The Chicago Herald and Examiner has published three articles concerning the Greek colony of Chicago. They were written by one of the most distinguished members of the colony, Mr. Peter Lambros, proprietor and editor of the Greek newspaper, the Greek Star.

According to the American newspaper, Chicago is the greatest melting-pot in the world. Today there are in this city no less than 450,000 Germans, 400,000 Poles, 300,000 Jews, 300,000 Irish, 300,000 Czecho-Slovaks, 200,000 Italians, 125,000 Swedes, almost 95,000 Lithuanians, 56,000 Norwegians, and 50,000 Greeks. How did these 50,000 Greeks come to Chicago? Mr. Lambros tells us.

The first Greeks arriving in Chicago were merchants coming from New Orleans to Fort Dearborn via the Mississippi and the Chicago rivers, about the year 1840.

Since the early times of old Greece, it has been a tradition for its sons to seek adventures in new countries. Impelled by this spirit, the first Greeks came to Chicago. Although they did not know English, they were able to sell the products they had brought along--mostly furs and fruit.

Later they came in contact with Italian fruit merchants, whose language they understood quite well. For that reason several of these Greeks at the beginning became fruit merchants.

The first Greek colonists who came to Chicago remained only a month or two. They returned to Greece, where they spoke of Chicago in glowing terms to their friends and relatives. On their return they brought several friends and relatives along with them. Thus was founded the Greek colony of Chicago.

These first colonists were of course not completely Americanized. From time to time they got homesick and wished to return to their native country.

But as time passed on, they became American citizens through naturalization. They began to assimilate American ideals. The spirit of Chicago, "I will," became their own, they began to grow with their adoptive city.

One of the Greek pioneers who came to Chicago over seventy years ago and lived on Kinzie street was Captain Nicolas Pappas, who died recently.

The first civil marriage in Chicago took place shortly after the Civil War, when Nicolas Brown married a young American lady; Mr. Brown was the proprietor of a beauty parlor. (Many Greeks on becoming American citizens also change their Greek names, hard to pronounce).

The Chicago fire of 1871 was an epoch in the history of the Greek colony of this city. This disaster impelled many Greeks to come to Chicago to help rebuild the city. Of those who settled here after the fire we must particularly mention Constantine Masters, today a tailor and the oldest Greek pioneer now living, and Christ Chacona. The latter, known by the name of "the Columbus of Sparta," after the fire encouraged Greek immigrants to come to Chicago. Realizing how great were the possibilities of making money here, he returned to his native village, Tzintzina, near Sparta, and brought back with him to Chicago a great number of relatives. They established themselves as fruit merchants on Lake street, which was then the business center of Chicago.

When the news of their success reached their native village, a new influx of Greeks ensued. In 1882 the Chicago Greek colony numbered 1,000 persons.

It is a curious fact, but all the first Greek colonists were men. The first Greek woman in Chicago was Mme. Peter Pooley, who came in 1885. She organized in 1885 the Greek-Slavic society, the purpose of which was charity and the maintenance of the ideals of the Greek religion.

About the same time the Lycurgus Society was founded. This society brought to Chicago a Greek priest, the first one to come to America.

Chicago, with its population of more than 50,000 Greeks, has become the Athens of Greek immigrants.

The Chicago Greeks have their own center, called the Delta, at Halsted and Harrison streets.

They also have their churches, newspapers, and societies. There are seven Greek churches in Chicago: St. Constantine's, Holy Trinity, St. Nicholas's, Assumption, St. George's, Annunciation, and St. Basil's. The last is the diocesan seat of Bishop Philaretos Ioannidis.

The Greek press fosters friendly relations between the Greeks and the other nationalities of this cosmopolitan city. It has also helped in teaching modern methods to Greek business-men.

Chicago has also a great number of Greek associations and clubs. The Ahepa (American Hellenic Educational Progress Association), for instance, has 5,000 members. Its aim, as the name indicates, is to develop Greek-American education.

Throughout the history of Chicago the Greeks have proved that they are great American patriots.

They always remember the glorious example of Demetrius Ypsilanti, the "Greek Lafayette," who helped the thirteen colonies in their fight for independence In the Spanish-American War over 500 Greeks fought under the American flag. At the famous battle of Manila Rear Admiral Calvocoressis, a Greek, the right hand of Admiral Dewey, fired the first shot against the Spanish fleet.

In the World War 5,000 Chicago Greeks crossed the ocean and contributed to America's victory. After the war many of them remained in the American army and navy, and those who returned to civil life formed the Hellenic Post of the American Legion.

In 1897 five hundred Greeks of Chicago crossed the Atlantic to fight for their native land. Again in the Balkan Wars two thousand Chicago Greeks enlisted as volunteers and helped the Grecian arms to win.

"When Greek meets Greek, they open a restaurant."

This saying originated at the time when the Greeks of Chicago began their business careers in a humble way. At first they sold "red hots" and "hot tables" from their carts. These carts soon filled the city. The city council of Mayor Carter H. Harrison then passed an ordinance forbidding the sale of victuals in the streets of the city.

At first the Greek vendors organized themselves in order to oppose the new regulation. But at last they agreed to abandon their carts. All those who by combining their resources could gather enough money then opened restaurants.

The evolution of the Greek merchants in the fruit, vegetable, and candy business took place in the same manner. They started in little booths. Later they continued in stores. Some even opened new avenues of industry. Thus the first "soda fountain" was started by a Greek in the Security Building. Today the Greeks are among the principal owners of restaurants, ice-cream parlors, flower shops, and grocery stores.

The Greeks own more than 10,000 stores--500 in the center of the city--representing a monthly rental of over $2,500,000. The daily business of these stores is estimated at two million dollars.

Chicago also has over 100 Greek physicians, lawyers, and dentists. In the domain of art we wish to mention the opera singers, Ulysses Lappas and Constantine Nicolaou.

A number of Chicago Greeks are interested in dramatic productions. For instance, Sophocles's Ajax, in ancient Greek, was successfully presented in Chicago and afterwards in other cities of the United States. The proceeds of this production were devoted to charity.

The Greeks of Chicago are an energetic and active class. They try to gain the respect of all those with whom they come in contact. Work is their best friend.