, 1874-06-14
sweeten the waters OF our river. Then they
began business. Commissioner Wahl had scru-
tlnlzed the scene with critical eye, and


began business. Commissioner Wahl had scru
t1nlzed tho scene with q critical eye, and
1~ THE EXCITEMENT
| OF the Special Committee waa intense when TIM
| gentleman drew President Prind1vi1le to one sid,
and conferred long and earnestly with him or
| what was evidently subject OF vital importance
| The President Of the Board of Public Works, il
was evident, corcurred in what the new Commits
sioner was saying, and whom the private confcr.
| ence was over, he Was Immediately besouglt to
MAKO public what new idea in civil engineering
| his practical mind had evolved. After long
pause nj. Wahi made an announcements which
Tor striking bo1dness and startling originai-
| T has hardly, been equaled since the
| days of Brunei or Ericsson. He said
| impressively to the eager knot which crowded
| round him - Gentlemen. water will always rise
to it's own level. will leave it to Mr. Prindi-
vile. and he is posted even better than am"
The astonishment Of the Special Committee
at this announcement WAS intense. They re-
ferred to Mr. Prindivi1le, and, when lie indorsed
the staten ent, their satisfaction Was complete.
md they Ill felt that the Peoples party had
dono the city service at last. It WAS then
noticed that the eloquent face OF tho Mayor was
instantly the Father OF the CITY Faith
ers became tho centre OF Special Committee
curiosity. AID Hildreth acted as spokesman
Tor the Committee. He approached the Mayor
the Ogden ditch Z"
The Mayors answer WAS brief and character
istic He allowed an emphatic silence to precede
his utterance which was simply,
'' DAM THE OGDEN DITCH"
The exact purport OF this response was nisun-
derBtood by several OF the Aldermen. who shrunk
from tho Mayors presence, ono of them
shaking his head mournfully apd muttoring to
his companion "goine back to his Old habits.
sce." The Mayor noticed tile cause OF their dis
comfltuIe, and soon put them at ease By remark
ing: " Gentlemen. you misunderstood me; when
used the word dam, dld 30 i'll the engineer
ing. not in the ordinary sense Of the term"
Good feeling was at once restored, and the
blayor's suggestion was unanimously voted to bo
good one. Mr. Prindiviilc stated that il the
ditch was to be damned, the best place to do it
was close to the Au1 PLANES River, as the bulk
Of the water which filled the ditch came from
that stream. that supplied from the drains which
intereected the reclaimed Mud Lake Bottom be-
ing lnconslderablo in comparison. gentleman
who lived closo by, and was couversant with the
locality, stated that the ditch did not actually
meet closely with the Au1 Plaines River, but that
it drained low-lving country which WAS ALWAYS
covered with water from that stream. He stated
that tho ditch had been efYectually damned
nndar the bridge, and that tho water in the West
Branch OF tho South Branch OF Chicago River
was then noticed to flow in westerly direction,
especially ii an oasterly wind was blowing.
COMMISSIONER BRA1SARD
explained that the recent rains had since their
last yist doubled the volume OF water paBsng
under tho BRIDGE making it not loss than IL, 200
cubic feet Der minute. This water which wns
emptied into the South Branch in close proxim-
ity to the oeual-mouth, filled it, and thus him
dered it from accomplishing the object for
which it constructed. It was agreed that the
only difficulty in tho way Of damning the ditch
ut the Aux PLANES River inlet was the
legal ono which has already been explained
in The TRIBUNE What is to be the nature
Of tho next steps in the matter will be de-
cided upon at q meeting to La held this week.
It which the Mayor, tho Special Committee. the
Canal Engineers, the City Engineers, the State
Engineer, the Canal Superintendent. the Board
u Public Works, and the Law Department will |
attend and give their yiews on tho subject.
THE DRIVE HOME |
gas pleasant one. The Mayor and Mr.. prindi- |
lille led the way with the 4:4 PAGER, and, as all
he other carriages were drnwn by only.
tar tart Il ol tho rest s eH TSs ooled Esd uuknd aaf
nut in fact it was the acme of consideration.
Vhen the rest arrived opposite Silver Grove on
Ogden avenue, tho bulky form OF the Mayor ap-
'eared in the gallery Of the inn, md his CHEEKY
'oice invited tho party to enter. He had urged |
lis PAGER to unwontcd speed, 80 that he might
70 tho first to ''set them up" His kindness
'as appreciated and enjoyed by all, and every
ne who went to the Ogden Ditch yesterday
ftornoon left Silver Grovo With a cigar in his
1outh and refreshing glass OF lager Little
over down. |