, 1865-01-04
THE CHICAGO RIVER.
Meeting Of Citizens Last Erenlr,-Dlseussiop
ofP]ans for Cleaning Out the Ftlth-
Report Of tho Comnlttee-
Pumping. and Draining
appointment cf
Committee
OF Thirty.

Pursuant to the call issued by 1arrr nrn,h.,
our most influential citizens, publtc mee3nr y,
last evening held at Metropolitan Halt. to tak
Auto consideration the nost efIectual and per,n
aent Plan Tor cleansing the Chicago rivcr uo1
T. =. Latned WIS called to the chair, and Edut
Il; Sheldon vas appointed Secretary.
MI. Lafnea remarked that the snhjcc1 under df,
inadequate TO convey truthfut descrint}nn 81 IL
condition Of the river. Popular indf1nst1on m + 10 =
Pct yet illuminated in an abatement Of grievances M
into consideration, md legislative action mieb
| become neceasary: The banish1nent Of cTer,
paekn7g and ds1leEy would effect hut
| dwelling honses Of the city were connected Vii
The sewers. Some plan must be devised to d.ay ts
oqt inc IMPURE 1mp9se water r. from the river,
NJ; Chafies Walker hoped that W. subiec
Colonel i II. Hoagh stated that the Joint Cam,
[N1se mlttee q the boatd Of Trade and tho Common
thcy had resolved to convene a lnrcc body or ciyll
enefneere and entrnst the matter to their indo.
mcni n, It Tas said to he almost impossible to drain
me r1Fer through the Des PLANES save hy abin
canal. II found requisite, they should ask fnr
Legislative enAchnents or aids. 'oA
,Aessrs. Writ Dexter, Edwin Il. Sheldon and ",
tons. We appcnd their report, as adopted: tu'
!. .Resolred. That the present foul and corrn,t
condition OF the wsters Of the river and the ista
moi only tnpatrE the comfort OF the cit,zcns nnd
the most serious danger to The public heatb m mi
prosperity that 1t is the unanimous viii Of the
people Of Chicago that the public waters Of the
taks a. tn nna 1'sI shall be made pure and hcalthin
OBJECT ct we hereby pledge ourselves and asrce that
Ne wall nof oiecontnu: or ab1tc our labors to that
cnd until M he desired result is fully attained.
Hesotftd. That IN the adoption of remedy
inf nc eaatane este, the patam consideration
taonlo ce, that snch remedy shall insure to the
c1ty heyond all question or contingency, sure and
now exist hut In view Of the probabilities Of their
Increase with tho increase q popu alton and busi.
ness Il our city; and TINT we will not shrink from
mourning my expenditure Of money OF imposition
taxes which may he necessary to carry Into ex.
ccntinn IN adeqnute and sufficient remedy.
;. Resofrtd, That in view OF the TACT tha, the
cr o ~ d%9nnt Of from
Itself he sufficient In timr to befoal tic waters OF
20 narrow stream as tho Chicago river, and In
pcri:y, That iii nsnaiaeturing eaierprscs I shond @
hc tostcrcd and cnconraged-wc shonid rskard
any remedy for the existing csils, incompletc and
from the effects Of ,he drainage Of ali rueh manu-
3asnra1s i. Ssta1isnsnts As well as Of the sewage,
IL eesa II saSe st y &c
onal and converting it into frsdlfzing prod9ct,
se fssa'sn aRs Js1 sssa'n unehss hs1 basass,
establishments in this and other countries. fhst
much which Is now offensive and unhealthy il
and much smaller amount and lei uoxIous KIM
OF refuse and drainage produced: and HAL II
should form part Of any plan ior purifying The
enforce such resnlstions in tii rccsrd a. onid ad
compel every establishment whose business IN.
