Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-10
THE DRAINAGE CANAL.
Work on the Big Ditch Is Oflcially In
augurated Near Chicago.


augurated Near Chicago.
CHICAGO, Sept. 5.-With all the for.
mality and ceremony appropriate to so
important an event, ground was broken
at noon Saturday in the work of con-
structing the waterway between the
greatlakes and the gulf of Mexico Di-
rectly at the point where the center Inv
of the main channel of the canal inter-
sects the boundary between Will and
Cook counties, on the very backbone of
the "Chicago divide" President Frank
Wenter, of the board of trustees of the
sanitary district of Chicago, thrust a
niclSel-plated shovel into the earth and
turned up the shovelful of sand and
soil, while the assembled multitude
shouted its applause.
This was the first act in the actual
excavation of the waterway about
which so much has been said and writ
ten during the last seven years. Thus
was inaugurated an enterprise which
will rank, when completed, with the
most important of modern marvels of
engineering. To witness this beginning
of the mighty work were gathered prom
inent men from all parts of the state.
There were officials from the capital
and representative men from Cook
county and Chicago There were
mayors and other high officers from the
towns in the Illinois valley. There
were engineers and judges and physi-
clans and well known men from all
professions.
After Mr.. Wenter's effort came a
speech or two, aud suddenly pufis of
white smoke arose not far from the
scene. Loud detonations followed.
Masses of earth and shattered rock flew
skyward and fell in showers of debris.
These reports were the discharges of
rock blasts-industry' artillery-and
told the listeners that the stone back
bone of the "Chicago divide" had
yielded as well as its earthly covering,
to the first attack of the canal builders
Albert Galatin. secretary of the treasury
OF the United States was probably the first
person to suggest the use of the Chicago
divide for canal, but that was in u day be-
fore Chicago was thought of. In 1903, in his
report on means of internal communication,
he thought the divide available. Dewitt Gin.
ton the father of the Erie canal project, visited
Illinois in 1926 with the idea of looking over the
availability of the divide for canal, but it was
not until 1885, when the people of Chicago came
to a realization of the fact that more adequate
means must he found for getting rid OF the sew.
age, that definite steps were taken
After many efforts had been made by various
commissioners and conventions the Thirty-tifth
general assembly of Illinois organized what
was known as the Roche commission. 1t was
composed of John a. Roche, B. A. Eckhart,
Thomas II. Riley, OF Joliet, and A. ]. Bell, of
Peoria. The commission employed John A.
! Wilson legal adviser and l.. E. Cooley
as engineer. 1t also drew bill which
| was introduced In the legislature February /,
1882 and u committee was appointed composed
! OF representatives of the Citizens association,
| the Union League club, the Board of Trade, the
| Chicago club, the Commercial club the Real Es
| tate board and the Iroquois club.
| The law was passed May %, 1889. after hard
! fight. Its principal provisions are for channel
In the valley OF the Desplaines river of a
! capacity of 100000 cubic feet of water minute
and Of not less than 100 feet wide and ls feet
| deep, through the territory of rocky
! stratum. In earth IL provides for 9
! channel OF capacity of 30O0Oe
| cubic feet, TO be enlarged pro
| grcSsively with the growth OF population, on q
basis OF an increase of 10000 cubic feet for each
! increase OF 100000 people in population in ex
! cess of 10000 people. This channel is to ex
tend from the Chicago river to LoclSport, dis
tance of 30 miles and the law provides for such
/ improvements below Lockport as will avoit
| damage to the valley people.
The law permits all necessary adjuncts to en-
| able this main outlet to serve the entire dis
| trict and fully accomplish its purpose. October
| II, 1880, the drainage commissioners, Judges
| Prcndcrgast, Tuthill and Mcconnell, estab
| lished the boundaries OF the district, aftei
| listening TO many arguments and sitting fol
| weeks.
| The contracts for the work between Willow
| Springs and Lockport were let in sections o
! mile each July II, 1892, and the contracts fol
the worl; from Willow Springs north will be lie
! In October