Today's destination is a work of public art on the walking path between the Museum Campus and the Buckingham Fountain(actually, I believe you can walk straight on through to Navy Pier if you stay on the same path). Anyway, there are a bunch of these pieces of art along the path. However, the one we are going to focus on today is called "Expanding Universe" When you walk up to it, it looks like a lightbulb from the base, but then as you walk around it, it morphs into a very interesting shape that I'm not sure how to describe, other than at one point it looks like a tooth? The basic thing that I gathered from this was that it is an extremely abstract piece of art(much more so than the others on the pathway). One more word about this stretch of art. All of the works of art that are featured on the pathway are being exhibited as part of the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, a program of Chicago Sculpture International. Bear this in mind, because the very next entry will be featuring another entry into the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition.
Remember, you can see pictures of this sculpure on the Chicago 365 Facebook Page. Just make sure to like it while you are there! :)
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Day 184: The Wildcat Station
By the beginning of 1912, the Northwestern Elevated was seeking to expand its operations northward. Just one problem emerged from that proposal. The leadership of the village of Wilmette balked at the idea. But much like Mayor Daley would do 91 years later, little things like the disapproval of local government wasn't about to stop the Northwestern El. And so, on the night of April 1, 1912, the railroad sent in its workers to build a new station at the location under cover of darkness. When commuters woke up on the morning of the 2nd, they were greeted by an entirely new transit station. As you might be able to guess, the village powers that be were none too amused with the stunt that the Northwestern had pulled, and they immediately went to court over the matter. Ultimately, there was enough support for the station from the community that the station stayed around.
Much the same thing happened 10 years later when the Northwestern tried to enhance the station. Once again, the railroad won out, and a new station was built at the site. Eventually it was decided to replace the ramshackle wildcat stations with more permanent structures. The architect who was hired had worked on several station designs previously, so he was an experienced fellow.
After going through some minor changes in its first few years, the station was due for a major change up in the 1980s. At that time, it was deemed that the station, being 70 years old by that point, could no longer keep up with the demands of everyday commuter traffic. And so, work was begun in 1991 on a new station. At the same time, there were expansions being made to the train yard that was attached to the Linden station. All of these projects took about two years, at which point the old station was closed and service was switched to the new one.
It was at this point that the focus turned to the preservation of the old station house. Much like the Skokie station house, the house at Linden was renovated, but preserved. The CTA agreed to chip in $90,000 for the restoration, with the rest being paid for by whoever did the restoration. A tenant was eventually found in a local bank, who spent $350,000 to completely renovate the exterior of the station. On April 28, 2012, there was a ceremony held to commemorate 100 years of service to Linden which featured much pomp and circumstance, as well as speeches by dignitaries.
Much the same thing happened 10 years later when the Northwestern tried to enhance the station. Once again, the railroad won out, and a new station was built at the site. Eventually it was decided to replace the ramshackle wildcat stations with more permanent structures. The architect who was hired had worked on several station designs previously, so he was an experienced fellow.
After going through some minor changes in its first few years, the station was due for a major change up in the 1980s. At that time, it was deemed that the station, being 70 years old by that point, could no longer keep up with the demands of everyday commuter traffic. And so, work was begun in 1991 on a new station. At the same time, there were expansions being made to the train yard that was attached to the Linden station. All of these projects took about two years, at which point the old station was closed and service was switched to the new one.
It was at this point that the focus turned to the preservation of the old station house. Much like the Skokie station house, the house at Linden was renovated, but preserved. The CTA agreed to chip in $90,000 for the restoration, with the rest being paid for by whoever did the restoration. A tenant was eventually found in a local bank, who spent $350,000 to completely renovate the exterior of the station. On April 28, 2012, there was a ceremony held to commemorate 100 years of service to Linden which featured much pomp and circumstance, as well as speeches by dignitaries.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Day 163: A very Rosey station.
In the early 80s, the CTA was expanding the West-Northwest route (aka the Blue Line) northwards. One of the new stations was located at River Road in Rosemont. The construction of this station saw some intellectual squabbling between the City and the CTA. Mayor Jane Byrne did not want outlying CTA stations to be advertising communities outside of Chicago. Therefore, the station was known as River Road for the first seven years of its existence.
The station takes ample advantage of natural light, with multiple skylights on the platform's canopy. Going down into the station proper, there is a two-story atrium just beyond the turnstiles which features a seamless wooden arc. This work of art, entitled The River Road Ring, is by Martin Puryear and is meant to aesthetically unite the two levels of the station.
There are also possible future plans for the station that involve turning it into a transfer stop. Since the O'Hare terminal has on multiple occasions vetoed as a transfer point, there is one potential plan on the drawing board that would involve building a spur line off of the main tracks at Roosevelt and extending the Blue Line all the way to Schaumburg. However, given the current state of the economy, plus the fact that the spur plan is not the ideal option, the odds of this actually happening are up for debate.
The station takes ample advantage of natural light, with multiple skylights on the platform's canopy. Going down into the station proper, there is a two-story atrium just beyond the turnstiles which features a seamless wooden arc. This work of art, entitled The River Road Ring, is by Martin Puryear and is meant to aesthetically unite the two levels of the station.
