservatory by a broad, high glass door which is generally left open. Entering through it a scene of sur- passing vernal beauty meets the eye. A balmy air, slightly saturated with grateful moisture, tills the lungs. All around and over-head blossoms of deep tint give out a rich fragrance, and the e3'e feasts on the graceful, feathery fol- iage of palms and ferns. In a small but pretty aviary birds of tropical plum- age hop and chirp and sing, and an aquarium of handsome design is alive with glistening goldfishes and other creatures that love the water as their native element, while pinky shells and ferns of softest green make a harmonious color- effect about tiiem. The foot treads on a smooth, polished surface of stone, and through the glass doors beyond a glimpse of still rarer and more delicate plant life is had. As we look down these long lines of fantastic vegetation, glorying under the beams of a burning sun, and wrapped in a bath of humid half-suffocative air, it requires no great stretch of the imagination to conceive ourselves translated to those tropical countries where nature at play laughs at the rules to which she succumbs in our own more temperate country. Amidst the noble palm-trees the mind is struck with a feeling almost of awe. He must be apathetic, indeed, whose thoughts are not elevated in such a scene. Well did Linnaeus call palms the princes of the vegetable world: the beautiful character of their crown of leaves amply justifies the title. The species of palms and other plants found in Mr. .Sclioiiinger's houses are nearly all of them dwellers of the other plant-houses named in these pages and can be — 203 — admired by any respectable person, wlio may apply for admission to any one of these conservatories. Mr. Schoniuger has rendered his conservatory pleasing by selecting prin- cipally ornamental plants of robust constitution, with green leaves of different shades or variegated anil stout in texture. There are among a host of others: Palms, Dracaenas, Ferns, Begouias, Agaves, Yuccas, Anthuriums, Aralias, Crotons, Khododendrous, Pelargoniums, Gloxinias, Geraniums, Fuchsias, bul- bous plants in great variety, Camellias, etc. During the summer montlis Mr. Schijninger divides his early summer morning hours and the time after his return from his factory between thy conservatory and his many outdoor plants, which latter, on account of theit being spread and scattered over a large piece ,of territory, require a great deal of care and nurturing. This garden is a beauty indeed, with its handsome floral decorations, its artistically embellished lily-pond, its stately trees and shrubs, forming in all a very appropriate assemblage for the elegaut hou.se in their midst. EDWARD UIHLEIN'S CONSERVATORY. To the friends of nature, who on their excursions to the parks make use of the street car-lines, the horse-railway on North Avenue offers a most desir- able means of reaching Humboldt Park after having paid a visit to Lincoln Park, or to those wlio desire to go from Humboldt Park to the park on the North Side, for the cars of said line form a welcome connection between those two pleasure-gardens. They pass by Wicker Park, a finely ornamented square, or rather triangle, with beautiful trees, lawns, walks, ponds, etc, surrounded on all sides by handsome private residences, many of these having ])retty little flower-gardens in front, by which the owners or tenants of the houses evince their love of flowers in a marked degree. But foremost among these friends of the children of Flora stands Mr. Edward Uihlein, one of the vice-presidents of the Chicago Horticultural Society, a gentleman of tine tastes and great pop- ularity, and one who commands the honor and respect of all who have the good fortune of being acquainted with him. Mr. Uihlein resides on Ewing Place, between Robey Street and Hoyne Avenue, where lie and his family occupy a palatial residence that stands on the western end of a large park-like garden, richly but at the same time very tastefully embellished with flowers, shrubs and shade-trees. In the rear of these grounds and in close proximity to the familj'^ residence are situated the highly interesting greenhouses of Mr. Uihlein, which contain a collection of plants equal if not superior to any other private collection in this city. On these plants Mr. Uihlein bestows a great amount of loving care and imder his judicious and skilled treatment they thrive and prosper like grateful children imder the influences of affectionate parents. The total space devoted to the indoor-culture of flowers and plants covers an area of 34x56 feet and occupies an elevation high enough to furnish flowing water to a grotto of stalagmite situated in front of the pavilion-like conservatory. A neat fountain and a small goldfish-pond are attractive appendages of the warm-house filled witli a wealth of rare and beautiful plants. The greatest interest is awakened by the superb collection of orchids that are partly suspended from the glass roofs of the greenliouses, partly found in pots along the tiers below. The arrangement of the plants is pretty much after the natural system and each has a label with its correct botanical name. The terrestrial orchids are mostly placed in flower pots, filled with appropriate soil and these are in some cases put upon other empty pots to secure the drainage, while the epi- phytes or air-plants are all supported in the air in a manner diversified and curious. Several of the superb tribe mtflcj/n, named after an ardent admirer and cultivator of orchideous plants, were in full bloom diu-ing the author's visit, many of them emitting a fragrance which, added to their pre-eminent loveli- ness, makes them orchids of great esteem. One brilliant flower perfumed an area of many feet around it witli a scent like verbena. The mimic powers are — 204 — not confined to form, but extend also to the odor of other vegetable produc- tions. For instance lliere is a dusky tiger-spotted plant whose flower exhales a delicious smell like tluit of raspberries; another sad-colored flower of very graceful drooping inflorescence possesses a scent precisely like that of the scented geranium. Then there is the Pitcher-Plant, a native of Ceylon and a wonderful vagary of nature. The stem is erect and of a brownish color and the leaves are long and spear-shaped; the end of the central rib being lengthened out and su.stain- ing the pitcher by being attached to the bottom of it. Were the pitcher cut off and exhibited to any person unacquainted with the existence of such a veg- etable structure, when he examined its rougher, leathery, spotted exterior, its