Decorative cover page includes note: "This work is published in English, German, and Scandinavian languages, and may be obtained of any Newsdealer in the World, who will order it from the Western News Company, Chicago; ..." T.p. notes "New York: AJ. Bicknell & Co., 27 Warren St." (name change to William T. Comstock Company.) beneath publisher text.

Photomechanical reproductions of prints of the City of Chicago, with accompanying captions, an index to engravings, and extensive advertisng of commercial businesses.

Includes fold out pictorial map frontispiece to "Greater Chicago"(38 x 115 cm), titled "Bird's-eye view of Chicago and its environs, showing a distance of 45 miles on Lake Michigan and 26 miles Westward." Also includes fold out map (38 x 92 cm) of the "Chicago & North-Western R'y, the Trans-continental route, Omaha & California line, St. Paul line, (Elroy route), and its other lines and branches, and connections," and map of "The Erie Railway, and its connections," (21 x 70 cm).

Includes engravings of commercial buildings featuring offices, banks, hotels, and theatres, street views, railway stations, public buildings, churches, halls, municipal buildings, hospital, industrial buildings, pumping engine, and homes of notable residents.