There are also possible future plans for the station that involve turning it into a transfer stop. Since the O'Hare terminal has on multiple occasions vetoed as a transfer point, there is one potential plan on the drawing board that would involve building a spur line off of the main tracks at Roosevelt and extending the Blue Line all the way to Schaumburg. However, given the current state of the economy, plus the fact that the spur plan is not the ideal option, the odds of this actually happening are up for debate.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Day 156: The Station in the Country
In 1912, the Northwestern Elevated Railroad announced plans to extend its service all the way north to Wilmette. In order for thus to happen, the railroad erected a few intermediate stations, including one at Isabella Avenue in Evanston. From the outset, the station was more secluded than other stops on the line, being in a relatively undeveloped area, never changing much from the way it looked in this picture:
Eventually houses started to spring up in the area, but the region never really got extremely busy. When the station was first built, there wasn't even a head house, as fares would simply be collected on board the train. Eventually, there were fare collection facilities set up on the southbound side of the platform, but riders who boarded going north still had to pay their fares on the train. However, this was only a small portion of the ridership, so it wasn't very inconvenient. Speaking of small ridership, that was another hallmark of the Isabella station. The station always had low ridership levels, and only reached a peak of roughly 110,000 riders per year. This in turn led to constant debates over whether to keep the station open or to give up and close it. In 1971, the CTA was all set to close the station, but intervention by the members of the community staved off the inevitable until 1975, when the station was finally shuttered.
Eventually houses started to spring up in the area, but the region never really got extremely busy. When the station was first built, there wasn't even a head house, as fares would simply be collected on board the train. Eventually, there were fare collection facilities set up on the southbound side of the platform, but riders who boarded going north still had to pay their fares on the train. However, this was only a small portion of the ridership, so it wasn't very inconvenient. Speaking of small ridership, that was another hallmark of the Isabella station. The station always had low ridership levels, and only reached a peak of roughly 110,000 riders per year. This in turn led to constant debates over whether to keep the station open or to give up and close it. In 1971, the CTA was all set to close the station, but intervention by the members of the community staved off the inevitable until 1975, when the station was finally shuttered.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Day 252: Wuff, Wuff, Wuff!-The Chi-Town roots of Arsenio
Okay folks, tonight WGN is airing a new talk show starring the one and only Arsenio Hall. Now if that name sounds familiar to you, that's because this isn't his first go-around with the late night TV scene. His first talk show ran from 1989 till 1994. Arguably, the most famous moment to come out of the program came in 1992 when Bill Clinton was on the campaign trail. One of the stops he made was on the Arsenio Hall Show, and he took some time to play the saxophone. But I bet you didn't know that Chicago played a vital role in the life and times of Arsenio Hall.
It all started in the summer of 1978. Arsenio Hall had just graduated college, and he moved to Chicago to get his career off the ground. He had a place right by O'Hare airport, and he would do shows all around the area. One time he heard about Zanies Comedy Club, and he figured that he would try it out. Good thing too, because stand-up comedy is what got him noticed. One day he was doing a show at the Hyatt when he opened for Nancy Wilson(no, not that Nancy Wilson), a famous jazz singer. She soon noticed his talent and took him on the road with her. All the way to Carnegie Hall-and beyond. From there, the rest is talk-show history. Arsenio Hall may have only lived in Chicago for a year and a half, but it was his time here that set him on the path to become the star that he is today.
It all started in the summer of 1978. Arsenio Hall had just graduated college, and he moved to Chicago to get his career off the ground. He had a place right by O'Hare airport, and he would do shows all around the area. One time he heard about Zanies Comedy Club, and he figured that he would try it out. Good thing too, because stand-up comedy is what got him noticed. One day he was doing a show at the Hyatt when he opened for Nancy Wilson(no, not that Nancy Wilson), a famous jazz singer. She soon noticed his talent and took him on the road with her. All the way to Carnegie Hall-and beyond. From there, the rest is talk-show history. Arsenio Hall may have only lived in Chicago for a year and a half, but it was his time here that set him on the path to become the star that he is today.
Day 251: Bear Down!
During the long hot Chicago summers, the city is a house divided against itself(and contrary to Honest Abe, it actually stands quite well), divided in loyalties between the Cubs and the Sox. But once baseball is over with(or just once both teams are too bad to watch), we as Chicagoans become one and shift our gaze to the lakefront to cheer on the Monsters of the Midway. No, not the Chicago Maroons, the Chicago Bears!
The franchise started out in 1919, when the A.E. Staley startch company out of Decatur fielded a company team. The team was put into the capable hands of George Halas(who was just 4 years removed from a near-miss on the Eastland) who moved the team to Chicago in 1921, buying out the rights to the team for a mere $100. The next year, Halas changed the team's name to "Bears" from "Staleys" and moved the team into Wrigley Field, where they would play for the next 50 years. Almost immediately, the Bears enjoyed success, becoming an instant league powerhouse. In 1924, the team initiated its rivalry with the Green Bay Packers when the Bears actually moved to expel the team from the league so that they could sign a prospect unfettered by the Packers(of course, once the contract was finalized, the Packers were allowed back into the league).
The next year, the team took a huge step forward when Halas signed Red Grange to a contract after his collegiate career at the University of Illinois. Grange immediately became a hit with the team, and both shored up the Bears' finances and increased the legitimacy of the young NFL. In the 30s and 40s, the Bears continued their unparalled streak of dominance over the rest of the NFL. There was a slight downturn in the 1950s, before the team surged back and won another NFL title in 1963. After that, the team once agian started to struggle, finally thudding into their worst season ever in 1969, scraping out a 1-13 record.
