Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/412

 404: CHICAGO was a branch of the second of the state of Illinois, established in Chicago in December, 1885; it suspended specie payments in 1837, and closed in 1841. The next was established in 1853. At the close of 1872 there were 21 national banks, with a total capital and surplus of $11,044,885, and $23,060,507 deposits. There were also 18 savings banks (some being con- nected with other banks), with $12,013,000 deposits ; 8 state-chartered commercial banks, with capital and surplus of $2,926,000, and $3,055,627 deposits ; one foreign branch bank, and numerous private banks. Chicago is di- vided into 20 wards. The government is vested in a mayor, chosen every two years, and a board of 40 aldermen, two from eacli ward, also elected for two years. The mayor has little power beyond the veto, and makes nomi- nations to be confirmed or rejected by the council. The board of supervisors is a county organization, to which one member from each ward and two from each division of the city are elected. The board of tire and police com- missioners consists of three members, elected by the people, and has full authority over the fire and police departments. The board of public works consists of three members, nomi- nated by the mayor and confirmed by the council ; they have control of the streets, public buildings (except schools), bridges, &c., with power to make assessments on property, subject to the approval of the council. The board of education comprises one member from each ward, appointed by the council; they have charge of school buildings, appoint- ment of teachers, choice of text books, and general school regulations. Sanitary regula- tions are intrusted to a board of health and a sanitary superintendent. There are two boards of park commissioners. Besides the county courts, there are three police courts, one for each division. The United States cir- cuit and district courts for the northern dis- trict of Illinois are also held here. The police force consists of a superintendent, 3 captains, 16 sergeants, and about 500 patrolmen. For police purposes the city is divided into 12 pre- cincts. The total number of arrests during the year ending March 31, 1872, was 21,931 ; value of property reported stolen, $64,449, of which $40,187 was recovered; total amount of fines, $123,475. The charges on arrest were : assault with a deadly weapon, 242 ; burglary, 160; drunk, 4,397; drunk and dis- orderly, 3,700; disorderly, 5,684; forgery, 26 ; highway robbery, 22; keeping disorderly house, 135; keeping gaming house, 63; keep- ing house of ill-fame, 302; larceny, 2,123; murder, 3; riot, 141; robbery, 157; vagran- cy, 881. The nationalities of those arrested were: 8,167 Irish, 7,646 American (including 652 colored), and 3,379 German. The cost of the department during the year was $498,- 247, of which $229,652 was for salaries. The fire department comprises a force of 201 men, including officers, fire wardens, and the fire alarm telegraph corps. The apparatus in use includes 16 steam fire engines with an at- tending hose cart to each, and 26,150 ft. of rubber and 9,100 ft. of leather hose. The ap- paratus used for elevating hose can be raised to the height of 84 ft. without contact with any building or other support. It is used for the purpose of elevating firemen with hose to the upper stories of high buildings, in order to throw a stream more effectively upon a fire, and to save life and property. The estimated value of property in use, including real estate, is $639,050. During the year ending March 31, 1871, there were 489 fires and 44 false alarms. The total amount of loss was $972,800 ; amount of insurance, $745,000 ; total amount of insur- ance on property more or less injured by fire, $1,246,224. These figures do not include the great fire, an account of which is given here- after. In the preceding year there were 669 tires, with losses amounting to $2,447,845 ; in- surance, $2,183,498 ; total amount of insurance on property injured by fire, $4,41 6,690. There is a very efficient fire alarm and police tele- graph system, established in 1864, and much improved since the fire, having in 1872 234 signal boxes in different parts of the city, each connected by electric wire with the police sta- tions and engine houses. The expenses of the fire department for 1872 were $512,520. The system of water supply for Chicago has been called one of the wonders of the world. A nearly cylindrical brick tunnel, 62 inches high and t!0 wide, extends two miles under the lake, lying 66 to 70 ft. below the lake surface. The water descends through a grated cylinder en- closed in an immense crib, on which a light- house is to be constructed. At the shore end it is pumped up an iron column 130 ft. high, inside a stone water tower, nnd thence flows to all parts of the city. The engines can pump 72,000,000 gallons daily, and the tunnel can deliver 57,000,000 gallons daily. The tunnel was commenced March 17, 1804, and finished Dec. 6, 1866. Water was first supplied to the city through it March 25, 1867 ; it is always pure, and the supply has never been inter- rupted except a few days by the great fire. The city is now (1873) constructing another tunnel 7 ft. in diameter to the same crib, to extend under the city, to give an independ- ent supply to the southwestern quarter. An abundant water supply has recently been also developed in artesian wells, of which there are now about 40. The depth varies from 650 to 1,646 ft., the lowest reaching the sandstone. The flow averages about 200 gallons per min- ute, and no diminution is observed from sink- ing adjacent wells. The water is variously supposed to come from Rock river and from the region of the Mississippi ; it is reason- ably pure, containing 70 grains of solid matter per gallon, while lake water has 8 grains. It is chiefly objectionable because it contains 24 grains of sulphuric acid, while lake water has less than one third of a grain. In 1872 there