Chapter IX: Appendix: Legal Aspects of the Plan of Chicago

Introductory 127

Outer parks, boulevards, and circuits 130

City parks, squares, boulevards, and avenues 133

Lake shore development 137

Transportation problems 139

Control of lands adjacent to public improvements 139

Congested areas 151

Present borrowing and taxing powers 151

Conclusions 154

INDEX 157

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Bird’s-eye view, showing the location of Chicago on the shores of
Lake Michigan, together with the surrounding towns connected with
the city by radiating arteries _Frontispiece_

Wood-cut of Chicago in 1834 1

The World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893 2
The Court of Honor, showing effect
of a uniform cornice line 3
Plan showing orderly arrangement
of buildings 5

The Lake Front Park, original plan, 1896 6
Modified plan, 1904 7

The World’s Columbian Exposition; view of the Court of Honor,
looking west 8

The Pyramids at Gizeh 9

The Acropolis at Athens 10

The Greek Theatre at Syracuse, Sicily 10

Plan showing Nero’s Circus at Rome (First Century), Basilica of
St. Peter (Fourth Century), and the present
Cathedral of St. Peter (Sixteenth Century) 11

An ancient Roman circus, near the Appian Way 12

The Ponte Molle, Rome 12

Transformation of the banks of the Seine in Paris 14

Chronological views of the Place de la Bastille, Paris 15

The transformation of Paris under Haussmann: plan showing the
portion executed from 1854 to 1889 16

Paris. Plan proposed by M. Eugene Hénard for additional radial
arteries and an inner circuit boulevard on which would front the
principal existing administrative buildings and many
public monuments 17

Vienna. City center, in 1857, showing the fortifications 19
City center, after transformations made by order of
Francis Joseph in 1857 19

London. Plan of Aldwych and Kingsway connecting Holborn and the
Strand 20

London Traffic Commission’s plan for new thoroughfares to overcome
congestion, 1907 20

Original plan of Washington designed by Peter Charles
L’Enfant, 1791 22

The L’Enfant plan of Washington as developed by the Senate Park
Commission of 1901 23

The Washington Monument, garden, and Mall, looking towards the
Capitol; Senate Park Commission plan 24

The Plaza and Union Station, Washington, begun in 1902 24

Cleveland. Group-Plan 25
View from the civic center to the Lake 25

Plan for the development of the entire city of San Francisco 26

Bird’s-eye view of the plan of development for San Francisco 26

Plans for the development of Manila, submitted to the Philippine
Commission by D. H. Burnham, 1905 27

Plan for a summer capital of the Philippine Islands, at Baguio 28

Florence, Italy. Silhouette of towers 30

Chicago. Diagram of location with regard to the seven central
States 31

Chicago, and diagram of Lake Michigan 33

Nancy, France. View of the Place Stanislas 35

Forest of Fontainebleau, France 36

Chicago. The Sheridan Road north of Glencoe 37
The Des Plaines River; view near Madison Street bridge 40
General diagram of exterior highways encircling, or
radiating from, the city 40
The shore of Lake Michigan; view at the north line of
Cook County 41

View of Lake Zurich, Illinois 42

Chicago. Winter view of Grant Park and the proposed harbor,
looking east 43
General map showing topography, waterways, and complete
system of streets, boulevards, parkways, and parks 44

Berlin. Block plan showing the park system and proposed forest
reserves 45

Vienna. Block plan showing the park system and existing forest
reserves 46

District of Columbia. Block plan showing the park system and
additions 47

London. A view of Rotten Row in Hyde Park 48

Chicago. View of the city from Jackson Park to Grant Park, looking
towards the west 48
Park development proposed for the Lake shore from Jackson
Park to Wilmette 48
View of the proposed park on the south shore, looking
northwest towards the city 48
View looking south over the lagoons of the proposed park
for the south shore 48
Section through the park proposed for the south shore 48
The Midway Plaisance, showing the proposed waterway
connecting the lagoons of Washington Park with those of
Jackson Park 51
Typical view across the proposed south shore park 52

England. Henley-on-Thames: the regatta course 53
Henley-on-Thames: a regatta 53

Versailles, France. Plan of the palace, park, and gardens, and the
great arteries leading to the gates 54
View from the terrace, looking down the
main axis 55