firm and rounded lip, so artificiaHy marked in green and red, and its accurately- adapted lid, he would most proba])ly unhesitatingly pronounce it to be an ar- tificial production. A little sourish water, supposed to be secreted by the inner surface of the organ, is occasionally found in the pitcher. There are several varieties of this plant, the most popular of which seems the Ncjienthes (lixtilldtorut. Baskets containing the magnificent class of orchids called Stanhopen also hang from the roof of said houses. Their ])eculiarity consists in the jjroduc- tion of their fiowers from the roots, which are of a large size, and beautiful texture and coloring. Among the extra-tropical orchids we find here the Oncidhnii tribe; the fiowers of some of these species exhale a most sweet fragrance. Then there is a i>lant called the Cypripedinm, wdiich represents a large brown spider on its flower. It is an American species and the spider whose form it portrays is said by Linnaeus "to be capable of destroying insects and even small hum- ming-birds." And now a word or two in a by-the-way manner upon the peculiarities of orchideous plants. Artificially they are divisible into two classes — the terres- trial, which grow in or upon the soil; and the epiphytal, which grow upon the trunks or branches of trees, rocks and stones. The latter are the most curious from the fact that they derive their nourishment not from the soil, ov as para- sitical i)lants do from the sap of the trees on' which they are found , but from the air. They have been called from this peculiarity "air plants" and present lis with a piienomeuon which was inexplicable until the researches of Liebig proved that plants, even growing in the soil, derive the principal portion of their solid constituent, wood, from tlic atmosphere. They extend long wliitish ro(>ts abroad into the air as other plants do into the earth, by which they derive their necessary food. It is an appearance well calculated to surprise the mind, to see great masses of vegetation, as are some of the plants before us, feeding and luxuriating in the atmosphere, the carbonic acid gas of which is their chief .support. The general appearance and structure of orchids is a perfect anomaly. In their native countries they are to be found crawling over the trunks and branches of forest trees, climbing to their topmost boughs and S(iuatting just wiiere the limbs are united to the parent trunk, where tjiey drop down clusters of fiowers, of which one is puzzled to say which is tiie most .striking — their beauty, grote.s(jue appearance, or excpiisite fragrance. The flowers are and have long been the puzzle and admiration of every botanist. Not the least of the peculiarities of orchids lies in their disposition to mimic many natural objects; there is scarcely any animate being to which the flowers are not comparable. With the most arti.stic skill, to speak playfully, of tlie most ludicrous character, they imitate insects, lizards, frogs, birds, ani- mals and even the liuman "face and form divine." From the roof of the green- houses they depend in rows; many of these plants are in bloom successively at every period of the year. And now let us take a look at some of the more conspicuous ornamental plants found in this collection. Following Mr. Uihiein, wiio kindly consented to a<;t as our guide and expounder, our attention is particularly directed to the following species: — 207 — Arecn, a genus of elegant pinnate-leaved Palms; Aralia, one of the most ornamental genus, is well adapted either for the conservatory or the open air in summer; Alocasia, plants of great beauty with large sagittate leaves and rich coloring; Begonias, which are not only remarkable for their free-flower- ing (jualities but also for the exquisite variegation of their foliage; Chainaedurea, a genus of Palms with rich shining green and elegant pinnate leaves; Cocos, graceful and shade-loving plants of a noble order, of which one species yields the well known fruit — the cocoa-nut; Carludovica, Palm-like plants, which are often grown as Palms, but belong to the Cyclauth division of the Pandan- ads; Gory pita, a genus which contains but few species, but some of them pro- duce very large fan-leaves. They are plants of extremely slow growth and are characterized by tall, stout, cylindrical trunks; Crotons, are almost indis- pensable for the decoration of greenhouses or public exhibition, as their habit and color produce an effect, which is not produced by any other plant; Cycas, very handsome plants, are closely related to the Conifers and Ferns and are exceedingly useful for greenhouse decoration; Diffenhachia, a very handsome plant; some species have yellowish green leaves from twelve to fifteen inches in length, irregularly blotched with dark green and profusely spotted with white; Dracaenas, plants that are amongst the most useful and beautiful of fine-foliaged plants of graceful habit, with beautifully colored leaves; Kentia, a genus of handsome, robust, greenlaouse Palms; Latania, another handsome family of Palms with large fan-like leaves; Maranta, a plant-family that have their foliage more or less variegated, some of them in the most beautiful man- ner; few plants can equal tliem as objects of delight in a greenhouse collection; Pandanus or Screw Pines, plants that show a very peculiar spiral arrange- ment of their leaves and which in a state of natin-e grow twenty and thirty feet high; P/ioeni.v, a genus of Palms and a very interesting and ornamental plant; the flower spikes are produced from amongst the leaves and not below them, male and female flowers being produced on separate plants; Ptyckos- perma, another exceedingly handsome genus of Palms, which in their natural state grow from ten to eighty feet in height; Seaforthia, a most graceful species of the Palm family and eminently well adapted for greenhouse decora- tion; Tillandsia, a genus of Bromeliaceous plants, containing many species re- markable for the beauty of their flowers; Anthurium, a plant highly valuable as a foliage plant with large leaves of a bold and striking character and with flowers of a brilliant shining scarlet color; Billbergia, a noble, and erect-grow- ing species, and a very showy plant; Vriesia, an exceedingly handsome spec- ies of dwarf habit of growth; Azalea, a superb genus of highly ornamental plants, has become a great favorite and is much in favor as a decorative plant for indoor use; Camellia, a magnificent genus of evergreen shrubby plant with beautiful rose-like but odorless flowers; Erica, a very attractive green- house plant, that is much admired; Rhododendron, a