After several more seasons of futility, the team managed to draft Walter Payton in 1975, which ushered in a new period of success. It goes without saying what the end result of this period of success was, but I'll say it anyway. '85 Bears. 15-1. Super Bowl Champions. The Super Bowl Shuffle. Enough said. Afterwards, the team stayed competitive through the '80s, but never re-attained their prior level of success. The '90s continued the downward cycle, and the bears made the playoffs only twice in the whole decade. In 2001, the team had a surprising season where they surged to a 13-3 record only to be knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.
In 2004, the Bears hired Lovie Smith as their new head coach, who saw initial success. After a 5-11 record in '04, the team flip-flopped and made it to 11-5 the next season, which saw another first-round exit. In 2006 the team got back to a level of dominance that generally inspired this reaction from opposing teams. The team made the Super Bowl, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. After that, the team only made the playoffs one more time under Smith, in 2010. 2 years of disappointments followed, by which point Smith was fired on December 31, 2012. 3 months later, Marc Trestman was hired as head coach. This past Sunday, the Bears defeated the Bengals 24-21, making Trestman only the 4th head coach in Bears history to win their debut.
The franchise started out in 1919, when the A.E. Staley startch company out of Decatur fielded a company team. The team was put into the capable hands of George Halas(who was just 4 years removed from a near-miss on the Eastland) who moved the team to Chicago in 1921, buying out the rights to the team for a mere $100. The next year, Halas changed the team's name to "Bears" from "Staleys" and moved the team into Wrigley Field, where they would play for the next 50 years. Almost immediately, the Bears enjoyed success, becoming an instant league powerhouse. In 1924, the team initiated its rivalry with the Green Bay Packers when the Bears actually moved to expel the team from the league so that they could sign a prospect unfettered by the Packers(of course, once the contract was finalized, the Packers were allowed back into the league).
The next year, the team took a huge step forward when Halas signed Red Grange to a contract after his collegiate career at the University of Illinois. Grange immediately became a hit with the team, and both shored up the Bears' finances and increased the legitimacy of the young NFL. In the 30s and 40s, the Bears continued their unparalled streak of dominance over the rest of the NFL. There was a slight downturn in the 1950s, before the team surged back and won another NFL title in 1963. After that, the team once agian started to struggle, finally thudding into their worst season ever in 1969, scraping out a 1-13 record.
After several more seasons of futility, the team managed to draft Walter Payton in 1975, which ushered in a new period of success. It goes without saying what the end result of this period of success was, but I'll say it anyway. '85 Bears. 15-1. Super Bowl Champions. The Super Bowl Shuffle. Enough said. Afterwards, the team stayed competitive through the '80s, but never re-attained their prior level of success. The '90s continued the downward cycle, and the bears made the playoffs only twice in the whole decade. In 2001, the team had a surprising season where they surged to a 13-3 record only to be knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.
In 2004, the Bears hired Lovie Smith as their new head coach, who saw initial success. After a 5-11 record in '04, the team flip-flopped and made it to 11-5 the next season, which saw another first-round exit. In 2006 the team got back to a level of dominance that generally inspired this reaction from opposing teams. The team made the Super Bowl, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. After that, the team only made the playoffs one more time under Smith, in 2010. 2 years of disappointments followed, by which point Smith was fired on December 31, 2012. 3 months later, Marc Trestman was hired as head coach. This past Sunday, the Bears defeated the Bengals 24-21, making Trestman only the 4th head coach in Bears history to win their debut.
Day 250: The Chicago Way for a Chicago Union-Labor Week Day 6
Well, guess what? Since you've all been so good and loyal and reading my stuff and everything, I'm giving you all a gift. One more day of Labor Week! Just to give a recap, so far this week we've talked about George Pullman, The Jungle, the Pullman Strike, Samuel Gompers, the Haymarket Affair, and International Worker's Day(aka May Day). But today is the day we wrap it all up by getting acquainted with the Teamsters...
Ever since 1887, the American Federation of Labor had been organizing groups of teamsters(the term is derived from workers who would lead teams of draft horses that moved goods from place to place) into groups to better advocate for themselves and their causes. In 1898, the AFL created a separate division specifically for Teamsters. However, this failed to satisfy a group of Teamsters in Chicago, who created the Teamsters National Union in 1901. 2 years later, the AFL arranged for its teamster union to merge with the Teamsters, creating the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which is what the union is known as to this day. Even in the very first election held by the Teamsters, the future corruption of the union was evident, as the man elected President of the Teamsters(Cornelius Shea) was accused of embezzlement prior to the election.
Once taking office, the accusations against Shea were borne out in the actions of the Teamsters. As the Teamsters were the union representing drivers, a strike by them could quite literally paralyze commerce throughout an entire city. During Shea's administration, the Teamsters would routinely abuse this trait by soliciting bribes from city officials to avert Teamster strikes. The Teamsters did participate in some legitimate actions during Shea's time, including strikes in support of railway workers and meat cutters. In 1905, the union walked out in support of tailors at Montgomery Ward. Everything went great, until it was revealed that Cornelius Shea had spent the duration of the strike carousing in a brothel hosting lavish parties all in the company of his 19-year-old mistress. This marked the beginning of the end of the Shea era, and his successor was elected President in 1907.
