, 1870-05-05
CHICAGO RIVER


CHICAGO RIVER.
Tha report of Dr.. J. Il Ranch, the sanl-
ta1y superintendent, upon the condition OF
the Chicago River, will attract attention
because of its vital interest," The police
systam, by which the river has been pro
teeted from the ofFa1 and other matter from
the idistilleries and the packing houses, has
resulted for some years in keeping down the
offensive odors Of the river, but has not
prevented them. In 1869, when everything
of this kind was excluded, SO great had be-
come tho volume of sewage discharged
into the river, that it itrequired unusual labor
with the pun ps at Bridgeport to purify the
main river and the South Branch There
are now 100 miles of sewers in Chicago, NIL OF
which discharge into the river. The effect
upon the water in the river IS strikingly
noticeable in the immediate neighbo1hood
where the mains discharge. The canal I'M
prorenent will not accomplish the end
sought, though its cost will be not less than
three millions of dollars. The pumps, which
can Lift more water than the canal can carry
of whom completed, fail to make any in1-
preston upon the North Branch above KIN
zie street bridge, and while, in 1866. they
carried Of the impure water Of the river and
the South Branch in fo1tJ-eight hours,
it required, in 1869, eight days to make any
marked difference above Twelfth street
bsidge. That process fails to clean out tho
slips, or TO keep tho water pure near the
mouths Of the sewers. A Suspension OF
pumping for few hours will leave these
ne;chborhoods as offensive rs ever. Though;
the pumps may carry of daily an amount
of water cqus1 to tho contents OF the
South Branch, they do not carry of the IL
soluble matter, and, hence, do not really
cleanse tho 1;yor. This matter is contlnu-
ously pouring in, and every year in IN
creased volume, although it is occasionally
swept into the lake by the spring freshets-
The tane,..theiefore, is near at hand when
the pumps will no longer be able to carry
of the foul water of the river any faster
than it accumnlates, and what then? Ex-
perience Of every season has shown that
there is but ono cffectual mode OF clearing
the river, and that is, by so flooding It that
current is created downstream "A
frsshet not only carries of the foul water,
but scours the river OF tha:sediment at the
bottom Every heavy rainfall has an I'M
mediate and decided effect upon the river;
but, in the absence Of rain the sewer con-
tr1butions in short time make the sluggish
waters as foul as before Dependence on
the canal drainage Is delusion, and We
fear that the million and u half of dollars
we have already embarked in that scheme
will be wasted, so far as the improvement
may be counted upon as sanitary meas
ure. At all events, it will not serve to carry
OF the offensive waters of the nver fast
enough to keep The main river and South
Branch pure, while it VIII have no effect
whatever on the North Branch.
DR.. Rauch mentions, us remedies, tho
construction OF inteTcepting sewers, lead
ing TO the lake, but these, he says, will IN
7olve great expense, and much tune and
will reauiro vast amount of cleaning by
steam pumps. Another remedy Is to cut OF
all connections between the sewers and
water closets, enforcing the use of vaults,
or earth closets, and the regular removal OIL
the soil Still the river viii need constant
pur1hcation, particularly IN the hot montns'
when the rain-fall is the l1ghtest.
He reca1la Mr.. chesbough's plan 1of !, =
covered canal from the lake TO the neaa ol
the South Branch, and another nom !oe
Like to the North Branch, tnfouen WHICH, y
supply of fresh water may oe dahS 'o,eeo
| into the Two branches sufficient to "asn tnen
both out one Of these Canals OF covered
aqueducts, y feet IN diameter Toulo ae-
liver Volume OF 400 CUBIC 1eet OF "Ale'
| per second; supply suhc1ent 10 c'laies
al the water in the South branch anu n'<1t =,
river in q hours a heaa OF .'le a,' s,'a -ann;
feet at the l&se roua w., 49,, % ana = steau
site motaon II N no a.,os ~ ~ .ron,d h.
engine ol i"' - 80 =.
sancaeot ~ p'o0 T.1,or.o,
qunea. o,.1a = rra5,ca The 41o same effect: o,
~, 80 Ut. ~ p,-,p.1, Those rou]d force. thu
env ..--a.a- - aad +ha f1tb itself bv the nat
mi cbannel into the lake. Though DE-
R.rch 5oes not specifically recon.
nena this p,an, it is by far the
-.o.t r,+;,,,o1 t1,a most direct, and the