well known and deserv- edly popular genus of many species. Besides those named there are ninnerous other families of plants, as for instance: Carissa, Cycas, Euterpe, Aspidistra, many beautiful Ferns, Selaginella, Peristeria, Aerides, Saccolabium, Vanda, Angfaecum, etc., all forming a most enjoyable group for the admiring eye of the flower-loving laymen as well as for the botanist. J. C. VAUGHAN'S GREEN HOUSES. Among the prominent and successful commercial gardeners of this city Mr. J. C. Vaughan stands in the front rank. His success may be attributed mainly to the firm stand he has taken, not to offer anything to his customers that is not meritorious or which is merely a fictitious and over-estimated cur- iosity under the name of "Novelty." The greenhouses of Mr. Vaughan are situated at Western Springs, a l)eau- tiful suburb of Chicago, on the Chicago, Burlington ifc Quincy Railroad. They contain over 35,000 feet of glass and hot beds and cold frames in proportion. The frost-proof storage house for dormant Roses, Clematis, Dahlias and small fruits forms a valuable feature for the careful handling of swvh plants. Over this .storage cellar are the Gladiolus and Tubero.se bins and racks and the gen- — 208 — eral packing room for mail and express orders. The greenhouses, sixteen in all, are devoted to the various plants as follows: Two large palm houses, one being 24 x 120 feet and 13 feet high, containing many magniticent plants, which will be grown for the World's Fair; one large house IS'x 150 feet, devoted to the new French Canna's, among them some beautiful new, unnamed seedlings; another house to Chrysanthemums, new and old, over 100 unnamed seedlings being grown for a thorough test before sending out; also tive houses used exclusively for Roses, two of them 18 x 120 feet; two houses for bedding plants; a house for seed-testing; one for bulbs and tuberous rooted plants; two houses for propagating- The Chrysanthemums put on exhibition at the Flower-shows in Chicago and other western cities were very creditable to the green-house department of Mr. Vaughan's extensive business (he received eleven first premiums and two second prizes out of 13 entries at the second-last Chicago Flower-show), and they proved a delight to many of Mr. Vaughan's patrons, of which quite a number were fortunate enough to witness the far better display made at the greenhouses themselves. The central latitude provides a climate and seasons for varieties of plants suitable to the great agricultural belt of the Northern States, avoiding the small and inferior vegetables, flowers and grains from the extreme North, as well as the late, large-growing and non-maturing varieties of the South. The main store at Nos. 146-148 West Washington Street in this city, occu- pies three floors, each 40x185 feet, and two cellars, the latter for potatoes. These storage, packing and shipping floors, with the facilities at Western Springs for storing duplicate stocks of bulbs, doriuant Roses, Clematis, etc, are unexcelled for that purpose. The city store is in the center of the retail business of Chicago, at No. 88 State Street and will be found most convenient to all who make their purchases in person. At both stores can also be found garden and farm tools and supplies in endless variety. It may be mentioned in addition to the above, that Mr. Vaughan intends to keep open nouse durino; this j'ear. He is having printed a progranuue of the Horticultural Department of the World's Fair, its plan, its rules, its special features and seasonable shows in all departments. Part of this will appear in his regular 1893 catalogue, additional in bulletins as needed. All regular cos- tumers and all new ones of this year will receive free the book for 1893 and also the bulletins issued concerning the Fair. For the convenience of Eastern costumers, Mr. Vaughan has opened a .store at No 12 Barclay Street. New York City, from where all seeds, bulbs, tools and supplies offered in the catalogues can be secured. * * * Besides the conservatories and green houses described in the foregoing there are in this city a number of other handsome private collections of plants, among which the collections of orchids in the conservatories of AVm. H. Chad- wick, Potter Palmer, Dr. Clarke, G. Wittbold and others deserve special mention. And after our stroll through these conservatories we have not seen iialf of their contents; but after all liow minute a portion do all of them, the liorticullural and floricultural show at the World's Fair and the richly stocked palm-houses of our great parks included, constitute of that exhaustless treas- ure which enriches our globe! AVe had it undoubtedly strongly impressed upon our mind during tiie time that we held converse not with inanimate, insensate creatures, l)ut with beings which deliirhted in the tender care that fed and fo.stered them, and exhibited their gratitude in lani^uage unintelligible only to those who have no heart to open, and no ears to give to such things. >11 — THE QUEEN OF AQUATICS. The public visiting Lincoln and Washington Parks owe a debt of gratitude to the men standing at the head of floriculture in these parks for having in- troduced to lovers of the beautiful in nature the queenly water-lily Victoria Regia, perhaps the most extraordinary of all Horal productions. Lincoln Park was the first in this city to successfully rear this lily of the Amazon from seeds and Washington Park was not long in imitating the praiseworthy example set I)y its lovely sister on the North Side. In both parks the lily-ponds now form "one of the chief attractions and there the great Victoria Regia reigns supreme over her numerous family relations of various complexions — all of them beautiful, however. Although discovered by Professor Haenke, a German botanist of great re- pute, as early as 1801, it was not until 1887 that any historical sketch and des- cription of the wonderful lily appeared. It was then again discovered, this time by Sir Robert Schomburgh, who transmitted the original drawings and a description to the London Botanical Society. Mr, Schomburgh says: "It was on the 1st of January, 1837, while con- tending with the difficulties that nature interposed in different forms to stem our progress up the river Berbice (lat, 4°, 30' N., long. 52° AV.), that we ar- rived at a part where the river expanded and formed a currentless basin. Some object on the southern extremity of this basin attracted my attention, and I was unable to form an idea of what it could be; but, animating the crew to increase the rate of their paddling, we soon came opposite the object which had