Why Leland Hotel is considered "fireproof"

Leland Hotel

I had seen a lot of posts on social media where someone asks "Why is Leland known for being "fireproof"". For this question, we have to go all the way back to the late 1800s in Chicago, IL. To the first "skyscraper" ever built, the Home Insurance Building.

It all began in Chicago,IL after the great Chicago Fire in 1871. There were many new building constructions that were made mostly of iron, brick and steel instead of wood. During this time period it was illegal to erect non-fireproof buildings of more than sixty feet in height. Basically, you couldn't build anything that was taller than nine stories tall (this is an important fact to remember later in this story). 

William LeBaron Jenney

Well, along came William LeBaron Jenney [1832-1907]. He was a Chicago inventor, engineer and contractor. Now, here is a fun fact for us history nerds. W.L.B. Jenny had began his formal education at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA in 1846, then to the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard in 1853. Hang in there... you'll see where I'm going here... He then transferred to École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris to study engineering and architecture. Here is the fun fact, he learned the latest iron construction techniques with his classmate, Gustave Eiffel [1832-1923]. So, knowing this, the technique that is used for Leland Hotel, was also used for the Eiffel Tower. Kind of neat!

Leland: In the Beginning 1926 Beacon News Article September 19,1926

Leland: In the beginning 1926: As originally written in the Beacon News Article
September 19, 1926

Aurora Beacon News Article
Provided by Aurora Public Library
Photo of Leland was original architectural sketch
different than what was built

Aurora Beacon News article September 19, 1926

Aurora is to have the tallest skyscraper in Illinois outside of Chicago, when the new 18 story hotel to be erected by a building corporation headed by Herbert P. Heiss, president of the First Illinois company at the southwest corner of Main street and Island avenue is completed. Work will be started within 30 days.
The cost of the building, land and equipment which will include the Moose building, recently purchased by Mr. Heiss, as a part of the Improvement, will be $1,750.00 according to an announcement made last night by Mr. Heiss. The building itself will call for an investment of $1,000,000. The Aurora Building corporation, organized by Mr. Heiss with himself at the head, will handle the financing of the project, the largest single downtown real estate development in the history of the city.