The times., 1899-07-09
CHICAGO A DOOMED CITY
Being Slowly Engulfed in Lake
Michigan.
Gradual fitting of the Enrth's Crust
in the Rcgion-0ntnrio and Erie to
Discharge Their Waters Into the
Mississippi-Sugges Geological
Discoveries by Prof. G. II. Gilbert.


latest volume of the Geological Survey re-
ports some interesting revelations about
actual and possible changes of level in
the Lake region of this country. Atten-
tion was first directed to this matter in
1863, when a Wisconsin surveyor noted
that a millrace at the eastern end of Lake
Superior was dry, while there were evil
dences that along the southern and west
ern shores of that body of water the
streams at their mouth seemed to be lit
tie fuller than ever. The phenomenon
could be best explained not by drought
that would affect the whole lake surface
alike, but by general changes in the rela-
tive height of the different districts.
notion of this sort has the partial
corroboration of history. The geologists,
on tracing the outlines of the Great Lakes
as they existed shortly after the glacial
period, and comparing these with the pres
ent coniguration of the inland seas, are
able to detect marked differences. More
over, they can see that the terraces" left
by subsiding waters around Lake Ontario
are about $50 feet higher at the extreme
northeastern end than down at Hamilton
and Lewiston. Similar evidence indicates
that, as compared with the level at Chi
cago, the region lying little to the north
eastward of the Georgian Bay in Canada
has risen 25O feet.
Scrutiny OF various reports that have
been made Independently of one another
brings to light the fact that most of the
streams which run into Lakes Ontario and
Erie along the western half of the south
shore possess certain traits in common.
Well inland, they follow a fairly steep
grade and have a correspondingly swift
movement. On approaching the large
bodies OF water into which they empty
they become sluggish, having been con-
verted into estuaries or narrow bays. The
popularity here mentioned is a recognized
sign that locality has been submerged
This fact corroborates the testimony just
referred to. but without proving that any
change of level is now in progress A
fresh investigation was needed for the lat
ter purpose.
Prof Gilbert has succeeded in enlisting
cooperation which has enabled him to find
out what has taken place during the last
thirty CT forty years. Four pairs of sta
tions were taken into consideration, each
pair being so made up as to combine points
lying on generally northeast-and- south
west line. These pairs included Sacketts
Haroor and Charlotte on Lake Ontario.
Port Colborne and Cleveland on Lake Erie,
Port Austin and Milwaukee for the Huron
Michigan Basin, and Escanaba and Mil
waukee for Lake Michigan alone. Official
records of water levels at these points
were consulted. In some cases 1t was pos
sible to find trustworthy data for a period
OF nearly forty years; In others for only
twenty.
The results attained were as follows:
Relatively to Sackett's Harbor, Charlotte
sank O.O6l foot in twenty-five years This
is trife under three-quarters of an inch.
The places are ninety miles apart. CIeve-
land, relatively to Port Colborne, 1eO
miles away, sank 27-S inches in thirty
seven years Milwaukee, as compared with
Port Austin, 250 miles off, sank 0.13s
foot Q,s46 inches) in twenty years.
And, as compared with Escanaba, 1870
miles distant, Milwaukee sank 1913
foot lover two inches) in twenty
years. Thus Prof. Gilbert is led to con-
clude that, along line running 27 degrees
west of southwark there is mean sub
sidence taking place now amounting to
O.42 foot for every hundred miles. Event
ually, it is hoped, more elaborate measure
ments may be made, and more accurate
| conclusions derived from the observations.
| But, as the matter now stands, Prof. Gil
bert is disposed to take this view:
The northern and eastern shores of all
the lakes are rising. or else the southern
and western shores are falling. Possibly
both phenomena are occurring. In Lakes
Erie and Ontario the general level is slowly
! rising, and this is most noticeable in Port
Dalhousie and Hamilton, where 1t amounts
| to inches in century. AT Toledo and
Sandusky the average rise is or inches
century. All over Lake Huron the water
is falling, most conspicuously at the north
and northeast. At Mackinac the rate is
6 inches, and at the mouth of the French
| River 10 inches century. At Duluth the
! water is rising inches, at Milwaukee 3
or inches, and at Chicago or 10 inches
| Inasmuch as Duluth is built upon steep
| hillsides. she can creep up out of the
water whenever she is required to do so.
| But as Chicago is built on low ground
| it is difficult to forecast her fate. The
marine insurance companies would hardly
like to take any risks on her
The ground that divides the drainage
system of the Illinois River land conse-
quently the Mississippi from Lake Miehl-
gan is cut by the former stream to a depth
| that leaves difference between the chan
mel and the lake of only eight feet If nc
new barrier We're erected, and If Lake
Michigan rose at a perfectly uniform rate
at Chicago. 1t would be about one thous.
and years before the lake would flow over
| the existing natural dam into the MissIs-
sippi But, owing to differences in rain
fall similar inequalities in evaporation,
the direction of wind. and other causes
the lake is much higher at one time than
another. Prof. Gilbert says:
| Evidently the first water to overflow
will be that of some high stage of the lake
and the discharge may at first be inter,
mittent. Such high-water discharge will
occur in five hundred or six hundred years
After 1900 years there will be
no interruption. In about 2.O00 years the
! Illinois and Niagara rivers Will carry equal
portions of the surplus water OF the Great
Lakes. In $500 years the discharge OF
the Niagara will be Intermittent, falling
at low stages OF the lake (Erie), and in
! $500 years there will be no Niagara The
basin OF Lake Erie will be tributary to
Lake Huron, the current being reversed in
tho Detroit and st. Clair channels
Tho most numerous economic bearings
of this geographical change pertain to en-
gineering works, especially for the preser-
vation of harbors and regulation OF water
levels. But the notifications thus pro-
duced are so slow. as compared with the
growing demands OF commerce for depth
OF water, that they have small Importance
1t is a matter Of greater moment that
cities and towns built on lowlands about
Lakes Ontario, Erie, Michigan, and Su-
perior VIII sooner of later feel the en-
| croachment of the advancing water II
is peculiarly unfortunate that Chicago the
largest city on the lakes stands on
sinking plain that is now but little abov,
| the highwater level of Lake Michigan
New York Tribune
| How He Got His Money.
From the lansing Republican,
1--WE scheme which makes it unnecessary t.
/ fba Lost and l1f g71tt1 81.