For the next 45 years, Daniel Tobin took the helm, a period of time that saw the union reach new heights in both membership and levels of corruption. By the dawn of the 1950s, the Teamsters' corruption reached new levels when they started mingling with organized crime. It was also during this time that the Teamsters started trying to absorb other unions into their ranks. This started with the International Longshoreman's Association, a union that was even more corrupt than the Teamsters, even to the point of electing a known mob associate as VP of the union. This attempt was vetoed by the AFL, but another attempt was made to merge with the Brewery Workers Union. When this was vetoed by the Brewers, the Teamsters raided the union anyway, an action that drew harsh criticism from the AFL, which wound up passing an anti-raiding bill in the wake of the incident.
In 1957, the Teamsters elected Jimmy Hoffa to be their president, and he once again upheld the status quo of corruption that was the Teamsters' trademark. This time, the graft of choice was taking monies from the union's pension plans and funneling them to the Mafia in order to aid their erection of Las Vegas as we know it today. This involvement with The Mob got Hoffa caught up in the anti-organized crime crusade that was being led by Robert Kennedy, and Hoffa was sent to prison in 1967. President Nixon pardoned him in 1972, but on the condition that he suspend all involvement with the Teamsters until 1980, at which point Hoffa could make a comeback. This was not to be however, as Hoffa disappeared without a trace in 1975, never to be heard from again.
In more recent times, the Teamsters have tried to initiate reforms, stemming from the organization of individual union members into groups such as Teamsters for a Democratic Union, which has been a force since the late 1970s. Over the years, the TDU has fought for and won much greater transparency at all levels of the Teamsters. No longer could upper management strike deals on contracts and pensions in smoke-filled rooms and keep the everyday union man in the dark. Also in this period, the rank-and-file teamsters won the right to directly elect the top leadership of the union for the first time. Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters still advocates for the rights of haulers everywhere, while continuing to clean up its checkered past.
Ever since 1887, the American Federation of Labor had been organizing groups of teamsters(the term is derived from workers who would lead teams of draft horses that moved goods from place to place) into groups to better advocate for themselves and their causes. In 1898, the AFL created a separate division specifically for Teamsters. However, this failed to satisfy a group of Teamsters in Chicago, who created the Teamsters National Union in 1901. 2 years later, the AFL arranged for its teamster union to merge with the Teamsters, creating the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which is what the union is known as to this day. Even in the very first election held by the Teamsters, the future corruption of the union was evident, as the man elected President of the Teamsters(Cornelius Shea) was accused of embezzlement prior to the election.
Once taking office, the accusations against Shea were borne out in the actions of the Teamsters. As the Teamsters were the union representing drivers, a strike by them could quite literally paralyze commerce throughout an entire city. During Shea's administration, the Teamsters would routinely abuse this trait by soliciting bribes from city officials to avert Teamster strikes. The Teamsters did participate in some legitimate actions during Shea's time, including strikes in support of railway workers and meat cutters. In 1905, the union walked out in support of tailors at Montgomery Ward. Everything went great, until it was revealed that Cornelius Shea had spent the duration of the strike carousing in a brothel hosting lavish parties all in the company of his 19-year-old mistress. This marked the beginning of the end of the Shea era, and his successor was elected President in 1907.
For the next 45 years, Daniel Tobin took the helm, a period of time that saw the union reach new heights in both membership and levels of corruption. By the dawn of the 1950s, the Teamsters' corruption reached new levels when they started mingling with organized crime. It was also during this time that the Teamsters started trying to absorb other unions into their ranks. This started with the International Longshoreman's Association, a union that was even more corrupt than the Teamsters, even to the point of electing a known mob associate as VP of the union. This attempt was vetoed by the AFL, but another attempt was made to merge with the Brewery Workers Union. When this was vetoed by the Brewers, the Teamsters raided the union anyway, an action that drew harsh criticism from the AFL, which wound up passing an anti-raiding bill in the wake of the incident.
In 1957, the Teamsters elected Jimmy Hoffa to be their president, and he once again upheld the status quo of corruption that was the Teamsters' trademark. This time, the graft of choice was taking monies from the union's pension plans and funneling them to the Mafia in order to aid their erection of Las Vegas as we know it today. This involvement with The Mob got Hoffa caught up in the anti-organized crime crusade that was being led by Robert Kennedy, and Hoffa was sent to prison in 1967. President Nixon pardoned him in 1972, but on the condition that he suspend all involvement with the Teamsters until 1980, at which point Hoffa could make a comeback. This was not to be however, as Hoffa disappeared without a trace in 1975, never to be heard from again.
In more recent times, the Teamsters have tried to initiate reforms, stemming from the organization of individual union members into groups such as Teamsters for a Democratic Union, which has been a force since the late 1970s. Over the years, the TDU has fought for and won much greater transparency at all levels of the Teamsters. No longer could upper management strike deals on contracts and pensions in smoke-filled rooms and keep the everyday union man in the dark. Also in this period, the rank-and-file teamsters won the right to directly elect the top leadership of the union for the first time. Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters still advocates for the rights of haulers everywhere, while continuing to clean up its checkered past.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Day 249: May Day! May Day!-Labor Week Day 5
As was mentioned in the entry about Haymarket, there are still commemorations nowadays in honor of the Haymarket Strike and the sacrifices made as part of it. In 1889, the Second International(a worldwide confederation of socialist groups) met for their First Congress in Paris. At this meeting it was decided that there should be a commemoration the following year of the Haymarket Affair. The holiday became a routine occurrence following the Second Congress in 1891.