Paris. View of the Sunken Garden in the Luxembourg Gardens 55

St. Germain, France. View of an avenue in the forest and
round-point 55

Chicago. Plan of a park proposed on the main east-and-west axis of
the city at Congress Street and Fifty-second Avenue 56
Plan of a park proposed at Western Boulevard and Garfield
Boulevard, being an extension of Gage Park 57
Plan of a park proposed at the north branch of the
Chicago River and Graceland Avenue 57
Plan of Sherman playground and park 58
Mark White Square 59
Hamilton Park 59
Sherman Park; view of field house 60
Sherman Park; view of swimming pool 60
Diagram of a system of freight handling for land and
water transportation 61
Assembling-interchange; diagrams accompanying the report
of the committee 63
Sketch diagram of docks suggested at the mouth of the
Chicago River 64
Sketch diagram of docks suggested at the mouth of the
Calumet River 65
Diagram of the city and surrounding country, showing
railroad circuits 67
Diagram of the city center, showing the general location
of existing freight yards and railroad lines, the
present tunnel system and proposed circuit, and
connections for all these services, running to the
central clearing yards 69
Diagram of the city, showing complete system of inner
circuits 70

Dresden. Viaduct and railway station (Hauptbahn-hof) passing above
the normal street level 71

Vienna. A railway viaduct passing over an important street 71

Chicago. Suggested arrangement of passenger stations west of the
river. Subway scheme 72
Suggested arrangement of passenger stations west of the
river. Overhead scheme 73
Diagram of city center, showing the proposed arrangement
of railroad passenger stations, the complete traction
system, including rapid transit, subway, and elevated
roads, and the circuit subway line 75
Railroad rights-of-way and properties in the center of
city and the existing radial arteries 76
Diagram of general scheme of street circulation and parks
in relation to the areas covered by industries and
manufactures 77

Viaduct at Auteuil over the River Seine, Paris, France 78

Chicago. The center of the city looking west, showing Grant Park,
the harbor, and the civic center 79
Plan of the street and boulevard system present and
proposed 80
View looking west over the city, showing the proposed
civic center, the grand axis, Grant Park, and the harbor 80
Map showing the successive city limits 81
Diagram of general scheme of street circulation and parks
in relation to the population 82
Theoretical diagram of street circulation 83
Existing and proposed diagonal arteries 85

Paris. The Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, looking towards the Arc
de Triomphe 86
The Tuileries Gardens and Champs Élyseés 86
The Champs Élyseés, from the Place de la Concorde 87
View from the Arc de Triomphe along the Avenue du Bois
de Boulogne 87

System of traffic circulation proposed by M. Hénard for public
places 89

Theoretical diagram of the streets of Paris 90

Theoretical diagram of the streets of Moscow 90

Theoretical diagram of the streets of Berlin 91

Theoretical diagram of the streets of London 91

Chicago. View of Grand Boulevard 92
View of the Lake Shore Drive 92
Plan of the city, showing the general system of boulevards
and parks existing and proposed 93
View of Drexel Boulevard 94
View of Michigan Avenue, looking north 94
Intersection of the three branches of the Chicago River 95
View looking north on the south branch of the
Chicago River 96
View of the south shore looking southeast over Grant Park 98
The proposed plaza on Michigan Avenue 99
Plan of the complete system of street circulation; railway
stations; parks; boulevard circuits and radial arteries;
public recreation piers; yacht harbor, and pleasure boat
piers; treatment of Grant Park; the main axis and the
civic center 100
Plan of the center of the city, showing the present and
proposed street and boulevard system 100
Proposed boulevard to connect the north and south sides
of the river 100
Plan of Michigan Avenue from Twelfth Street to the river,
and its extension on Pine Street to Chicago Avenue 102
Proposed boulevard and parkway on Michigan Avenue and
Pine Street 102
Proposed boulevard on Michigan Avenue; view looking north
from a point east of the Public Library 104
View of Pine Street 105

Paris. View of the Rue de la Paix and the Column Vendôme 105

Chicago. Michigan Avenue, looking towards the south 106
Sketch plan of the intersection of Michigan Avenue and
Twelfth Street 107
Preliminary sketch of the plaza at Michigan Avenue and
Twelfth Street 108
Proposed Twelfth Street boulevard at intersections with
Michigan Avenue and Ashland Avenue 108
Railway station scheme west of the river between Canal
and Clinton streets 108
Alternate railway station scheme west of the river
between Canal and Clinton streets 109
Plan of Grant Park and the harbor 110
Elevation of Grant Park and harbor and the eastern façade
of the city on Michigan Avenue 110
Section looking north, taken through the proposed grand
axis of the city 110
Bird’s-eye view at night of Grant Park 112
Proposed plaza on Michigan Avenue west of the Field
Museum of Natural History 112
The business center of the city, within the first circuit
boulevard 112
Plan of the proposed group of municipal buildings or
civic center 112
Elevation showing the group of buildings constituting
the proposed civic center 112
View, looking west, of the proposed civic center plaza
and buildings 112

