, 1862-12-31
SPECIAL Meeting OF the COMMON
COUNCIL.
The Chicago River Question.
THE MAYOR AND COMPTROLLER IN
sTRUCTKD TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR
BRINGING WATER FROM THE CAL
UMET, INTO TIE RIVER.

A special meeting Of the Common Council
was held last cveningt to consider the subject Of
cleansing the river. The Mayor stated that
he had called the meeting to consider a con-
tract between the City and the Trustees Of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal. About four weeks
ago, the Council authorized the Mayor to make
an agreement with the Superintendent Of the
Canal to have water from the Canal emptied
into the river to create a current. The next
morning lie telegraphed to Superintendent
Preston and made an arrangement for an in- |
teryiew. Preston came to Chicago and met !
him. Thei subject Of accretions at the mouth |
of the feeder wes talked OF, and the Mayor |
said the city was willing to pay damages. |
Preston produced contract. The Mayor ex-
amined 1t and thought 1t one-sided, It did |
not provide that the city should hare any
voice in deciding damages but made Preston
| sole umpire. An arrangement was then made
| to write to Capt. Swift. The letter WIS for
warded, and Swift answered, declining to in
terfere with the contract. The Mayor, there
fore, declined to sign upon bis own responsi-
biity.
The Mayor then presented communica-
ton, copyof the contract and petition to the
Council. The communication embraced In
substance what We have detailed above. The
contract Was Substantially as follows:
| At the request 2f Mayor Sherman the Board Ct
Tnstses Of he no an and aeha9 e &C csRs VI
GocEpoE ana 5oef th5ongh shs taiame! feeder
River, during portion, Of the winter TO aid in
keeping the South Brxnch pure. In consideration
8: ass a asy s s r. os eHas
m pool M It tie @ mepth of tie he Calumet feeder and al
Of the CaIamet feeder, and the lock and waste
gates on the Summit Level Of said canal; said
dam.ge. and coat Of 5emoyal q deposits to be de-
dent before Nay 1st. 1885, and said city agrees to
pay and account foE damages before June lat, 1863
a petition Vas then presented By the Mayor
signed BY the Board Of Trade and a large
number Of the leading merchants and citi-
| | gems, asking the Council to take such action
. aB shall authorize the Mayor to execute the
| contract.
AID. Hoyt moved that the Mayor be in
strusted tosig3 The eentraet 6n1;ssa .,,,n The
. Mayor to sign the contract It WAS one
sided af8air It provided that the city must
pay all the damages, and Mr. Preston Is the
e only man who can decide upon those damages
! | He thought it WAS best to hold on little.
Aid. Hahn wanted to know il many Of the
signcrs Of the petition we're not packers.
AID. Harvey said not one in fifty Of them
r were packers. The citizens were asking for
4 | LlfS- IL may 0E q DuE-SlAEA Ai4U IL
u ought 10 b It was not going to help the
l. canal any, 1t was privilege asked for.
I. AID. Brown wanted to know how much the
5 project was going to help the river. He want.
4 ed light. he wanted some engineers views,
~ before any decision should be made.
d The Magyar said Mr.. Preston stated that the
l. amount Of water would vary, according to the
,e winter. Two feet would run constantly, per
haps three Il the DesPlaines furnished th<
se mills at Lockport, he thought We could gel
lG ffrna fact ~ 1EafRr
Aid. BaEsgwanath wanted to know what tht
rate Of current Eas.
E. AID Harvey said that when the water VA
let in from TIC ..ss77aal some time since, therf
Wss current o four OF .ss.s .:ss.s Il
Aid. Barsgwanath said that current Woult
/ cleanse the river in an hour It was q tougl
is story.
Aid Hoyt said 1t should not be matter o
- expense. The newspapers to-day BY herald
Or ing the condition Of the river to the world
th are doing mose damage than any quantity o
in taxes. Their accounts were correct, and N
expense sh8uld be stopped at to remedy tn
g evils. Upon the cali Of this speaker, tht
&C. names Of the signers to the petition wer
an read.
B. Aid. Holden aaked for the City Attorney
views npon the CONTRACT
I'd Aid. Hahn wanted to know Of the City At
n toTney il the water coming through did no
,c- produce sufficient current whether the cit
NJ. could stop at any time.
y" City Attorney Aver being present said ther
'st WIS q legal eb5ectieaeo The contract, That #a
he the appointing Mr.. Preston sole umpire. Ths
Of struck him ks unfair: If the Canal Company
~ however, should refuse to allow any othe
or umpire, he did not think the city would III
10 de1go any risk. # Mr. Preston's decisio
M | should prove fraud, the city could go hebin
ats the contract Again st any time they wishet
=" the city could stop the flow Of water, the
d. fonnd it did not gubserye the purposes,
T. which It WIS applied. That WAS bis We"
At the contract.
he matter be IeM to the Mayor and Comptron.
Ish with power to act, but the motion faaled
an | receive second
The vote vas then 1aken upon instructir
zoo 20" the Mayor to sign the contract, resulting
rth follows:
ter ASea-Buts1ord, Edwards, Hoy, shimp, Hah
an SehAn, Holden, Brown, HaTvky, CoMtaky-10.
ha>.-Ba1sgwADath. Law-1
afa Aid. Comisky was granted permission
ap- read the following resolution, but it was n
tdi- acted upon:
nd Reeofesa, Iha& tAe City and County euzveye
.1a be directed to proceed fosthwh e sks :, =
Saga q III q
into the South bFxnth Of the Chicago river. and
the estiase the EohsaIe cost of the s4ue, and rep
ave | to this Council 1t lts ne1t meeting.
100 Upon motion, the Council adjourned
the r-~ - n. naxr :,
ID upon the Court House Ia in order, and
watchnaan has resumed his duties In full
TN. ve write, its deep loud tones redenoting
Inv hour Of tMelve-$hea advent Of the list day
the this sventfa1 year. We congratulate our G
aue xena upon tie return Of this hourly mont
had whose prolooaea sllenea has been - univ
sally Regretted. .'