The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-11-24
Chicago Sewage,

Chicago Sewage.
Mayor Roche, Senators McMillen and
Eckhart and Representative Riley, of
the commission appointed by the last
legislature to draft bill for the disposal Of
the Chicago sewage question arrived In
this city from Chicago on the Peru accom-.
mediation at eight o'clock on Thursday eve.
ening, and was met at the Clifton Hotel
parlors by delegation of prominent citi
zens, among which were Hon. f. +. Bull,
Hon Z. C. Allen, Hon, Henry Mayo, Hon.
Andrew Lynch, Capt. Fullerton, Ey'Canal
Commissioner Thomas, w. ii. Hull, w. c..
Rials, Thos. Catlin. David Cook, Hon. S.
Nicholson and w. w. Taylor.
Mayor Roche, as chairman OF the com
mission, explained that the object of the
commissions visit was TO ascertain the
sentiment and opinions of the citizen of
Ottawa upon the question of drafting bill
to be presented to the next Legislature by
which Chicago could get rid Of her sewage
without damaging the sanitary condition of
the towns along the river. Chicago did not
come down with a bill already drafted
to ask an Endorsement OF 1t, but desired to
find what the towns Interested would de-
mand. II their demands were reasonable,
and no more than $15 OOO,0 900 were to be ex-
pended, the project would be pushed
through, but II more than this amount was
needed, he was fearful that the bottom
would drop out Of the entire affair The
commission had decided to ask each town
It visited viz: Joliet, Morris, Ottawa, La
Sale, Peru, Hennepin and Peoria, to ap.
point each a committee of five to meet the
commission at the council chamber at the
city hall in Chicago, on December 4th, to
draft bill This had been done at Joliet,
and after the gentlemen had expressed
their opinions he would request like com
mittee to be appointed here. He thought
that if Chicago would satisfy Joliet, Ottawa,
receiving still greater dilutien would be
satisfied also. A wide and deep cut, not
less than sixteen feet In depth was neces-
sary, from the lake to Summit where she
Ogden ditch joins the Desplaines river,
The amount of water to be sent down
would depend upon the decision of the
river towns. He thought 100000 cubic
feet per min too great quantity, Liable
to overflow and damage more bottom land
below Joliet than the taxpayers of Chicago
and the State would be willing to pay A
channel, sufficient 10 carry of 100000 to
100000 cubic feet would be satisfactory TO
Joliet and destroy much smaller quaint
ty OF land The commission believed
100000 feet a too great quantity. The large
amount of solid matter which formerly
came from the packing houses had been
greatly diminished; they however were
induced to place sink holes in position and
save this matter to be worked up into fer
tilizers. The distllers had also been en-
joined from running their waste into the
Chicago river
Mr. Bull asked why II was not possible
TO incorporate into the bill a section prohib
ting packing houses and stock yards from
dumping solid matter into the sewers.
Mayor Roche said there was none, and
that it might be done.
Mr. Thomas said that when the first cut
was made, in 1870, there was head of ten
feet at the lake, and the entire sewage of
Chicago was let down through Lockport.
At that time Chicago had nearly 100000
inhabitants and about one hundred and
fifty miles of sewer, and the water 10 the
lock at Lockport was clear enough to have
seen nail at the bottom of the lock, 16
feet, but in 1872 the lake fell an inch be-
low the lock, and the sewage instead of
being diluted, came down in great blocks,
especially from the packing house district,
coloring the water TO an inky blackness.
The head must be sufficient to create a
current, or the project must fail from san
itary point of view
Mr.. Bull asked if the city would put in
catch basins for filtering.
Mr. Roche said this would be impossible
as they would have to change the whole
sewerage system of the city.
Mr. Day asked If it was the intention to
make this cut to the bottom of the river,
or only part way down.
Mr.. Roche said that they would have to
cut through the rock, but that there was
not much rock until they reached Lemont
In answer TO questions by Mr.. Catlin, he
also said that the cut would make the Og'
den ditch navigable, and also the river, if
locks were put in.
Mr.. LYncn thought that il the govern
ment improved the river it would let the
sewage in anyway, and he could see no
reason for opposing the present project If
IL would lead to ultimate action by the gov
eminent.
Mr.. Roche said that the Improvement
would increase the water power by raising