By 1904, the holiday was going along strong, when the International Socialist Conference called upon all workers to stop work on May 1 so as to demonstrate for an 8-hour workday. Over the years, the working classes in many different countries tried to have May 1 recognized as an official holiday. In most of those countries, May 1 became officially recognized as Labor Day, a day set aside each year to celebrate the contributions of workers to society.
However, one obvious exception is the United States of America. In this case, President Grover Cleveland was worried that observing Labor Day on May 1 would give different Labor groups a reason to politicize the holiday as a commemoration of the Haymarket Affair. So instead, the United States adopted the first Monday in September as the official Labor Day holiday(this may or may not have been in commemoration of the recent cessation of the Pullman Strike). However, that hasn't stopped the date from being known as an annual day of protest. On May Day you can find groups organizing in support of many different causes. In 2006, the day was selected as the date of the Great American Boycott, a march advocating for Immigration Reform, and in 2012 it was celebrated with several marches and rallies, some of them led by members of Occupy Wall Street.
By 1904, the holiday was going along strong, when the International Socialist Conference called upon all workers to stop work on May 1 so as to demonstrate for an 8-hour workday. Over the years, the working classes in many different countries tried to have May 1 recognized as an official holiday. In most of those countries, May 1 became officially recognized as Labor Day, a day set aside each year to celebrate the contributions of workers to society.
However, one obvious exception is the United States of America. In this case, President Grover Cleveland was worried that observing Labor Day on May 1 would give different Labor groups a reason to politicize the holiday as a commemoration of the Haymarket Affair. So instead, the United States adopted the first Monday in September as the official Labor Day holiday(this may or may not have been in commemoration of the recent cessation of the Pullman Strike). However, that hasn't stopped the date from being known as an annual day of protest. On May Day you can find groups organizing in support of many different causes. In 2006, the day was selected as the date of the Great American Boycott, a march advocating for Immigration Reform, and in 2012 it was celebrated with several marches and rallies, some of them led by members of Occupy Wall Street.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Day 248: Haymakers in the Haymarket-Labor Week Day 4
If there's one thing that almost everyone who works has in common, it is the 8-hour workday. Some of us might work more than that on occasion, and some of us may work less, but 8 hours is the standard. But it wasn't always this way. The 8-hour workday is yet another result of the acts of unions throughout the years. Today we're talking about one particular instance where the 8-hour day was crusaded for.
It all starts in October of 1884, when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions met and declared that by May 1, 1886, all employers would be using the 8-hour workday as a template for the hours of their employees. As the date approached and employers did nothing, the powers that be called for a general strike so as to show support for the 8-hour workday. On the morning of May 1, roughly 40,000 workers in Chicago walked off the job and started marching in favor of the new hours. On the third day of the strike, the workers gathered near the McCormick(a relative of the Tribune's McCormick) Machine Company plant and rallied there. They heard speeches from various people there, including several beseeching them to keep the peace. And up until that point, they did. And for the rest of that day, they did.
But on the 4th day of the rally, things started out pretty calmly. For that matter, even Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. stopped by for a time. Later on in the evening, the weather was worsening, so many folks went home. At about 10:30, the police came in to force the ceasing of the speeches. As the officers were advancing towards the stage, there was a small homemade bomb thrown directly in front of the officers. The force of the blast killed 7 officers, injured several more, and touched off a straight-up riot in the middle of the street.
In the fracas, more than 100 marchers were arrested. Eventually 8 of them were charged with various crimes carrying sentences up to and including the death penalty. 1 person was sent to prison for 15 years, while the other 7 were sentenced to die. While on Death Row, one of the condemned men committed suicide, while 2 more had their sentences commuted to life in prison(and were eventually given full pardons)by the governor of Illinois. On November 11, 1887, the remaining four men were hung, carrying out the death sentence.
In the years since then, the Haymarket Affair has become a common rallying cry and shibboleth amongst supporters of organized labor. In fact, one particular aspect of the strike is commemorated every year in May. There will be more on that in another entry later on this week though. For now, we see now that the Haymarket Affair is yet another linchpin in the history of organized labor coming to us from Chicago.
It all starts in October of 1884, when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions met and declared that by May 1, 1886, all employers would be using the 8-hour workday as a template for the hours of their employees. As the date approached and employers did nothing, the powers that be called for a general strike so as to show support for the 8-hour workday. On the morning of May 1, roughly 40,000 workers in Chicago walked off the job and started marching in favor of the new hours. On the third day of the strike, the workers gathered near the McCormick(a relative of the Tribune's McCormick) Machine Company plant and rallied there. They heard speeches from various people there, including several beseeching them to keep the peace. And up until that point, they did. And for the rest of that day, they did.
But on the 4th day of the rally, things started out pretty calmly. For that matter, even Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. stopped by for a time. Later on in the evening, the weather was worsening, so many folks went home. At about 10:30, the police came in to force the ceasing of the speeches. As the officers were advancing towards the stage, there was a small homemade bomb thrown directly in front of the officers. The force of the blast killed 7 officers, injured several more, and touched off a straight-up riot in the middle of the street.
In the fracas, more than 100 marchers were arrested. Eventually 8 of them were charged with various crimes carrying sentences up to and including the death penalty. 1 person was sent to prison for 15 years, while the other 7 were sentenced to die. While on Death Row, one of the condemned men committed suicide, while 2 more had their sentences commuted to life in prison(and were eventually given full pardons)by the governor of Illinois. On November 11, 1887, the remaining four men were hung, carrying out the death sentence.
