swung gracefully, and was greeted with hurrahs from those present; in turn something else greeted the hoarse throats of friends. Thus was produced and baptised the name of "Wolf Point." Besides Wolf Point was a place called Hard Scrabble, of early historic interest. Mrs. Jno. H. Kinzie, in her book, "Wau-bun," correctly describes the location as "Lee's Place." Mack & Conant, extensive merchants at Detroit, in the Indian trade, became the owners of this property about the year 1816. They sent Mr. John Craft with a large supply of Indian goods to take possession of it, and establish a branch of their house there, the principal object being to sell goods to such traders as they could, residing throughout this country, without interfering with the interest of those traders who purchased goods from him. Mr. Craft repaired the dilapidated building, adding thereto, and erecting others necessary for the convenience of business. He, I think, named it "Hard Scrabble;" whether he or some one else, it bore that name in 1818. At the organization of the American Fur Company, 1816, Mr. Astor's plan was to control the entire trade by absorbing other companies doing an Indian business. He succeeded in buying out the Southwest Company, whose headquarters were at Mackinaw, but failed in his efforts to buy out Mack & Conant. Mr. James Abbott, however, their agent at Detroit, succeeded in buying them out in 1820 or '21, and they withdrew from the Indian trade, transferring their Indian goods, posts and good will to the American Fur, who constituted Mr. Craft their agent here, he removing his quarters from "Hard Scrabble" to the company's warehouse, located north of, and adjoining, the military burying ground. They enlarged it and built a log warehouse, besides; J. B. Beaubien, who had previously occupied it, removing to the "Factor House," adjoining Fort Dearborn. Craft died in the fall of 1826, and Mr. John Kinzie succeeded him. Wm. W. Wallace (who was one of Astor's men on his expedition to Columbia River) took possession of Hard Scrabble after Mr. Craft had left the place, and died there during the winter of 1827-8. From that time till the land title passed from the government, it was occupied by several families, temporarily, among whom were the Lawton's, for a short time, and James Galloway, the father of Mrs. Archibald Clyborne. G. S. HUBBARD. Yours Truly, THE CHICAGO HARBOR AND RIVER CONVENTION. This convention was the outgrowth of President Polk's veto of the bill making appropriations for the improvement of rivers, and the construction of harbors, at the first session of Congress under his administration, with the intimation from him that no such appropriations would receive his sanction whilst President. Popular meetings were held during the vacation of Congress in different localities, with reference to the matter for the purpose of forming some concert of action. On his way to the next session of Congress, Daniel Webster made at Philadelphia his celebrated speech of Dec. 2d, 1846, upon this subject, which may be found in the published volumes of his speeches. Upon the assembling of Congress, there were very frequent consultations of the members favorable to the vetoed bill, in defense not only of their own views, but to the expressions of the numerous meetings that had been held in vacation. The conclusion of those consultations was that a mass convention should be held at Chicago, without distinction of party, at such a time as its citizens, after mature deliberation, should consider the most opporHon. John Wentworth was not only the Congressman from the Chicago district, but was a member of the Committee of Commerce which had reported the vetoed bill. Congress adjourned upon the 3d of March, 1847; and, upon Mr. Wentworth's return, he made known to the citizens of Chicago the sentiments of the members of Congress opposed to the doctrines of President Polk's veto. A public meeting was called, a day named for the convention, and a committee of five appointed to draft an address to the people of the United States, three of whom had voted for President Polk's election. Of this committee, with the exception of Judge George Manierre, all are now living in Chicago. The address was * * John Wentworth, to whom allusion has heretofore been made, was the first member of Congress ever elected from Chicago, or north of Springfield, and has served as such twelve years, his first election being in 1843. He was elected Mayor in 1857 and in 1861, and has served the public in various other capaci ties; and was a Director in the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad Company at the time of its consolidation with the Northwestern. He was born at Sandwich, N. H., March 5th, 1815, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1836, and came to Chicago October 25th of that year. He immediately entered the law office of Henry Moore, completed his law studies at Harvard University, and was admitted to the Chicago Bar in 1841. He was present at the first meeting called in the winter of 1836-7 to consider the propriety of Chicago becoming an incorporated city, and voted at the first municipal election. Whilst pursuing his legal studies he wrote occasional articles for the Chicago Democrat, and eventually became its sole proprietor. The Chicago Harbor and River Convention. 761 written by Hon. John Wentworth, and may be found in full in Vol. II, of Wheeler's Biographical and Political History of Congress, as well as a full history of the convention itself, and a very elaborate review of the proceedings of Congress upon the subject of Harbor and River improvements from the origin of our government. This was the first national convention ever held in Chicago, and the number and character of those who attended it did so much towards bringing to light the natural advantages of Chicago, that an extract from the address of the Chicago committee is herewith inserted to give the points at issue before the convention. "The high prices of freight, taken in connection with the loss of life and property upon the Western waters last season, caused several public meetings to be held in various sections of the country, for the purpose of devising the best means of remedying those and other evils, of which the great mass of the people interested in commerce were complaining. At all these meetings the propriety of holding a convention at some convenient point was discussed and universally concurred in. "In consequence of Chicago having been generally named as the proper point, its citizens called a meeting, named the fifth of July as the appropriate time, and chose the undersigned a committee to draft an address setting forth the objects of the convention. "The movers in this matter have been, from the first, like the undersigned, of entirely different politics, and, so far from there being even in the remotest degree any political design in the contemplated convention, one of the chief objects of it is to call together for a common object the men of all parties, and to convince the people everywhere that the improvements desired are not now, never have been and never should be, connected with "party politics," in the ordinary use of that term. Such a connection would in the minds of all interested have a very deleterious tendency. It can not be denied that there is a predisposition among all politicians to support the measures of a chief magistrate of their own party, and hence we have seen Western representatives, originally supporting harbor and river improvements, and elected upon express pledges to do so, finally vote to support a reto of bills providing for that purpose, and assigning as a reason, therefor, that it was their duty to sustain an executive of their own selection, even though it be in express opposition to the wishes and interests of their constituents. Repeated instances of this kind must eventually give this question somewhat of a political cast, which the undersigned and all who cooperate with them would seriously regret. * * "This convention is designed to be one of free discussion, and it is hoped that the opponents as well as the friends of lake and river improvements, will attend, and more especially since it is generally believed that they have only to see for themselves in order to be convinced that these demands coming from all our great waters are founded in justice. 66 Although the construction of harbors and the improvement of rivers, will be the prominent subject before the convention, yet, whatever matters appertain to the prosperity of the West and to the development of its resources, will come properly before it, and all plans and suggestions will be freely entertained. The committee invite a general attendance from all sections of the Union, and tender, in behalf of their fellow citizens the hospitalities of the city of Chicago to such as impelled by a common interest see fit to honor them by their presence on the occasion. JOHN WENTWORTH, GEORGE MANIERRE, J. YOUNG SCAMMON, Committee. GRANT GOODRICH, |