Harry M. Beardsley, "'Mid-City' Former Home of the Elite: Near West Side Increasing in Importance as Commission Center," Chicago Daily News (May 12, 1923); 12.

For forty years most of the families in Chicago's blue book were sun worshippers.

Every morning they rose, faced east and greeted the rising sun as they sped toward their down-town stores and offices behind their smart spans of blooded horses. And every evening, they faced the sun again as they drove homeward along Washington street toward Ashland avenue.

But after about forty years, the men folk began to grow weary of squinting into the morning sun and evening six days a week. Ashland avenue, with its palatial brown residences, its exclusive clubs, its fashionable churches and its traditional prestige as Chicago's social center was attractive as ever, but changes were taking place along State street and between State and Ashland that were to shift the whole trend of Chicago developments.

Palmer Changes City Trend

Potter Palmer, having bought a mile of frontage along State street, was demonstrating to the satisfaction of everyone concerned that the sun worshipping theory was wrong and that Chicago instead of facing east and west, should face north and south and grow north and south. State Street, a north and south thoroughfare, was supplanting Lake Street, an east and west thoroughfare, as Chicago's best business street and just west of the river a "red light" district was developing through which the fashionable west side colony had to pass to reach the stores, shops and offices of the business district.

Many of those who had banked on the westward growth of Chicago and helped to establish the community around Union Park as a fine residential area of the city remained there despite the new trend, but others seeking a new location found one. Just as far south of the business center as Ashland was west, and 16th and 18th Streets, Michigan, Calumet and Prairie Avenues became the new residential district deluxe.

The sun had set for Chicago's west side. A goodly percentage of the Chicago men prominent in civic and business affairs of the city during the last four decades were born or raised in this picturesque section of the west side. Today most of the mansions along Ashland boulevard have passed into alien hands. The brownstone front clubhouse where Chicago's aristocracy once assembled is now the national headquarters for a group of railway unions. Half a dozen of the fine old residences are similarly organized. On union meeting nights, Ashland avenue is jammed with the automobiles of the workers and extra police are needed to regulate traffic. The rooming houses, characteristic of such former fine residence areas are not so much in evidence on Ashland avenue as on Ogden, Washington and the cross streets.

Once Sold For Debt

The "Mid-City" section, as the area bounded roughly by Van Buren, Halsted, Kinzie and Ashland is sometimes designated, is one of the oldest sections of the city and has had a hectic career. The tract bounded by Halsted, Kinzie, Elizabeth and Madison known as "Carpenter's addition to Chicago" was purchased by Philo Carpenter, Chicago pioneer, from the government at $1,25 an acre. The Carpenter homestead, near the present intersection of Randolph and Carpenter streets, was one of the showplaces of the west side for many years.

Four and one half blocks of the tract was turned over to Mr. Carpenter's creditors following the Panic of 1837 to satisfy a judgment of approximately $8,500; in addition the creditors took the homestead, a house and lot near Washington and LaSalle streets, 960 acres of land in Fayette county and half a block in the school section, now the heart of Chicago's loop.

Former Site of Stock Yards

The section quite early showed signs of a development as a commission center. A stockyard. "The Bull's Head" was built near Madison and Ashland. The "Bull's Head Tavern" sprung into existence to accommodate the cattle men who drove their beasts to market and the farmers who brought their hay and produce to the hay market along Randolph street, later the scene of the bloody Haymarket riot.

When the "Bull's Head" stockyards passed out, because of its inconvenient location to the railway terminals, the old tavern went with it, and on its site rose the Washington home for inebriates.

The building still stands, but the directors of the institution say the Volstead Act has made it a non-essential and it has ceased to function.

Famed as a "Hobo" Center

Madison street from the river west to Ashland is famed throughout the country as the world's greatest center of hobo activity. Chicago, by reason of its preeminence as a railway center becomes automatically the capital of Hobohemia, the world of the casual laborer. More hoboes winter in Chicago than in any other city and it is the greatest clearing house in the country for casual labor; hence Madison, Monroe and Washington streets for a considerable distance west of Canal street are lined with cheap hotels, "flop" houses, "coffee" houses and restaurants catering to the hobo trade. Missions, labor agencies, the army and navy and the I.W.W.'s maintain recruiting stations within the district, all seeking to convert the hobo.

Randolph street east of Sangamon is increasing in importance as a commission center and with the completion of the widening of Randolph from Sangamon west to Ogden may become the principle commission market of the city. Wrecking of the buildings necessary for the widening process is almost completed. At Ogden avenue and Randolph two widened thoroughfares will meet and the intersection facing Union Park and the immediate neighborhood is expected to benefit materially.