Round-the-World Flights

Charles Fitzmorris Sets the Record as the Fastest Person to Travel Round-The-World

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Charles Fitzmorris	Chicago Residence	As Police Chief	Train	Ocean Steamer

	By 1900 the West was won, the frontier was no more, the continent was settled 
from coast to coast and the American nation had established itself as a world power.  
At the turn of the century a number of world's fairs were being staged and the US's  
commercial expansion into foreign markets was increasing.  There was great interest 
in world travel as the geographical boundaries between nations was shrinking with 
modernized and new forms of travel and transportation.  The World's Transportation 
Commission had gathered and published information about foreign transportation 
systems including railroads and ocean steamers. 
	In this atmosphere, the career of Charles Cecil Fitzmorris got an early, if not 
a spectacular start when he won a trip round-the-world in a contest in 1900 and a 
place on the afternoon newspaper, the Evening American as a "super" office boy. 
	He circumnavigated the earth setting a record for going round-the-world faster 
than any other human had previously done.  He departed Chicago, IL and 60D 13H 20M 
later he returned there completing his journey round-the-world carving his 
record-setting position into history. 
 	Fitzmorris lived on the North Lake Shore Drive in the Near North Side community 
area of Chicago.  In 1915 his notoriety helped propel his career to become secretary 
to Chicago's Mayor William Hale Thompson.  He became Chicago's Chief of Police from 
1920-1923 and Chicago's Comptroller from 1927-1928.  After leaving his public service, 
he became president of the Globe Coal Company. He passed away on August 20, 1948 at
the age of 64.
	The photo's on this page were sourced from the Chicago Historical Society.  Many 
thanks to this organization. 

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