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28 | July 12, 2018 | The wilmette beacon Sound off wilmettebeacon.com A Word From The (Former) President Charles Gates Dawes: From gas to greatness John Jacoby Contributing Columnist The subject of last week’s column was the advent of gaslights in Wilmette and Kenilworth during the 1890s. These devices bridged the kerosene lantern era and the incandescent light bulb era. The company that provided the gas for our towns’ gaslights was Northwestern Gas Light & Coke Co., an Evanston-based utility established in 1867 and acquired by a new investor group in 1894. The leader of the group was Charles Gates Dawes (“Charley”), for whom NGL became a springboard to wealth and power. Charley wasn’t exactly a self-made man. He was born in Marietta, Ohio in 1865. His parents were well-educated and cultured. They descended from old-line, wellconnected, and well-todo American families. Young Charley, the oldest of the six Dawes children, was an avid reader and writer. He graduated from Marietta Academy in 1880, Marietta College in 1884, and Cincinnati Law School in 1886. Where to go and what to do after law school? Marietta wasn’t exactly a booming economic center at the time. Prospects seemed better in the West, particularly in Nebraska where a cousin had recently served as Governor. In 1887, Charley arrived in Lincoln. He joined the Nebraska bar, met the key business leaders, began his law practice, and married Caro Blymyer, an Ohio woman with an equally impressive family background. But Charley’s law practice sputtered. His attention shifted to business ventures. With financial backing from relatives and friends, he invested in Lincoln properties, but the depression of 1892 soured these investments. In 1894, with a wife and two young children to support, he decided to cut his losses and move on from Lincoln. Where to go and what to do next? Based on his knowledge of the gas company in Lincoln, Charley believed that the gas business was a “natural monopoly” with significant upside potential as other uses for gas emerged like cooking and heating. He considered Chicago (which had just hosted the Columbian Exhibition) a vibrant economic location. He determined that NGL (a company with the potential for geographic expansion) was for sale. In collaboration with other investors, including his brothers, he bought NGL. He was then 29 years old. He moved his family to his first Evanston home (1632 Sheridan Road). One year later, after concluding a franchise agreement with Wilmette’s Village Board, he correctly predicted, “If we hold the territory (and we will), in less than ten years this property will be one of the finest gas properties in the country.” The gas business was a financial springboard for Charley into a multifaceted career in business and government service. He achieved remarkable success thanks to his dogged determination, good business instincts, organizational skills, and connections. Among his positions and accomplishments were these: financial manager of William McKinley’s successful Presidential election campaign (1896): Comptroller of the Currency (1898 to 1901); founder of the Central Trust Company of Illinois (1902); Brigadier General, American Expeditionary Forces, responsible for purchasing all supplies in Europe for the AEF (1917 to 1919); first Director, Bureau of the Budget (1921 to 1922); Chair, Committee of Experts that devised the plan for German reparations following World War I (1923 to 1924); co-winner, Nobel Peace Prize for his reparations work (1925); U.S. Vice President under Calvin Coolidge (1925 to 1929); Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1929 to 1931); and Chair of the Depression-era Reconstruction Finance Corp. (1932). When Dawes died in April 1951, the Chicago Tribune published a eulogy summarizing his brilliant career: “His Charles Dawes’ second Evanston home was at 225 Greenwood St. Today, it’s home to the Evanston History Center and is open to the public. Photo submitted talents were as varied as they were great. He was in turn lawyer, businessman, banker, soldier, statesman, and diplomat. . . . He might also have been called a politician, except that the rambunctious Dawes personality was better calculated to serve the public than to win him the allegiance of politicians.” Letters to the Editor Special needs individuals should be permitted the space for recreation When people ask me how many siblings I have, I answer, “two brothers,” but include that one has Down Syndrome, where I comically add: “Sometimes it feels like I have more than two brothers.” There’s no sugarcoating that a special needs family member makes for a challenging dynamic, and no one understands that better than Our Place, a nonprofit organization in Wilmette. Our Place was founded in 2008 by community members who wanted to “address the unmet needs of teens and young adults with developmental disabilities in the northern Chicago suburbs.” The program works out of Community Church of Wilmette on Forest Ave and provides outings to bowling alleys, restaurants, the Wilmette Park District, and other places. Unfortunately, Our Place is currently in a tight situation where the organization could be removed from Community Church because it lacks a Special Use Permit from the Village of Wilmette. A few residents adjacent to Our Place’s headquarters are asking the Village to deny them the permit because of the busyness. Why? The church shares an alleyway with these residents, which includes a space designated for parking. Parents, guardians, and PACE buses use this public alley to drop off and pick up Our Place participants. Denying Our Place a permit would force the organization to remove itself from Community Church and cease operations while a new headquarters is found. This is a sad situation fueled by ludicrous behavior. The few who oppose Our Place’s use of the alley see no other solution than for the organization to leave completely. However, Our Place’s location in the town’s center is crucial to its mission: to engage with community members, access amenities, and increase acceptance. Our Place has had a monumental impact on my brother, and I’m sure all the other participants can say the same. It would be a shame if a trivial alleyway encouraged exclusion and intolerance. Diversity is not just Hollywood’s game to play; this is happening in our own backyard. For the record, a strong number of the neighbors are supportive of Our Place. Our Place is inviting its supporters to a Zoning Board meeting on July 18 for the review of the Special Use Permit request. I will be there to stand for my brother and his friends. I hope you will too! Dan Jolls Wilmette resident Vote to opt out village leaders in Wilmette In the early morning of June 27, members of the Wilmette Board of Trustees voted to opt in to the Cook County minimum wage ordinance. This raises Wilmette businesses’ wages 33 percent and then to 58 percent by 2020. This is the first time in the history of Wilmette that our local government has dictated to our local businesses, under penalty of law, how much businesses should pay its employees. The justifications the members of the <strong>WB</strong>OT Please see Letters, 29
