Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-20
A CITY THAT REQUIRES ovERHAULING.


There are two things which the peo-
pie of Chicago will have to do in order
to induce strangers to attend the worlds
fair in as large numbers as the occasion
would justify. They must cease to make
the lake in their front the receptacle OF
the vast wastage and sewage of their
city; and they must make the most
sweeping and radical reforms in their
police system.
Two months ago la grippe became epi-
demic there, and the death rate from
that disease alone was given as one
thousand week When that fearful
visitation subsidized another epidemic,
even more frightful than la grippe,
sprang up. Two weeks ago, typhoid
fever, which is always more or less
prevalent in Chicago, became fearfully
general. The public hospital was over
filled with patients, and the applica-
tions for admission were greatly on the
increase. Throughout the crowded
quarters of the city, where the poor re-
side, there was an alarming increase in
the number OF cases, and the papers
were calling loudly upon the authorities
to provide public buildings where they
could be properly cared for.
Such dread visitations may be looked
for at any time in a city that draws its
supply of domestic water from lake
into which its entire sewage is dis
charged. 1t is true that the part of the
lake from which s.the water supply is
drawn is two or three miles out from
the shore; but the wastage of city of
over one million inhabitants will pollute
the water for many miles; indeed, in
time the water OF the whole lake would
be rendered unfit for use by the election
into it of the sewage of such city. 1t
is true that the city has cut large canal
to carry off the drainage into the Illinois
river; but there is no fall to it, and it
fails to effect the purpose for which it
was eXcavated.
Unless the people of Chicago can
either create another outlet for their
sewage than the lake, or secure their
supply of drinking and domestic water
from some other source, Chicago will be
constantly subject to the most serious
epidemics; and the more she grows in
population the worse will be her sani-
tary condition.
The other evil which she is called
upon to correct is one of vital import
ance to visiting strangers. Unless peo-
pie are assured of at least ordinary po-
lice protection they will think twice be-
fore paying Chicago visit on either or
dinary or extraordinary occasions. The
people of that city admit themselves
that their police department has for
years been a nest of rottenness
and corruption, and that it was
question whether one would
fare better to fall into the
hands of the police or of the thieves and
thugs. Coughlin, who held high posi-
ton in the department, is serving ten
years for completely in one of the most
diabolical murders ever perpetrated.
No doubt the character of the police
force, its inefficiency and obtuseness to
moral responsibility, has been the main
cause that Chicago is overrun with
thieves, cutthroats and canaillerie of
all sorts.
The recently elected mayor, Wash
burne, is trying to carry out sweeping
reforms in this department, and it will
depend greatly on what he succeeds in
accomplishing whether the worlds fair
will attract the number of strangers it
ought to attract under proper conditions
of police protection.