The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-20
CHICAG0'S CANAL FEARED.
1T rs REGARDED As a GRAVE MEN On
TO-PUBLIO HEALTH.
Belief That the sewage which It Il to Garry
VIII Polluts the Waters of the Mississippi
and IMinois-St. Louis Trying TO Prevent

F1~aH -@NN
VIII Polluts the Waters Of the Mississippi
and nlinois-St. Louis Trying to Prevent
Its CompletIon-Bnd Faith Charged.
ST.. LOUIS. Nov. 1S.-One result of the cleo
ton here willsbe active opposition on the part
of the 81. Louis delegation in Congress to the
completion OF the Chicago drainage canal,
All three st. Louis members OF the lowor
house have been returned on pledges 10 do
their best to have the Bartholdt bill taken
up for consideration at the approaching short
session Of Congress. The Bartholdt bill was
introduced nearly two years ago. Its author.
DR.. Bartholdt, 10 a.physician. whoipraotioes his
profession between sessions at Washington.
His district Is tho Tenth Missouri. which in
cludes about one-third of 81. Louis and has an
overwhelming Republican majority. The bill
would practically oompel the suspension Of
work on the Chicago canal. 1t was intro
duced because DR.. Bartholdt has become oon-
vinced that after the sewage OF Chicago Is
turned into the Illinois and Mississippi rivers
through the canal, IL will poison the drinking
water OF all the cities along thoSe rivers as
far down as New Orleans. The doctor holds q
high opinion OF the poisonous quality OF Chi
caEo sewage.
St Louis made no opposition to the canal
project when II was started. 1t was believed
that the Of the city would be aided
by the deepening OF the Mississippi River
channel by means OF the water discharged
through the canal. From q sanitary point Of
view. nothing was feared. Such q great body
OF water. travelling such q distance. could not
fail to purify itself. IL was supposed, LONG be-
fore 1t reached the st. Louis wharves. An
other reason for st. Louis ~inuction grew out Of
the fact that this city has been building a
treat filtration plant, which will take water out
OF the Missouri instead OF the Mississippi
River. Missouri River water. above It's conflu-
ence with the Mississippi. is much mu6dier
than.that OF the Mississippi. but chemists have
found that there Is n quality in the Mississippi
water making It more difficult to extract the
mud from It than from the Missouri water.
Accordingly. when the House bill to authorize
Chicago to proceed with the construction OF a
ship canal was before Congress. there was
hardly q voice raised against the scheme in all
the Mississippi Valley,
The first DRY of alarm came nearly three
years ago. from Water Commissioner Hol-
man. He declared that the pumping works on
the Missouri would not be far enough re-
moved from the confluence Of the two rivers to
prevent contamination of the water. He com
bated the idea that the impurities In the
water discharged out Of the canal into the
Illinois River could be eliminated in the 800
miles from the headwaters OF the Illinois TO
the junction OF the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers. At that time the work on the canal
had not proceeded far enough to Justify the
charge that the terms and specifications In
State and Federal laws had been either disre-
garded or openly violated by Chicago. Mr..
Holman. however. charged that it had never
been the intention Of the Chicago authorities
to maintain in the drainage channel either the
volume or velocity OF water promised both at
Springfield and Washington. The scheme OF
o ship canal he denounced as fraudulent in
| origin m Thar than Nhinarfna1 in onpnaptioD
Chicago had said that the channel was to be
maintained at a width and depth to admit Of
the passage of lake vessels and oceangoins
craft. Chicago was willing to enter into any
guarantee to maintain q necessary width and
depth to float ~argosies and fleets. Her orators
HTsiitd q eSabi tss eb sd Hstioa to Of ao a Sats5Esy = E SaSia
can Gulf fleet in the great lakes fora blow at
British shores within a fortnight. In accord
anoe with the sentiments, the canal was begun
on q much larger scale than has been carried
out The work now under way is at tho upper
Eoekport. near the other end Of the ditch.
andln iH' th Ss n Sss'i iore seSlt Saes u ui;%Sisi oe aPe
gress as the only means OF relief. 81. Louis
posed dV danger. Her tte Il afS9' IN c % srs s and
the So1s entire ~ I'm Missouri SoSL Ia; de sSst 81 in In the owe
bill, which declares the right, duty and power
Of the Federal Government to exercise control
ton. 4 con ?ention Of the valley States viii
be held in this city in the early part Of the year
SSsdf; dss si +. S Ks S. e Sx"! Zip e. esas shEi e;
have d~ropped that pretepee. st: Louis is no
I SRsET. LOOKING kin sh for t the white Thst rs sau gad1 n at at her n
three feet. in the Mississippi caused by the
canal will force the waters OF that river up into
the sr J o Missouri LIS 8 =, and conteminete the
her new pumping houses.
The city has been brought to this convio-
ton largely through the activity OF Water
Copmissioner Holman and Dr.. Armand R9-
void. They have made an exhaustive search
old theory OF running water purifying itself
has been abandoned by the greatest. experts.
and the development OF the germ theory OF
disease. They have shown that it has been
SS1S To- faar 9es sRst in fI Esese. EDSF r! Ra7 liyS & iFS 2el
hement In the assertion that practically al OF
and many OF them would be alive and danger
ouS at Memphis. OF, even New, Orleans. The
that Chicago should be compelled TO hasten
thus nuttinG the Chicago germ, alive and kick
Ing, into BIT. Louis cooking pots when q more
nois River would leave many OF them to 20
into Peoria whiskey. The i'ayold theory; how
s Sbich ss sTms at tine not Rdirp9s s66 Sl 81 tse ss gIaet tss po SlsI;
Of the Federal Government to compel Chicago
to dispose Of her sewaGe in some other way
than by turning II into the Mississippi River.
The success OF Berlin in disposing Of sewage
dence OF what might be done In the case. On
the same line Is the citation OF a recent report
Of q royal commission. In ENGLAND appointed
to investigate, the subject Of river pollution;
This commission reported that the water of
running streams Is not purified within short
distances or within q time short enough not to
endanger public health. At the last session OF
the Illinois LEGISLATURE q bill comforting upon
the State control over streams equal TO that In
| ANiafAnpA in Nav NnFE Waa iDiFllnpnH Init
the power q CHICAGO was sufficient 70 defeat
control similar to that OF New York. which Is.
In brief. that sewage must not be admitted to
any. stream or body OF potable water without
having been so purified that 1t will not be a
ss1 onnS OF t danger Cnr This = s 6iLI is II to be, be %r fITtnP.
LEGISLATURE. but there Is small prospect OF it's
passage.
Chicago will not only oppose the Bartholdt
bill. but herinhuencs will be against any meas
ure which looks to compelling specific per-
i2rmsnce of her contracts. The narrowing Of
will save her S10,O00,0Q0 II she is allowed TO
complete the work on the new plan. She has
alrnSlw NUT ,a..Iy cor nnn 900 an 10 tho attnh