Published by the Hyde Park Historical Society

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, . "-.'.­ .. ; ~. - , /' and the ,."'-\ .....::, '"""" -.~ .' . 1- .~..<. '-l -' . :\-", . ~ Wreck of the . --::.: ~ i , Lady Elgin /'

By Frances S. Vandervoort

"Tick-toCk, tick-tock," said the big clock on a one of the "saddest ever written," I committed myself Apole above our heads. Again, "tick-tock, tick­ to learning more about the song and the Lady Elgin tock," each pair of notes rising tentatively, disaster. I found out that the singer was Great Lakes almost as if asking a question. As we looked up, the balladeer Lee Murdock, whose fine voice caught the clock launched into a familiar melody. "Ninety years true tragedy of the event. Most of the song was without stumbling, his life's seconds numbering... " composed by Work alone. Three verses added by Mr. The clock was on the corner of a busy intersection in Murdock offer more details of the tragedy, and are Sapporo, Japan where, in June, 2003, my husband and very much in keeping with Work's melodious, natural I were spending a few days on a tour of northern Pacific style. Lee Murdock's album, Safe in the Harbor,* islands. We began to sing the words. My husband and contains a number of songs about the Great Lakes I sang this song when we were young, and found maritime industry. ourselves singing it again on a street corner in Japan. This tragic wreck, which took place north of Shortly after our return, we joined the Hyde Park the night of September 8, 1860, had political Historical Society. Only then did we learn the story of ramifications extending far beyond Lake Michigan's the remarkable cottage at the rear of 5317 South shore. The following is a summary of a report by Lake Dorchester. The vertically cut wooden siding and Michigan historian Brendon Baillod that describes the sharply raked roof of this charming building long had wreck of the Steamer Lady Elgin. ** intrigued us. Through the Society we learned that it "The (wreck of) the Lady Elgin held the dubious had been built in 1859 or 1860 by Henry Clay Work, distinction of being the worst loss of life on the Great the composer of the song we enjoy so much. Lakes until the steamer Eastland rolled over at her One evening not long ago, I was listening with one Chicago dock in 1915, killing 835, and the Elgin still ear to radio station WLS's nightly radio program, ranks as the second worst wreck in the history of the Extension 720. Through the mists of sleep I heard Lakes." three words, Henry Clay Work! Instantly awake, I The Lady Elgin was a handsome, double-decked ' wrote down the name of the song being sung, Lost on wooden sidewheel steamer built in 185l. She had .the Lady Elgin. Hearing a guest describe the song as been built to run between Buffalo, Chicago, and ~ 8

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~ O Lake Superior carrying passengers and freight. presidential candidate, Stephen A. Douglas. She was 252 feet long by 33.7 feet wide, and After a day of marching and politics, the travelers constructed of white oak with iron reinforced frames made their way to the wharf to board the Lady Elgin to carry 200 cabin passengers, 100 deck passengers, for departure. They were ready to leave at 11:00 PM, and 43 crew members. but Captain Jack Wilson was concerned about the The accident played a role in Wisconsin's Civil War threatening weather. Eager passengers and pressure to politics. In 1860, Wisconsin was deeply involved in maintain a mail schedule convinced him to get the debate over states' rights and the slavery question. underway. At approximately 11 :30 the Lady Elgin The nation was nervously anticipating the results of departed the Chicago Harbor and headed into the the 1860 presidential election. Anti-slavery sentiment open lake. At that point, it was not known exactly in Wisconsin was so strong that one legislator even how many passengers were on board. It seems that a introduced a motion that Wisconsin declare war significant number of non-ticketed revelers had come against the unless slavery were abolished. aboard in Chicago to party and dance in the ship's Wisconsin's Republican governor had previously spacious facilities, and may not have had a chance to suggested that Wisconsin would secede from the disembark before departure. Union if the Federal Government did not end slavery. The lake was running high, but the ship was When secession began to look like a possibility, the making good time as it headed north through surging State Adjutant General polled the State's militias to waves. Seven miles off Winnetka at about 2:30 A.M., determine which would support the State and which passengers looking through portholes saw the lights of would support the Federal Government if secession a ship rapidly approaching from the west and braced were to occur. In Milwaukee were four main militias, for a collision. The shock caused the ship to lurch onto one of which was the Irish Union Guard of her port side, waking Captain Wilson and First Mate Milwaukee's Third Ward. Captain Garrett Barry, the George Davis. Captain Wilson quickly determined commander of the Union Guard declared that, that a massive amount of water had entered the engine although he opposed slavery, he believed that any room and ordered the Elgin turned toward shore. A stand against the Federal Government would be few minutes later, in the pilothouse, he privately told treason. The Adjutant General immediately revoked the mate that the Elgin_would never reach shore. Barry's militia commission and disarmed the Union The vessel that rammed the Lady Elgin was the 129­ Guard. The unit was incensed and refused to disband. ft. schooner Augusta, bound for Chicago with a load It decided to raise money for rearming by of lumber. Despite gale force winds, she still had most commissioning an excursion on the Lady Elgin to of her sails up and was sailing out of control. Her Chicago where a Democratic deck load had shifted so that she was nearly on her Party rally was to be held. side. Captain Darius Malott and his crew, fighting to While there, they planned to regain control of the schooner, did not spot the Lady call attention to their cause by Elgin until it was too late. The Augusta charged into holding a parade and the side of the Lady Elgin just behind the port attending a speech by paddlewheel, burying her bowsprit in the side of the Illinois congressman and larger ship. The Augusta soon freed itself from the Lady Elgin. / /; Captain Malott, mistakenly / / thinking his ship had dealt the Elgin only a glancing blow and fearful that his own ship might founder, immediately turned toward Chicago. All was pandemoni urn on the Lady Elgin. In a desperate attempt to lighten the load the crew drove overboard 50 head of cattle that had been in pens below deck. Cargo,

