Devil In The White City Essay Example

dirt on the streets. These factors contributed to Chicago's descent into darkness. Despite this, many visitors came to the city. Their experiences either fascinated or terrified them, but it didn't change their perception that Chicago was a city more interested in hogs than cultural pursuits like Beethoven (Larson, 2003). Tragically, people died in various ways in Chicago, including accidents at railroad crossings, being trampled by horses in large crowds, fires, and diseases such as influenza, typhus, diphtheria, and cholera.

Chicago's growth was directly linked to the influx of immigrants. The city expanded both in size and height, while also increasing its wealth. However, this growth came at a cost as Chicago became dirtier, darker, and more dangerous. Despite these drawbacks, Chicago had much to gain from hosting the most significant fair in the United States. Erik Larson, in his notes at the end of the book, expressed his fascination with Chicago's willingness to take on seemingly impossible tasks in order to uphold civic honor during the Gilded Age.

Civic Honor was the dominant force in Chicago, and hosting the World’s Fair was an opportunity for the city to establish a new identity separate from the eastern states and cities. Successfully completing the fair would prove that Chicago was more than just a greedy, backward place that slaughtered hogs (Larson 2003, 13). Failing to create the World’s Fair would have brought lasting humiliation to the city, especially considering how confidently its leaders had boasted about Chicago's triumph (Larson 2003, 14). The most remarkable instance of recovery in the United States occurred when Chicago managed to rebuild itself from scratch following the devastating Great Fire of 1871.

Chicago underwent a

remarkable transformation, becoming a prominent player in manufacturing, architecture, and trade. The daunting task of turning the "Black City" of Chicago into the dazzling "White City" for the World’s Fair fell on Burnham's shoulders. By surpassing France's Eiffel Tower and their Exposition Universelle, Chicago sought to demonstrate the United States' formidable capabilities to the entire world. On October 30th, Burnham was appointed the Chief of Construction for the World’s Fair by the Exposition board. His strength, unwavering gaze, and confident demeanor endeared him to many who interacted with him (Larson 2003, 20). Burnham, alongside his partner John Root, stood at the forefront of architectural achievement in Chicago.

Daniel Burnham, alongside Root, successfully designed and constructed innovative buildings that had never been ventured before, like the pioneering skyscraper, The Montauk, despite challenging soil conditions. Burnham possessed exceptional managerial and organizational aptitude, enabling him and Root to establish their firm as one of the top contenders in Chicago. They embarked on numerous demanding ventures, including the Rookery and the Monadnock. Throughout his career, Burnham faced numerous obstacles before ultimately establishing a commendable reputation for himself.

According to Larson (2003, 27), Burnham showed great kindness to his employees by providing various amenities such as a gymnasium where they played handball during lunch breaks and offering fencing lessons. Additionally, Root entertained employees with impromptu piano recitals. Unfortunately, in 1885, the Grannis Block, which was the main building of Burnham and Root, was destroyed by fire.

According to Larson (2003, 9), in 1888, "a hotel they had designed in Kansas City collapsed during construction, injuring several men and killing one." Despite facing verbal attacks on his career due to these incidents, Burnham remained

composed but deeply saddened. Throughout the construction of the World's Fair, Burnham had to surpass numerous challenges posed by both human and natural factors. Among them, time proved to be the most crucial obstacle he had to conquer.

Daniel Burnham, who had just three years to build the World's Fair, caused disappointment among Chicago architects by hiring architects from New York and Kansas. The unexpected death of John Root raised concerns that it could jeopardize the exposition's success. In interviews, the city's prominent figures portrayed Root as the driving force behind the fair, suggesting that his absence might hinder the city from achieving its aspirations (Larson 2003, 108).

Many union strikes were held against immigrant workers, long workdays, and wages. According to Larson (2003, 119), "Two nights later the city's union met with officers of the fair to demand that they limit the workday to eight hours, pay union-scale wages, and hire union workers before all others." The constant obstacle faced during the construction of the World's Fair was the weather. Due to excessive rain, the soil on which the fair was built became unstable and had a gumbo-like consistency.

Due to the limited time allotted for the construction of the fair, the workers did not have sufficient time to create structures using stone, steel, or bricks. Instead, they decided to cover their buildings with a substance called "staff," which was a durable mixture of plaster and jute. This mixture could be shaped into columns and statues and applied over wooden frames to give the appearance of stone (Larson 2003, 120). H. H. Holmes received a diagnosis of psychopathy.

There was a lack of understanding among many individuals regarding

the nature of a psychopath. This person took pleasure in killing others. In fact, Holmes himself affirmed this when he said, "I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing" (Larson 2003, 109). Upon completing his studies, Holmes relocated to Illinois and altered his name from Herman Webster Mudgett to H. H.

Holmes began his life of deceit and killing on the wealthy streets of Chicago. To entice his victims, he intentionally violated social norms: he invaded personal space, maintained intense eye contact, and engaged in excessive physical contact that women surprisingly found appealing. They were at ease in his presence and couldn't resist smiling whenever he was around.

Holmes possessed a clever personality that enabled him to acquire anything he desired without expending much or any of his own resources. Additionally, Holmes made the choice to enter into marital unions with two distinct women. He initially married Mrs. Herman Webster Mudgett while still using his birth name. Once married, Holmes proceeded to file for a divorce from Lovering, his first wife, through a petition presented to the Supreme Court of Cook Country, Illinois (Larson 2003, 63).