To!scd the accumulation or discharge Of ofI.t or
hSnh,sathy q offensive snbstances
health. comfort and cleanliness OF which II WIS
capable
&. Resolrtd, That as the Lake upoa which our
city Is situated il not ouy one Of is chief asrae
Ions hut 1t Is also our only reliance for furnish
lnc INC necessary supply OF water required for the
nc Ct me city, We should regard witt r. at doubt
1 snd dis,rqst any permanent plan Of cleaning the
Chicago river from its existing foulncss by dis
charging such foul matter into The water Of The
lake: But as temporary measure to furnish i'm
uledtatc relief from the existing evils 1t may be
e1ptdtcnt and necessary TO provide mode OF
Gushing ont the river into the lake until salts
Factory permanent plan can be- carried Into cxccu-
5: Rtsolr<d, That ne the cyila under which VIC
suffer aEc Of the most serious character and |
aanEnrons to the pnblic health and have not wi,u
lna the public press continued to increase for
'evcral years and are still increasing without any
means ne being adopted By the existing authorities
or providing some more effective and enersetlc
sYcncice thnn now c1ist for the accomplishment Of
!his ntiEpensa, le work md that in our opinion
y leeislaon at the present session OF the General
+. Esolt<d, That Committee to consist ortairty
meeting, Whose duty II sha1l be to uaakr all need
nl fnvcsttga ions with view to deciding anon
The test mode Of Femedying the evil; to deter |
sufficient for the proper accomplishment Of the |
work, anc II not. to prepare such Legislation In
sason e for ne aetion Of the General Assembly at
he purpose OF carrying the neediul remedies into
execution. That said Committee be |
:9nstitnted permanent Committee. to have this |
otherwise ordered By them that they have power |
o I'LL vacancies 10 and add to their own numbers
= may be tonnd desirable, and shall report their
nge, to be called by them for that pur ose.
:. Msolred, That as the evil TO be remedied is !
,ne which affects every individual in the entire |
.eneI1 GxpeLec, it is cuinently proper and desira
,le TINT any plan proposed for It's relief. should,
,efore its adoption be submitted to the public |
alls request thst no legislation. on this SUBJECT
nay be passed BY the General Assembly until The
ame has bcea first snhnitted to public meeting !
y the cfzens and received the public sanction ard
& Rtsolrtd, That inasmuch as the drainage from
'1r packing End rendering houses disiilleTfes and
snds TO remr extent TO corrupt the waters, and
he cleansing OF the river therefrom imposes ad-
litional expense on the puhlic, it seems proper
ANN
saters should pay drainage license proportion-
lte to the amount and character OF euch Drainage |
md that re recommend to the committee to be
ppolnted by the meeting to take into considers
iod the subject Of a system Of DRAINAGE permits. |
y which ali drainage into the public waters
horld he brought under the supervision and con-
rol or the pub1c authorities, aud an income rea- |
lied theTefrom toward meeting the expenditures
equiTed for cleansing the river.
T. w. Gates thought The current necessary to
I'd He was Of opinion that an artesian well
'onld supply the city with pure water. He deemed
nc nch course far more practicable than the lake
Mir. Charles Walker stated that in each storm |
aG watea 81 f1e E1veI was brought directly back
to as as h. IL
. London, the taxes for cleansing the Thames
Fcraged sc to each pcraon- The subject should |
tdfen up n9M and fo1eyer disposed
red feet wide could be CONSTRUCTED for even
70 COO 00. the interests Of the State md city die
ted the expenditure.
J. !. Scammon expressed the hope TINT the
'mmittec to be placed in charge OF the subject
ould pEeeent for public approval or-rejection .
rievanees. Fef himself be thought The current
I; fhe chicago River should be turned down the
ting to tho nutsances Of last summer. De de-
AIRED that be had clearly proven the Common
ounci1 TO be deselct In their duties toward their
Iouis Wahl, Of Bridgeport, took exception. to
e remarks Of Nj. Dexter, End culivened the
dence by an animated discourse His remarks
ing somewhat personal, he was called to order.
Mi. G1lvcrman desired that the committee be |
shucted 70 request State aid in building ship
nal.
Col. r. N. Hongh stated that the e.1Iraated cost
ship canal to the Mississippi river WIS $14,-
LOCO,
The Chairman snnounced the following as the
ganiEstion Of the committee:
J. Il. Dnnh2m+ Wit Dexter, R. B. Mason, Nv.
.rwcll. ". F. Coolbaugh. Sidney Smith, 7. l.
ancock, r. l. Yoe. j. 7. 6cammon. r. NJ
oueh. Charles Walker, z. C.. :a7.ed4
r. Daniel Brafnard, z. u. Sheldon, ". Mu1ge.,
10. b. Turner, JAS. L. STARK, Z. g. Hammond.
20. l. Dunlop, j. S. Rumsey, Geo. Schneider,
U. .. Honchtcl!ng,. r. y. Gates. T; n; kycry,
Jim T.. Uaince, Il. G. Powers, F. B. Gardner,
mi. Hoard, Ira Z. Mum, n. RyerHon. Bacon
hec1er.
Thc meeting then adjourned. .......
The members Of the Committee are urgently re-
rested 10 meet ut the otHce OF J. II. Durham,
mer State and South " later streets, ut II O'Clock
morrow evening.
THE CITY CHARTER.
In Proposed Amend of
the Common Council Last Even.
tnE-The Proposed Changes.
The Common Council met in special session 1ast