raised my curiosity, and, behold, a vegetable wonder! All calamities were forgotten; I was a botanist, and felt myself rewarded! There were gigantic leaves, live to six feet across, flat, with a broad rim; lighter green above, and vivid crimson below, floating upon the water; while, in character with the w^onderful foliage, I saw luxuriant flowers, each consisting of numerous petals, passing, in alternate tints, from pure white to ro.se and pink. The smooth water was covered with the blossoms, and as I rowed from one to the other, I always found something new to admire. The flower-stalk is an inch thick near the calyx, and studded with elastic prickles about three-quarters of an inch long. When expanded, the four-leaved calyx measures a foot in diameter, but is concealed Ijy the expansion of the hundred-petalled corolla. This beauti- ful flower, when it first unfolds, is white, with a pink centre; the color spreads as the bloom increases in age, and, at a day old. the whole is rose-colored. As if to add to the charm of this noble water-lily, it diffuses a sweet scent. As in the case of others in the same tribe, the petals aud stamens pass gradually into each other, and many petaloid leaves may be observed bearing vestiges of an another. The seeds are numerous and imbedded in a spongy substance. Ascending the river we found this plant frecpiently; and tiie higher we ad- vanced, the more gigantic did the specimens become; one leaf we measured was 6 feet .1 inches in diameter, the rim 6i inches high and the flowers 1^ feet across." When the great American water-lily became known in Europe, a strong desire to obtain its introduction to that country in a living state soon evinced itself. After a series of futile attempts, the queen of all tlie lilies was success- lull}' introduced into the Exotic A(|uarium at Kew in England. A number of healthy plants being raised, one of them was sent to the gardens at Chats- worth, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire; and on the 1st of November, 1849, a flower appeared, indicating a condition of advancement beyond what had been attained by any of the other plants at Kew or elsewhere. — 212 — Professor Lindley thus described tlie splendid blossom: The flower itself, when it first opens, resembles the white water-lily, of a dazzling white, with its fine leathery petals, forming a goblet of the most elegant proportions; but as the day advances it gradually expands till it becomes nearly flat; towards evening a faint blush becomes visible in the centre, the petals fall back more and more, and at last, about six o'clock, a sudden change occurs; in a few minutes the petals arrange themselves in the form of a snow-white hemisphere, whose edge reposes on the water, and the centre rises majestically at the sum- mit, producing a diadem of rosy points. It then constitutes one of tlie most elegant objects in nature. Shortly after, the exixinsion of the central parts proceeding, these points fall back, the stamens unfold in an interior coronet, the stigmas are laid bare, a grateful perfume arises in the air, and the great object of the flower — the fertilization of the seed — is accomplished. Tljen fold'inwards the petals, the flower closes, the fairest of vegetable textures be- comes wrinkled, decay begins, and the flower-stalk withdraws itself beneath the water, as if to veil the progress of corruption. But out of this decay arises a new living body; the fruit, curved downward, swells rapidly and in a short time a prickly seed-vessel is observed concealed beneath the floating leaves." The above descriptions of this wonderful plant will, we think, greatly as- sist those, who come to admire the Victoria Regia in our parks and are unac- quainted with the habits, history and inner life of this vegetable wonder, to get a pretty accurate conception of this interesting object. In addition to all this it may be mentioned that the large, salvor-shaped leaves of circular form are capable of supporting the weight of a child from 10 to 12 years of age standing on a board laid across so as to obtain an even balance. There is no doubt that the head gardeners of both the parks mentioned will make a special effort during the present World's Fair-year to have the Victoria Regia on exhibition in its most perfect and interesting form, so as to be an object of genuine delight to the eye of the multitudes that will throng around the lily-ponds. — 215 FLORICULTURE AT THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. With the steady march of progress and notably by the aid of the Society of American Florists, and 965 state and local societies and Florists' club's during the past six years, by the aid of the press, by the aid of exhibitions and by the education whicli has naturally been obtained from the sources mentioned, the advance of floriculture is one of the wonders of the time. From a commercial standpoint, the U. S. Census report of commercial floriculture in a digest, is as follows: "In the United States there were 4,659 floral establishments in the census year, 312 of which were owned and conducted by women. The total feet of glass in use in all the establishments was 38,823,247, and the establishments, including fixtures and heating appa- ratus, were valued at f 28,355,722.43. The value of tools and implements used was $1,587,693.93. There were employed 16,847 men and 1,958 women, the combined annual wages amounting to $8,483,657. Fuel cost was $1,160,152.66. Three million, two hundred and forty-five thousand six hundred wholesale, and 17,630 094 retail catalogues are annually issued, while $767,438.21 was paid for postage. $1,161,168.31 for advertising, $354,221.56 for freight, and !f554,390.55 for express bills. The total products were 49,056 253 roses, 38,380,872 hardy plants and shrubs, and 152,835,293 of all otlier i)lants, the value of which was $12,036,- 477.76, and cut flowers to the amount of 114,175,328.01 were reported as sold. Mr. John Thorpe, chief of the department of floriculture at the World's Fair, has this to say in reference to the floriculture to be exhibited at the Exposition: ' The costliest ideas and the very highest aims are com- patible only with the advancement of the profession. Small exhibits can not be expected to be efftr-ctive. Groups of plants of all kinds will not be shown simply by the hundreds, but in thousands and tens of thousands. The general massing of the plants will be on such a scale as to astcmish even those who are acquainted with what has been accomplished. As a matter of fact, and one that is conceded by those best able to judge, the parks of Chicago have