, 1874-05-30
MuD:LAKE DITCH.
A Visit by tho Mayor and Other
City OGlCcrs.- - --~
/, They Find Things In a Very unsatis-
/ factory Condition.
Accident to Gen. Macarthur.

Accident to Gen. Macarthur.
Some weeks ago, AID. Hi1droth introduced a |
resolution In tho Common Council calling for |
the appointment Of spoclal committee TO in-
vestiGate into tho question OF tho capacity Of |
tho Illinois j. Michigan Csnal to answor tho pur-
pose for which tho sum Of s3,0o0,0 600 was spont
tn itB deepening aud enlargement, Viz. the draln-
ago Of tho South Branch of tho Chicago River. |
Tho resolution WAS adopted, and Aid. Hldreth. |
Moore, Murphy. MoClory, and O'Brion wore mp
pointed as tho Conmitteo. Thor mission bad n
iargor Significance thnn that denoted by the
wording ot:tho resolution; It was intended TINT
they should oxamino into and report upon the
offect Of tho ao-cnllod
MuD~LARE DITCH
upon tho drainage OF tho South Branch. Ac-
cordtngly, yesterday morning Nas sot as tho time
for MI excursion to that Locality, and tho light
draft little steamer Florence, Of South Chicago
was prohrerod by Col. james Il. Bowen to answer
tho transportation requirements.
The start waa to have bson made ut Adams
atreot bridge at o'clock, al,d at that hour o
goodly number Of gentlonon wore assembled,
among them tho mammoth proportions Of Long
Johu Wentworth, who has speoial interest 10
the Mud-lnke Ditch. For an hour. the purity
waited in tho hot aln, and Col. Dowon's Hteamor
did not como, and Long John waB roady to swear
that the great South Chicago ontertainer had
promised her to somebody. elso, perhaps half
dozen different distinguished visitors, and Ind
forgotten all about the municipal engagement.
Not until after 10 O'Clock did tho F1oronoe mako
hor. appearance
The party wore quickly aboard, but ovon then
. monster propeller barred up the drew for tif-
Mayor Oolvn, Gen. John McArthurt now POST
naater, but, formerly monbor Of tue Board Of
Public Works: commtssionerJ J. K. Thompson. of
that Board; pr: Ben Miller, Sanitary snperin-
t.ndent; ": N. Brainard, Canal .Commiseioncr;
tho Hon. John Wentworth. AID. Hl1dretl1,
t moore, Murphy, O'Drion. McUlory, and Brnnl,
various representatives Of tue press, and other
gcnt1omen. With
GREAT FonErHoudHT
Aid. Brand had provided two barrels Of Utah beer
from ths Busch l. Brand brewery, aud he was Tho
! recipient OF many well-desorYed complin,cnts on
! the quality Of the brewing. Mayor Colvin had
also guarded against tho wants Of tho inncr man
I by issuing oarte blanoho to Tom AndfewB, who
| sont along John MofYatt with an excellent lunch
Of solids and fluids, and tho manner in whlchit
was served entitled John to no ordinary rank as
an attentive and akillful caterer Ony one thing
was over1ooked-cgars, and these AID. Hldrctn
I attempted to supply by D hurried y1sit to tho
| bridgeport groceries, and brought on board D
hundred rillafnous weeds.
/ The fret ha1ting.place WAS the Summit, whore
/! Long John had III waiting three mule-taa,ns
hitohed to lumoer.vagonB. and the light spring
wagon Of Mayer oDflon, Of Summit. The little
Pat powney skipper Which was just tlon IN tho
aot Of discharging . load Of garbage from the
city. II :, waa hwaot-acentcd reception,
for Which the gent1ernon wore poorly prepared.
Up into tho lumber wagons behind Long Johns
mules clambolod ncarly oil tho party, whslc
Mayor Colvil, Dr.. Miller, COMMISSIONER Thomp-
con, eud The TRIBUNE reporter wcro unsigned
Mayor @ O'Brlcn'e moro ariatoorato vehicle. Just
after The start was mado, Long John urged
Mayor Colvin to take q seat In llis lumbor-wagon
-hc wanted to explain tnatters to him. Tho
Mayor declined M and thereby dig very aenBib!o
what followed anytling*but good luck to him.
