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Urbanization
David Edick Almost all cities and towns must have some form of transportation in order to grow rapidly. In order to carry on and expand business, people and goods must have a form of transportation. It brings people into a city and takes them out. It can also be used to move goods. In Chicago's early days, the leaders of the city made it a goal that they would create a railroad and shipping system for Chicago. Rivers, lakes, railroads, and aircraft have greatly influenced the growth of Chicago. All of these transportation forms can help a town or city develop economically and culturally, eventually creating an urban area desirable for other aspects of life. Rivers and lakes are a major part of Chicago's rapid development. Chicago is situated in an ideal spot for shipping and receiving goods worldwide, because Chicago lies on the southern tip of Lake Michigan, allowing access to all of the Great Lakes. Another water system that Chicago is connected with is the Mississippi River. In 1842 a canal was dug in order to connect the Chicago River with the Mississippi River. Having access to the Mississippi River gave Chicago a direct link to the world trade route. When the Illinois and Michigan Canal was finished in 1848, Chicago sat at the center of a system of canals that led almost anywhere east. As Chicago began to develop, the city started to plan a sewer system. However, one thing that went wrong was the fact that sewage was pumped a half mile from where drinking water was drawn. Drinking water was drawn from the already sewage-filled river because the pumping station was below the point from which the sewage was being dumped. The Chicago Tribune reported that "the water was not only black, but had a strong odor and was greasy to the touch." The sewage problem needed immediate attention. A new canal was dug so that the flow of the Chicago River was reversed; the sewage was sent away from the drinking water, down the Mississippi River, and finally to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, Chicago could take advantage of its location along waterways. Wisely, the early leaders of the city made transportation a priority. Four years after the canal that connected the Mississippi River to the Chicago River was completed, the first train arrived in Chicago from Detroit. Over the next few years, other train tracks were built to carry goods to other places. William B. Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago, was the first person in Chicago to own a railroad. He and some friends joined together and convinced other railroad companies to make their headquarters in Chicago. The new railroad network allowed Chicago to send goods to almost anywhere on the continent by land. Within a few years, Chicago had twenty-five different railroad companies that operated there. An advanced rail system gave Chicago an advantage over other cities. As time progressed, technology became more advanced. Chicago had to keep up with the advances made in technology. One advance was aircraft. It has many advantages over a train or a boat. One of these advantages is the fact that a plane can travel much faster than either a train or a boat. Another advantage of air transportation is that it is not stopped by hills or waves as a boat or a train can be. Pilots have to worry only about wind currents and storms, many of which can often be avoided. Today, O'Hare Airport is one of the world's busiest airports. Business and government leaders of the city made expansion, improvement, and accessibility of the airport a goal. Freight and people can be moved in large numbers quickly and efficiently at this airport. Another airport in the Chicago area is Midway Airport. Midway handles freight and domestic flights. Transporting
people and goods by air keeps Chicago ahead of other cities in technology. Rivers, railways, lakes, and aircraft have linked Chicago to almost every place in the United States and overseas. Chicago offers visitors and its residents many services such as great museums, hotels, entertainment, and convention centers. Chicago is a center for industries of all types, railway transportation, transportation over rivers or lakes, and transportation by air. All these features make Chicago a very desirable city in which to live.—[From Jane Blashfield, Awesome Almanac; George Cantor, The Great Lakes Guidebook; Jeanne Phiffer, Chicago; Bessie Pierce, A History of Chicago; Harold Mayer and Richard C. Wade, Chicago.]
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