Significant Events in Chicago’s History on October 18

The Chicago area has experienced notable events on October 18, with some captured in the Tribune archives. Notable occurrences from the past include the first telephone connection between Chicago and New York. On October 18, 1892, Chicago Mayor Hempstead Washburne attempted to communicate with New York Mayor Hugh J. Grant. While Washburne heard Grant, the reverse was not true. A cornet solo transmitted clearly, but the call’s effectiveness was compromised due to many receivers being used simultaneously, diminishing sound volume.

Weather Records in Chicago:

• High temperature: 87 degrees in 1950
• Low temperature: 20 degrees in 1948
• Precipitation: 2.09 inches in 1985
• Snowfall: 0.7 inches in 1989

In the late 19th century, 1892 also saw an incident involving Duchess, the first elephant at Lincoln Park Zoo. Purchased from the Barnum & Bailey Circus, she escaped from her handler. Duchess’s escapade included damage to a saloon door and a store window. She also strolled through a vacant lot’s fence before being safely returned to her enclosure by midday.

Another memorable event on this date took place in 1924 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The stadium’s dedication featured a celebrated football game between Illinois and Michigan. Harold “Red” Grange, a three-time All-American, dazzled with a 95-yard touchdown run on the opening kickoff. Grange’s five touchdowns propelled Illinois to a 39-14 victory over Michigan.

Other Noteworthy Events:

1938 marked the arrival of renowned German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Chicago. He assumed leadership of the architecture department at the Armour Institute of Technology, now known as the Illinois Institute of Technology.

The year 1995 tested Illinois’s legal framework. Jesse Rankins, 11, and Tykeece Johnson, 12, were found guilty of the heinous act of dropping 5-year-old Eric Morse from the 14th floor of a public housing complex. This crime prompted Illinois to change its laws, reducing the minimum age for imprisonment from 13 to 10.

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