Gould Long John hayo arranged to have bia
mule toam run away and spill tho load, that he
sadH Myqr oS@sn 50 Harnozy Prep RFGoab BY
chances in the scheme, If shoro was any.
| THE DITCH.
Over fearfully stony road the mules and
lumbor-wagona Picked thoir way toward tha Mud
Lake Ditch, which was found to bo flowing
fcot Of water at tho rate Of about 4 miles an
hour into tho Ohioago River, tho natural cur.
rent Of the, Aux plaineB River having, thus
been amoat l1 rotroverted. u. Bo'ow thq point
tho bed OF tho rlver was perfectly
dry, With hero and thoro. pool Of atagnanl
wator, not drop running toward tho hliaslssppi
but oil into the Chicago River, and oven. at the
1u!ly one-fourth Of tho capacity Of the canal Il
carry 1t off. 1t was plainly seen how tho. Bit
| ditch had diverted tho Aux plninos from il;
natural course, and how In tho spring seasor
tho drainage Of tho surrounding country wat
carriod into tho South Branch, and met thu
river current 80 nB to briug it to D stanl-Btil
for three months at q time, and render ueelcsl
tic chosao qer ssas Ths 70 to
John Wentworth aud Mr. Ogden, who happe1
10 own several thousand aoros Of land in I'll,
Mud-Lako region, land which could be vel
| drainol with tho ditch without turning tht
| ~ hut In mr.
would not, as ls now the case. enjoy the coEtait
! prospect OF Rooug tho ditch 80 deepenel aus
wdened BY, the rapid flow utaelf despoeitinl
@ IN o. the h'ssns soath 8 SraeS ystas cZ e5 Z'q, e.
; city muat annuity drodgo out at a,
enormous expense to the city) as to eyentnali
. make new branch OF tho river, nayigablo an
It is Tor this. Chiefly It is thought that oroHsrs
Wentworth aud Ogden, arc so violently in 10y
] With tho Mud-Lalto ditch. Thoir land would b.
we'll drained by allowing the AUX Pianos to flo,
; on toward its natural confluence with tho Kan
kakeo, which, ut Lochport, is 50 feet below th
1oyol Of the Aux plaincs at tho head Of tho ditcl
is snid TINT, without divorting the Aux PLANES
tllo low lands Of hIosbrs. Ogden and Wentwort
: a undoubtedly .truo, but 1t was grave auostio
| with tho gentlemen prosout wllothor tho roclG
nation Of q fow thousand acres Of land for tllre
months in tho ycar shall stand against the hcalL
= tho Illinois aud Michigan Canal almost who'll
a uaeless for, the purpose for which s3,000, 0c
wore axpendod. ..a...-s-, ,-,
This WAS what tue excursion party Of ycstol
day went put to aeo, aid, On tho part OF the cit
! otlctals, the opinion was unanimous that !. %.
= s0METAlNa MUST ne DONE
= ] To- restore tho flow OF tho Aux plainea to II
= original ahd natural clatlno 30 tint 1t vi
:. simply into tho kan!taloe River, and not int
tho Chicago John Wentworth swoals he ri
rGsist any attompts to dam up tho Mud-La
Ditch, unless tho olty will Other build dy1s
atout,d his low lands, or olsc dredgo out tho Au
painoa channel to Joliet-oither OF. whie
would cont much money, Aud so tho mattt
y stnnda. Tho Mayor aud tho special oommitre
8 gained much valuable information by yesterday
r "Trip, and thoy woro greatly aasistea by Il
il praotica knowledge and observations Of DR.. Be
It htilor, who has naae study OF tho hlnt-GaI
II Ditch prob1ou,. Some effort will doubtless !
n made In tue Common Council to remedy Il
a existing evil, though no conclusion WAS raacht