, 1863-10-29
Ql)ieaga Gtil,tt,rf.


II as probably known to all city readers
that Chicago Harbor is in condition to
excite the apprehension oi all who are IN
terestcd either In the commerce or the real
property Of the place, and VIC need not
conceal tie fact. that, In spite Of conaid-
'erablc expenditure now being made By
The authority and under tile direction of
the Common Council, tor widening, strait
ening and deepening the ship channel atthc
mouth Of the river, the difficulties Of In
sress and egrcss for heavily laden vessels
Of only moderate draft, arc daily incrcas-
ing. We know rs well as our1cadcrs can'
that these difficulties arc. only
tcmporary. and easily overcome; but
tic fact that they exist, and that
nothing permanent and comprehcn-
siye is being done for their removal, does
assurcdly excite the fears Of capitalists
who are seeking Western Investments;
and the other fact that the dangers and
delays incident to entering the harbor are
all the while masnifed by persons elsc~
where interested, docs, no doubt, inure
greatly to our det1iment.
We belieye that to permanently improve
the harbor, and to insure the city a supply
Of pure lake water, are objects that mag
be accomplished by moderate c1pendi-
ture, ut one and the same time. The OBJ
s&ructions at the mouth Of the harbor,
are, as everybody knows, caused
by the obstacle presented in the north pior,
10 tic flow of the shore current which does
exist and lend southward along the west
bank Of the lake This current, though al
most imrercepdblc, ,car1ieswith it consid~
cradle volume Of clay in state Of solu-
tion, and snnd. These, meeting the pier,
which is built at right angles with the
shore line, arc deposited against its north
crn OF upper ade; and, deposit succeed
ing deposit, become dry land, reaching
from point half mile north Of the pier,
in southeastern direction, 10 tie piers
e1d. The people have seen the process
going On for years, md The large e1-
: lent Of made soil at the 1oot Of Iii.
nois. and the adjoining streets, attests
the correctness of what VIC say. When the
deposit, gradually accumulating, reaches
the pier head, the sands arc carried past
that head, and are found laid down in q
sand-2pit extencing due south a1ong the
front Of Ill the streets 1om Lake to Polk
As it. Is impossible to interrupt the aoN
Of the current, and us it will in spite Of all
our wishes bring its usual deposit with it
this condition OF things must continue, IN
less new policy is adopted; and no mattcl
how often. that spit is lrelgcd out q
tic end Of the pier, The sand will agair
and again Gil The channel W. That is de
monstrated ty the experience Of quarter
Of century, and cannot be controrerted
now.
1t would be presunaptuous in us to say
that VIC do not belicycin the plan Of obtain.
ing fresh water for the city's use, which
has been adopted BY the Board Of Public
Works, and approved By the City Council
but We have the authority Of the besI
engineering talent in the West, when VT
say that the success Of that plan is mort
than pzoblemahcal. 1t depends upon s<
many contingencies that cannot now b'
foreseen or provided against, and it involve
the expenditure Of 80 uncertain SUN O
money-uncmtain, but necessarily large
that the most rigid examination ant
ipquir3-the results being verified b.
known scientific facts-should bc insisted
upon before a beginning is made. Perhap
NC ought to say, that, when certain plan
not only Of securing water, but Of in
proving the harbor, ,ulay be carried out b,
little more than half the estimates for tn
tunnel, that plan should be at once adopt
ed We refer Of course to the subject Q
building new pier, mile in length, di
1ectiy east from the present basin Of tn
water works, against which the tioatin;
sands will be thrown down thus renderin
the mouth Of the river free from all presen
danger Of deposit, and along the length {
which the supply pipes for the pump:
extending into deep and pure water, ma,
be laid. This is the plan, temporary
it is true, but easily understood, and eas,
Of execution. It would probably, if adopt
ed, answer all purposes for quarter, per
haps half century. In the immediate
benefits it would confer, the cost would
be fully reimbursed.