this moment the finest displays of floriculture adorn- ments ot all the cities in the world. The brilliant and effective coloring to be seen in the designs at Washington Park and the superior water lily display at Lincoln Park, together with the fine displays at the other parks, have gladdened the hearts and called forth the admiration of hun- dreds of thousands, remembering what Chicago has, and is now doing for floriculture in her parks. The florioultural dejiartment of the World's Fair must outstrip all pre- vious attempts in all and everyone of its branches, even to surpassing the magnificent work here mentioned. Tliis can only be obtained by a determi- nation to eclipse all previous efforts. Not one moment must be given to looking backward. There is no time to look backward. In that mag- nificent building, Horticultural Hall, will be found space enough to make displays of nearly all exhibits recpiiring protection. The building is 1,000 feet long with an extreme width of 286 feet. The plan is a central pavilion with two end pavilions each connected to the center ]iavilion by front and rear curtains, forming two interior courts, each 88 by 270 feet. These courts are beautifully decorated in color and planted with orna- mental shrubs and flowers. The center pavilion is roofed by a crystal dome 137 feet in diameter and 113 feet high, under which will be exhibited the 8 — 216 — tallest palms, bamboos and tree ferns that can be procured. There is a gallerj'in each of the pavilions. The galleries of the end pavilions are de- signed for cafes, the situation and the surroundings being particularlj' well adapted to recreation and refreshment. The cafes are surrounded by an arcade on three sides, from which charming views of the ground can be obtained. Of various tropical plants there will be large groups of orchids, palms, ferns, and in fact nearly every known decorative species and varit-ty. Outdoor floriculture will be on such a scale of magnificence as to eclipse all previous efforts, beginning with the showy tulips and hyacinths, ending with chrysanthemums and cosmos. Floriculture must be representative in every sense of the word. However much the cut flowers of roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums are admired and though large numbers of them are produced, they but very imperfectly represent floriculture. Plants of all kinds must oe grown and cared for. We should not only have a large variety of plants and flowers for the decoration of dwellings and the adorn- ment of greenhouses, but every plant suitable for the decoration of lawns and gardens. For example, all bulbous plants, all herbaceous plants, and the many beautiful annuals and bienniels, such as are cheaply obtained and easily grown, must have all the encouragement possible at the World's Columbian Exposition. Let us do everything on a scale equal to the mag- nitude of the undertaking. I predict that the World's Columbian Exposition will advance floricul- ture 25 years, and that in ten years from now, I venture to say, that Chicago will come pretty near being the head center of the business." I 219 EDWARD S. DREYER, Ml!. Edwakd S. Dreyer, whose handsome resideflce is shown on page 103 is one of the most popular and successful business men of Chicago. Be- sides conducting with Mr. Kobert Berger, his amiable partner, the well known banking house of E. S. Dreyer & Co., he was also president of the real estate board of tliis city, is treasurer of the state private bank association, director and treasurer of Chicago Heights, and was appointed by JMayor Washburne one of the railroad terminal commissioners. lie belongs to the public spirited men, who helped to build up the German Oltl People's Home (Altenheim), the Schiller and Grant monuments in Lincoln Park, the Auditorium, Schiller Theatre, Ger- mania Club building, etc. Mr. Dreyer is a native of Biickeburg, in Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany, where he was born, August 5, 184-4. He was educated in the city of Hameln in Hanover, after which he learned the trade of carriage trimmer. Both of his parents having died when he was yet a child, he went to live with his near- est relatives until he had attained the age of fifteen years. After finishing his schooling he determined to change both his location and his business and ac- cordingly crossed the ocean to America, lauding in New York in June. 186-1. Upon landing he came directly to Chicago, where he has remained up to the present hour. When he had learned the language of this country and had ac- quired an insight into the rights and duties of citizenship he entered the em- ploy of Knauer Brothers, real estate dealers, in whose service he remained until January 1, 1870, when, as a reward of merit, he became a member of the firm. In February, 1873, he withdrew from the partnership and established a real estate business of his own under the name of E. S. Dreyer tt Company, which title lias been used continuously down to the present time. His ottice was then located at 72 Dearborn Street, from where it was removed in 187o to 98 Dearborn Street. The rapid growth of his business soon made it necessary again to remove to more commodious quarters, whereupon he located at 88 Washington Street, where he remained until 1878, when he occupied his [ires- ent spacious rooms at the northeast corner of Dearborn and Washington Streets. He grew steadily and raindly in wealth and in popular favor and soon his popularity was not exceeded by that of any other real estate dealer or banker in the city. From the time he began, back in 1873, down to the pres- ent day, he has "invested over $100,000,000, a sum so vast that its magnitude can hardly be comprehended. So rapidly had Mr. Dreyer amassed money, that in 1877, he founded his mortgage banking business and conducted it in conjunction with his real estate dealing.s. From 1875 to 1891, Mr. Edward Koch was his business partner, and in 1878 Mr. Ko])ert Berger was also admitted to the partnership and is thus associated at the present time. Since the great fire in 1871, this firm has built fully two hundred houses in all portions of the city. IMr. Dreyer is a strong democrat and in December 1884 was chosen collector of North Ciiicago out of thirty-two candidates for the position. In 1888 he was elected school treasurer of Lake View. He is a member of the County Board of Education atul a Director of the Public Lib- rary. Mr. Dreyer came to this city poor and friendless; but he was not afraid to work, and where is the German that is? In less than a (puvrter of a century he has accumulated a large fortune and wtm an enviable reputation for integ- rity, honesty and l)enevolence. His wife was formerly Aliss Augusta Bill- igmann, a native of Keokuk. Iowa, who has presented him with four chil- dren; Addie, Lottie, Edward S. Jr. and Florence. — 220 THEO. A. KOCHS. 