820

of a World’s Fair, the question arose, in what city
the enterprise should be placed. Rivalry became
exceedingly keen, especially between New York,
Chicago, and-Washington, and presently it was seen
that one of these three must secure the prize. But
which? Washington was the national capital, and
thus an appropriate site; it was accessible; it had
magnificent grounds for the purpose.
As for New York it was the metropolis,
the business and social capital, the chief
port, the city of greatest size and wealth
and interest, In favor of Chicago it was
urged that it was, with its marvellous
growth and enterprise, most truly repre-
sentative of the American spirit; that it
was nearest to the centre of the country,
and that in point of general fitness it was
second to no other. The ultimate deci-
sion was left with Congress, and it was in
favor of Chicago; whereupon all rivalries
were forgotten, and New York and the
whole nation joined loyally in the work
of helping forward the gigantic under-
taking.

It is fitting to take at least a brief
glance at the extraordinary city in which
this latest and greatest Universal Exhi-
bition is to be held—extraordinary both
in its history and in its present status.
The first white man who trod its soil was
the famous French missionary, Father
Marquette. He went thither in 1673.
Later, La Salle, Joliet, Hennepin, and
others visited the region; but none of
them made any settlement there. Indeed
while Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and other cities were attaining
great size and almost venerable age, the
site of this Western metropolis remained
awilderness. In 1804, however the Gov-
ernment established a frontier military
post at the mouth of the Chicago River,
calling it Fort Dearborn. The little gar-
rison remained there eight years and
then, in 1812, was annihilated by the
Indians, though a few other white settlers
survived and held their ground. The
next attempt at settlement occurred in 1829, when
James Thompson surveyed the site for a proposed

THE WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.

town. On August roth, 1833, the settlement was
incorporated, there being twenty-eight legal voters.
On March 4th, 1837, a city charter was obtained,
and thenceforth the growth of the place was rapid
and substantial beyond all imagination. In 1840
the population was 4,479; in 1850 it was 28,269;

in 1860 it was 112,172; and 1870 it was 298,977.

 

 

 

CHICAGO IN 1856.

In the fall of 1871 occurred an event notable not
only in the history of Chicago, but of the whole