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but one of whom had been aboard the Augusta, had been lynched in response to the Lady Elgin disaster. Republican Governor Randall of Wisconsin, who had disarmed the Irish Union Guards, was regarded a villain. The incident further increased tensions between Democrats and Republicans over issues of states rights and slavery. Written shortly after the disaster, Henry C. Work's song, Lost on the Lady Elgin, rose in popularity to become one of the nation's best-known songs. It is fitting that this early Hyde Parker used his talents to commemorate a tragedy that, had there not been poIi tical tensions over states' rights and slavery, probably would not have happened at all. ~ including iron stoves, was moved to the starboard side in order to raise the hole in the port side out of water. *Safe in the Harbor. Lee Murdock, Depot Recordings, 123 Efforts to launch lifeboats failed. The Lad'y Elgin South Hough Street, Barrington, IL 60010. Contact: Artists of began to disintegrate, cutting off most passengers Note, P. O. Box 11, Kaneville, IL 60144-0011. (708) 557-2742. from life preservers. Within 20 minutes most of the ship was headed to the bottom. **Excerpted from The Wreck of the Steamer Lady Elgin, by When dawn broke, about 500 passengers were still Brendon Baillod. floating on debris and broken decking. Though aided by relatively warm water, the churning surf tore Don't miss it! ______infants from would-be rescuers' arms and stymied efforts of many to maintain secure grips on improvised rafts. Only 160 of the approximately 400 survivors who reached the shallows were able to make it to shore. Of the 430 or so confirmed lost, less than half were ever found. Washinglon Acts of heroism were the stuff of legend. Captain Wilson, trying to save two women from the waves, was killed when he was dashed on the rocks just off the shore. Edward Spencer, a Northwestern University Park student, repeatedly charged back into the waves to save, it is said, as many as 18 people. Mterward he became delirious, repeatedly asking, "Did I do my best)" His heroism later became the impetus for the bhi~il Evanston, Illinois, United States Lifesaving Station. Don't miss our current exhibit on historic When the crippled Augusta reached harbor she was Washington Park! Included are forty-three leaking badly, Captain Malott was horrified to learn unusual vintage views and six maps of the park that the Lady Elgin had gone down. The public and dating from its origins in 1870 until 1920. All the press soon began to attack him as an agent of the are drawn from the archives of the Hyde Park Confederacy as well as an agent of pro-Confederacy Historical Society, the Chicago Park District, Britain, where he had spent some time. Many felt that Regenstein Library, and private collections. the ramming was deliberately planned to get rid of See the park's remarkable early horticultural the Milwaukee Irish militia on board. The Augusta's sculptures and landscapes, "natural" lawn name was quietly changed to the Captain Cook, after maintenance, boating on the lagoon, and other which she had a long career on the Lakes until she was scenes, some familiar but most gone. wrecked near Cleveland in 1894. All will be on display at our headquarters. Captain Malott and his crew eventually found work on the bark Mojave. Four years almost to the day after THROUGH FEBRUARY 26,2006 the Lady Elgin disaster, the Mojave disappeared Saturdays & Sundays 2-4pm without a trace, possibly in the waters of northern Lake Michigan. Speculation was rife that the crew, all

