, 1865-03-23
C1ca ming tho Chicago Rlver-an oh.
iection, to 9etpentnG IN II thc So Canal

a. tue E1PenAe q *he clty'
Happens nom your report of the last meeting
Of the City Council, that tho Board Of Public
Works and the CITY hare resolved upon the hercu-
lean task OF cutting dowu the summit 1evet Of the
tfc Canal, md that 81 000 geo u Of city bonds are
to be issued Immediately, with million, and per-
hnps millions to follow.
dom Of the plan settled upon by so many scientific
gentle men, nor the neceetity. of cleansing the
Chftaso rIver, but do boldly. question the e1pe-
ipg al The present times ask erery real estate
holder II his taxes are not high enough at pres
cnt: But We mn only look foF m increase q 'ax
ii tame ' afsf its i eo!e o@ ON connected
with The war. / also ssk every rent-psyer
ii hts rents are not tish enough a.
eitAtes an inerease OF rents. Can wo stand
THIS enormous load at present in addition to our
present hnd prospective taxes and rentse The
necessity ard We must submit. to an increase Of
our renls aud la1es rather than 10 endure any
lcDgcr the reck1ng nuisance Of Chicago river.
1h might b. So We hsS 9y ed sush
lnttead Of doing, this I aver that We lave done
nothing-but talk.
A bs!ter argument & ior at least frytng the cheap,
found IN the report OF the Board Of Public Works,
which lack YOU to reprint aa follows;
sonih Branch, ,it becomes neee.:aiy, M s the Boa1d
also adopt the Recommendation Of the said report.
tlst resort be had to pumping from the river into
!he canal by the hydsauic works az Bridgeport,
arrangements with tho Truatecs Of the 1llinots
and Michigan Canal TINT the capacity Of the works
for pumping and OF the canal for carryfng of the
water shall be much Increased beyond their pre-
sent power. This increased capacity can be OBJ
ta,neo at comparatively snal cost
''For the present the Board recommend that
co-strnctton Of works for cleansing Of the
North Branch be postponed. At the same tine lbs
Board cannot toourEent'y impress upon the Coun-
ctty for the prevention OF nulsances on the bants
Of The river, and for keeping: improper subatac-
ces out Of 1t, he enforced. II this "a done, it Is
believed that the North Branth Will not req uirc
deepening the canal be asccrtafned.''
II the North Brunch can be sufficiently cleaned
IN this way, why not the South Branch ulsoq /
believe, for one, TINT II the city would aYal itself
Of the facilities here referred 10, and do it, duty
lptipE The rlrer, it would certainly cease to be
nuisance. ask whether this Is not batter than to
tsx all the property and business Of Chicago two
or three millions in order 10 sustain few dIstil-
leItes, which experience shows We can safely dis.
Let the punpa with the increased capacity avail
able. be act actively ut work at the proper time,
anu the ordinances and laws r1gidly enforced fpr
one year, Wh1ch can be done at eomparauvely
aance from the r1Yer. BY that time the war viii
be closed, aud We shall know where We Btand, and
If The remedies above indicated have p,e ID fna1-
equate. after thorough tr1nl, and We ten feel able
mnch moro inte,f emily than at present.
II there Is my force or truth in the foregoing
vieWe, every pnbiic officer, every taxpayer, every
seat.Rayer, and sseEy e,tizen. !lor our Interests
arrest for The present year at least this enormous
expenditure. I have done my duty. g. E.