In the years since then, the Haymarket Affair has become a common rallying cry and shibboleth amongst supporters of organized labor. In fact, one particular aspect of the strike is commemorated every year in May. There will be more on that in another entry later on this week though. For now, we see now that the Haymarket Affair is yet another linchpin in the history of organized labor coming to us from Chicago.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Day 246: The Train Strike-Labor Week Day 2
In 1893, several things happened. The Vienna beef hot dog was first shown to the world, the 1893 World's Fair rolled into town, Carter Harrison was assassinated, Harry Grossman was 4 years away from being born, and an economic Panic hit the country that caused the fortunes of the Pullman Palace Car Company to flounder(and for demand to take a hit as well). This slackening of demand induced George Pullman to cut back on what he was paying his workers. Okay, that seems fair enough, if profits are down, then there simply isn't as much work to give out, and dem's the breaks.
Except I'm leaving one tiny thing out. Those of you who read my entry about George Pullman know that most of the workers he had in his employ lived in an absolutely massive company town right by the factory. All of the prices and rents in this community were also set by Pullman. Well, when Pullman started losing cash, he cut the wages of all the employees. Not just that, but remember that factory town I told you about? Well, even with the wages being cut, Pullman still charged his workers the same amount of money in rent each and every month. Eventually, this got the workers to the point where they had had enough, and they started to organize.
At this point, the American Railway Union comes into the picture. This outfit had been formed in the Summer of 1893 by Eugene Debs, and was already earning a name for itself(having successfully negotiated a deal with the Great Northern Railway in August of that year.) The ARU aided the situation by calling for a general boycott of all Pullman cars. As a result 125,000 workers all across the country refused to handle trains carrying Pullman cars. To combat this, the General Manager's Association(a national federation of 24 Railroad owners) immediately brought in strikebreakers to keep the trains running. In time, the Federal Government got involved, as President Grover Cleveland considered it his responsibility to keep the mail running. To further that objective, federal troops were sent in to restore order and get the trains back up and running.
Eventually, the strike was broken, Eugene Debs was thrown in prison for six months, and everything returned to normal. However, the strike did leave one important legacy that persists to this day. In an effort to pacify organized labor in the aftermath of the strike, Congress passed a bill that recognized Labor Day as a national holiday.
Except I'm leaving one tiny thing out. Those of you who read my entry about George Pullman know that most of the workers he had in his employ lived in an absolutely massive company town right by the factory. All of the prices and rents in this community were also set by Pullman. Well, when Pullman started losing cash, he cut the wages of all the employees. Not just that, but remember that factory town I told you about? Well, even with the wages being cut, Pullman still charged his workers the same amount of money in rent each and every month. Eventually, this got the workers to the point where they had had enough, and they started to organize.
At this point, the American Railway Union comes into the picture. This outfit had been formed in the Summer of 1893 by Eugene Debs, and was already earning a name for itself(having successfully negotiated a deal with the Great Northern Railway in August of that year.) The ARU aided the situation by calling for a general boycott of all Pullman cars. As a result 125,000 workers all across the country refused to handle trains carrying Pullman cars. To combat this, the General Manager's Association(a national federation of 24 Railroad owners) immediately brought in strikebreakers to keep the trains running. In time, the Federal Government got involved, as President Grover Cleveland considered it his responsibility to keep the mail running. To further that objective, federal troops were sent in to restore order and get the trains back up and running.
Eventually, the strike was broken, Eugene Debs was thrown in prison for six months, and everything returned to normal. However, the strike did leave one important legacy that persists to this day. In an effort to pacify organized labor in the aftermath of the strike, Congress passed a bill that recognized Labor Day as a national holiday.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Day 247: A Recreation Area for a Labor Icon-Labor Week Day 3
How could a child born in 1850 England go on to influence the entire history and legacy of labor unions to this very day? Pretty easily actually, just ask Samuel Gompers. For the first 10 years of his life, he lived in London, and attended the Jewish Free School. All of that changed in April of 1860, when he was pulled out of school and apprenticed off as a cigarmaker in order to help his family out with their crushing levels of debt. Alas, even this did not help, and the family immigrated to the United States in 1863.
Once in the states, Gompers promptly started working once again as a cigarmaker in Manhattan, becoming active in the Local 15 Union the very next year. In 1873, he jumped to another company, one that was more in line with his advanced abilities. While there, he started to become influenced by the more socialist ideas that were propagated in the talk in that shop. 2 years after that, he became president of the Local 144 Union. In 1881, he was instrumental in founding the organization that would become the American Federation of Labor(which merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955 to become the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation in the United States). In 1894, he was instrumental in promoting the new Labor Day holiday that had been recognized by Congress to placate the Pullman strikers.
A number of years later, he popped back up when the United States got involved in World War I, urging all unions to hold off on striking and other labor actions during wartime so as to give America and its companies every advantage possible. Gompers died in 1924, but many of his methods of organizing labor are used to this day even. Additionally, there is both a park and a statue in downtown Chicago memorializing his roles in the labor history of this city and all others as well.
