, 1864-06-25
CLEANSING THE RIVER.
How to Do It-OTerdeH sf the Desplatnes--
More than Sutifient.

The flthy condition Of the Chicago Rive. hst
long enough been etaple Of conversation IN ou1
city, rvallng even that other standing topic-the
weather. AL the talk and writing. and inspection,
and legislation yet done seem to have effected nc
good. Yet something must be done; before 1ong
the mischief muat be met and the foo conquered,
or there will be no people LETT to grnmhle-they
viii be killed OF. Pertinent to this subject is ia
following letter written By Mr. McDermott, c. E.
and sCrseyor; We conmendit to the perusal OF our
reaters:
Editors Chfcs9o Tribune;
Some time In October, 1859, Alderman Brown
cane into ny ot6ca, before the members ot the
Common Council mex. He asked my opinion 90
The means Of renov1ng the nuisance then Ia the
pointed out that it was possible By bringing tho
overflow Of the De1plxines River BY the way OF
Mud Lake, and alec the overflow Of the Calumet
River by q large drain, west Of the Bl1e Leland
Plank road. and empsyine into the StAte d,tca.
Md thence into the south branch Of til. Chicago
River. During our conversation, Alderman Com
teky came in, to whom. we explained our We've.
Boih Aldermen Immediately came to the conciu-
slon that the plan was practicable and highly ne
cessary.. Alderman Comieky drew up 8 rcsolu-
1ion Authorizing the cocnty and City Surveyors
that purpose The meeting being special one
the resolution vas not then adopted Subsequent
y eursey has been ordered and made between
the DeeplatneH and South Branch of the Chicago
River, which shows that the work ia practicable
finding between the low waters Of boih rivera. !
~ OF elght 1set, that +. The Detpatncs Rizer is
1t appears that the properly owners along the
route did not originate the PLAN for shey have al
ready oone al they require 1t an expense Of eight
l hsve found all the swncra Willing to have the
present Mud Lake ditch widsned and decpened,
excepting Hon. John Wentworth, bat when nc
his oppostlon lessened i great dra,. However,
his known spirit Of philan1hrpy and public in.
" nTtnfN = hrfA tfRrh thM ~
improvement will Grain his land, and that the
ditch, when wideoed, will not enter his section
seven. He owns one mile from the river along this
psoposed ditch, which f. during the greaterp part
Of the year covered with water several feet deep.
We may safely infer tha. there will be no opposl-
ton from him. OF nom any Other. It IL propoeed
- tahe on'y part oi Tue overflow OF the Des-
Let the ditch east Of Mud 1ako bridge for one
hali . mAe & 6e made so feet It the bottom, slopes
ot GO TO SO feet and 10 to II 1eet deep The water
at Mud Lake bridge Is sometimes IA feet high,
" ,th head Of II feet in four miles, NC have
body Of watef thrown into the river at the Bridge
port locke equal TO 165 million cub1c feet in ono
dsy o. four timea the quantity of cubic feet IN tbs
South Branch from the eouth 1ork to the Lake,
taktne the distance 5H miles, mean chanuel I'D
feet vide and u feet deep; And assuu ng fall
II the length ofthe Eyss q only one Inch mile
combined Win the supply from the North Branch.
In times OF heavy rains or melted SNOW, will Etse
velocity Sufficient 10 sweep MonS eso4e8 a. least
half an inch IN diameter.
1t IL evident that ous such cleansing would be
wo1h millions Of dollars to any city where human
lite il valued. The river would be kept clean ron
the first day Of November to the middle Of May at
least. And come ume In July or August We could
have another securing, and the same alter each
heavy rain. Those who have Witnessed the effect
OF letting the canal into the river during the last
two yeara, In the early part Of December, can
form an Idea Of the benefits TO be derived from this
crt. When the day shall arrive that the views OF
George Y. Clark, Esq, Of connecting the Calu.
met river with the South braucs, will be carried
into effect We will hare an abundant source OF
flushing or securing our Chicago dyer from ali the
nIth nov dodlLg tta var into II from 6lAughtal1ns
honset4 &c. There IL NO time le!t to BE- testing
The technicaliGcs of law. or the value Of dollars
The predisposng caueca OF erysipolas, typhoid aud
spotted and pnerpef11 ferers, must be met prompt.
~, BY small appropriation. This will remove
the stigma Of foul from Chile ago. and her water
vii DOT bc sent TO distant medical colleges for e1-
hibition 10 medical students. Can there be srf-
nSsns S tup1fyfhad from the Desplaines River, ~
YcA. because It IL 20 miles long. draining 1,eao
square miles, The annua! raiu-,aii, - inches; A.
| LOW tor evaporation and initiation, l6 inches -
!saVlne the remainder to dow into The Daplafues
h1seIs Let n take ouefourth, or four iuchea, In
the hud Lake d!lch and it Will give Is era COO
lnchet, Or 1to13 millions Of enbic feet, which Ia
! Is the present Chicago Hydraulic Worxs woa,d
The lud Lsie valley and TINT OF the Ds,pl,,ne,
River, during several weeks, present 4 sheet hi
! water t~e1ye Diles long and Hom one to fonr
! miles wide, sufficient to toat sma vessels,
Thr expense OF the proposed cut, thirty fest at
boron. viii not exceed $1,000. cas down