wilmettebeacon.com SOUND OFF the wilmette beacon | July 12, 2018 | 29 Social snapshot Top Web Stories From WilmetteBeacon.com as of July 9 1. Wilmette woman arrested for felony burglary at two different residences 2. From the Editor: Loyola Academy should’ve acted earlier in firing of ex-coach 3. St. Joe’s Summer Block Party entertains locals with music and food 4. Police Reports: Thieves steal car, crash into tree following police chase in Wilmette 5. In Memoriam: Robin Lee Greiner Become a member: wilmettebeacon.com/plus New Trier High School posted these photos on July 2 with the caption: “Thanks to a generous donation from a private foundation, six additional tennis courts are being constructed at the Northfield campus, bringing the new total up to 14 courts. Improvements are also being made to the restrooms and concession space at the New Trier Stadium!” Like The Wilmette Beacon: facebook.com/wilmettebeacon “Thanks for making the 2018 @VofWilmette Independence Day Bash a success! Have a safe and happy holiday. @WilmetteParks #WilmettePD #IndependenceDay” @WilmettePolice, Wilmette Police Department, posted on July 4 Follow The Wilmette Beacon: @wilmettebeacon go figure 41 An intriguing number from this week’s edition Number of years the Independence Day Bash has been held at Gillson Park, Page 4 From the Editor Calling on all pet owners for some help Eric DeGrechie eric@wilmettebeacon.com Typically, my email inbox is flooded with photos and descriptions of pets for our weekly Pet of the Week feature. I sometimes have backup candidates for months and months ahead. Sadly, that is not the current situation as I’ve just about run out. If you’ve ever thought about sending one in, now is the perfect time. As the proud pet owner of two wonderful cats, Kerouac and Dora, I understand how important pets are to our lives. My son, who I’ve been known to talk about incessantly in this space, worships our two cats. Both have been featured as a Pet of the Week in past editions of The Beacon. Though most of our submissions come from dog and cat owners, if you have a different type of pet, they’re eligible as well. Just send a photo and brief description of your pet to eric@wilmettebeacon.com. Letters From Page 28 gave, who voted for this were both stunning and baffling. Trustee Pearce said, “In my views, setting a minimum wage is a state issue.” Yet his vote made it a local issue. Trustee Dodd stated, “I am concerned that this is a significant increase. I want to make sure that the business community knows that and it is for that reason why I support this.” Trustee Kurzman said, “We can be for business and for livable wages.” This ordinance is dealing minimum not “livable” wages. Trustee Plunkett stated, “My goal is an even playing field.” However, 82 percent of the communities in Cook County have opted out as well as the rest of Illinois and the nation. Her vote has put Wilmette businesses at quite a disadvantage with their competition. Trustee Wolf stated, “This is Wilmette’s opportunity to act to encourage the State to act.” Illinois has the second lowest bond rating in the Country, the highest property taxes, and taxpayers are leaving in droves. During the meeting it was revealed that this ordinance does not apply to government employees such as Wilmette’s, nor does it apply to union shops such as Jewel or Walgreens. If you like the shuttered store fronts at Edens Plaza, Ridge Road and Lake, Greenbay Road, Wilmette Avenue, Plaza del Lago and 4th and Linden, if you like to pay higher prices than you would in places like Glenview or Northbrook and like poorer service when shopping for clothing, merchandise or dining due to fewer employees working and lastly, if you like the message the <strong>WB</strong>OT is sending to future small businesses, who are considering locating to Wilmette, e.g. we will not protect you, then let those members who voted to opt in know. However, if you do not like the direction our Board of Trustees is taking Wilmette then let them know and if they do not make changes, then at the next election, vote “to opt” them out. John Haser Wilmette resident Member of the Village of Wilmette Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Working Group Cheers to all who worked hard in minimum wage fight I was happy to see the civil discourse that went on at the Village Board meeting June 26 in debating the minimum wage/paid sick leave. I was particularly impressed with Village President Bob Belinski’s decorum, intellectual approach and patience though this arduous process. I believe the board came to their decision based on the tireless work of the special committee, constructive input from the community and despite the misleading antics of a few that weakened their argument. I always appreciate people who fight for the “little guy.” So to everyone who fought hard to defend “the little guy” whether you believed that to be the minimum wage workers or the small businesses.... the work is not over! Let’s show that we really all want the same thing — a thriving community of unique local businesses who can continue to provide jobs, give their workers fair pay and benefits (which most are doing already) and contribute to our tax base. There is no doubt that this ordinance will create an additional financial strain for many businesses. I would challenge everyone to make a personal commitment to support our small businesses; restaurants, retailers and services so they can continue to survive. Do you know the local business owners? You should. You said you would pay more to support local? Let’s prove it. Support local and let people know. Check in, post and share on social media while at your local establishments. Let’s keep our town unique and special with local spots and not homogenized chains. Every dollar we spend locally helps whether you are buying a screwdriver at Millen’s vs. Home Depot or your wine at The Bottle Shop or Wilmette Wine Cellar vs. Binny’s. So cheers to everyone who worked hard in this debate and let’s get out there and show our town some real support and gratitude. Peace out. Anne Kelly Wilmette resident Sound Off Policy Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. The Wilmette Beacon encourages readers to write letters to Sound Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited to 400 words. The Wilmette Beacon reserves the right to edit letters. Letters become property of The Wilmette Beacon. Letters that are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The Wilmette Beacon. Letters can be mailed to: The Wilmette Beacon, 60 Revere Drive ST 888, Northbrook, IL, 60062. Fax letters to (847) 272- 4648 or email to eric@wilmettebeacon.com. www.wilmettebeacon.com
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