Paris. The Place de la Concorde, looking over the Seine towards
the Madeleine 113

Dresden. The Zwingerhof 113

Vienna. The Ringstrasse 114

Rome. St. Peter’s Cathedral 114

Chicago. View of the proposed development in the center of the
city, from Twenty-second Street to Chicago Avenue, looking
towards the east 114

Berlin. Spree Island 115

Chicago. The proposed civic center square 116

Study for the dome of the proposed civic center 118

View eastward to Lake Michigan 119

“The Great Lakes” 124

* * * * *

The drawings for the Plan of Chicago were executed by Ben E. Holden, Clarence E. Howard, Chester M. Davison, Chris U. Bagge, and Leo Strelka. Mr. Holden was identified with the study of the general plan and the park system, both in general and in detail; Mr. Howard with the Center of the City and the Railroads; and Mr. Davison with the treatment of the Lake Front. The plans for the Civic Center and for Grant Park were studied by Fernand Janin of Paris, who came to Chicago in 1908 for that especial purpose. The renderings by Jules Guerin were made during extended visits to Chicago in 1907, and again in 1908. The work of both Mr. Guerin and Mr. Janin appears over their names. The Sanitary District Map of the City of Chicago has been used in compiling the plan drawings. Plate XVII is compiled from plans published in “Les Transformations de Paris.”

THE COMMERCIAL CLUB OF CHICAGO

ORGANIZED 1877; UNITED WITH THE MERCHANTS CLUB, 1907.

THE MERCHANTS CLUB COMMITTEE ON THE PLAN OF CHICAGO, 1906-7. Charles
D. Norton, _Chairman_; Charles H. Wacker, _Vice-Chairman_; David R.
Forgan, _Treasurer_; Walter H. Wilson, _Chairman Finance Committee_;
Edward B. Butler, Frederic A. Delano; Daniel H. Burnham, _Architect_.

THE COMMERCIAL CLUB COMMITTEES ON THE PLAN OF CHICAGO, 1907-08.

GENERAL COMMITTEE. Charles D. Norton, _Chairman_; Charles H. Wacker,
_Vice-Chairman_; Frederic A. Delano, _Secretary_; Walter H. Wilson,
_Treasurer_; Adolphus C. Bartlett, Edward B. Butler, Clyde M. Carr,
John V. Farwell, Jr., Joy Morton, Charles H. Thorne; Daniel H.
Burnham, _Architect_.

ON LAKE FRONT. Edward B. Butler, _Chairman_; Leslie Carter, Charles
G. Dawes, John V. Farwell, Jr., Victor F. Lawson, Harold F. McCormick.

ON BOULEVARD TO CONNECT THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES. Clyde M. Carr,
_Chairman_; Charles H. Conover, James L. Houghteling, Albert A.
Sprague II., Charles H. Thorne, Frederic W. Upham, Charles H. Wacker.

ON RAILWAY TERMINALS. Joy Morton, _Chairman_; Adolphus C. Bartlett,
William J. Chalmers, Charles H. Hulburd, Chauncey Keep, Franklin
MacVeagh, Cyrus H. McCormick, Martin A. Ryerson, John G. Shedd,
Albert A. Sprague.

THE COMMERCIAL CLUB COMMITTEES ON THE PLAN OF CHICAGO, 1908-9.

GENERAL COMMITTEE. Charles D. Norton, _Chairman_; Charles H. Wacker,
_Vice-Chairman_; Frederic A. Delano, _Secretary_; Walter H. Wilson,
_Treasurer_; Adolphus C. Bartlett, Edward B. Butler, Clyde M. Carr,
John V. Farwell, Charles L. Hutchinson, Rollin A. Keyes, Joy Morton,
Charles H. Thorne; Daniel H. Burnham, _Architect_.

ON LAKE PARKS. Edward B. Butler, _Chairman_; Edgar A. Bancroft,
William L. Brown, Charles G. Dawes, John V. Farwell, Harold F.
McCormick, John J. Mitchell.

ON STREETS AND BOULEVARDS. Clyde M. Carr, _Chairman_; Charles H.
Conover, Thomas E. Donnelley, James L. Houghteling, Albert A. Sprague
II., Frederic W. Upham, Charles H. Wacker.

ON RAILWAY TERMINALS. Joy Morton, _Chairman_; Adolphus C. Bartlett,
Franklin MacVeagh, Cyrus H. McCormick, Martin A. Ryerson, John G.
Shedd, Albert A. Sprague.

ON INTERURBAN ROADWAYS. Charles H. Thorne, _Chairman_; Benjamin
Carpenter, Edward F. Carry, Homer A. Stillwell, Charles L. Strobel.

