What is the meaning of the idiom back to square one?

Which three sentences in this excerpt from arthur conan doyle's "the contest" suggest that the author's tone is mocking?

Why do you think frank tashlin titled this story  the bear that wasn’t? why didn’t the factory officials recognize the bear for what he was? why did it become harder and harder for the bear to maintain his identity as he moved through the bureaucracy of the factory?

What is the province of il chicago?