Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 122, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1903 — CITY 100 YEARS OLD. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CITY 100 YEARS OLD.

CHICAGO CELEBRATES A CENTURY'S GROWTH. Early Events in the City’s i|iatory. and its Progress During’ TOO Yeairis Shown in the Festivities Fiery Spectacle Opens Chicago's centennial "celebration was inaugurated Saturday night wlith a spectacle viviJly recalling the grefet—-flra-Which destroyed the city'in lS7fr. Under the watchful eyes of firemen and police, 8,000 pounds of red fire was burned in the downtown district, brilliantly illuminuting a large part of the city. Rain lowering clouds heightening the comber Vettings of the scene of the mimic tragedy, and the flare of flame, flashed up against the blackened sky, made an impressive picture marking an epoch in Chicago’s life At 8:15 o’clock a bomb was sent up from the City Hall warning the firemen to prepare for the burning. The powder was emptied on the stree? corners, and one minute later another bomb gave the signal, which was followed by clouds of smoke and flame lifted skyward. For ten infinites the fires from twentyeight different points in State, Dearborn, Clark and LaSalle streets. between Randolph street and. Jackson boulevard, held the attention of the throng and gave a faint idea of tlie real spectacle of thirty-two years ago. which left the city iii ashes. While this illumination was the feature of tlie opening day of the celebration. an event in the morning was not without interest. It was the arrival of 200 representatives of six tribes of American Indians. Fantastically attired in barbaric finery, the red men were escorted to Lincoln Park, where they pitch-

ed their tents fcr the formation of an Indian village, which haj been visited by thousands. During the afternoon GO.OOt) peoplevisited The park and watched the descendants of tlie tribes whielj had inhabited this sec-thm during the ,e_ajrl.v days, when Chicago was an. infant. From the entrance to their -tepees tlie Indians gazed wonderingly oserthe heads of the curious throng toward the heart of the great city which in 100 years had been thrice destroyed, yet had risen to take its place among the great cities of the world. In the afternoon a party of Saca and Foxes left the park qnd was es-

corted to the Public Library building, where they aided in the dedication of a tablet commemorating the first and second Forts Dearborn, the former destroyed by their ancestors. Inaugural of the Centennial. The centennial was formally inaugurated at 2 o'clock in the afternoon by the dedication at the Public Library building of the Fort Dearborn tablet. Charles A. Plamotidon, chairman of the centennial executive committee, spoke the words of formal opening. The dedicatory rites rerved also for the remaining eight tablets. / The Fort Dearborn tablet will be permanent, the Klio Club announcing at the dedication that it would replace the temporary cast with one of bronze. Tlie jubilee lasted through Thur day night. "Sunday was’oW of religious observance, the majority of Chicago churches recognizing the centennial by some form of appropriate service. Monday was set aside for the historical side of the celebration. The Chicago Historical Society threw open its building at Dearborn avenue and Ontario street and in the evening gave, a reception for which 2,000 invitations liad been issued. Games and dances also began at tlie Indian village, being repeated each afternoon. The descendants of John Kiuzie, Lieut. J. S. Swearingen and ('apt. John Whistler, held a reunion Tuesday afternoon. In the evening came the centennial parade, which wns the most ■event of the junileu. The packers entertained the public on Wednesday and the aquatic sports were begun in the afternoon at Lincoln Park. In the evening the Daughters of the American Revolution received at Memorial Hall. Thursday was crowded -wttii events. The old renters held a reunion at Memorial Hall in the afternoon. A banquet was given visiting Mayors at the Auditorium at O' b’ciock, ‘‘Golden Rifle” Jones being among the speakers. At 8 p. m. Mayor Beth Low of New York ■poke in the Auditorium Theater on “Civic Life.”

it was In the industrial parade that the commercial and business, progress of Chicago was most strikingly' told. In a general way the pro&aeion of floats was after the fashion of the Mardi Gras festivals at New Orleans. It differed from that in that these were not allegoroies, but faithful representations of actual things past and present. First of all were- the Indians. With them were the pioneer soldiery and the early settlers. Log cabins like those of 1803 and later occupied places on the floats. These made way for a representation of the bloody massacre of 1812, and this, in turn, was .’ucceeded in line by a miniature reproduction of some of Chicago’s earl)’ business houses. The famous political wigwam of 1844, the first pootoffiee, the original court

house and the Green Tree tavern had been chosen as suitable means of illustrating the pioneer city. Chicago during the rebellion was the patriotic theme of another float, and the vehicle had as its escort the surviving members of the old Board of Trade Battery and other war veterans. Recollections of the great fire, too, were invoked. ‘‘Chicago Rebuilt” was the picture closing the story of yesterday. "Chicago of To-day” unfolded itself with a representation of the World’s Fair, and this was followed by the' evolution of industry—a serie® of floats, in which the city’s commercial progress was portrayed. To give the parade a beautiful setting it took place at night. Each float was equipped with a storage battery and was self-illuminating. In addition to the electric splendor, calcium lights were used prodigally. The streets and avenues through which the pageant passed were a blaze of electric beauty. Flags and banners gave an opulence of color rarely seen even in the city of famops street decorations. The automobile display was a feature. In the night parade 2,000 vehicles were in line. Two days were devoted to races between electric and gasoline vehicles. Athletics were also introduced. Water sports, such as swimming and polo, were witnessed on an elaborate scale. A. banquet to a thousand Mayors of American cfties interested’soiiie of the One hundred thousand dollars was expended and 500,000 visitors were in the city. The stock yards section of the city, sometimes designated Packingtown, had a day all its own, and 60,000 employes took part in it. Cowboys from the West participated. There was lassoing, roping, throwing and binding of steers and other sports which have made the picturesque plainsmen unique among the craftsmen of the world. As far as possible the unsightly features of the abattoir were eliminated, there being no desire to fihock the senses of the spectators. There ws® a lavish display of flags and bunting, and music until the eye and ear were surfeited, but there also were exhibits giving an educational

insight into that marvelous system by which not an ounce of a steer —hair, hide, hoof or horn—is allowed to go to waste.

FIRST SETTLER'S CABIN.

FIRST COURTHOUSE, 1830.

CHICAGO IN 1830 FROM THE LAKE.