ON FINANCE. Adolphus C. Bartlett, _Chairman_; Charles G. Dawes,
Charles L. Hutchinson, Albert A. Sprague, Walter H. Wilson.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

PRIOR TO JUNE 1, 1909

Adams, George E.
Aldis, Arthur T.
Aldis, Owen F.
Alexander, William A.
Allen, Benjamin
Alvord, John W.
American Radiator Company
Armour, J. Ogden
Armstrong, Frank H.
Arnold, Bion J.
Ayer, Edward E.

Bailey, Edward P.
Baker, Alfred L.
Baker, Howard W.
Bancroft, Edgar A.
Banks, Alexander F.
Barber, Bryant H.
Barnes, Albert R.
Barnhart, Kenneth
Bartlett, Adolphus C.
Bartlett, Charles L.
Barton, Enos M.
Bates, Onward
Becker, Abraham G.
Beidler, Francis
Beifeld, Joseph
Bigelow Brothers & Walker Company
Billings, Frank
Birk, William A.
Blair, Chauncey J.
Blair, Henry A.
Blair, Watson F.
Bode, Frederick
Booth, W. Vernon
Bowen, Joseph T.
Boynton, Charles T.
Brand, Rudolph
Bremer, Herman H.
Brill, George M.
Brown, William L.
Buckingham, Clarence
Buda Foundry & Manufacturing Company
Buffington, Eugene J.
Burley, Clarence A.
Burnham, Daniel H.
Bush, William H.
Butler, Edward B.
Butler, Estate of Hermon B.
Butz, Otto C.

Canby, Caleb H.
Carpenter, Augustus A., Jr.
Carpenter, Benjamin
Carr, Clyde M.
Carry, Edward F.
Carton, Laurence A.
Chalmers, William J.
Chapin, S. B. & Company.
Clark, John M.
Clow, William E.
Cochran, J. Lewis
Cofran, John W. G.
Comstock, Charles G.
Condron, Theodore L.
Conover, Charles H.
Corwith, Charles R.
Cowan, William K.
Cowles, Alfred
Cox, Rensselaer W.
Crane, Charles R.
Crane, Richard T. Jr.
Crowell, Henry P.
Cudahy, Michael
Culver, Helen
Cummings, D. Mark
Cummings, Edmund A.
Cunningham, Frank S.

Dau, J. J.
Dawes, Charles G.
Day, Chapin A.
Deering, Charles
Deering, James
Delano, Frederic A.
Dewes, Francis J.
Dewey, Albert B.
De Wolf, Wallace L.
Dick, Albert B.
Dixon, Arthur
Donnelley, Thomas E.
Downey, Joseph
Durand, Elliott

Earling, Albert J.
Eckhart, Barnard A.
Eckstein, Louis
Edward Hines Lumber Company
Eisendrath, Joseph N.
Eitel, Emil
Ellsworth, James W.
Ewen, John M.

Fair, Robert M.
Falkenau, Victor
Farwell, Granger
Farwell, John V.
Fay, Charles N.
Felton, Samuel M.
Ferguson, Louis A.
Fetzer, John C.
Field, John S.
Field, Stanley
Findeisen & Kropf Manufacturing Company
Foote, Erastus
Foreman, Edwin G.
Forgan, David R.
Forgan, James B.
Frost, Albert C.
Fuller, William A.

Gardner, William A.
Gerstenberg, Erich G.
Gilbert, Harry K.
Glessner, John J.
Goodman, Herbert E.
Granger, Alfred H.
Greeley-Howard Company
Gregory, Robert B.
Grey, Charles F.
Grosscup, Peter S.
Gurley, William W.

Hamill, Ernest A.
Hammond, Robert R.
Hardy, F. A. & Company
Harris, George B.
Harris, John F.
Harris, Joseph
Harris, Norman W.
Hart, H. Stillson
Haskell, Frederick T.
Hately, John C.
Haugan, Helge A.
Hewitt, Charles M.
Heyworth, James O.
Heyworth, Lawrence
Holt, George H.
Hoover, Frank K.
Horton, George T.
Horton, Horace E.
Houghteling, James L.
Hoyt, William M.
Hughitt, Marvin
Hulbert, Edmund D.
Hulburd, Charles H.
Hull, Morton D.
Hurley, Edward N.
Hutchins, James C.
Hutchinson, Charles L.

Insull, Samuel
Isham, Mrs. R. N.

Jackson, George W.
James, Fred S.
Johnson, Frank S.
Johnston, Hugh McBirney
Jones, Arthur B.
Jones, David B.
Jones, Frank H.
Jones, William D.