Holmes purchased the land opposite his pharmacy under the alias H. S. Campbell. Despite lacking architectural skills, he did not seek guidance from certified architects. The World's Fair Hotel, consisting of three floors, featured retail stores and a restaurant on its initial level.

The second and third floors of the building were designed as apartments for visitors attending the World’s Fair. Holmes cleverly installed a wooden chute running from the second

floor to the basement. Additionally, there was a spacious walk-in vault with airtight seams, and a closet in the corner equipped with a gas jet. Numerous rooms on the second and third floors were fitted with gas jets connected to the vents. To ensure secrecy regarding the hotel's true purpose, Holmes would dismiss his workers under the pretense of their poor performance, thus avoiding payment to them.

Despite none of the workers going to the police, Holmes decided to proceed with his plan of terminating every worker. The majority of Holmes' victims consisted of young and vulnerable women. However, Holmes did not solely target young women; whenever the chance arose, he would kill men and young boys, solely for his own personal pleasure and gratification. Ultimately, he exhibited psychopathic tendencies and lacked any sense of moral values.

During the World's Fair in Chicago, Holmes was skillful at luring women to work in his retail stores and restaurants, providing them with rented apartments on the upper floors. He had the ability to seduce and mesmerize each of his victims. His methods of killing included locking them in a sealed vault and poisoning them with toxic fumes, dissecting their bodies for sale to medical schools, or suffocating them with rags soaked in ether. The fair itself took place in Jackson Park, Illinois, where numerous buildings housed a variety of exhibits and dining establishments.

According to Larson (2003, 284), one of the pleasant surprises at the fair was not knowing who you might encounter at the chocolate Venus de Milo or the hearse exhibitor beneath Krupp's massive barrel. The fair, nicknamed the White City, was considered a magical destination. Chicago successfully

transformed itself from being known as "Black City" to the "White City." As a result, the World's Fair became renowned for cleanliness, offering visitors amenities such as clean public restrooms, purified water, an ambulance service, electric streetlights, and a sewage-processing system that produced ample manure for farmers.

According to Larson (2003, 247), there was a daycare center provided for the children of the visitors at the fair. The fair attracted several influential figures of the late nineteenth century, including Thomas Edison, Susan B. Anthony, Jane Addams, Clarence Darrow, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, Buffalo Bill, and Helen Keller. The White City symbolized the transition from an old era to a new era characterized by technology, culture, and politics.

At the World’s Fair, numerous inventions were unveiled, with the Ferris wheel standing out as the most significant and widely embraced innovation. Its creation can be attributed to George Ferris, who specifically designed it for the World’s Fair. The primary aim of the Ferris wheel was to diminish the grandeur of Mr. Eiffel and France’s Eiffel Tower.

The World’s Fair showcased various innovations such as the first-ever all-electric kitchen, featuring an automatic dishwasher and a pancake-making kit under Aunt Jemima’s brand (Larson 2003, 247). The fair also presented new products like Juicy Fruit gum, Cracker Jack popcorn with a caramel coat, Shredded Wheat cereal, and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Edison’s Kinetoscope delighted visitors with the first moving pictures. They also savored omelets made from supposed ostrich eggs, though they were actually from chickens (Larson 2003, 236). The fair's White City captivated attendees with its stunning architectural buildings and diverse range of people, including belly dancers and Native American Indians. Furthermore, the

event introduced the Pledge of Allegiance and Columbus Day.

The World’s Fair in Chicago was seen as a highly desirable achievement. It represented a symbol of prestige, which held great appeal during this era when pride in one's social standing was second only to pride in one's heritage (Larson 2003, 16). Chicago successfully transformed a neglected area of its urban landscape, known as the Black City, into a magnificent White City. The White City effectively showcased the potential for American cities to be not only visually stunning, but also safe and clean. It conveyed the message that urban areas did not have to be dimly lit and dangerous. Through diligent effort, cities like Chicago had the ability to become beautiful.

According to Larson (2003, 373), the Fair's biggest impact was changing the perception of American cities and architects. It had a significant influence on the entire country, not just wealthy patrons, by introducing a new way of thinking about cities. The Fair's success paved the way for writers like William Stead, who wrote a book called If Christ Came to Chicago that explored the contrast between the Black City and the White City. This book played a role in launching the City Beautiful movement, which aimed to elevate American cities to a level comparable to European cities (Larson 2003, 374).

The World's Fair played a pivotal role in America's transition into a more modern and technologically advanced era. It also had a significant impact on the country's political landscape. The fair attracted a large number of visitors, which led to an increase in business for railroad stations. During the late nineteenth century, people were often hesitant to take

on tasks they believed were impossible. However, after Daniel Burnham successfully completed the World's Fair, people's perception of architects shifted from negative to positive. Many cities, like New York, aspired to have grand structures to attract more people and generate economic growth. The construction of the White City during the nineteenth century presented various labor problems, but Burnham managed to employ over twenty thousand workers for the project.

Erik Larson effectively depicted the true account of the construction of the most significant fair in the United States of America. The chief architect of the World's Fair, Daniel Burnham, had to employ numerous engineers, architects, and designers across the country. Despite not receiving any support, no one anticipated that the World's Fair would be completed in just two years. The successful outcome of the White City, as the fair was called, reshaped people's perceptions of their own cities as well as their designers and architects. During its six-month duration, the fair attracted approximately forty million visitors and generated hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The White City had a sinister secret: a psychopathic murderer was roaming freely, preying on young women visiting the fair. This individual used H. H. Holmes World’s Fair Hotel as a depraved torture chamber.