Railroad Tycoon or King Con
Some admired him for his shrewd business savvy and forward thinking. Others thought him a clever con man and scoundrel. But, whatever the opinion, Charles Tyson Yerkes left his mark on Chicago as the acknowledged father of the modern “L.” (“L” stands for “elevated train” not “larceny” as some would say.) Yerkes was born on June 25, 1837 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and as a young man was convicted of larceny. In a strange twist of fate, it was the Chicago fire that burned him: ” Yerkes risked public money in a colossal stock speculation. Unfortunately for Yerkes, this speculation ended [in calamity] when the Great Chicago Fire sparked a financial panic.” (Wikipedia) Yerkes wouldn’t arrive in Chicago until 1881. A new page of links to many articles about Yerkes has been posted and the page on the Railroads and Chicago “L” has been updated.
