who in 1886 removed the post office to the corner of South Water and Franklin streets. It was during Hogan's term as postmaster that the editor of the Democrat became "furiously enraged at the mail carrier who after a week's absence returned to Chicago with the very mail he had taken away."

The next postmaster was Sidney Abell who was appointed on March 3d, 1837. At about the same time the post office was removed to the east side of Clark street, between Lake and South Water streets. On July 10th, 1841, William Stuart, proprietor of the Chicago American, was appointed postmaster, and he removed the post office to the opposite side of Clark street at the corner of the alley north of the Sherman House. Here it remained some ten years under a number of different postmasters. A sign displayed at the delivery window bore the inscription "first come, first served."

Conditions were very different in those days from those we are familiar with. "There were then," says Hurlbut, "no letter carriers for free delivery, no postal orders, no registered letters, no postal cards, no postage stamps, no envelopes; wafers were the ordinary clasps which fastened the missives, but wax was required by those who wished to affect the genteel." The rates of postage at that time were, for letters of a single sheet, six and a quarter cents for a distance not exceeding thirty miles; ten cents for over thirty and under eighty miles; twelve and a half cents for between eighty and one hundred and fifty miles; eighteen and three-quarters cents for between one hundred and fifty and four hundred miles; and twenty-five cents for over four hundred miles.

On February 3d, 1846, Hart L. Stewart received the appointment as postmaster, and he in turn was succeeded, on September 25, 1850, by George W. Dole. It was during Dole's term that the post office was again removed across the street to numbers 49 and 51 Clark street, thus occupying quarters near its former location when Abell was postmaster. Isaac Cook was the next incumbent who was appointed March 22d, 1853. Cook removed the post office early in 1855 to numbers 84 and 86 Dearborn street; subsequently occupying additional space on the south. It was during the latter part of Cook's term that the post office was removed to the new building, erected by the government at the northwest corner of Dearborn and Monroe streets. Cook claimed that he was instrumental in getting the appropriation for the new building. though the location was criticised as being an inconvenient one and "too far out on the prairie." The new building was occupied November 22d, 1860. It had been more than five years in process of construction. The Tribune, commenting upon the new post office, said: "probably it has no superior in the United States, and must ever remain a prominent object of pride and interest, both to residents and strangers."

THE POST OFFICE DURING THE WAR AND SUBSEQUENTLY

John L. Scripps was appointed postmaster by President Lincoln on March 28th, 1861, and continued in this office throughout the period of the Civil War. In a separate place we have spoken of the distinguished services of Mr. Scripps and his staff during that period. On March 9th, 1865, Samuel Hoard was appointed postmaster, and he in turn was succeeded by Robert A. Gilmore on November 16th, 1866. Gilmore was drowned in the lake, and soon after, on the 27th of August, 1867, Francis T. Sherman was appointed. He was succeeded on April 5th, 1869, by Francis A. Eastman.

It was during Eastman's term that the great Chicago fire of October 8th and 9th, 1871, occurred. The post office was re-opened at the corner of State and Sixteenth streets, and soon after, December 24th, 1871, it found more convenient quarters in the Methodist church at the northwest corner of Harrison street and Wabash avenue. John McArthur succeeded Eastman as postmaster on February 18th, 1873. Meantime the government decided on a new location for the post office and secured possession of the block bounded by Clark, Adams, Dearborn and Jackson streets, and began the erection of a building to cover the entire block. This building cost four millions of dollars and was occupied by the post office and other departments of the Federal government on April 12th, 1879; but not until several removals of the post office other than those previously mentioned had taken place.

Its occupancy of the Methodist church continued until the extensive conflagration of July 14th, 1874, drove it out, and quarters were then secured on the West side, at the northwest corner of Halsted and Washington streets. On the 24th of the following August the post office took possession of the "Honore building," at the southwest corner of Dearborn and Monroe streets. Frank W. Palmer was appointed postmaster February 2d, 1877, and on the 4th of January, 1879, the post office was once more driven from its quarters in the Honore building by fire. It was obliged to find temporary shelter in the "Singer building," then recently completed on the northwest corner of State and Washington streets, where it remained but a short period, that is, until the following April, when it moved into the new structure. Palmer was succeeded in May, 1885, by Solomon C. Judd, who gave way on November 19th, 1888, to Walter C. Newberry. The next appointment was that of James A. Sexton on April 16th, 1893. Washington Hesing received the next appointment on November 25th, 1893.

In 1896 the costly building occupied by the post office and other government offices was found to be in a ruinous condition on account of insecure foundations and other faults of construction, and it was accordingly condemned. Thus after only seventeen years of use this great building, which was expected to endure for ages, was abandoned, and the post office found quarters in a temporary building constructed for its purposes on the lake front occupying a large space to the north of the Art Institute. Here it remained until 1905, awaiting the removal of the old building and the construction of the present new and splendid Federal building familiar to our citizens at the present time, and where the post office at length seemed to find a permanent home.

On March 19th, 1897, Charles U. Gordon was appointed postmaster, and continued in office until succeeded by Frederick E. Coyne on April 1st, 1901. Coyne was succeeded by Fred A. Busse on January 8th, 1906. Busse resigned in April, 1907, on being elected mayor of Chicago. Daniel A. Campbell, the present postmaster, was appointed to that office on April 15th, 1907.

CHAPTER LX

PRESENT DAY MOVEMENTS—A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

THE CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF

COMMERCE-PRINCIPLES AND PLANS ITS COMPLETE ORGANIZATION—ACTIVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION-GREAT VALUE OF ITS PUBLICATIONS WORK OF ATTRACTING CONVENTIONS COMPARISON WITH THE CHICAGO COMMERCIAL CLUB-CITY BUILDERS OF THE PAST-CHICAGO'S RAPID EXPANSIONSPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY—MAYOR BUSSE'S COMMUNICATION TO THE COUN CIL THE CHICAGO PLAN COMMISSION FORMED--ENDORSEMENT OF THE CHICAGO COMMERCIAL CLUB-CITY BUILDERS OF THE PAST-CHICAGO'S RAPID EXPANSION— PRELIMINARIES CONSIDERED LAKE MICHIGAN'S PART IN THE PLAN-BOULEVARDS LAGOONS THE "CIVIC CENTER" DESCRIBED GROUPS OF BUILDINGS PLANNED -INCENTIVES TO THE GREAT ENTERPRISE-PRACTICABLE NATURE OF THE PLANLOOKING INTO THE FUTURE.

AND

THE CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE

HE splendid record made by the Chicago Association of Commerce in recent years has riveted the attention of the people upon the wonderful activities of that association. Along in 1895 there was an organization in Chicago known as the Merchants' and Travelers' Association, having for its aims the promotion of Chicago trade by attracting country merchants to this market. This association later became merged into the Chicago Commercial Association, and a banquet was held at which there was a large gathering of members and friends of the older organization. At this time new and progressive policies were inaugurated, to be carried out under the auspices of the new association. The leading spirits in this movement were Edward M. Skinner, Edwin Sherman, A. M. Compton, and a number of the younger men connected with a wide variety of business houses of the city.

This association continued under the name adopted at that time until 1908, when in deference to the Chicago Commercial Club, with which its name was constantly confused, the name was changed to that of the Chicago Association of Commerce. Throughout its years of activity there has been a steady broadening of the principles and scope under which the association has carried on its work. Its aims and purposes, as they have now become established, are more exalted in character than are usually found in the advertising formulas of commercial bodies. Their programme embraces all the religious, educational and artistic agencies that are found in a large and enterprising community like that of Chicago, and these are regarded as of equal importance with the usual commercial inducements and as legitimate subjects of their attention.