, 1870-09-11

Of constructing such canal. It would be
something moro than mile long, but tha
excavation would be easy, and comparatively
Inexpensive. We have long advocated the
construction of such \ canal as n sanitary
measure. The larger the canal, Of course,
the better would bo the work done by it.
All experience has shown that tho best
mode Of keeping river clean il to assist
tho water 10 run in its natural channel A
current in the Chfcago River would keep it
clean, despite the large daily deposits of the
scwers- The natural mode Of clearing the
river and its branches is by washing it ont,
md forcing its filth into the lake. A good
slrcnching rain, causing current in the
river, does this work mora effs.tua!ly than
it can lie done by any other mode. Twelve
hours Of strong current produced by m
eztrn supply Of water, will sconr the river
more etectnally than n months use Of the
bridgeport pumps It is not merely the
surtare wafer that requires removal, but
force to carry of the insolube Il, alter
into tue lake.
The CITY of Chicago has expended three
uilliuns of tlcliars on the tlelusiye idea that
! 1'y drawing wafer m stream this filth can
lie carried through the canal int, the 1lli-
nois River. That We have demonstrated
to be IN at,Sur,lity The bottom of the
canal remaining neverul feet higA.r than
the bottom of the river. no wafer wilt low
into the canal hut frun. the surfnce, ].av-
ing the mass of inso'ub:e matter still in tue
river. BY deepening the cau.4l without
widening It, we hare reduced the size Of
its prism, aud, consequently, its capacity
to carry oil water. When the work is CON-
| l'leted we tan dispense with the pumps,
but the changed canal will not carry III as
much water as can now he put into it 1,s
the pu,aps. Thus We shall have expended
three millions of slollara without accomplish.
ing anything in the way Of relieving tho
| river.
| But, whether the canal improvement will
benefit the u,uin river aud South Branch
nr not, it is IN acknowledged fact TINT it
will not give any relief to the North Branch.
The flow Of water into the river caused by
The pumps stops the foul water of the
North Brunch at kinzie street, aud it re-
,uains there permanent nuisance. 1t re-
quires supply Of water introduced into
| TINT branch to create q current, and thus
force the foul 1nas; into motion. Wlnt is
needed is to furnish the natural current
which rninfa1l produces. This Gin be
done by the Introduction of constant
and liberal supply Of water from the lake
| into the North Branch, near its head wa
tiers, and thus keep n current during the
whole season. Such canal has hcen esti-
nsated for and planned 1,y the City Engi.
neer, hut upon smaller scale than pro.
posed by Mr.. Ogden. The plan has been
confined to mere contlnit, having for its
purpose the supply of pure water. The
plan proposed hy a1r. Ogden is to con.
sts7,ct ship canal, or, in otLer words, to
4 construct q new entrance to the harbor,
making an addition Of several miles to the
river dockagc,
Tha larger scheme, Of course, includes
the minor one. As sanitary measure,
there can be no doubt of the value of tht
proposed ship canal; but there is Il Difficult
ty in the matter of coss- The debt of tht
city already exceeds the constitutional limi
tation, and will relluiu in excess for MANY
years TO come. The wisdom Of that iini
tation is questioned ly: Atr. Ogden, hut ht
"ili find few people to agree with lin. III.
debt fuF the three millions wasted on th'
canal improvement shows, OF itself, the ne
crssity fur such u restraint upon 1nunicipa
extravaganza and to,t1-fuolcty. The Com
,non Council refused, even after the use
lcssuess Of tllat expenditnr,
was evident, to stop th'
work, aud apply portion of til
money to the improvement proposed b.
Mr.. Ogden. We have the debt, bearin;
an annual interest which, in five years, vii
n,n"unt to eaongh to hare constructe
csnrls fr,,rn the lake into the Mort
and South branches of tue river, and fu,
nished tho meansof keeping then, constant
clean. The misfortune is, that the ne
, constitution did not precet1e that unfortt
nate expenditure, and not follow it. II
: only means whereby the canal can HOW |
: constructed is TO raise au annual sum
. direct taxation. The new constitution
I not to be fritcred away nor evaded, a,
candidates for tie Legislature who ps
Il pose to 50 to Springfield for any such pu
r pose will he Disappointed. We think ii
:. the proposed Norh Branch Canal
~ ~ m Indispensable measure Of sanitary !
= lief. Money expended npon it will he "
1t spent, but let us knew tho cost Of
ID canal, aud then rcsolutely aud brav<
~ 1,ay for it.