Once in the states, Gompers promptly started working once again as a cigarmaker in Manhattan, becoming active in the Local 15 Union the very next year. In 1873, he jumped to another company, one that was more in line with his advanced abilities. While there, he started to become influenced by the more socialist ideas that were propagated in the talk in that shop. 2 years after that, he became president of the Local 144 Union. In 1881, he was instrumental in founding the organization that would become the American Federation of Labor(which merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955 to become the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation in the United States). In 1894, he was instrumental in promoting the new Labor Day holiday that had been recognized by Congress to placate the Pullman strikers.
A number of years later, he popped back up when the United States got involved in World War I, urging all unions to hold off on striking and other labor actions during wartime so as to give America and its companies every advantage possible. Gompers died in 1924, but many of his methods of organizing labor are used to this day even. Additionally, there is both a park and a statue in downtown Chicago memorializing his roles in the labor history of this city and all others as well.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Day 149: The Shopper's Station
In 1930, the Merchandise Mart was completed, taking the title of the world's largest commercial building, clocking in at a whopping 4.1 Million square feet. At that same time, an elevated station was built to provide a link to the Mart and all of its shopping capabilities. The station was constructed at the same time as the Mart was being built, and it was appointed with all of the most elegant accutrements, be they gently curved roofs or latticed framing.
Of course, fast forward 30 years, and the station was again subject to the architectural whims of the Merchandise Mart. This time it was the transition to a more utilitarian style that resulted in the removal of the station's earlier Art Deco appearances. Also in this time period, there was a special 70-foot temporary platform constructed so that the station could accommodate longer trains without at the same time cutting off access to other necessary stations and tracks in the area.
By the late 80s, the station was starting to need another renovation, which is when the CTA stepped in and authorized a complete renovation of the Mart's station. This renovation included expanding the canopy, as well as making the whole station ADA accessible. This renovation was largely completed by 1988. Today the station still serves as a valuable link between the rapid transit system and the Merchandise Mart.
Of course, fast forward 30 years, and the station was again subject to the architectural whims of the Merchandise Mart. This time it was the transition to a more utilitarian style that resulted in the removal of the station's earlier Art Deco appearances. Also in this time period, there was a special 70-foot temporary platform constructed so that the station could accommodate longer trains without at the same time cutting off access to other necessary stations and tracks in the area.
By the late 80s, the station was starting to need another renovation, which is when the CTA stepped in and authorized a complete renovation of the Mart's station. This renovation included expanding the canopy, as well as making the whole station ADA accessible. This renovation was largely completed by 1988. Today the station still serves as a valuable link between the rapid transit system and the Merchandise Mart.
Day 245: Welcome to The Jungle-Labor Week Day 1
Happy Monday everybody, and Welcome to Labor Week! For those of you who read yesterday's entry, you got a small teaser for this. For all of you, here's more about what's going on this week. Today most of the country has the day off. But why is that? That is to acknowledge the many contributions to our current workplace life that have been won by Unions, including an 8-hour workday, Child Labor Laws, safety standards, health benefits, and overtime pay, just to name a few. So, between now and Friday I will be putting up an article every day talking about some facet of the history of Organized Labor and how it relates to Chicago. And trust me, I've got some heavy topics on deck for this week. From the roots of the May Day rallies that happen every year throughout the country, to the labor action that inspired the very creation of the Labor Day holiday, this week has it all. But to start off with, I'd like to show you around...The Jungle...
By 1906, the meatpacking industry had been a Chicago institution for well over half a century. However, it was about to get a rude awakening. For that was the year that Upton Sinclair threw the book(no pun intended) at the industry. In 1904, Upton Sinclair was a young writer working for a Socialist newspaper in Chicago. As part of an expose they were planning, Sinclair was sent to work undercover in the infamous Union Stockyards for seven weeks, where he eventually gathered material for the necessary articles. About a year later, Sinclair sought to fictionalize his experiences and publish them in book form. After much consternation(his novel was rejected five times before it was finally accepted) he finally found a publisher for his book. Doubleday released The Jungle on February 26, 1906.
Once published, the book left the American people shocked and disgusted, just not in the way that Sinclair had hoped. You see, Sinclair had intended the book to be a clarion call alerting the public about the despicable condition of the working class in Gilded Age America. Such passages as the protagonist's wife getting raped by her boss, the terrible work conditions, and even some workers falling into mixing vats and being turned into lard were meant to tug at the heartstrings of America. And stories like the lard one did force America to think some things over, things like the safety of their food. The Jungle led to expanded oversight of meatpacking, the increased scrutiny of the industry by President Teddy Roosevelt, and even the establishment of the FDA. Even with all of this impact, Sinclair lamented that he wanted to "aim at the public's heart, but instead [he] hit it in the stomach" The Jungle remains in print to this day, more than 107 years after its initial release, and it still serves as a testament to the state of both worker's rights and the meatpacking industry at the turn of the century.
By 1906, the meatpacking industry had been a Chicago institution for well over half a century. However, it was about to get a rude awakening. For that was the year that Upton Sinclair threw the book(no pun intended) at the industry. In 1904, Upton Sinclair was a young writer working for a Socialist newspaper in Chicago. As part of an expose they were planning, Sinclair was sent to work undercover in the infamous Union Stockyards for seven weeks, where he eventually gathered material for the necessary articles. About a year later, Sinclair sought to fictionalize his experiences and publish them in book form. After much consternation(his novel was rejected five times before it was finally accepted) he finally found a publisher for his book. Doubleday released The Jungle on February 26, 1906.
