The record-union., 1891-06-01
THE TIME FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

ern portion.
THE TIME FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
The official visitation to the drainage
ditch, that does not drain, has been made
The verdict is that not one-half the truth
has been told. The situation is deplora-
BILE, shameful. The unfortunate people
living along the line of that nuisance can
well quote US when, in opposition to pro-
cesses that filled the navigable streams,
We invoked the legal maxim, $50 use
your own as not to injure another"
We cannot continue to send down our
sludge upon the people who live below
the city. They have the legal right to
invoke the law against us-they will be
untrue to themselves if they fail to do so,
in case we neglect to apply remedy.
The filthy, disease breeding ditch ought
to be closed at once. 1t is menace to
the city whenever a southerly breeze pre-
walls.
The facts have long been known, but
neither city authorities nor the people
have taken any concern about them.
The Trustees now realize that what the
local press has said of the disposal of our
sewage has not been exaggerated; that
leVees or no levees, streets or no streets,
government or no government, some
thing must be done at once in the matter
of drainage and sewage disposal.
But what can we do? A new sewage
system cannot be put into operation at
once; it will take considerable time. If
we could begin work upon it in month
it would take round six months more
to avail of a single subsiding tank. Be-
sides, the money must be raised. Prop
erty owners are not in position to inter
pose single objection-they are estopped;
the sewage of their lots will presently be
turned back upon their drains; they must
give the matter instant attention, there
fore. The RECORD UNION, which sounded
the note of warning two years ago, and
studied the matter with deep concern
having only the highest interests of the
city at heart-offers few suggestions.
The Supervisors may be moved upon to
clear out the drainage ditch, where it is
most clogged, in the hope that as the wa
tiers fall some flow may be temporarily
induced. In the meantime let US close
the connection between the ditch and our
sewer system; train the sewage as near
to the river as temporary channel will
bring it; place the Y street pump and
others at that point, and throw the drain
age into the river. So long as it is seen
that this is but temporary resort, no
objection will be made, for the river wa
ter below the city is not used for domes-
tic purposes.
In the meantime let a thorough house
to house inspection be made and all wa
ter kept running in closets shut off.
There is much violation of the water or
dinance in this respect, and the amount
run into the sewers is greater than it
should be in our present unfortunate DO
sition. We must economic water for
the present, to limit expenses, in order to
gain great good result. In the mean
time, also, let the Trustees advise the
people and insist that no more porous
cesspools be sunk. Such as must be
built should be cemented water tight that
the evil may be no more enlarged. The
money expended in cesspool work
amounts in not long period to give us
an excellent sewage disposal system.
Let the Trustees also at once nominate
an advisory board to collect facts con-
corning chemical precipitation and any
other plans for sewage disposal and report
within thirty days. knowledge on these
subjects is plentiful and free, and an en-
ergetic board of public spirit can, within
a month, arrive at a solution of the
present difficulty for the consideration OF
of the Trustees. While that board is in
vestigating for the good of the city the
Trustees can be busy enough with details
of ways and means, and enter upon the
formal process of legally pledging the
credit of the city for sewage system. II
it is necessary to borrow 100000 it must
be done.
If snap and vigor is put into the work
we can begin by September, when the
waters are lowest, to construct the neces-
sary works and thus entertain the hope
of inaugurating some system by next
spring. If we do not do this, we are adj
vised that by legal process the drainage
canal will be closed, and the result is not
pleasant to contemplate; the sewage OF
the city will be confined within the
levees, and what that means it is un-
necessary to explain.
THE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT
OF CHICAGO.