, 1881-02-20
THE R1VER-PUMPE

We have received a letter strongly urging
! the adoption by the State and city of the
! plan to build an enormous sewer connect
ing the South Branch Of the Chicago River
with the Illinois River, and thus provide
unfaillng drainage for this city. This sewer
| or underground river would be constructed
alongside Of and sometimes under the canal
and the Desplaines River, and its projectors
! claim for it that it is the only permanent
means whereby the Chicago River can be re-
lieyed.
| The fact is the evil is already one that de-
1nands prompt relief. The City of Chicago
is not alone interested. The people along
the Illinois River are as great Sufferers as
are those Of this city. Any mere sewer to
drain the sewage of this city into the Illinois
River would meet with instant and most de-
terlnined opposition and resistance from the
people Of the whole State. The plan proposed
is nothing more than to extend our sewers
from Chicago to the Illinois River. The
drainage Of the Chicago River in that direc-|
ton would only be tolerated when that
drainage was accompanied, diluted, and rem
dered free Of odor and poison by an i'm
mense body Of the pure water of Lake afichi~
gan. No mere sewer could carry q volume
of water sufficient for any such purpose.
The present flow Of water from our river
into the canal twhen free from ice) is hot in
excess Of 10000 cubic feet per minute, and
this is wholly insufficient to purify the water
Of the river. 1t will require continuous
flow Of water equal to 10000 cubic feet per
minute to render the drainage in0ffensiye
When it reaches Joliet.
The capacity Of tho canal at present Is
equal to any demand that can be made of it
i'll tho way Of carrying water. The present
level Of tie water in the canal is the level Of
the Chicago River. An increase of the water
in the canal to a level six or seven feet above
that of the Chicago River would give it
all the benefit and advantages In point
of depth that can ever be obtained by carry
ing out the original plan of lowering that
canal to the depth Of the Chicago River. To
put in lock at the junction of the canal and
river and pump water into the canal to
hight six feet above the present water-leyel
would enable the canal to carry off 60,O00
cubic feet Of water per minute. This Is not
conjectural nor experimental; it was done
for many years, and the work was mex
pcnsiye.
To put in these pumps would In forty
eight hours enable a clear stream of pure
water to tlow from Lake Michigan through
the Chicago River, the canal, and the Illinois
River; and moderate continuance of the
pumps would make this the permanent con-
dition Of the entire waterway. With this
great evil demanding immediate relief, with
this remedy so easily applied and so certain
in its effects, it is idle to sit down, as Mayor
Harrison does, and talk about the construc-
lion Of Il ship-canal by Congress in heremote
future, or to talk about constructing man.
moth sewer which will take fifteen years to
build and cost SIS, ,ooo, 900.
What is wanted is Immediate relief,-some-
thing that will answer the purpose until,
sag, the year 1880, leaving the intervening
fifty years for the ship-canal and the big
sewer men, ample time in which to push
their schemes and induce the people to 20
into the business. The people of this city
and of the State protest against being poi
soned and stunk to death while the ship
canal and the underground sewer are talked
about