Chicago by day and night

by Harold R. Vynne

Humboldt park is another West side breathing-place in which the residents of the locality in which it is situated take especial pride. Its area is 200 acres and it lies four miles north-west from the court house, being bounded on the south by Augusta street, on the east by N. California avenue, on the west by N. Kedzie avenue, and on the north by W. North avenue. Humboldt park is beautifully laid out and its trees, shrubs and flowers are of superb beauty. It has a fine conservatory and an artesian well 1,155 feet deep.

The South side park system is the most complete of any in the city, and it monopolizes the favor of visitors who desire to make a speedy circuit of the three handsomest parks in the town within the short space of half a day. The system of boulevards leading to these parks cannot be equaled in the whole world. Michigan avenue boulevard, which commences at Jackson street and the Lake Front, is the open sesame to a drive as delicious as the most exacting soul can desire. This street is one hundred feet wide from curb to curb and skirts the Lake Front park at its commencement. Speeding up Michigan avenue, in whatever sort of conveyance the taste of the tourist may select, a fine view is obtained of some of the finest residences to be found in the whole city, many of whose millionaires have built palatial homes at distances greater or less from the business district. Michigan avenue proper extends south to 35th street. At 35th street commence two boulevards, Drexel boulevard and Grand boulevard. Drexel boulevard commences at Oakwood and the junction of Cottage Grove avenue and 39th street, and has a double drive-way 200 feet wide, having in its centre a wide strip of turf dotted with shrubs and flowering plants, and at its western side a soft track for equestrians. It was named after the Messrs. Drexel, the famous bankers of Philadelphia, who, in appreciation of the compliment thus bestowed, have erected a fine bronze fountain at the intersection of Drexel avenue. Grand boulevard is a very similar stretch of road-way in all respects. It runs south from 35th street, where South Park avenue joins that thoroughfare, and forms the northwestern entrance to Washington park. It also presents a beautiful road-way for driving and has a side strip for equestrians, with flower beds, shrubs and green turf on either side. Both of these boulevards are dotted by magnificent private residences, the chosen homes of the wealthiest class in the city. They form dual entrances to the circuit of boulevards leading to the famous Washington park race-track, of which mention will be found in another chapter.

Washington park, then, is entered from the beautiful drive-way on Drexel boulevard, is most delightfully situated a little over a mile from Lake Michigan and nearly seven miles southeast from the court house, being bounded on the west and north by Cottage Grove avenue and 51st street, on the south by 60th street. In the opinion of many people it is the finest of all of Chicago’s parks, being 371 acres in area, its floral beauties and its charms of hillocks, shrubbery, woods and water being almost beyond description. There is a great play-ground 100 acres in extent, upon which any one is free to indulge in any sort of athletic game that fancy may dictate, also a large lake upon which boating may be indulged. There is also a splendid conservatory, in which many rare flowers of all lands may be viewed at any time. The floral display is in charge of a great army of skilled gardeners, who change the designs from season to season and always manage to turn out something new.

Jackson park proper, the extreme southern part of which has been selected as the site for the World’s Fair, lies about eight miles southeast of the court house, being bounded as follows: on the west by Stony Island avenue, on the north by 56th street, on the south by 67th street and on the west by the blue waters of Lake Michigan. The works incident to the preparation for the World’s Fair include the excavating and dredging of the little lakes connected with Lake Michigan. The preparations for the Fair have not materially interfered with the northern portion of the park, the major portion of which is devoted to a huge play-ground which is utilized all through the summer by the devotees of tennis, base-ball and cricket, or by the militia as a parade ground. Surrounding this open expanse of turf are beautiful wooded avenues, while on the east side is a sea wall and promenade from which a superb view may be had of the lake. Midway north and south in the park, on the very edge of the water, is a large stone pavilion, in which thousands of people may find shelter in rainy weather, and which is sometimes used for dances and other festivities during the summer months.