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add or multiply two or more numbers). The "algebra" A Mathematician that most of us learn in school is one of many algebraic systems. When Adrian began his studies, In Hyde Park algebra had become a highly abstract discipline in which researchers sought to discover or construct new By Peter Vandervoort algebraic systems and, by proving theorems, work out their properties. Adrian took up research in algebra Abraham Adrian Albert (1905-1972) was Dean of with great skill and enthusiasm and soon obtained the Division of the Physical Sciences during my early results that placed him at the forefront of the subject. years on the faculty of the . For a portion of his doctoral dissertation, Albert When I went to see him one day on some matter of investigated and solved a fundamental problem University business, I found him seated at the Dean's suggested by Professor Dickson on the classification of desk with a pen in his hand and several pages of mathematical calculations in front of him. I commented on finding him doing research in an administrative office of the University; he replied simply that it was something that he must do. For this junior faculty member, Adrian Albert was a personification of the University. That is how he was portrayed by his daughter, Nancy E. Albert, in a lecture "A. A. Albert: A Chicago Academic in Turbulent Times," given at the Historical Society on December 3, 2005 . The lecture was based on her recent book A3 & His Algebra (New York: iUniverse, Inc, 2005). The lecture began with an account of the early history of the University ofChicago and its Department of Mathematics, continued with a description of Adrian Albert's early life in Chicago, and then brought the two stories together with Albert's entrance into the University, at the age of 16, in 1922. He completed work for his B.S. degree in 1926, for his M.S. degree in t­ 1927, and for his Ph. D. in 1928. His most o:: distinguished teachers in the Department of ~<.J Cl Mathematics were E. H . Moore, the founder of the Z :;: Department, and 1. E. Dickson, under whom Adrian d 0:: did the research for his doctoral dissertation. Adrian t;; Albert was to be counted as belonging to the second "'­ generation of mathematics students at the University. Nancy Albert Professors and students soon recognized Albert as a division algebras, algebraic systems that include the gifted mathematician of the highest order, and he had operation of division. It was an unsolved problem at a spectacular career as a student. He became known as the forefront of Dickson's own research, and .it had "A Cubed," a nickname that was an inside joke for stymied Dickson and other mature mathematicians. mathematicians and a mark of the awe and affection The young man's achievement was recognized with with which he was regarded. Adrian chose to specialize the award of a National Research Council postdoctoral in algebra, the branch of mathematics in which 1. E. fellowship, which enabled him to spend the 1928­ Dickson was the acknowledged American leader. 1929 academic year at . Adrian Albert has described modern algebra as At Princeton, introduced Albert "concerned with the study of certain mathematical to certain unsolved problems in the theory of objects called algebraic systems." An algebraic system Riemann matrices, which are mathematical objects consists of a set of elements (e.g., common numbers), introduced in the nineteenth-century by Bernhard one or more operations (e.g., addition and/or Riemann in the study of curved surfaces. The multiplication), and a set of defining postulates, algebraic methods that Albert had mastered were . which are rules telling us how the elements behave ideal tools for the study of Riemann matrices. Albert when we apply the operations to them (e.g., when we began research into the subject, which he continued,

