Verhovayak Lapja, 1955 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1955 / Verhovay Journal
1955 VERHOVAY NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP DAYS FAGE 2 At the foot of Lake Michigan, in the heart, of the richest val'ey or the globo, towers Chicago, greatest metropolis of the Middle West. Fourth largest city of the world today, a mere hundred years ago it stood an obscure Indian outpost on a more or less uncertain frontier. Chicago’s recorded history really begins with the first exploration by Louis Joliet in 1673. Commissioned' by the governor of New France to Pioneer the upper reaches of the Mississippi, whose lower branches had been discovered by De Soto more than a century previous, Joliet, together with Father Jacques 'Marquette, opened a new empire that was to be a bone of contention between Great Britain and France for a hundred years to follow. France at the, very outset vecop,-nized the possibilities existent in the area that was to become Chicago, of a comparatively easy connecting link between the northern waterway system made up by the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, and the equally important marine highways offered by the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico That such a link was to become a fact almost two and a half centuries later, when in 1944 the. Federal Government completed, -just southwest of Chicago, the last improvement in the Lakes to the Gidf Waterways, opening’ new avenues to international trade, tells its own story. « 14 year after his first visit Fathei Marquette returned to establish a mission for the Indians. Then followed a series of intermittent visits by explorers and trappers, with the French still in domination until 1759, when tht: British aided by the Colonists conquered New France, only to find themselves driven from the Chicago area by George Rogers Clark and his rebel forces a few decades later How the name “Chicag'o” way chosen is not known with absolute certainty. Some say the word meant in the Indian language “strong.” Others think it came from the wild onion which grew profusely in the neighborhood; while others say there was an Indian chief named Chikasou who lived near the lake, and believe that the name came from him. In 1795 the United States government, by a treaty with the Indians, acquired title to a plot of ground six miles square at .the mouth of the Chicago River. Here Fort Dearborn was built in the years 1803-1804, and named after Secretary of War, General Henry Dearborn, a Revolutionary hero The fort, which consisted of blockhouses and a stockade, was built by the soldiers who dragged the timbers for miles o'-er the snow. The first commander of the fort was Captain John Whistler, grandfather of the famous artist. When the troops arrived at Fort Dearborn in 1802, they found several traders’ cabins. The first pernament house was a log cabin built about 1779 by a black man, Jean Baptiste Point de Saible. a native of Santo Domingo. In 1804, John Kinzie, a Scotch Canadian, established himself in the cabin formerly owned by De Saible, which later served as the first post office, and attained a dominant position in the tiny community. For fear of Tecumseh and his warriors, Captain Heald, the commander in 1812, was ordered to evacuate Fort Dearborn. VerhovayJournal March 16, 1955. Captain Wells, with a few friendly Indians, came to help. The little band of soldiers, their families and a few citizens, less than a hundred, were ambushed about the present 18th Street and Calumet, Avenue. The next ’ day the fort was burned. For several years after the massacre the region was desolate, but the fort was ordered rebuilt in 1816, and was used occasionally from that time urtil it was permanently abandoned in 1836. The spring of 1833 ushered in the first and greatest boom in Chicago’s history. The Indians, after the Black Hawk W ar, agreed to move west of the Mississippi, and danger from this source never threatened the city again. On August 10. 1833, the , little settlement with 550 residents was incorporated as a town. Four years later there were over 4,000 people; the town received a city charter. and Chicago was on the way toward becoming a great metropolis. After incorporation the city grew, but it did not attain its real pace until the coming of the railroads 1 lie first line, begun in 1847, was the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, ten miles in length, which ran to the Lies Plaines River, later to Freeport and finally to Galena by the use of the Illinois Central tracks. This was - the beginning of the great Northwestern Railway system. Five years later the Michigan Centra! and the Michigan Southern entered the city, and communication with the east was established.The rapid and continuous growth of the city developed the problem of a satisfactory water supply. In 1837, water works were built by private capital, and at Michigan Avenue and Water Street a reservoir was constructed and water pumped from Lake Michigan. Customers wore supplied through pipes made of logs. In 1851, the city took over the water supply, and the intakes were moved farther out into the lake. The city now has an abundant water supply. While Chicago grew, the dispute between the North and South was developing- which was to eventuate in the Civil War. In the face of this national disruption, the city expanded from 109,260 in 1860 to 298,977 in 1870. Thus we come to the Creat Five of October 9, 1871. Where the fire started is clear; how