, 1876-08-20
THE SOUTH FORK.
1t Does Mot Deserve the III Name
Given 1t.
A Reporter Of stThe Tribune :"
Strolls Along I is Banks,

And Finds that It Is Not Responsible
for ths Bridgeport Smells.
The wind was blowing from the cast, and, as
the reporter crossed Archer-avenue bridge over
the south fork OF the South Branch, he got 4
strong Whit OF one OF q the rankest compounds
OF gillainous smells that ever offended nostrilsn
With ollactories in perfect working order, he had
started out to do little investigating on his
own account. East of the bridge no disagreeable
smell wa. apparent. On the bridge, near the
bridge, and all around it, the odoz was, to ex-
press it mildly, decidedly palpable. He gazed
into the muddy stream below aud wondered.
Could this be the very essence Of smells, or WIS
it only hint, an index, Whit, Of worse
beyond! The waters were simply muddy and
odoriferous. No unsightly, sickening scum
covered the surfaee Of the sluggish stream.
The waters were dark, and they smelled abom-
inably. 4 boatman in mud-scow Was approaching
at sluggish speed, and the oars stirred up the
water, which, if possible, only added to the in
tensitv OF the ef1luvia- About feet south Of
the bridge small dead dog, with its hind quar-
ters uppermost, floatcd On the top Of the waters
Or rather it remained stationary, for the W.
ers were not pereeptibly troubled.
"Do you smell anything disagrceable about
this rivera" said the reporter to neatly-drcssed
Irishman coni,G across tue bridge. He had q
pleased look. He appeared to be q workman at
one of the rollngnlills in the vicinity, had re-
celved his weeks pay, got on his next best suit,
and was making for tue city, probably on lark.
HsaIELL ANTTHIS0!'
replied he. "Oh, no. doesn't detect anything.
r %n, ho.3 abr o;rYhf
ago, but VIC doesn't consider it much of a smell
now. That glue-factoTy there {pointinS to Otto
Wahl's1 is what does the mischief. The river
don't smell bad, at ALL"
1t is surprising how eallous some people will
who had probably lived in this vicinity for eight
years, At first be noticed that the river did give
of unpleasant odors. Now he is not aware that
there is anything particular the matter:
The reporter got down from the bridge and
this side were the Union koliinG-Mills. On the
other bank was Otto Wahl's gluc-factory. The
smell lost none OF its tone as he progressed.
Just at the end Of the rolling-nlill grounds a
water-closet projected over the bank
OF the river, the recking ol1al sending IN an
gursling stream III refuse matter poured forth
from the glue-faetory just opposite, and the ad
dftional olor OF decaying horns boncs, AMI
pieces Of hide modified the general character of
Lu9 SI11Eu. LUlkluuAuN1 klC 1Ilit VI Liz
reporter came to Il bend in thu fork where
A DREDGING MACHINE
was dashing up huge loads Of clay from the bot
tom Of the stream. The scent OF anythin. but
roses hung round it still. Already large
bank OF clay had been formed, ready for USE IN
brick-ya As the big iron scoop descended
into the stream the waters parted, aud, when
the scoop was at the bottom and pluuging into
a mud-bank, they gurgled overit, and swallowed
it up for the time being. When it cainc I'D it
deposited its ill-snelling load on the pile OF
CLAY already formed, and the mushy stuff
spread here and there, carrying the vile odor
with it. Further down, the reporter
came to man who was unloading broken
bricks for the purpose of repairing Il
road He appeared as one to thu manner born,
anu the reporter tackled him.
"Nice place for smells, this, amt it,"
"Oh, it's nothing when you've got used to
It,"
The reporter said be didn't want to get used
20 it, aud asked tho man
WHAT CAUSED THE PERFUME.
"Wcl1, you see, these packing-houses and
1un their stuff in here and it
inks to the bottom OF the river, aud that's why
We smell it, I suppose This dredging sort of
leans out the river and hcl2s the matter Tor
title while. But it's just as bad as ever in d
hort time"
The reporter passed Oh. To the right lay =
narshy place through which ran a pool, its |
waters covered with green slime and sending
orth an odor which slneled to heaven. At its |
:dges grew rank weeds and wild flag. Thirty
nth street bridge WIS passed, and the o,lor
rev worse. On the other side Of the bridge,
lcar the point where canal has been ma,le
eading south, a sort OF breakwater had been !
constructed. Inside this modern construction |
he water was covered with 4 Shiny, !
ickening substance, and was nearly, .if |
,ot quite, still. On either side the inevitable I
appeared, and great mounds Of clay |
sllich had been built out Of the mud dis4ed up ]
rom the river. The stream soon began u lead !
owards the southeast, and, When opposite the
perennial slaughter-houscs, the muddy hues OF !
he almost stagnant waters changed to dark
rown color, the effect Of a generous mixture of |
lood and dslaughter-house ot[al with the natural
;atcrs OF the fork. The force Of the
1nk 4eake did sea4 ao' the Il as Bank desffs E s @s
lmost overpowering, but, at distance Of Is or
0 feet, it was not SO perceptible. Probably the
ltensity was in inverse proportion to the
quare If the distance. The slaushter.ho1ses
nd the fcrtilizing establishments, with their
ct-work Of railroad tracks, we're passed, and
be reporter was By no means inscnsiblc to the
doris which these stink-factorie5, rs 1t by deT-
ish ingenuity, have managed to invent. The
atcrs became more and more discolorcd, amt,
t last, when the traveller stood on Ashland
venue bridge, which is near the head Of the
ork, the hue Of the stream was almost nlooa-
BUTTHE SMELL
mt bad on Ashland avenue north OF the
ridge. As the traveller returned to the city he
.iled utterly to perceive the odor, although the
iud was in favorable direction. 1t might be
I'D that he, too, was becoming so used to bad
uells that lie failed to notice them, but this
leory will not hold good Near thcvlyer the worst
It OF oIta:tories in Chicago can dctectthe smell,
ut at distance OF hall :: mile ur So nobody is
varc that there is anything unpleasant in the
r. II l;min5hcs very rapidly Is the |