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along with his work in algebra, as an instructor at academic and non-academic administrative posts. in 1929-1931 and later in his Those activities reflected his interest in the promotion career. For his research on Riemann matrices, Albert of research and teaching in mathematics and other received the Frank Nelson in Algebra, one sciences, his concern for the plight of American of the most prestigious awards of the American mathematicians unable to find jobs during the Great Mathematical Society, in 1939. Albert returned to the Depression and the plight of foreign mathematicians University of Chicago in 1931 as an assistant professor driven from their homelands by the rise of fascism, his in the Department of Mathematics. Chicago was to be concern for the national interests in time of war and his academic home for the remainder of his life. cold war, and his interest in the well-being of Albert's reputation and standing as a leading universities-particularly his University of Chicago. American algebraist was established by his Adrian Albert's career at the University of Chicago contributions to the classification of division algebras. culminated with his appointment as Chairman of the This was an interest that he shared with the German Department of Mathematics (1958-1961) and as Dean mathematician Helmut Hasse. The two began an of the Division of the Physical Science (1961-1971). extensive correspondence in which they shared their As the title of Nancy Albert's lecture suggests, ideas and results. Nancy Albert presented an account Adrian Albert's career as a mathematician spanned a of the association of the young American . half-century of difficult times. The Great Depression, mathematician and the older German colleague as a the rise of fascism, the Second World War, the cold war, complex story of growing friendship and collegiality urban renewal, and the untest of the 1960s all affected with elements of competition for priority in his life and career. As a person, as a mathematician, and fundamental discoveries. Albert and Hasse approached as a member of the University, he steered a remarkably the proof of the fundamental theorem in the subject in steady course through the turbulence. Inevitably, a brief a sequence of steps consisting of proofs of preliminary lecture on an important subject leaves one wishing to theorems and other results. By the autumn of 1931, know more. Happily, one can fulfill that wish in the Albert had assembled all of the preliminary results present instance with Nancy Albert's very interesting required for the proof of the fundamental theorem. In and satisfying biography of her father. m the meantime, Hasse, working with different methods and in collaboration with Amalie Noether and Richard •~!:::::: :::::::::rtf::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. Brauer, had found his way to the final proof. The three ::~~f:~'~":: :; ;!; ;; ; ;;; ~ ; ;: !;; ;! ; ;: !;: ;! ; ;;: ;; ; ;!!! ;; ~!!!! ;;; ;;; ;; ; ;; ;; ;r~;~~~~~ German mathematicians published their result in a joint paper. The question arose, and it seems not yet to have been fully resolved, as to whether or not Albert i~~~ : HYDE PARK HISTORy :~~~ i •...... • should have been included as a co-author. However, •...... • :::::•.... SHOW AND TELL .::::....•: •...... • Albert and Hasse subsequently published a joint paper •...... • giving a clear account of the contribution of each to i;~~: Saturday, March 25, 2 - 4:30 p.m.:~~g ::::: Hyde Park Neighborhood Club • 5480 S. Kenwood::::: the final result. Thus Albert received the credit that he •...... • •.... . deserved for his part in the work. ...• Notwithstanding his concentration on algebra as a iL: Members and community residents are invited to:~~;i branch of "pure" mathematics, Albert also had an ::::: Show and Tell what they know about our history :::::: interest in more practical applications of the subject. g~~: by bringing their personal memorabilia to the club : :~~g While Albert was at the Institute for Advanced Study ::::: for this program. Tables will be available for;:::: in 1933-1934, the physicists Pascual Jordan, John von ::::: display and browsing. Items of recent and distant :;:::: Neumann, and Eugene Wigner introduced him to m~ : history are welcome. Representatives of local:~~li certain algebraic problems that arise in quantum ::::; churches, clubs, and institutions are encouraged::::: i~~~ : to display some of their history as well.:~gi theory. As a result, Albert's research efforts broadened •...... • •...... • to include so-called Jordan algebras. Albert turned to ::::; The Society will also display some of the items in::::: •...... • even more practical applications of algebra during the :::::: its archives.::::: •...... • Second World War, when he joined war-related •...... •....• research efforts in the field of cryptography. ::::: Note that we are not asking for donations of::::: As Albert's standing in mathematics rose, his ig~: materials, but only inviting you to display them for:~gi contributions to the subject extended beyond his own ::::; this program so that others may enjoy them, as::::: research and teaching. He organized conferences, served :::::. you do . ' :::::: •...... • on committees and in offices ofprofessional societies, ~:::~;1ii:::: i::: i : i::::: iii i: i: iiiiii:: iii iii:iiiiiiiii iiiiii: iii i ::~:.~:;~: served on government panels and committees, and held ..::::::::::;::::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;~.