'jilffftfer'-i" In illustrating the rapid growth of the City of Chicago and its wonderful development, one of the best examples is the establishment of Theo A. Kochs, manufacturer of Barbers' ISupplies, at 158170 Wells (Street. Twenty years ago this business was begun at 'J17 Fifth Ave. and Mr. Kochs supplied the local barbers with such goods as are needed in this business, but his reputation soon began to spread into adjoining towns and cities and the business rapidly increased. Gradually the whole of the building at 217 Fifth Ave. was occupied and factory space was rented upon the West Side, but the business continued to grow and in 1883 Mr. Kochs found it necessary to^erect a building at 158-160 Wells St., into which the entire busi- ness, oflice, store and factory was moved. At the time it seemed that the building would be large enough to meet all requirements, but in 1885 it was necessary to add another story and in 1887 the lot adjoining was built upon, so that the capacity was almost doubled. But even tliis was not sufficient and in 1890 the building was again enlarged so that now it occupies a frontage of 148 feet on Wells Street and 110 feet on Erie Street, making a total tloor space of almost -two acres. In this vast establishment about 250 men are employed in the manufacture of Barbers' Cliairs and Furniture, Barbers' Poles, I 'ecorated Shaving Mugs, Cosmetics and Perfumery of all descriptions, and, in fact, everythiug that i.s required in a modern barber shop. These gojds are sliipjied to all parts of tiie United States, from Maine to California, to Canada, Mexico, England, Australia and South America, and the establishment tiiat was l)orn twenty years ago now supplies the barbers in every corner of the civilized world. 1873. 1«5)3. — -1 2 1 Y ^pgg7$gp:^|,tt'1^^ gH^&SSiSSL imuwj um^^mMm^mWn^^iuw^ mm ei mw JOHN M. SMYTH BUILDING. John M. Smyth's new building, to replace that destroyed by fire in April 1891, was begun and completed within a space of about five months. It is one of the finest blocks on the west side, being eight stories in height, having a frontage of 205 feet on Madison street and a depth of 180 feet, and costing .$350,000. It is of the so-called, slow- burning mill construction, iron columns and wood being used in the interior and buff Bedford stone and brick for the exterior walls. Two massive arches form the entrance. The store front is provided with the largest plate glass windows in Chicago, each pane being 196 by 120 inches in size. Handsome pillars separate the windows. The main show-room is 120 by 125 feet in area, and the central shipping court, which has a glass, iron-trussed roof, is 55 by 118 feet. Two wings, each 40 by 180 feet, extend back from the main joom. Four freight elevators are provided, as well as a number of jiassenger elevators, run by six engines of 120-horse power. Three thousand, six hundred incandescent electric lights, 250 arc lights and 1,800 gas-jets furnish brillant illumination for every part of the building. Four broad stairways connect the various floors. The entire structure, having a total floor area of 279,000 square feet or six and one-fourth acres, is used for the storing, finishing and uppholstering display and sale of furniture. It is located at 150-166 West Madison street. ^^#^ ■ -^ Ji^ business Mstices. "^D^ Ilini)t6 itaab^Jdtuttg THE GREAT GERMAN DAILY, WEEKLY AND SUNDAY NENA/SPAPER. It is the leading and most influential German Newspaper west of New York City. With Its LARGE AND RAPIDLY INCREASING CIRCULATION and great popularity it long since has become a highly valuable and desirable MEDIUM FOR ADVERTISING. It not only reaches the large Cernman population of this City and County, but has readers in every State and Terri- tory of the Union, and a large list outside of the United States. STARTS ZEITUNG BUILDING, Northeast Cor. Washington Street and Fifth Avenue, CHICAGO. TEX-SPKOrTE: 635 nfl[A.ZN. E. S. DREYER. ROBERT BERGER. E. S. Dreyer & Co., BANKERS, REAL ESTATE AND LOANS. N. E. Cop. Dearborn and Washington Sts.,. Telephone 2645. OlTj. lO ACjfO. Fkkd. S. James. (Jko. W. Blossom. \Vm. p. Maksh. Jos. S. Phi i. lips. Fred. S. James & Co., Fire Irsdrarge flsEnGY, 174 LA SALLE STREET, Telephone No. 204. CHICAGO. LANCASHIRE INSURANCE CO., England. FIREMEN'S FIRE INSURANCE CO., Boston, Mass. THE DELAWARE INSURANCE CO., Philadelphia, Pa. CONNECTICUT FIRE INSURANCE CO., Hartford, Conn. NATIONAL FIRE INSURANCE CO., Hartford, Conn. BROADWAY INSURANCE CO., New York. m MiioML m or ilunois, 115 DEARBORN STREET, CHICAGO. GEORGE SCHNEIDER, President. WM. A. HAMMOND, Casbier. CARL MOLL. Ass't Cashier. HENRY L. FIELD, Second Ass't Cashier. PAID-UP CAPITAL $1,000,000 SURPLUS AND UNDIVIDED PROFITS 1,015,000 Acconnts ol individuals, l)anlvs, banlvcrs and corporations so'icited and correspon- dence invited. Buy and sell foreign exchange. Issue ENGLISH and GER.MAN letters of credit, available in all parts of the world. EDWARD KOCH.. BANKER AND BROKER 158 Dearborn Street, MEMBER CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE. Telephone 2978. CHICAGO. WILLIAM DICKINSON COURTLANDTS. DIXON JEROME A. KING JOHN W. DICKINSON IRAC. HUTCHINSON Dickinson Bros, & King, Foieign and fliUBiicaii Portland CBments. MILWAUKEE CEMENT. LOUISVILLE CEMENT. CHICAGO. NEW YORK. NEW ORLEANS. INTERNBTIONHL BflNK, iio LA SALLE STREET. After May ist, 1893, Security Building, Cor. Madison and Fifth Ave. CAPITAL, SURPLUS, B. NEU, Cashier. $500,000. 150,000. B. LOEWENTHAL, President. COURSES OF FOUR MONTHS, y, ROBERT WAHL, Ph. D. .....^ -.-„«. .»nx/ . L y^-J^-t^": WIAX HENIUS, Ph. D. BEGINNING FEBRUARY Ist /^^7, ^,,.,,,,,,, „^ AND SEPTEMBER Ist. rK**"*^' I I I I I I I I 717^ Sgentific; 5tatior} FOR Br^u/ir><5 of ^Ql7i(;a(5o. . -^ ! I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ^meFicaiB Brewimi IgtigMf^ X — ^&.4. ^ ^k «_ ^ >»t.^^ wk w -Ski.