Paddy Bauler - Alderman, Saloon Keeper, Pretend Irish, Big Fat Guy: Part 2

This is the second of a two part series on Paddy Bauler, check out the first post here.

Bauler is probably most known for uttering the now infamous line "Chicago ain't ready for reform yet!" (often misquoted without the "yet") after the 1955 election of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.

Bauler was also noted for altercations with Yippie party leader Abbie Hoffman during the tumultuous year of 1968.  Hoffman, every bit as an enigmatic figure as Paddy Bauler, had wreaked havoc amongst the Chicago democratic machine politics of Chicago during the 1968 Democratic Party Convention, allegedly threatening to dump LSD into the city water supply, as well as to pull down Hubert Humphrey's pants.  Bauler's enthusiastic cry of electoral triumph has come to symbolize Chicago's historic and on going struggles with political corruption.  Suffice it to say, recent champions of political rectitude and historic re enactments, such as Milorad R. "Rod" Blagojevich and George Ryan have kept the tradition alive and well.

In case anyone is counting, that makes six governors that have been charged with crimes during or after their terms in offense (oops... I mean office).

Not surprisingly, Bauler was very much entwined in the Chicago political machine throughout his reign as alderman supreme.  According to his article "FATHERS, SONS AND UNHOLY GHOSTS", James L. Merriner notes that "Two of his (Bauler's) brothers were aldermen, another brother was a cop, his son was a sanitation superintendent, and anyone else even distantly related seemed to get city jobs somehow."

Ultimately, Bauler's contributions to the political culture were minimal beyond his use of patronage as he pushed for few legislative changes and general disdained reformers, calling one particularly bothersome reformer "so dumb he probably thinks the forest preserve is some kind of jelly" (quote thanks to David K. Fremon's "Chicago Politics, ward by ward" )

Paddy Bauler - Alderman, Saloon Keeper, Pretend Irish, Big Fat Guy: Part 1

This is the first in a two part series on former Chicago alderman Mathias "Paddy" Bauler.

In his book "Chicago: The Second City" Abbott Joseph Liebling, of the New Yorker Fame, observed that That "...among politicians the rule is: when in doubt, be Irish".  Few, if any, in Chicago history exemplify this rule better than Mathias "Paddy" Bauler (1890-1977).  Paddy, whose father was a German immigrant and mother was a child of Germans living in America,  found it politically expedient and beneficial to his chosen profession, saloon keeper, to take on the persona of a jolly, drunken Irishman.  By all appearance, Bauler and all of his mash potato 300 pound body, succeeded grandly.  

Bauler owned a saloon, The De Luxe Gardens, at North Avenue and Sedgwick Street.  An excerpt from Liebling discusses the Garden as follows.

"A superb specimen of a Chicago alderman is Paddy Bauler, who represents the Forty-third Ward. Bauler's De Luxe Gardens, at north Avenue and Sedgwick, is as sedate a groggery as you will come upon in the city of Chicago. It occupies the former premises of the Immigrant State Bank, which went under in the crash, and the original lavatory solemnity of the interior's marble décor has never been altered. The high ceilings, the grilles barring the way to the vaults, and all the other accessories designed to nurture unfounded confidence remain to warn of the uncertainty of appearances, and the patrons conduct themselves as discreetly as men about to solicit a loan. It is here that the Alderman, who is also a member of the Cook County Democratic Committee, holds court, like Saint Louis of France under his tree of judgment, from nine to eleven each evening, when he is not traveling in Europe. Paddy travels often, and always in style; he says that trips to places like Rome and Palestine help him to understand the different kinds of people in his ward. The saloon's license is in his brother's name. Paddy has apparently done well at making his aldermanic salary of five thousand dollars a year stretch.

Bauler Park Clean Up

A great opportunity to visit with locals in old town and help the community is coming up, a week from this Saturday. Bauler play lot is a small but very well loved park. The park is located at the corner of Wisconsin street and Hurlbut street (later changed to Cleveland Avenue). It is named after longtime 43rd ward alderman, bar owner, and Chicagoan through and through, Paddy Bauler.

In the future I'll give Paddy Bauler and the park a proper write up, but for the time being, I just want to bring attention to the park clean up. I am planning to be out there bright and early to lend a hand.

The following comes directly from Vi Daley, current Alderman of the 43rd ward. I hope to see you there!

"On Saturday, April 17th, 9AM - Noon: Join the Lincoln Central Association and your neighbors at Bauler Play lot (Wisconsin and Cleveland).

Plan to prune bushes, rake leaves and clean-up litter. Supplies will include some gloves, garbage bags, and T-shirts will be given out on a first-come, first served basis.

If you have any of the following, bring them along: work gloves, rakes, brooms, shovels, wheelbarrows, buckets, hoses, sunscreen, sunglasses, water bottle and rain poncho or jacket. Dress in layers with sturdy shoes."