Cyrus Bradley Appointed as Chicago Police Chief
On May 26, 1855, Cyrus Bradley became the Chief of Police in Chicago. Bradley served in this role until his death in 1865. He introduced the motto: “At danger’s call, we’ll promptly fly; and bravely do or bravely die.”
Notable Weather Records
Chicago experienced significant weather on May 26 in different years. In 1911, the high temperature reached 94 degrees. In 1983, temperatures fell to a low of 34 degrees. On May 26, 1913, the city had 1.78 inches of precipitation. There was a trace of snowfall recorded in 1907.
Buckingham Fountain’s Construction
By 1927, construction was underway for the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, one of the largest in the world. The fountain was dedicated three months later. Architect Edward Bennet, known for Wacker Drive and the Michigan Avenue Bridge, designed it. French artist Marcel Loyau created its seahorse statues, symbolizing the four states bordering Lake Michigan. Kate Buckingham donated the fountain to honor her brother Clarence. She established a $300,000 trust through the Art Institute of Chicago to cover the fountain’s maintenance, sparing taxpayers from any financial burden.
The fountain’s basin, crafted from pink marble from Georgia, draws inspiration from the Latona Basin in Louis XIV’s gardens at Versailles. The fountain uses 134 jets to release over 14,000 gallons of water per minute, powered by three pumps. Originally, the computer controlling the pumps was in Atlanta but moved to a nearby pump house in 1994 during a $2.8 million restoration.
For a look at more vintage Chicago stories, subscribe to the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter. Join the history discussions in our Chicagoland history Facebook group or see more on our Instagram page. Have ideas for the Vintage Chicago Tribune? Reach out to Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather via email.
Leave a Reply