IN 1871 Chicago suffered a disastrous fire which destroyed large parts of the city -the rebuilding programme called for fresh ideas. Chicago had been a trading centre since the early 19th century and its continued expansion meant real estate was at a premium in the city. In 1884 it was decided to build upwards to conserve space. A 10-storey building with a steel inner frame was erected by the Home Insurance Company, which was described as a "skyscraper".
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