The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-16
CHICAGO'S GREAT CANAL.
IT rs LIKELY NOW TO BE FINISHED
BEFORE THE CENTURr'S EMF.

aNHSN SAANA VS. w NAA- =
Pile = Vile Square ana Forty eight Fec
~Eigh-Novel and Powerful Machinery ufset
= 10 Cut Out the Channel-Cost OF the work,
CHICAGO, May lA.-For n while during the
past winter It looked as though the completion
of Chicago's great drainage canal might be dc
featcd through the Vaccinations of politicians
Already tho sanitary district Of Chicago. which
comprises nearly the entire city Of Chicago and
two country towns. had stood n tax levy which
was simply appalling to the average taxpayer,
Tho 800, 00O, 900. or more, at which the cost OF
building the drainage canal was Mt first osti.
mated, had been exceeded and the Drainage
Commissioners had announced that at least one
third Of that amount in addition would no noe
essary to complete tho work. Hints OF boodling
were thrown out and talk of an investigation
was indulgcd In. That tho rumors of Doodle
were unfoundcd seems apparent from tho fact
that regular reports of expenditures wcro al
ways made public property and the books Of tho
Commission were always open for inspection.
No official investigation was made. and the
vast work stands n good show of being pushed
ahead and completed by Nov. l. ~1s99-beforc
the dawn oftho twentieth century. The State
House Of Representatives has passed a bill au-
thorizing an increased levy for the ensuing two
years, which will insure the raising of the addi-
tional 100000 900 or SO needed for the work.
ING Dlll IL penulnR III tne Statc senate, Wnerc IL
is expected there will be no opposition to its
passage. Unless Gov. Tanner vctoes the bill,
which is unlikely, IL will become II law.
There is enough money now in the treasury Of
the board to complete all outstanding contracts,
and work is regularly prosecuted with that end
in view. Pending the Legislation on the bills to
provide an additional tax levy, the work will be
confined chiefly to the building Of swing bridges
over tho canal. There will be fifteen bridges,
eight for railroads and seven for highways. The
original plans contemplated stationary bridges.
but. In view Of the possibilities of opening the
canal for navigation between Lake Michigan
and the Mississippi 1t was deemed an economical
move to make the change to swing bridges.
In past ages the overflow OF the waters OF Lake
Superior and Lake Michigan ran into the Missis.
sippi and we're discharged into the Gulf OF Mex
leo, instead of as now through the Gulf of st.
Lawrence into the Atlantic. Then. AT some I'M
known epoch and for some unknown cause. the
Detroit and Niagara straits were opened and
Lake Michigan fell about thirty feet. Its south.
western outlet gradually filed up with mixed
deposit, and the dry bed of what is known rs
Mud Lake is the only remaining representative
Of the once great waterway. Chicago lies on a
low fiat waste Of sand and clay, which was
once a part Of Lake MichiGan's bed. From its
topography, the drainage of the great city has
ever Dttu u pTODlem ulIilcult OF SOLUTION. Inc
waters of the Chicago River have had their out
let into tho lake, but so slow and sluggish is the
current that the river became fctid, foul, and
misunderstanding. The sewage af the city flowed
into the lake. Two miles from the mouth of the
river the city had sunk the crib" which sup
piled the whole population with water for all
purposes through two eight-foot underground
and sub-aqueous tunnels.
Perpendicular particularly at the time OF
spring freshets-the citys sewage flowed out as
far as the crib, where the suction carried it into
the tunnels and it was pumped into the homes
of "A million and n hnlf Of people. Typhoid fever
became epidemic at these times. and it was APP
parent that something must be done. Pumping
works were established several years ago in the
southwestern part of the city. on what is
known rs the South Branch of the river. The
pumps at this station lift 10000 cubic feet of
wafer n minute from the river over n ledge OF
rock known rs the Divide" into the old Iii.
nois and Michigan Canal. through which il ran
into the Illinois River. Pumping works were
established at the North Branch. and water
from the lake. brought TO the river by an under
ground conduit. was forced into the river there.
A current was thus established. and the Chicago
River became partially purified.
This plan did fairly well while the city had n
half or threc-quarters of n million Inhabitants.
u IL ulu MOI successfully dispose OF the city y
sewage and the immense quantities OF offal from
the stock yards which daily found their way into
the rivers sluggish depths. The pollution OF the
water supply became n greater and greater men
ace to the city's health. and the task of cleans
ing the Chicago River by means OF II canal which
would cause a flow Of vast volumes OF pure lake
water through il was determined upon.
The Chicago Sanitary District was formed by
an act Of Legislature. which also provided
for n board Of commissioners, nine in number. to
be elected by the people. Means 10 dcfray the
enormous expense were provided by lcvying u
tax of one-half OF l per cent. on the property in
street, and including two cOun-
try towns which will benefit by the drainage.
man will compel Lake Michigan again to turn
in its bed and lie with its head to the north and
The caDai"t i"" main ns c IN nnt1 i"w HIsf se sR twenty.
eight miles long. 1t will he 100 feet wide and
carry a stream of water u feet deep, with, II
channel will be deep enough for the largest lake
vessels; but il is not probable that they will
navigate it. because the locks will not be large
enough to accommodate them. Mississippi
may readily como up the canal to Chi
g pass be sH Mee inE ,be lnkesa fhn Missis. n inGI easily
Work was begun on shovel day" Sept. 3.
1892. on the rock cut below Lemont. and to-day
ltobey street to Lockport. The total amount of
excavation INVOLVED In the construction Of the
" NH IL -o,-bl .SN'b CUBIC y1ruS OF kliltlil |
drift. which comprises top soil. earth, muck,
sand. gravel. hardp9n. bouldcrs., fraglucntary
rock displaced from its original bed. and any
other material which overlies the bed rock. and
l2.006, 0si cubic yards OF solid rock, or an aggre.
Of 81, 26s, 700 cubic yards. TO this must be
added the material cNcRyatcd from the river
diversion: Glacial drift, /, sOG.O74 cubic yards:
solid rock, 2js, 600 cubic yards; total. 2,O6I. 743
cubic yards. The grand total il 40. 81, 542 cubic
yards. To protect the canal from the overfows
Of the Desplaines River. which runs parallel
with II for IA number of miles. it was found
necessary. TO build controlling works, which
consist of gates. or movable dams. by which
the flow OF the water from the main channel
into the tail race, which is to deliver the outflow
into the Despiaines River, can be controlled.
Huge retaining walls OF masonry were built for
this purpose. the number Of cubic feet being
The cxcavatcd rock is broken up and
the broken rock Is called spoil" Rock expands
volume OF the rock spoil banks is about 90. 07s,-
600 cubic yards. The whole volume OF spoil, in.
If deposited in New York Bay, In forty feet OF
water, make an island one mile square, with its
aiphf feat ahnyn tho tvntnr linn