, 1881-11-13
A VAST CHICAGO SCHEME.

Readers of TIE TRIBUNE probably noticed
III the real-estate columns of tllls journal q
week ago diagram, accompanied Dy COM
munication proposing the construction OF q
roadway running from Twcnty-fourth OF
Thirty-first street into the lake and parallel
with the present lake-front This plan con-
templated making a harbor OF the water lying
between this artificial road and the lakc-front,
and also tie construction of union depot ut
the south end of the roadway, freight depots
and warehouses along the roadway, and
docks, with slips, both along the }ake-front
and the parallel road out iii the lake. The
proposition has fnuntl good deal Of consid-
Grafton. aud called forth several suggestions,
one of which is especially worthy Of atten-
tion.
10 construct lake harbor Of the kind pro-
posed will require Il vast amount of stone
and dirt for filling up the roadway and the
docks, estimated at twelve or fourteen mill
ion cubic yards. There is no place where
this material can be procured SO cieaply as
by enlarg..g the canal to Locilport and using
the excavaied, earth, gravel, and rock to con-
st:uct tue docks and roalways of the pro-
posed llarbor. There are now three or four
million cubic yards Of excavations thrown
out Of the ditch forming high e.nbanklnents
along the canal, alt OF which could be cheap
ly utilized III making docks. Scows drawn
by tugs would convey the material from the
canal to the new harbor at a probable
cost OF 75 cents to 81 per yard. The
future interests of Chicago demand more
than anything else all adequate outlet for
the sewage of this rapidly growing city, and
the most direct and capacious sewer it will
be possible to command will be in a ship
canal connecting Lake Michigan and the
Mississippi River. The commercial interests
Of tic whole country would warrant the Ma
tional Government in undertaking tile con-
siruction of suck 4 canal much more than
the local and sectional interests warrant the
annual expenditure Of several millions Of
public money OH variety Of jobs included
in the River and Iarbor bill which Congress
passes. But it may be doubted whether Chi
cago can afford TO wait for the Government
prosecution Of that work. If new harbor
be one Of the desirable Improvements in this
city, in Order to furnish relief from the
bridge nuisance, as well as to meet the grow
ing requirements OF commerce at this point,
then it would certainly be an admirable mr.
rangelncnt to procure that deslderatum by
means Of another coveted improvement
viz: the enlargement Of the canal and con-
struction of 4 vast sewer.
The statement of the case leads up to the
suggestion which has been brought before
the public attention. Tie scheme embraces
af f1ta
ganiZed for the construction of liarbor and
docks between the lake-front and tile new
pier, and the State to authorize
that company to proceed with the work on
condition that it take the filling required
from the canal, ami guarantee Il uniform
width Of say 10 feet in the surface of the
canal between the point where the South
Branch elnpties into it and IAockport, with Q
depth equal to that Of the Chicago River,
sions would be large enough to receive water
from the Iong-contemplated canal from the
Stocli-Yard east to the lake.
\ project Of this kind has on its face GER
tain advantages and certain disadvantages
which should be properly weighed.
First, as to the advantages: The compile
ion of the project Us VIC have outlined it
would give Chicago ample dock facilities for
| hundred years to come. There would be
locks, warehouses, and slips in the outside
1arbpr covering space Of several hundred
1cres, also i'll the four or five miles Of the
enlarged canal west Of Bridgeport, and in
he new canal connecting the lake with the
illinois d. Michigan Canal either by way Of
he Stock-Yard or south of that point. The
lse Of these docks would furnish very
great relief TO the Chicago River, ami thus
argely abate what is known rs the "bridge-
Nuisance" " and spare the great waste Of time
low consumed by waiting i'll the central part
If the city for the closing OF the bridges. 1t
would also assure perfect system Of
lrainage for the entire city for all time to
omc. A canal 100 feet wide and twelve or
ourteen feet deep would carry great vol
line Of water which would always he kept
lear and pure by the flow from the lake.
Between Lockport and Joliet there is fall
# forty-tive feet. Such volume of wafer
IL that fall would create Il vast hydraulic
ower-amounting to many Thousand horse
ower.
The benefits of ship canal connecting
lake Michigan and the Mississippi River
sould be practically secured BY the proposed
Improvement, since the river below Joliet |
ould be made navigable for STEAMBOATS, and
argos by the construction of two or three |
3cks above La Sale. Ample dock room,
erfcct sewerage, and ship canal to the Mis- |
issippi constitute combination of ad- |
antages which, once secured, would make |
Ne future Of Chicago grander and more inl-
ortant than the most sanguine people have |
yer predicted.
There are undoubtedly disadvantages and |
bjections to such . scheme. There is very /
'idcspread sentiment against the obstruc-
OIL of the view Of the lake along the strip
etwccn the Exposition Building and
welfth street. This is the only open lake
lew there is anywhere within the city
nlits Oh the South Side, and there will
lways be considerable opposition to closing
not only on the part OF those who live on
le lake-front, but among all who take
ride in the "yieW." 1t may be doubted. /
owever, whether all outside harbor with its
immense shipping and bustle Of commerce
i'll really detract from this view. OpposI-
on may be expected from the owners of
ock property along the river, which they
ould fear. might be depressed in value to