Visitors who desire to make a circuit of the South park system cannot do better than patronize the phaetons which start every few minutes from the northern terminus of Drexel boulevard and make the circuit in about one hour, the charge for which is 25 cents.

It should be remembered that in case the visitor desires to make the circuit of all the parks in a day the chain of boulevards extends completely around the city. It is impossible to lose one’s way and the merest hint at a desire for information at any point of the journey will meet with the readiest response. In addition to the parks herein described there are a number of smaller pretensions, mere breathing-places, scattered about the city, that, while not affording much opportunity for study, will, nevertheless, be found to greatly enhance the attractions of the journey. The scene in any of the great parks, particularly at night, when they are filled with pleasure-seekers, will be found to be well worth investigation. At that time there are all sorts and conditions of people to be found, all bent upon the enjoyment of the hour and determined to console themselves so far as they may for the trials and vexations of the day. The moon is shedding an indulgent light down upon the merry-makers as they stroll to and fro in laughing groups beneath the whispering trees. There is light, mirth, laughter everywhere, and the merriment of the idling wanderers is echoed from time to time by the rippling of the water as it laps upon the sandy shore. It is indeed a pleasant picture. Far away in the distance, separated by only a few miles of dusty roads, is the great city, teeming with life, turmoil and wickedness. Here all is peace. The air is soft and balmy, the spirits of the merry-makers are at their highest without being vexed either by the recollection of the tumult of the day or care for the morrow. The benison of night, assisted by the art of mankind, is perhaps responsible for the beauty of the scene and the spirit of happiness and content that prevails. Visit any of the parks on a hot summer night for an hour or two, when all the world is devoted to calm relaxation, and see if you do not subscribe to the sentiment.

CHAPTER XVIII.
RACING.

The national love of horse-racing, which is growing in intensity year by year, finds nowhere a better ground for development than in Chicago. There are in active operation in this city during the months of summer and autumn three admirably equipped race tracks, where the fleetest horses in the world are entered in daily contests for fat purses. Attached to each are commodious betting-rings, where the spectator may indulge in any size of wager he desires, from a dollar upward. On any fine day during the summer the roads leading to the tracks are thronged with gay equipages, which add spirit to a scene always varied and beautiful. Two of these tracks are located on the West side, one at Hawthorne (Corrigan’s) and the other at the western extremity of Garfield park (the Garfield Racing Association). The other, and by far the most famous of the three, is the Washington Park Club, at the southern end of Washington park. The Washington Park Club, under whose auspices the races there are given each year, is a somewhat aristocratic organization, composed of a number of the well-to-do citizens of Chicago. The commodious club-house occupies a commanding position to the west of the grand stand and admission thereto is confined to members and their friends. To the grand stand and enclosure adjoining, the public is admitted at a charge of one dollar per head. The betting-ring is under the grand stand, and, from the fact that one hundred book-makers are sometimes doing business there at the same time and paying the club $100 per day apiece for the privilege, it may be inferred that the industry is highly profitable.

The races given every year at this beautiful track are famous the country over. They commence early in the month of June with the American Derby, a race for three-year-olds, for which a stake of over $20,000 in value is annually hung up. Derby day is one of the events of the year in Chicago. Every vehicle capable of transporting two or more people to the pleasure ground is bespoken for weeks beforehand. Along Michigan avenue the gay cavalcade goes—tally-hos with their freight of gallant knights and ladies fair; wagonettes, dog-carts, man phaetons, with their clanking chains and glossy steeds; tandems, cocking-carts—the new fashionable vehicle drawn by three horses abreast—down to the simplest and most democratic of conveyances. Away they go, and every window along the route contains its group of people who, while not going to the Derby themselves, intend to see the best part of the show. For hours the procession continues, the vehicles turning from Michigan avenue into the boulevards and then winding into the parks, to emerge presently at the great gateway of the tracks and unload their pleasure-seeking occupants.