it started no man knows. The story commonly told is that Mrs. O’Leary, who occupied a house at Jefferson and De- Köven Streets, often milked her cows by lamplight. At any rate, the fire department found an overturned kerosene lamp in the ashes of the stable and there is little doubt that the fire began here. The loss of property was about $200,000,000; 17.000 buildings were destroyed;, and 100.000 homeless people were .aided by relief which poured in from all sides. New buildings better than the old soon went up and one of the first large construction projects was the exposition building on the Lake Front where the Art Institute now stands, housing the Interstate Industrial Exposition. Important events in Chicago in the Eighties and Nineties were the introduction of electricity in the form of light and telephone service, oiganization of the Sanitary District, operation • of the first cable car, Board of Trade building completed, Hull House founded by Jane Addams, and the World’s Columbian Exposition. As the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America approached, the idea of celebrating by a great exposition took hold of the American people, and this great event took place during the summer of 1893. The site chosen was Jackson Park on the Lake Front. There were over 27,500,000 admissions to the grounds from May to November. For a few years after the Fair, the city had its share of the nation’s financial troubles. Continued labor unrest broke out in two great strikes; the Pullman shop strike and the railroad walkout. Meanwhile, fortunes were crumbling and unemployment darkened the urban picture. But presently the clouds lifted and the new century came in to find Chicago ambitious for improvement. Notable events indicating this were- 1900 opening of the Drainage Canal; 1901, operation of electric railroads; 1906. first electric surface cars operated on Clark Street; 1908; 947 miles of railway tracks entering the city elevated; 1909, Chicago Plan Commission .created; 19J1, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad station opened; 1916, Navy Pier completed: 1918, first aii- mail arrived; 192i construction started on New Union Station: 1927, Municipal Airport opened; 1933 and 1934, A Century of Progress Exposition, with almost thirty-nine million admissions in two years. So Chicago has grow-n in one marvelous century from a rude, unpromising frontiéi- settlement to a great urban center. “Situated in the very heart of the' world's most fertile and prosperous valley, at the natural crossroads between the industrial East and the Agricultural West, the ore-producing North, ar d the cotton-growing- South; possessing the cheapest water transportation on earth and the finest railway facilities in the world,' it w-as inevitable that Chicago should grow; and it is equally inevitable that it will continue to grow.” — Thus Chicago has been characterized by W. J. Showalter, former editor, National Geographic Magazine. The 12th Annual Verhovay National Bow'-ling Tournament and 1955 Verhovay National Fellowship Days, to be held in Chie&go May 28-29, wii' give our bowlers, members and guests a grand opportunity to investigate the greatness of Chicago, and enjoy :ts varied attractions. I Report of Deaths ji FOR THEMONTH OF DECEMBER 1931 The VerhovayFraternal Insurance Association an-1 nounces with profound sorrow the death of the follow-1 ing members: Name Br. Name Br. Poes István 10 Votek Mrs. Paul 120 Kőszegi Inirene 14 Csattos Károly 129 Markos Cheri D. 15 Skobrak Mrs. Mihály 129 Pszota Joseph 15 Kish Stephen Jr. 130 Harsányi János 23 Mezzei Elmer 132 Berger Mihályné 26 Weiss Victor 132 Butala István 26 Szabó Miklós 141 Ando István 34 Mann Ferencz 158 Drotos Michael 34 Toth Janos 166 Laco István 40 Szigety Emery 214 Nagy Joseph 40 Titko Janos 261 Archdeacon James 48 Wadas Mrs. Benedek 262 Foeldy Charles 48 Zabb Imre * 262 Varga Denes Jr. 50 Chum James P. 269 Farkas Stephen 59 Debrody József 341 Bartos Denes 66 Szalma Ferenczr.e 347 László Mrs. Samuel 68 Trimper Janos 383 Bastyv István 84 Zseldesan Valér 383 Sikler József — 90 Corf ont Mrs. Wm. 478 Barnai Alexander 91 Vadasz György 480 Fenyő Mrs. Stephen 103 Goodheart Géza 525 Szuhy János 108 Stigmon Joseph 523 Nagy John 117 Nagy Imre 576 1MAV THEY REST IN PEACE LEDGER ASSETS-Jan. 31,1955 Real Estate — Home Office Building Less Reserve ......................................I......................................... $ 114,149.98 Mortgage Loan Account ......... 549,325.95 Branch Real Estate Account ............................................................. , 40,230 33 Loans and Liens ............................................................................... 581,396.17 Bond Account .................................................................................... 13,326,603.15 Stock Account ....................................................................................... 36,167.98 Cash Account ......................................................................................... 227,762.23 Savings Account ................................................................................. 44,209.36 Stock Account — Magyar Home ..................................................... 12,450.00 Accounts Receivable.......................................................................... 900.00 Total Ledger Assets ............................................................$ 15,433,195.45 JOHN SZALANCZV JOHN SABO National Treasurer National Auditor CHICAGO — IT’S HISTORY