Once published, the book left the American people shocked and disgusted, just not in the way that Sinclair had hoped. You see, Sinclair had intended the book to be a clarion call alerting the public about the despicable condition of the working class in Gilded Age America. Such passages as the protagonist's wife getting raped by her boss, the terrible work conditions, and even some workers falling into mixing vats and being turned into lard were meant to tug at the heartstrings of America. And stories like the lard one did force America to think some things over, things like the safety of their food. The Jungle led to expanded oversight of meatpacking, the increased scrutiny of the industry by President Teddy Roosevelt, and even the establishment of the FDA. Even with all of this impact, Sinclair lamented that he wanted to "aim at the public's heart, but instead [he] hit it in the stomach" The Jungle remains in print to this day, more than 107 years after its initial release, and it still serves as a testament to the state of both worker's rights and the meatpacking industry at the turn of the century.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Day 244: The Train Man
Anybody who has ever taken a cross-country trip on Amtrak(and if you haven't done so yet, I highly recommend that you do so) has experienced the creature comforts of high-class train travel. Personal bedrooms, dining service, all of the accommodations necessary to make a 50+hour train trip bearable. One of the men that we have to thank for this innovation is named George Pullman.
In the early 1860s, Pullman was a young engineer who had moved to Chicago to grab a piece of the burgeoning railroad market, as the city was quickly becoming the railroad hub of America. In between having his own company and helping to elevate the city of Chicago(yes, that is just as fascinating as it sounds, and yes, there will be an entry on it later), Pullman was working on something else. In 1864, he came out with the Pullman Sleeping Car, the first of its kind. In the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's 1865 assassination, Pullman arranged for the President's body to be transported to Springfield for burial aboard one of his sleeper cars.
This proved fruitful for Pullman, who started to receive thousands of orders for new cars. In 1867, he rolled out his most ambitious project yet, the "Hotel on Wheels". With sleeper service, meals that rivaled the classiest restaurants of the day, and amenities even including mending of clothing, the Hotel on Wheels soon became the gold standard for train travel across the country. To properly serve the clientele that Pullman hoped to welcome aboard his "Palace cars", Pullman started hiring former slaves to work as porters on the cars. And he kept hiring them, all the way up until the Pullman Company wound up being the single largest employer of African-Americans in the Post-Civil War era. In 1871 he teamed with Andrew Carnegie to bail out the Union Pacific railroad(who would come into play with Metra in the 1990s).
By 1880, the company was ready to expand, and so Mr. Pullman bought 4,000 acres of land 14 Miles south of the city on land belonging to the Illinois Central. It was here where he would build his most enduring legacy. In addition to a new factory, the plot of land also contained an entire self-contained community for the workers who worked at the plant. The neighborhood had everything: churches, parks, theaters, libraries, and the iron fist of George Pullman himself. He set rigid standards for behavior, and was not afraid to expel workers with only 10 days notice. Some contemporary critics alleged that Otto von Bismarck himself was a kinder ruler than Pullman.
Actually, the cold-heartedness of Pullman lends itself well to a story that I want to tell later this week, as well as blending with this week's theme. You see, in celebration of Labor Day tomorrow, Chicago 365 is commemorating the occasion with Labor Week. Every day this week through Friday, I will be writing about a different labor-related vignette from Chicago's history. Given this city's long and illustrious history with organized labor, this endeavor should not be too difficult.
In the early 1860s, Pullman was a young engineer who had moved to Chicago to grab a piece of the burgeoning railroad market, as the city was quickly becoming the railroad hub of America. In between having his own company and helping to elevate the city of Chicago(yes, that is just as fascinating as it sounds, and yes, there will be an entry on it later), Pullman was working on something else. In 1864, he came out with the Pullman Sleeping Car, the first of its kind. In the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's 1865 assassination, Pullman arranged for the President's body to be transported to Springfield for burial aboard one of his sleeper cars.
This proved fruitful for Pullman, who started to receive thousands of orders for new cars. In 1867, he rolled out his most ambitious project yet, the "Hotel on Wheels". With sleeper service, meals that rivaled the classiest restaurants of the day, and amenities even including mending of clothing, the Hotel on Wheels soon became the gold standard for train travel across the country. To properly serve the clientele that Pullman hoped to welcome aboard his "Palace cars", Pullman started hiring former slaves to work as porters on the cars. And he kept hiring them, all the way up until the Pullman Company wound up being the single largest employer of African-Americans in the Post-Civil War era. In 1871 he teamed with Andrew Carnegie to bail out the Union Pacific railroad(who would come into play with Metra in the 1990s).
By 1880, the company was ready to expand, and so Mr. Pullman bought 4,000 acres of land 14 Miles south of the city on land belonging to the Illinois Central. It was here where he would build his most enduring legacy. In addition to a new factory, the plot of land also contained an entire self-contained community for the workers who worked at the plant. The neighborhood had everything: churches, parks, theaters, libraries, and the iron fist of George Pullman himself. He set rigid standards for behavior, and was not afraid to expel workers with only 10 days notice. Some contemporary critics alleged that Otto von Bismarck himself was a kinder ruler than Pullman.
Actually, the cold-heartedness of Pullman lends itself well to a story that I want to tell later this week, as well as blending with this week's theme. You see, in celebration of Labor Day tomorrow, Chicago 365 is commemorating the occasion with Labor Week. Every day this week through Friday, I will be writing about a different labor-related vignette from Chicago's history. Given this city's long and illustrious history with organized labor, this endeavor should not be too difficult.
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