, 1866-11-23

Important Chsnge In the System Of It's
Enlargement,
Twelve Ecars Required TO Complete 1t
at Present RRtt OF ProEress-8ts
importance to Illinois,

communication was received from tho Board Of
Public Wo,ks, Notifying the Council that they had
vacated the contract With Messrs. Fox, Howard 8 |
Walker, Tor the deepening md enlasgtng Of tho |
Illinois Michigan Canal, 10 far a. related to that
portion between and Including Sections II to 81 |
aud asking authority to 80 forward with the con-
sunction Of certain dredges, seows, ctanca, and |
other machinery for the prosecution OF the work \
under other auspices. This communication was
referred 10 the Select Committee On Canal OF |
which Aid. Wicker !. Chairman, and III their banda
still repotes Lille attention was paid to It and |
few lines only were devoted 10 any notice OF 1t
In the morning papers. SIN tbs subjest Is
very Important one to the people OF Chicago;
any Information regarding 1t Ia OF very
&c saa to na assened for Ss s,asd
mode e aaSraing o. e1pl.nauoa ri. b q
from i.s inception untii The Present. Under tae
authority given by the act Of April 16th, 1855,
as se's f.. q ' SRs sier {; g. I'd VII
vattrg and enlarcIns required, from section one
10 section forty-fonr inclusive, nineteen and
1oekpoT % at % he rsie q @ Cents pel
cubic yard for easth. and two dollars per CUBIC
d o5 ESes 1ttS The hS s9pss ;
was done that autumn beyond making the ncccs-
sary preparations, and the actual commencement
q have "G been - in he aS' sprine 81 the
present rear. Very slowly and inct1clently
!! then progressed Sub-conttae,ors were put on
,he heavy fosk excavation A. the 'o5yfeuth s;, ses.
Mcssre. F., e. s. ". app'iea their energies 10 Ibis
Ha @ 5 e. s9h
1ion. Under The contract. The work Wasio bs
completed by the 1sat Of September. 1865. bnt
nlar1uad come time since. at the s1owness Of It's
progress, and instituted IN inves.igat1on, \ was
found that at the present rate II WoAd nos bs IN.
complete It in the allotted time about thlsty-sevcn
dredges would ne re9uiFea the contractors have
Snly s3 dredgcs VII Their s ed nm n,
the work and only two at the other. This checr-
1ui exhibit ~as made aSoss two months sspce.
Dc ab sas:S fe Of psS',s wesks aadIes.sa a. oasai
OF inquiry to the contractors, respecting their
ee: 10 = sis T ~ sS
lengthy reply, daied November Sd. lsdc, IN Which
une1pecledly difficult chaTaeter Of the earth i y
eisy. Vas s SUPPOSED. pio:sd = Be- taaaystsd
clay or ''hard pan."', and other difficulties,
esPsllra ,f,. t. ask r., an ,,,,,n t.
instend @ Of taking out, rs they and othef bidders
e eas s2s Be- ss sa
steam d1edgc, they Ind only been able to excayate
one-hiEd of that amount. and this, although their
ever @ coasi1neled iof e1casa'tng tbis kind Of ma
terial. The excellence Of this machinery and the
es havs Cd a ,bpsa bpnmg - 10
Of their good faith and intent to prosecute the
work la CONCLUSION, they stated thas M y inSy were YER
md mat nniess tic relief ot IN increased price
6ankrHpt ln their endcu7or TO iuldi their part Of
In their interviews with the Board Of Public
Works and with The special committee Of the Com.
mon Cennei apgointea ~ ana wee consist
: Iaweon and Proudioot, tic contractors still in-
sisted that they were running the work at daily
eon an On so o fne wh
work, Or, a classification Of material which would
hare amoun' cd to About The same thing a. the tn-
eens psF seic yara on a eena Il pee hs
estimated cost Of the work on these yfour sec
i tone At the coniractes's original pm was seon
eontraeiors earnestly desired i and ielt thst with
p9a,s s 'afopP e. Pss St nc sSs %sEs Eli
Rss9 shS esniseofs aIs s,ea9s putting .,z on e,,vs
Al olhsr Necessary machinery, his winter.
n on the 12fh irstsnt in which they aver that the
:, arr nnablc. from want Of funds. 70 comply Wit
&c denard, bit express thsiE Willingness to !, hn II
-. lie Eatd machinery and pnt It on the york T. II
y Boa,d will advance to them the sum of s15o, co.,
J. be repaid out of their last cstimates They ais
| q IT. '
ID twe,Iy per cent heretofore pract'scd by the ci!
ss aRd at e SnE ss e. =
~ ~ running expenses they may receive fu1l paymer
ic for thcir work. In Consideration Of these aid
,e they agree 70 60 on and faithfully fulfil 'heif pa
Z la thIs last Communication, nothing was said {
severe losses The Board md CGmn,tss IN;
from 1t least portion Of their ruinous hurae1
ae and they were. strange as II may seem, at iro
be viewing It y "eonsnmmatson dlesop.ly y 70 l
Is he Cd HOPES snd :hsrd:psn" On the sth nss drew
sss 9a psas te a 'as ssss would %
he cntaied By refuta1 to increase their prices.
m m when the Board compassiona!e1y consented to
~ they wa1ed exceeding wToth aud uttered raj
Y wofda about "throwing ,ap thu whole job
T ptc5y psa s1a d fess ssssaa e. ssse
w. would have been willing to grant the desired =
~ vance Of x15o0 II the power to do SO had be,
reos intest o1 IT, eo.ttsctoss As aey
Il authority for such action under exlsnGg G
i'd cnnsanees, hoHeser shs BaaTd 4a deteImfnsd f
H. H. work vacated and il was the Official anaoune
Se mcnt to The Council Of this action, which was
a.. a: i 4Eere is no deubt .hat ~ Common ceup!
IL will approve the request Of the Board oi Pub
sSn; ] ss sSe1 i1 He foe IL "
~ ~ ibis machinery will be operated when u Is
Il working order next spring Is not set fn3lJ dec
"a ell, OF al least made public: II may be done 7
~ DIR the direct control Of the Roard, or 1t may
~ given into the hands Of other contractors, unit
new ie.n,a Of contract The matter Is Ut nsest =;
ro7 action will probably be reported 10 the Comm
w.. W.. Council at its next meeting.
lcf- The rapid completion of this work is mat
ing OF 1he deepest import ,nce not only to the ctz
aui- of Chicago bul 10 the people Of the entire 81
re5 | or Illinois. The work, nhcn finish
s.u 'ors w,sl IN, addition to, exercising :.
ian. condition Of our city by its drainage Of The q
pom thicuEo River, benefit the producers and bnssr
arh men Of the State at large to IN ipcalc1lable
ton tent By iis controlling and keeping within bon
ioor The TENDENCY Of the railways to exoEnftant t.
DISH | on freight and, a. an ultimate Gobd to be exp
msy ed from it. 1t Is to be hop that at no very dts
was day by its means We will have an Immense T.
han- " steamboat canal with the whole Of the HI:
md stppf, Missouri and Ohio Rivers and their II
bles tarica leading the riches Of that vast sector
The XII i1e, then, Interested in the completion q
II to canal By whatever means, and the interest
lous contractors should not be allowed 10 stand u
ndi- Way for an hour.