William Evans Lawrence was born April 15, 1883 in Randolph County, Indiana. He earned a B.S. from Earlham College (Indiana) in 1904 and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to Oregon Agricultural College in 1910 as a botany instructor, he taught at Michigan State College in 1906 and Oklahoma A&M from 1907-1909. Lawrence was an associate professor of plant ecology at the time of his death. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and held membership in the Botanical and Ecological Societies of America, the American Association of University Professors, and the Sigma Xi honor society.
Looking northeast from about 30th Street are the railroads, draw bridges, decks, etc. The "loop" (business district) and Lake Michigan are seen in the distance. Land fronting the canal is especially valuable for industrial purposes, because of the opportunity it affords for shipping "goods" by boat on the Great Lakes and on the ocean.
Looking north, from 20th Street to beyond Randolph Street. The Chicago Drainage Canal, its source in Lake Michigan and its north and south branches are well shown. Water flows from Lake Michigan through the south branch of this canal into the Mississsippi River, and ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico.
The business section of Chicago, and the lake front from 20th street, northward. The Illinois Central railroad tracks and terminal. Field Museum, and the Municipal Pier, are seen on the right, Soldier Field, on the right, is in course of construction. Lake Michigan.
With an estimated population in 1925 of 2,999,239, Chicago is the second largest city in the United States, and although it is a thousand miles from the ocean, it is one of the greatest ports in our country. The low, flat land on which the city is built was once covered by the waters of Lake Michigan. Chicago has no natural harbor, but by widening and deepening the mouth of the Chicago river and by protecting it by breakwaters an excellent harbor has been made. The River itself, which used to flow into the lake, has been transformed into a drainage canal by which the waters of Lake Michigan flow into the Illinois River and finally into the Mississippi. Chicago is the largest meat market in the world and the greatest railroad center.