*, w^&m^I Ml ts>^ «%%^ ■>/ HM^mJv « Editors "Der Braumeister." No. 294 South Water Street, N. W. Cor. Lake Street, ABENDPOST. The GREAT GERMAN DAILY. "Want Ads." are a specialty of the " Abendpost." It has more of this class of advertisements than all the other German newspapers of Chicago combined, or than any other German paper outside of New York. This is the most convincing proof of the great popularity and circulation of the "Abendpost." Eighty branch advertising agencies throughout the United States. Main office, 203 FIFTH AVENUE, ABENDPOST BUILDING. IPIjA-IIsr J^lsTlD ^ ORNflinENTflL PLASTERER, OFFICE, ROOM 40, LAKESIDE BUILDING, S. W. COR. CLARK AND ADAMS STREETS, Telephone Main 33 1. CHICAGO, ILL. Residence 239 Bissell Street. STRICTLY HIGH CLASS WORK A SPECIALTY. PROTECT YOURSELF AND FAMILY BY RECORDING YOUR NUMBER WITH THE Natisnal IdentifiGatien GsiripanY, OF CHICHGO, IL.LINOIS. ROOM 2, 92 E. WASHINGTON STREET. OFFICERS: JULIUS JONAS, President and Treasurer. JAMES G. SPENCER, Secretary. JUSTUS M. KRAUS, Vice President and Gen. Supt. THE NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION CO. Recommends itself to everybody. Because in case of injury, it informs your friends as soon as notified and sends you to address recorded, with an attendant in a conveyance, without cost to you. Because in case of death it embalms the body, taking charge of same until relieved by friends. Everybody recorded is furnished with a neat metal badge, which can be attached to a key ring or worn in any conven- ient place about the body. In a book of Record, opposite the number is the name, address and full description of the party recorded, also the party to be notified. COSTING BUT A TRIFLE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. Chicago Board of Reference By Permission: Hon. Hempstead Waslibiiriie, Mayor, liabbl EinilG. Hirsch, Hon. John T. Finneity, M. ('. J. A. Sexton, Postmaster. Clias. Kern, County Treasurer. R. W. McClauRhry, Cbiel of Police. John D. Shea, Chief of Detectives. I-;. S. Dreyer, Ranker. Julius Goldzier, M.C. F. H. Cooper (Sic^el, Cooper & Co.) Leo Austrian, I'urnilure Manufacturer. PAUL J HAUSWIRTH, Successor to CHARLES REISSIG, ^ FII0R1ST * AUDITORIUM BUILDING, CHICAGO. Estimates on Decorations ClieerfuUy Furnished. TELEPHONE 2149. ■Q. A. TU2NB0LL. Established 18S8. E. P. CULLEBTON. TURNBULL & CULLERTON, General Roolers Gypsuminenal Cement . . . # Roofing^-^ GUARANTEED 10 YEARS. OFFICE.- Ag-ents Peninsular Metal Lath. g^^ 195 LA SALLE STREET. Yards: 16th St. and Blue Island Avenue, C, B. & Q. Ry. Tracks. All Kinds of Gravel Composition and \^ ^WI/^AOO Metal Roofing. Repairing and Re- coating a Specialty. TELEPHONE 819. REGISTER. A. Abrahams, Henry 147 Abt, Peter 151 Adams, David 147 Adams, McGregor J -U Amberg, Frnnz '^4, 78 81 Anderson, Berndt 1~6 Anderson, John 176 Anderson, Niles 24 27 Angelsberg, M.N 135 Apple, Henry 151 Arms^trong, John M 15 16, 19 Arnold, J 143 Arnold, J. P 78 Artz, B 151 Austin, H. W 164 Austrian, Falk 147 B. Babka, Jos 180 Baier, A 143 Baker, S. L 73 Balatka. Hans 47 Bates, Eli 23 27 Bauer, Aug 155 Bauer, August 24 Baynes, John 13!) Becker, Chas 144 Beck with. Judge 43. 150 Becvar, Jos 180 Benson, C. L 176 Berger, Robert 217 Bernard, F. H. I)r 78 Best, Wm 59 Biehl, L 140 Birkeland J. S 175 Blair, C.J 39 Blaney, J. C, Dr 123 Blatter, F 143 Blodgeit,H. W 131 Bodenschatz 168 Bogue, Geo. M 151 Bohemian Free Thinkers .... 179 Bowen,(!. T '..40,44 Boyle, Amelia C 143 Bradley Wni. II 19 Bradwell, J. B 131 Branstad, L 176 Brenan, Thos , 136 Brenock, John 68, 71, 72 Brick, Chr 143 BrockwMy, Adelheid 155 Bross, Wm 40 Brusewitz, H. P 176 Bryan, Daniel Page 120 Bryan, Thomas B 120 Buehler, John 68, 71, 78, 167, 168 Burcky, David 151 Burkhardt, Henry iS 72 Burkhardt & Son 143 Busch,J.B 143 c. Campbell, James 151 Carlson, CO ...24 Carlson, L 176 Carpenter, Benj , 15, 16 Carter, Consider 71 Carver, Benj 151 Chadband, W 128, 131 Chadwick, Wm. H 208 Chaiser, Andrew 24 Charles, Jos 28 Chicago Dregding & Dock Co ... .36 Clark, David W 72 Clark, John V. Jr 39 Cleveland, H. W. S 44 Clussmann, Werner 168 Cole, Cyrus E 151 Cole,D,ivid 60 Cook, Burton C 151 Cooley, H. H 151 Cornell, Paul 40, 44, 151 Cossmann , M 143 Cottle, W. P 155 Cragin.E. F 28 Cramer, Cale 151 Cregier.DeWittC 176 Cremer, Anton 143 Cross, Clarence 164 Cudahy, John 136 Cullom,S. M 68 Culver, B. F 19 Cunningham, Ilobt 151 Cunningham, Thos F 28 D. Demmler, Franz 24 Detmer, Anton 143 232 Devine, Wm. M 130 DeVry, Hermann '^4 Dewes.F.J 78,81 Dietzsch, Emil 24 Diversy, Michael 14o Dohl, J.G ...144 Donnersberger, Jos 5'J Dore, JohnC 40 Drake, Frank 1 ol Drechsler, A 144 Dreyer, Au£;usta Mr.< 217 Dreyer, Edward S 24,28,31, 217 Dubuis, O. F 71 Dunn, F. K 151 E. Eastman, Frank 40 Eckart, Geo 164 Egan, Wm. B., Dr 40 Ehrhorn, G 81 Eizner, John 98 Eklund, Chas 24 Ellsworth, J. W 59 Enander, John A 24 Engelsmann, F 143 Ernst, Jos. E 115 Eskilson, John 146 F. Farwell, C. B 28 Farwell, MarcusA 148, 151 Fiiulhaber, John M 168 Feindt, Wm 108 Ferber, Johaun 155 Fiedler 144 Fischer, Jacob 108 Fischer, Peter, Rev 1 5o FitzSimons, Charles. . .35, 36, 47, 176 Flannigan, J 150 Forrest, J. K. C 40 Foster, Frank J 47 Frank, Jos 24 Freeman, S. A 27 Friesleben, Catharine 151 Froehlich, Jacques • 108 Fucik, Frank 180 Fuller, H.W 40 c. Qabrielson, G 170 (iage, Geo. W 44, 47 Gage, J.N. , 151 Gall, L. G 151 Gauss.E. F. L 78, 100 Geilfuss, Aug 151 Geist, C. F 108 German Press Club 78 Getty, Henry II 120 Gieliske, C 151 Gilpin, Henry D 73 Gindele, John G 10 Glogauer, Fritz 78 Goldmann, Sam 147 Goldstein, Isaac 147 Goldstein, P 147 Goldzier, Julius 78 Goodman, Dau'l 151 Goodrich , A 151 Goodrich, Grant 15 Goodspead, E. J 1,55 Gottfried M 108 Gottsellig, Therese 155 Goudy, Wm. C 16, 39 Grannis, W. C. D 151 Grant, Mrs 28 Grant Monument 27 Grant, Ulysses Jr 28 Green Dredging Comiiany 36 Greeuebaum, Henry .... (jO, 08, 78 81 Gresham, Walter Q 27 Grommes, Jacob 28 Gross, Jacob 81 Grosse, John 28 Guenther, Thee 168 Gunderson, S. T 170 Guth, H 151 H. Haase's Park 163 Haeberle, A. T 144 Haedicke, Paul 78 Haertiug, Carl 24, 78 Hagemann, A 143 Halik, St. J 180 Hallberg, L. G... 24 Hallermann, Amanda 144 Hallermann, Wm 144 Hancock, Wm. S 151 Hanke, J 168 Harmon, H. W 59 Harms, H. Dr 78 Harper, Wm.H 151 Harrison, Carter H 23 Harvey, J. D 28 Ilaunschild, Jos 143 Hayes, S. S 40, 64, 73 Healy, Geo. P. A 120 Hechinger, Catherine 143 Heinzmann, Geo 81 Heiss, C. E 24 Heissler, Jacob 168 Hellwig, Wilhelmine 1 68 Henius, Max Dr 78, 81 Ilenne, Phil 24 Henrotin, C 28 Herting, John 143 Hesing, A. C 19, 20, 24, 78, 81 Hesing, Louise Mrs 143 Hesing, Washington 176 Hess, Frank 180 Hesselroth Lawrence 24, 27 Heuer, August 39 Heywood, P. P 28 Hickling, Wm 151 23.3 Hildenbeutel, L 144 Hitt, Isaac R BU Hjortsberg, Max 20 Hjortsdahl.F 17G Hoerber, John L ! (jH Hoermann, Fred 1 44 H.)flfmann& Co 78 Hogan, John Mrs 180 Hogaii, Martin 156 Hoiiner, Johanna 1 68 Holden, Chas. C. P 16, (iO, 68 Holinger, Arnold 24 Holmes, Israel lol Ilonore, H.H 40 Hooley. Richard M 136 Hora, Jos 180 Hoyne, Henry 151 Hoyne, Thomas 40, 43 Huck, Louis 24.120 Humboldt Celebration Club 78 Humboldt Monument 78 Hurlbut,J. H 164 Hurlbut, 8. E 164 