, 1881-10-16

10 the E4ft0T o. 1he Chicago Tribune.
CHICAGO, Oct. Ill have heretofore sug.
gested the idea Of en!arging the canal, DE-
posting the earth out in lake, ami selling :na
land thus made in the form of lots. But, i.
it practical? 1 think it is, and that it will ba
done. In the first place, I.ti,ink it is certain
that the General Government, the State OF
Illinois, and the City Of Chicago will eiye
their assent. II SO, who else has anything to
say about it? No one, believe, but the ILL.,
nois Central Railroad Company and the lot
owners oil Michigan avenue
Well, the latter class are NIL there together.
as is also the President Of the road. They
can talk and figure the matter over
ut their leisure; then, when they
find that there is 4 net 500, ,oV1, 600 in it.
the Iot-owners can, aud I think will, form
themselves into corporation and then con-
solidate with the Illinois Central Railroad
Company alld 90 jointly into the lnanufactur-
ing Of real estate, and incidentally enlarge
the canal, and thus connect the great chain
Of lakes with the Mississippi River and all OF
its tributaries, and ut the sAme time secure =
perfect sewage system for the city, and that,
too, without one cent of cost to the State or
city, and the whole thing can be carried out
with working capital of s., ,000, 600 or s., Co.,
0U0, and therefore I submit the matter for the
consideration of the parties aboye-men-
toned
But before doing so perhaps ought TO
present some figures. Here they are: To
make Il square mile out in the lake and all
joining Michigan avenue, assuming the av-
craye depth to be fifteen feet, would require
: Ii, Ass, ,000 cubic yards Of filling; If We as-
sumo the required depth to be eighteen feet,
it would require ls,5s35, TOO yards; if we as
sunne the depth twetlty-one feet. it would re-
quire 21, ,GS3, 200 yards. To make canal from
Bridgeport to Lockport ::e09 tcet wide and
Is feet deep from surface, and 81 miles long,
would require an excavation of 16,1 ,100,0Uo
cubic yards. 10 make this excavation and
deposit it out in the lake, If it could be doue
at 81 per yard, which suppose it could.
in the eaggregate-viz.: sig. 0,ooo, and would
make about one square mic Ut solid land.
This square mile, utter being cut ul
into lots Of ordinary size, and allowing ft,r
streets and alleys, would give a frontage Ut
.l523, Oa feet, which. ut ar average valuation
of s1.V00 per front foot, would aggregate
Sl'2, ,0G4, ,ooO. These are fascinating figures,
but still | ask, Is the thing physically prac-
tical and expect that tile general reply
WILL 1T first thought, be that it is not, for
in tile lake without its being washed away
by the action tf the lake. 70 this | reply
tllat fortunately the bed vi the Illinois tz
Michigan Canal is composed largely of rock.
the inner filling u,.d the rock for the outer
filling, which will nos be washed away. but
will form rocI-bound shore. therefore
leave Off as begun by asking the Question,
Is it practical My own aliswer Is: Yes.
but want to knnw what yours is 1t nav
he thought that this is 100 bis an enterprise
10 be taken hold Of by the Safties above
mentioned If So. l then suggest that all of "
the railroad companies entering the city ell
ter into This general consolidation. ansl each
secure all the land for tracks and tEepots they,
may want, and sell the bal.nce for business.
purposes. ~'~.- w. l.. SAMPsoS.-