During the 1880's people flocked to Chicago for the chance of employment and opportunity. But what separated Chicago from other cities was that every type of person came, ranging from immigrants to business tycoons, looking to get their shares of Chicago's growing economy. And at the center of the economy was the railroad. Of the 33 railroad lines leading into Chicago, not one passed through the city; they all stopped. Train passengers had to pay for transport to the other side of the city in order to continue their rail trip. Thus, is an example of the economic genius of Chicago.However, the success of Chicago could not have been possible without its superb geographic placement, dead in the center of several large coal fields as well as in reach of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. This early decision was, in many cases, the most important.

Chicago...