Hussander, L. F 27 I. Ine, Leopold 180 J. Jacob, Emma "W 151 Jacobson, A 176 Jahncke, A. J. W 151 Janke, John 144 Jampolis, Marcus 147 Jansen, Geo 168 Jaussen, Theo 78 Jennings, John D 40 Jernberg, August 24 Jewett,S. N 2S Johnson, A. E 24 Johnson, A. P 176 Johnson, Alex. J 24 Johnson, Jacob 176 Johnson, Nelson 82 Johnson, W.T 28 Johnston, Samuel 81 Johnston, W. S 78 Jones. William 15 Junker, Heinrich 144 K. Kadish, L. J 20 Kales, Francis 19 Kanst, Fred 47, 52, 55 Karls, Theo 24 Karnatz,F. H 77 KaufEert, C. F 151 Kayler, Ben j 1 55 Keller, Aug 151 Kern, Chas 28 K^^tteli^trings. Jos 1 64 Kineella, D. P 180 Kirk, Chas. S 39 Klacel, Ladimir Prof 180 Klein, Henry 155 Kleiner, Paul 151 Knauer Bros 217 Koch, Edward 78 Kochs, Theo. A 218 Koehler, Peter 168 Kohlsaat, C. C 72 Kostner, Jos 180 Kress, Geo 151 Kublank, P 151 Kummer, J 168 L. Lackner, Francis 24 Lafrentz, H. N 168 Langeloth, M 168 Larson, Frithjof Dr 27 La Salle Monument 31 Lasman, Dora 144 Lathrop, Bryan 120 Lawrence, Frank J 72 Lawson, Iver 16, 115 Lefens, T. J 24, 28, 168 Lehrkamp, Louise 151 Leicht, Andrew C 24 Leiendecker, N 143 Leiendecker, L. P 143 Letz, Fred 16 Lewis, H.F 131 Lincoln Monument 27 Lindblom, Robert 24, 27, 28 Lindgren, Richard 27 Lindskog, H. Rev 27 Lindstrand, F. A 24 Lingenberg, John 168 Lannaeus Monument Ass 24 Lipe, Clark 60,68 Loewenthal, B 68. 72 Long, Eugene C 131 Long, James 15 Lott. E. R 168 Ludlam, J. W. Dr 12 Lynch, Thomas 136 M. McAuley, J. T 28 McAvoy, John 136 McAvoy, John H 151 McCagg, E. B 19.40 McChesney, R 68 McCrea, S. H 68,71 McDonald, P. C 156 McGralh, P.J 72 McKindley. James 151 McLaughlin, Jos 189 Maas, Frederick 1 68 Maas, Philip 168 Madlener, Fridolin ...24 Manierre, George 15 Marks H. L 147 •m Mason, Mead 151 Matas, Vaclav 180 Maurer, Minna 168 Mayer, Frank 143 Mayer, Leopold 24 Michelsen, H .' 176 Millard. A. C 68 Miller, Carl 106 Mineral Wells 101 Mitchell, Wm. H 120 Miville, C. D 143 Moeller, C. C 24 Molitor, Jos 179 Morgan, Wm 155 Mueller, Bernard 143 Mueller, John B 168 Mulligan, Col 135 Munson, Francis 43 Murphy, Phil. H 136 Muus, J. F. A 68 N. Neiglick, P.N 147 Nelson, Andrew 19 Nettelhorst, Louis 24 New, Marie 143 Newberry, Walter L 15 Newman, Bishop 28 Newman, Wm H 151 Nickerson, S. M 19, 31 Noe, S. R 151 o. Oberg, Conrad 144 Oehmich, H J 151 Oesterreicher, Abraham 147 Osden, Wm. B VJO Oleson, John 176 Olmsted, Fred. Law 40, 44 Olson, Jons 170 O'Neill, Chas. J 136 P. Palmer, Potter 28. 31 Palmer, Potter, Mrs 28, 208 Patterson, Thos. E 120 Pauly, Wm 156 Peck, Ferd 176 Perkins, N. C 40 Peterson, C.F 24,27 Peterson, P. S 24, 187, 188 Peterson, Wm. A 187 Pettigrew, J. A 35 Phillips, H. W 151 Pierce, J. Irving 40 Pieser, Jacob 147 Pitkin. E. H 164 Plautz, C. Hermann 78 Pottgieser, Giesbert 151 Proudfoot, Alderman 16 Prueseing, George 24 R. Rahlfs, Geo 68, 7 1, 72, 83 Raimburg, A 156 Rapp, W 23 Rauch G. H. Dr 48 Raymond, Benj. W 15 Raymond, S. P 28 Rebisso, Louis F 28, 31 Reed, Alexander 148 Rehm, Jacob 19, 20 Reidi, Michael 155 Reuter Statue 81 Rexford, N. B 155 Reynolds, Jas. L 120 Richolson, B. F 176 Righeimer, N 168 Robinson, C. H 164 Robinson, Lena 151 Roeder, John C 143 Rohn, Wm 144 Roos, B. L 168 Root, Jas. P 40 Rose, Edward 28,78 Rosenfeld, Morris 147 Rosenthal, Julius 23, 24, 78 Rozet, Geo. H 28 Rubens, Harry 24, 78 Ruhl, Moses 147 Runyan, E. F 60, 68 Russell, Martin J 59 Ryerson, Martin A 120 Ryerson Monument 31 Rylander, Victor 24 s. Sawyer, Sidney 120 Scammon, J. Y 40 Schiller Monument 23 Schillo, Anton 143 Schimpfermann, W. H 151 Schlytern, C E 176 Schmidt, Christian 151 Schmidt, George 28 Schmidt, J. H 168 Schoenewald, J 143 Schoenhofen, Peter 120 Schoeninger, Adolph 200, 203 Schoenintrer, Joseph .24 Scholer, F 143 Schrade, Geo 167, 168 Schramm, F 144 Schroeder, Louise A: Wm 168 Schuerle, A 168 Schuettler, Pet»^r 68 Schulz, M 168 Schultz, Henry 144 Schweinfurth, G 168 Schweii-thai, Michael 28 Scott, G. H 128, 131 Seaman, Herman 147 Seiffert, Rudolph Ur 24 Seipp, Conrad 151 Seipp, Wm. C 1U8 Sell, John 82 Selz, Morris 28 Senff, F. L 78 Sexton, P. J 13G Seyfried, U 168 Shakespeare Moniiment 81 Shay, Jas loH Sheldon, Edwin H 120 Sheppard, H. H 148. 151 Sherman, John I> f'9 Shipley, J. C 08 Sidway, L. B 40,44 Siebel, J. E. Prof lOL Sleben, Mich U:] Simon, Andreas 78 Simonds, O. C 120 Sidelar, Joseph 180 Skinner, Mark 15 Shidek, Marie 148 Small, Albion W 81 Smejkal, Jos. A 180 Smith, Gpo.W .40 Smith, Philander 1(34 Smyth, John M 219 Snell, A. J 128 Snow, W. B i;!6 Solomon, Heiman 147 Sommer, Ludwig ' 144 Sorgenfrei, F 151 Spence, Henry 151 Spiegel. M. M 147 Spofford, G W 98 Sprengel, C 144 St. Gaudens, Augustus 23 27 St. George, A . . . r 78 Stabford, A 176 Stanford, Geo. W 60 68 Stangeland, O. L 176 Stanley, P. E 28 Steiger, G 151 Stein, Chas 151 Stensland, Paul O 170 Stern, Max 24 Stieglitz, Gustav 24 Stockton, Jos 19 31 Strauch, Adolph 127, 148 Streming, John 144 Stromback, Chas 23, 27 31 , 35 Strong. Wm. E 31 Stuckart, Conrad 151 Suddard, Thos. J 71 Sullivan, J. B 28 Sundelius. P. A 27 Svenson, Gustav 27 Svobodna. Obeo 179 Swabian Society 23 T. Talcott, Mancel I\Irs 82 Tarnow,G 168 Taylor, Edw. S 28,31,39 Tegtmeyer. Christopher 72 Tempel, John 143 Tennie, Anton 155 Tessmann, Chas 151 Thielemann's Rummer Kesort 27 Thomas, Peter 155 Thompson. Harvey L 71, 72, 81 Thornton. David 136 Thorpe, John 215 Thorsen, S. D 176 Towner, Henry 28 Tree, Lambert 31 Trogg, John ] 68 Troost Bros 168 Tully, JohnD 136 Turner, J. B 19 Turner, S. M. T 151 Turner, Wm. H 181 Turner, V. C i6 u. Uhlich, Karl 155 Uihlein, Edward 78, 104, 203. 204 Ullmann, Nellie M 151 Underberg M 168 V. Vaesgen, Isabella ; . . 155 Van Bokellen 151 Vanderbelt, H 155 Van H. Higgins 181 VanHoutin, Frank 151 Vaughan, J. C 207, 208 Vidman, O. F 24 Voss, Arno 168 w. Wacker, Chas. H . . ! 28 Wacker Monument 143 Wadlow, R. A 39 Wagner, Albert 143 Wagner, Peter 148 Waitzel, Isaac 147 Waller, B. A 39 Wallis,Thos 131 Walsh John K 59 Wampold, Louis 28 Washburne, Hempstead .... 24 28, 81 Weinhardt, Hermann 78 81 Weinhardt, Martha 81 Weiss, Geo. A 24 Wenter, Frank 24 Wentworth, John 128 Werkmeister, J 151 Wessendorf, John 155 Whaples, Reuben 164 Whitehouse. F. M 31 Wicker, Alderman 115 Widestrand, Louis 27 Wieland, Henry 28 Wiemann, H 168 Wilcox, S.N 68, 71, 72 23C Wild, Theo. Dr 168 Wilken, Emil 68 Williams, Norman 28, 31, 40 Wilson, John M 40, 44 Winston, F. H 19 Wischemeyer, Henry 143, 152 Wischemeyer, Maria 152 Wittbold, G 208 Wolff, Ludwig 24. 78 Wolford, J. A 13G Wood, E. E 68 Woodard, Willard 68,71, 115 Woodman, Alderman 16 Y. Yerkes. Chas. T 20, 98 z. Zapel. Carl 82 Zdrubek, Frank B 179 Zeller, J. E. C 151 Zender, John 143 Zoellner. Augusta 168 Zulfer,A 143 I ///2 S3 4\