Keep, Chauncey
Kelley, William V.
Kenna, Edward D.
Kent, William
Kesner, Jacob L.
Keyes, Rollin A.
Kimball, Charles F.
Kimball, W. W. Co.
Kurz, Adolph

Laflin, Louis E.
Lamont, Robert P.
Langhorst, Henry A.
Lathrop, Bryan
Lawrence, Dwight
Lawson, Victor F.
Lefens, Thies J.
Leicht, Edward A.
Lincoln, Robert T.
Lindgren, John R.
Linn, William R.
Lobdell, Edwin L.
Logan, Frank G.
Lombard, Isaac G.
Lord, John B.
Lowden, Frank O.
Lynch, John A.
Lyon, John K.
Lytton, Henry C.

MacVeagh, Franklin
Madlener, Albert F.
Magnus, August C.
Mandel, Leon
Mark, Clayton
Martin, William P.
Matz, Rudolph
Mayer, Levy
McCord, Alvin C.
McCormick, Cyrus H.
McCormick, Harold F.
McCullough, Hiram R.
McLaughlin, William F.
Meeker, Arthur
Mendius, Carl
Merryweather, George
Miller, Darius
Miller, Harry I.
Miller, John S.
Miner, William H.
Mitchell, John J.
Mitten, Thomas E.
Modjeski, Ralph
Morris, Edward
Morron, John R.
Morton, Joy
Morton, Mark
Murdock, Thomas

Norlin, Fred
Norton, Charles D.
Noyes, Frank B.
Noyes, La Verne W.

Ortmann, Rudolph
Ortseifen, Adam
Otis, Joseph E. Estate
Otis, Spencer

Paepcke, Hermann
Palmer, Honore
Palmer, Percival B.
Palmer, Potter, Jr.
Paper Mills Company, The
Patten, James A.
Peabody, Francis B.
Peabody, Francis S.
Pirie, John T., Jr.
Pitkin, Edward H.
Pool, Marvin B.
Pope, Henry
Porter, Henry H.
Porter, Henry H., Jr.
Potter, Edwin A.

Rawson, Frederick H.
Rehm, William H.
Revell, Alexander H.
Reynolds, George M.
Rickcords, George E.
Ripley, Edward P.
Robinson, Theodore W.
Rogers, Brown & Company
Rosenthal, Benjamin J.
Rosenwald, Julius
Rubens, Harry
Rudolph, Franklin
Russell, Edmund A.
Russell, Brewster & Company
Ryerson, Edwin L.
Ryerson, Martin A.

Sard, William H.
Sargent, George M.
Scott, John W.
Scully, Arthur B.
Sears, Richard W.
Seipp, Philip W.
Selz, J. Harry
Shaffer, John C.
Shaffner, Joseph
Shedd, Edward A.
Shedd, John G.
Shirk, Elbert W.
Simpson, James
Skinner, Edward M.
Smith, Byron L.
Smith, Mrs. George T.
Smith, Orson
Smith, Walter B.
Soper, James P.
Spoor, John A.
Sprague, Albert A.
Sprague, Otho S. A.
Starring, Mason B.
Stevens, Charles A.
Stillwell, Homer A.
Strobel, Charles L.
Stumer, Louis M.
Sullivan, Roger C.
Sunny, Bernard E.
Swift, Charles H.
Swift, Edward F.
Swift, George B.
Swift, Louis F.

Theurer, Joseph
Thoman, Leroy D.
Thomas, Benjamin
Thompson, John R.
Thompson, William M.
Thorne, Charles H.
Thorne, George R.
Tilden, Edward
Tilt, Joseph E.
Turner, Edward A.

Uhrlaub, Adolph
Uihlein, Edgar J.
Upham, Frederic W.

Van Valkenburg, William
Viles, James, Jr.

Wacker, Charles H.
Walker, Henry H.
Wallace, John F.
Ward, A. Montgomery
Warner, Ezra J.
Warren, William S.
Watson, J. V.
Watson, William J.
Wells, Addison E.
Wells, M. D. Company
Wheeler, Arthur D.
Wheeler, Charles P.
Wheeler, Harry A.
Wilder, John E.
Wilder, T. Edward
Willard, Daniel
Willing, Mark S.
Willits, Ward W.
Wilmarth, Mrs. Mary J.
Wilson, John P.
Wilson, Walter H.
Winchell, Benjamin L.
Winston, Frederick S.
Winston, Payne, Strawn & Shaw
Wolff, L. Manufacturing Company
Wrenn, John H.

Young, Charles O.

PLAN OF CHICAGO

PLAN OF CHICAGO