, 1869-08-22
,rrpvaSP or WATER FACILITIES,

If the city wns {o1 time cut on, ond WILL
Iva far several weeks very much reduced, Is
of its.H convincing proof Of the necessity
II m extension Of our water supply upon |
permanent bnsis, The West Division is,
tt.ritorially, twico as large as the North
aud South Divisions put together It in
cluscs at the present time fve-cishths Of
tit population Of the city, ind is daily in
c.eas,ng the excess
Cnul the Inke tunnel was completed, tho
supply Of wnter in tho West Division did
not reach one-haH tie dwellings, and to the
most Of these in very small and uncertain
stream. The very groat additions which
hare siuco been mado to the mechanical
works lying east Of ua1sted street, and west
uf tho North and South Drauches Of the
river, make strong demand upon the sup
,ly vhich is furnished by the thrco COM
ps.ativcly snnn pipes connecting the west
with the other parta Of the city. The liz
bility TO nocident, to which pipes laid on
! the bottom Of the river must always be e1-
! ,psed, should compel the attention Of the
| city government to the necessity OF an
| rsrly increase in our water facilities. We
have tunnel capable Of supplying all the
WINTER that will be needed for the next
twenty years but the distributing pumps
ire not eaual TO the work which vii bo de-
,nundcd Of them before very loag.
What is needed is an extension Of the
,ntseut tunnel to some central part Of the
West Division, and the construction there Of
duplicates Of the wells nnd pumping ma-
chlne1y now in operation On the North
Side, It must be remembered that there is
no luxury like pure water, and that while
there Is nothing 30 conducive to good
health as its llbeza supply, there is nothing
more destructive Of health, or moro pro
ductiyo Of epidemics, than the ESQ OF the
wretched surface water, which is the only
resort Of our people when deprived Of the
lake water. It so happens that those pot
tions Of the city which are inhdequatel!
| supplied With wntez arc also thos'
| portions which haTe Little or nj
drainaco, and tho two evils, whei
united, lead to terrible mortality. Tho yer,
ynter which is used in these localities !
= that which ought to ba carried of by tn
| severe. It is only humane duty to spEea
| tie pure lako water SO that every househol
. | may not only havo it, but have it IN abu1
: dance. No sanitary measures can ever
etfectual in Chicago which do not include
full supply Of lake water, and a consequeu
disrse Of the bo.rid surface water caught
). wells and otherwise.
The extension Of tho lake tunnel to tt
West Division, to some point betwee
aIadisou and Twelfth streets, and suit
cicutly westward to. meet the future cit
lint even now is c1owiing upon Westo'
= avenue and tho plains beyond, would
;" not merely benefit OF q permanent fcha
- acter to the West Division, but equally
% to the South and North Divisions, FIJI
- ycars from now every drop Of water
which the present distributing works are
;, pablo of supplying, will be needed by Il
- South and North Divisions. We do not mel
,, TINT those divisions vii CONSUME th
- nrnount Of watez, but the surplus Will n
70 be great enough to furnish the West si'
with noy without working the present n
:. chinery to its utmost. capacity. Is 1t VI
to work the present machinery oonstan'
= to its utmost capacity7 And when to Sd
ply tho present population TO
- so is unavoidable, is it not 4
q, ~ time to prepare for the futu1e2 7
~ constr uction Of the tunnel and Of tho 4
- Water Works IN the West DiEiaon Will
~ only be ordinary providence to meet
- wants Of that part Of the city, bnt II
.as relieve the other dlv1noHs OF the city,
n leave them for 1nany years to como ooso
,o- I'll danger Of short supply Inc const.
"a ton Of this extension OF the tunnel
10 .uhtter OF economy cxtena1ng 70 t1o LIN,
and comfort Of every 1nhnbitant' Ano W
600 out which living IN CnlcaSo *ou1o 10 ~
~, ~ ernble- Inc supply OF "asef suoulu LII
10 / lf3 nGyIUlttGl 10 be SHOT IL buOulu AoA