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An Earnest Plea ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ for the Newsletter ~ HYDE PARK LICHEN ~ Please, dear members, hear my plea, i PROJECT BEGINS ON ~ We're much in need of a good story. ~ FEBRUARY 12,2006 ~ Read a good book, consider a tree, ~ ~ Take a boat trip on our inland sea. ~ Richard D. Hyerczyk, Manager of Natural ~ ~ History Education at Morton Arboretum, will ~ Is there a special garden that catches your eye? ~ begin his Hyde Park Lichen Project on ~ A coach house, and alley, don't pass them by! ::g Sunday, February 12, 2006. All interested ~ ~ individuals are invited to meet at 2:00 P.M. at ~ There's lots to see and lots to write, ~ the Darrow Bridge in Jackson Park. Members ~ Let's count on you to set things right! ~ may remember his lecture and highly ~ ~ successful tour of lichen sites on Promontory ~ Has anyone ever: ~ Point last October. Throughout the spring, Rich ~ • Looked for treasure in a modest alley? ~ will be surveying lichens in Jackson Park, ~ • Read a book with a local perspective;> ~ Burnham Park from 47th to 56th Streets, ~ • Enjoyed a small community park and wanted to ~ Midway Plaisance, Kenwood and Nichols Park, ~ know more about it? ~ and Washington Park. ~ • Known someone with an interesting hobby ~ ~ involving Hyde Park? ~ Future dates will be announced by mail and ~ • Known a local storyteller? Where does that person ~ the Internet. For further information, contact ~ find his/her stories? ~ Rich at [email protected]. ~ ~ ~ • Known a local naturalist? What is that person's ~ ~ special interest;> ~ The Lichen Project is co-sponsored by the ~ • Known someone with a special talent in music or ~ Hyde Park Historical Society and the Jackson ~ dance? ~ Park Advisory Council. ~ ~ ~ There are lots of stories germinating out there? Let's help them bloom! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark Your Calendars! The Annual IIPIIS Ranquel tebruary 25, 2006 • ]he Quadrangle Club Cocktails 6 p.m. • Dinner 7 p.m. • $45 per person Invitations and response cards have been mailed to all members. Highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Paul Cornell Awards for contribution to the knowledge and preservation of the history of Hyde Park, and the Leon and Marian DesPres Awards for preservation of the built environment. Note that the latter is a new award, presented for the first time last year to the DesPres' in acknowledgement of their contribution to preservation work in Chicago. Our featured speaker will be Rick Kogan, Hyde Park resident, WGN Radio host and feature writer for the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Kogan will speak about Hyde Park's place in the cultural life of the city. Reservations must be received by February 17. Please send all checks to Fran Vandervoort, 5471 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615

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by the Quadrangle Club. His topical verses characterizing and satirizing the foibles of faculty and community were pointed but not unkind and, equally importantly, were a joy to set to music. As a sample, in an all-time favorite summing up the U of C (written for the 1981 Revels and reprised many times since) the chotus begins:

It's just a somewhat-kind of place, In fact a you know-kind of spot, And it's as though well-so to speak, It's practic'ly unique, 'Cause it's got what it's got

Another perceptive sendup on a Hyde Park institution, in this case the Co-Op, was the lyric for a duet originally appearing the 1959 Revels:

Love came to us in the Household Supplies, Lux was the light that came ttue Walled off by lots ofthat product of Scott's, I fell a pris'nertd tou

Ned contriqutedhis, talents freely and generously to songs and ~kits !yn mrfIitv other occasions, such as meetings a~benetrts for various worthy causes. It is perhaps appropriate to end with the opening lines of a song written for the annual meeting of this Society in 1981:

How delightful to live in Hyde Park, , - I It's Elysian, and that's categorical I With its saints and its sinners, Its Nobel Prize winners, Edward W. "Ned" And also. its aspects historical-.

Rosenheim, 1918-2005, Although not a part of his archived scholarly publications, these works describing his university a personal reminiscence and community live on by repeated performance whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ned By Bob Ashenhurst Rosenheim's warmth, his wit, and his contributions in so many areas, all will be sorely missed. cmJ Ned Rosenheim, who died on December 5th of the year just past, had a long association with, and deep affection for, the U niversi ty of Chicago and the Hyde Park community, over more than two-thirds of a century. That affection was returned doubly by his colleagues, friends and neighbors. Obituaries describing his scholarly interests and achievements also mention Ned's love of theater and participation in community entertainment events in Hyde Park. Over the years I worked with him frequently on a variety of these, particularly on the annual musical presentations of the Revels sponsored

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This Newsletter is published by the

IIgJ~ Ilfsloriml Sodely Hyde Park Historical Society, a not-for­ COLLECT D PRESERVING HYDE PARK'S HISTORY profit organization founded in 1975 to

Time for you to join up or renew? record, preserve, and promote public Fill out the form below and return it to: .. interest in the history of Hyde Park .

The :JlyJe Park IlisloncJ Sodely Its headquarters, located in an 1893 5529 S, Lake Park Avenue • Chicago, IL 60637 restored cable car station at 5529 S. ~"""' .., ...... Enclosed is my __ new __ renewal membership Lake Park Avenue, houses local exhibits. in the Hyde Park Historical Society. It is open to the public on Saturdays

and Sundays from 2 until 4pm. --Student $15 __Sponsor $50 __ Member $25 __ Benefactor $100 Web site: hydeparkhistory.org Telephone: HY3-1893 Name President: Carol Bradford Address ______Editor: Frances S. Vandervoort Contributing Editor: Stephen Treffman Zip Designer: Nickie Sage