In 1871, Peter Schmitt Jr. (aka: Schmidt; Americanized to Smith when married to Elizabeth Phillip), built this stunning home at 6836 North Ridge Boulevard for a cost of $5,100.00. The home still stands and has been in the same family for 146 years. Today's value is 100 times the original cost at $510,000.
The number of Chicago residence jumped from 50 in 1830 to 4,170 by 1837. Construction supplies never kept up with demand. The extraordinary demand for quick shelter led to Chicago’s first reputation for architectural innovation; balloon framing. In 1833 St. Mary’s Church was built on a new principal of construction – the substitution of thin plates and studs, running the entire height of the building and held together only by nails. The older and more expensive method of construction used mortised and tenoned joints. A house now could be erected in a week, but usually was not fixed to the ground. The Smith house was near completion but still under final construction at the time of the Great Chicago Fire. The house was much further north of the conflagulation and totally safe. There is no record of the building style, but one can assume, since it is still standing, lived in and owned by the same family, that it used “old school” construction methods. Expense Record of Building the Schmitt House; recorded in 1871: Carpenter Work:........Cash......$750 Mason Work:............Cash......$600 Plastering:............Cash......$250 Lumber:..........................$750 Sash and Moulding:...............$150 Lime and cement:.................$125 Locks and Things:................$75 Paint and Painters:..............$100 Brick:...........................$675 Lumber at Evanston:..............$75 Freight:.........................$50 Tinsmith:........................$63 Stone Work:......................$50 Carpenter Cash:..................$50 Moulding Door:...................$50 Other Cash payments:.............$1337 ====================================== Grand Total:.....................$5150
Manning & Bowes Saloon after a bomb explosion showing the room near the bar in ruins with four men standing and sitting at one end of the bar. The saloon was located at 321 State Street (today, 501 South State Street) in Chicago. (1909)
NO ARRESTS FOR BOMB NO. 30 Chicago Sunday Tribune - June 27, 1909 Although the police profess to have one man under suspicion as having caused bomb explosion No. 30 at Manning & Bowes Saloon, 321 State Street, no arrests were made yesterday (Saturday, June 26, 1909). A rumor is gaining in strength that the man under suspicion has a strong political "pull," but the police deny that this is true of the person they are seeking. Detectives from the headquarters and the Harrison Street station house continued work throughout the day upon the case but were unable or unwilling to report any progress when asked about the bomb throwers. Assistant Chief of Police Schuettler declares that every means the department has at its command is being used in the pursuit of the man or men responsible for the repeated outrages. "I wish I knew who the certain police official is who knows the persona responsible for the dynamite bombs in the so-called gamblers' war; I would give ten years of my life to know who is responsible for the outrages." This was the statement made last evening by Assistant Chief Schuettler in response to a published account said to have been made by persons who are said to be in touch with the gambling situation. "I don't believe there is any official attached to the Chicago police department who has information that would lead to the identity of the perpetrators of the bomb outrages," said the assistant chief. "I have officials of a powder company at work trying to locate the place where the bomb throwers obtain the powder, which is the explosive used in most of the bombs. I believe we are close to the track of the bomb throwers but cannot afford to make arrests upon suspicion. We have several persons under surveillance, but it is our business to catch them in the act in order to secure a conviction." "It makes me feel mighty bad to know that no arrest has been made as yet, but we would be in a worse way if we made arrests upon suspicion and were unable to produce evidence against the suspects that would satisfy a court." "We have followed up the movements of all the known gamblers and obtained lists of men that are supposed to be their enemies within the gambling fraternity. I have heard rumors that there is someone who we are afraid to arrest. That is untrue." "If we secure evidence against anyone, no matter how he may be connected, we will not hesitate to make arrests. This last outrage has made the detectives who have worked at times upon cases determined to land the men who are responsible." Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
The Hub Roller Rink opened in a desolate area in October 1950 at 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. For those familiar with Chicago today, this area is now a shopping mall and small stores.
1950, there was nothing between the Roller Rink and Irving Park Road.
The "Harlem Outdoor Theater (drive-in theater)" was at the corner, and across the street was the Illinois State Police Headquarters. South of Irving Park were some small stores and restaurants that many Roller Rink regulars hung out at after the rink closed.
Hub Roller Skating Rink Concession Stand before the Axle Remodeled.
The HUB was a supersized roller skating rink for its time and housed a Giant Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, initially played by Leon Berry. The skating area was about 275 feet long and some 95 feet wide. The floor was much larger if you included the area outside of the rink railings that allowed skaters access to the rink floor.
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Music by Freddy Arnish, Organist at the Hub.
The skating had set "styles of skating" displayed on a lighted sign when the organ music would change tempos. Most of the time, the skating style was "All Skate." Some other skating styles were Couples Only, Waltz, Fox Trot, and a few fancy dances such as Collegiate and the 14-step.
The Romp was when skaters joined hands in groups of 3, 4, or 5 people, and the end person would be "whipped" around the turns, which often would end in a group falling from the high speeds.
The rink was open every night and had matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Weekends always found huge crowds, some who never even put on a pair of skates. The lobby area was almost as big as the rink, and it had a sizeable oval snack bar about 40 feet long in the center of the lobby. Around the outside walls were coat rooms, shoe skate rentals (leave your shoes as security for the rentals), a skate store, and a skate repair window (minor adjustments to rentals or personal skates were free), as well as a small dance floor with a jukebox. A two-story office and the coat room separated the lobby from the rink. The only access to the rink area was through a large opening at the west end of the lobby.
The Hub changed owners and was renamed "The Axle" in 1974. The company, "M&R Amusement," owned all three roller skating rinks.
People always remember Maurice Lenell when the Hub is brought up in conversations.
Maurice Lenell Cookie Co., 4510 North Harlem, Norridge, IL.
Axle Roller Rink, 4474 North Harlem Avenue, Norridge, IL.
The Pro Skate Shop in the Axle Roller Rink in Niles, Illinois, in my case, gave me the first credit account I had when I was only 14 years old. I put down $60 on a great pair of professional men's roller skates, a special order. It had leather above the ankle boot, high-end wheels, hubs, trucks, and a jump bar to keep the trucks from breaking off under stress. I set the trucks so loosely that they would wobble when I lifted my foot and jiggled it. After about 6 weeks (approximately 15 skating sessions), the shoes were broken in, and I could wear thin socks without getting any blisters!
They were expensive, $175 ($630 today), but I skated there on weekends (2 or 3 times, including Sundays) for 5-6 years, so it paid off for me. Here's how it worked. Every time you went skating, you'd have to give the Pro Shop at least $5 and your shoes to store. After skating, you return the skates to the Pro Shop and provide them with the roller skates to keep until you return the next time. I never told my parents until the day I paid them off (in a little over a year) and brought them home.
During the Intermissions, the rink held age-related speed races. I won a lot! The winners would get a free pass for their following admission.
The Axle locations were:
Countryside, IL: Route 66, just East of LaGrange Road. (Closed Mid-1978)
Norridge, IL 4510 North Harlem. [Formerly: Hub Roller Skating Rink, Chicago]
Niles, IL: Milwaukee Avenue just north of Golf Road (Closed August 8, 1984)
