, 1877-03-18
THE LAKE CRIB.
Its Safetyand Durability Seriously
Questioned.
Was It Built After the Most Approved
Plans ?---Defects in Its
Construction.
Figures Showing the Immense Strain
1t Is Subjected To During
15eayy Gales.
What Superintendent BranhaN
Knows Concerning It.

What Superintendent Bramhal]
Knows Concerning It.
TO the Editor of The Tribune.
CHICAGO, March 16.--Fcars and complaints
have been cropping ont from time to time In
some of the daily papers tor the last two years
regard to the safety Of the lake-tuanel crib,
aud these fears that have been forcshadowed it
the minds OF many men and the press nave beer
rs often quietcd by men or parties who were
isuoposed to know the real danger, If any exist
cd; and assurances have been given in return
bv the press that there we're no wclt-grounded
reasons for any fears or apprchensions. Tie
assurances that were given ont last September
were well ca1cuiated to set the public mind at
rest.
Just after the cQ,linoctial storms had passed
over last fall, aud likewise some OF the loudcst
complaints Of the press, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
came out with an article Of some length which
should have settled the question for all time to
come, for it asserted that the lake-tunnel crib
WAS as firm and sold as the rock Of Gibraltar,
and that all that was needed was little point
Ing up. It Is to be presumed that its authority
came from source not to be questioned, and
J
OF parties that no real danger did exist: aud
was accepted in good faith BY The TRIBUNE
tha. the question could non be set at rest.
My experience Of nearly two years spent on
this crib, night and day, from the day on which
1t was launched till the tunnel was completed,
and my thorough knowledge Of the constitu-
tional weakness OF this structure, aud also with
what it has to contend, coupled as it is with a
sense Of duty owe the public, prompts me to
give the authorities and property-owncrs Of this
city warning that it is high time to discard
all OF these absurd assurances, and to do away
with all this nonsense that this crib is perfectly
safe, and as "firm and solid as the rock Of
GiDraltar.'' It was an insult to the common
intelligence Of this city, whoever may have been
the author Of such 4 comparison.
Millions Of dollars have been spent to COM
pletc this system Of supplying this city with
water, and it must be admitted that it is 4
grand scheme; and, SO far as care has been
taken in the construction of the tunnels, DOS
sibly they are as perfect aud complete as human
skill and engineering can well make them, and
1hev have no powerful forces to contend with,
and no possibility Of being misplaced or dis
turbed in their rest
This crib. it must be remembered, is quite a
different institution from these tunnels i'm
bedded thirty or forty feet down in the solid
earth where there is no probability Of their ever
being disturbed or misplaced, except by an
eartIouak and even then there is barely Dos
sibllty Of their being seriously injured. It.
must not be forgotten that We have different
element to deal with where this weak crib is To-
csteJ and If possible it is more Of an expert
ment than was the Ashtabula bridge (as shall
show before get through with it), and this vast
OUTLAY Of millions Of dollars which have been
expended to secure this water is hinged to this
weak and experimental crib.
hare no hesitation in declaring, as do, most
emnhatically. that unless the authorities take
structure, it is only q question OF time when it.
o1l.}mnortant as il Is to the CITY. will 20 the
same road the Ashtabula bridge has gone, and
for yery similar reasons. This question about
ous ono. Tor it not only affects business and
nrY,rerty. but the hcalth aud comfort Of all
classes. ricll and poor alike, aud every man,
wo1uan, and child has q voice and PRAYER to
tn. authorities iu regard to this vital Question.
It was mai 1nary weeks since was called out
In the nicht bv the assistants Of the Chief Eu-
ginet.r at his request to 60 with the force OF
Hr;ure<arpcnters under Inv charge and shore
OF iron IN Tie iron roof OF the North Side
Pumping Works to prevent its falling down on
the engines. and possibly killing half dozen
men. Some OF the main truss-rods had broken
and The n,ain yalley-Tafter and one hip-rattcr
had nnrll..i ao thaf The ceiIfng sarecd down
frnm fifteen to eighteen inches, We worked
ngt and da7 till It was secured SO that it could
moi fall.
I want to ask the authorities and taxpayers.
whose business it was to know when this iron
roof was being nut IN, what and how many factors
we're wanted or lacking iu any rod with a ten
sion-strain or truss-rod in its construction; or
how many factors we're wanting in the main
Whitewater or hip-rafters to prevent their
h,,cS}in0: or how uany motors are In excess or
defirjent in any members Of this iron roof! The
citizens aod taxpayers have nothing to do with
these tractors and factions. The only thing that
will strike them with any degree Of force is
that they paid for a good irun roof once, and
this roof has turned out to be a failure and
fraud, and these questions OF factors and frac-
tons are to be left to the Chief Engineer OF this
CITY to ponder over.
confess that these hints which have thrown
out, iu regard to the safety OF the 1ake-tunuel
crio. will be very uupalatable to the public, and
particularly to some engineers; that they will
lie very unpleasant reflections Tor the citizens
and taxpayers Of this city, who supposed Trey
had paid for good crib; but tile safety OF des,
peratcly sick men frequently requires radical
and forcible treatment Tor their SAFETY anu per-
mauent recovery, as shall show before GET
th rough with this crib question.
The assurances given out last 1a!l py IHE
TRIBUNE, tn regard to the safety oi tue lake
tunnel cTio, regarded IN ali cnaraty, as sup
posed the Cnle1 EIsineet " Ius ctty sa1., mst "
gain time to meet anu overcome Tue o1ulco1t'es
under which the Glib was laoor1hg.
This assurance that the crib WAS a" Us hFm and
solid rs the rock OF Glbraitar .. proves one OF
two things: t1at the Che! Engineer does pe-
lieve the crib to be perfectly sale' OF eiseh