The times., 1899-07-12
A New chicago scheme.

from the sphere of its purpose defined by
the law of its existence. St. Louis may now
take fresh hope Of the success of her fight
against the Chicago drainage canal.
most remarkable proposition is now being
seriously considered by these redoubtable
Chicagoans. 1t is nothing less than the
enlargement of what was originally in
tended as a malodorous sewer from Chi
cago to st. Louis into navigable water
way from the Lakes to the Gulf. The mat
ter of $50 900, 900 or more which the Chi
cegoans expect to get out of the Govern
ment for their huge undertaking is treated
with characteristic Chicago assurance. 1t
is this feature of it which may provide an
opening for the apprehensive st. Louisans
TO make an effective assault on the scheme
and thereby save their city from becoming
the dumping ground for Chicago filth and
the filter for Chicago sewage.
The chief engineer of the drainage canal
on which Chicago has already spent many
millions speaks very confidently of the
practicability of the new scheme. Says he:
THE problems which the opening OF the
drainage channel will develop will be such
that the people themselves will demand
the construction OF this waterway and the
restoration of the Illinois and Des Plaines
(now drainage channeD to their pristine
glory of first-class waterways" We are
further assured that eminent authorities
of the Society of Western Engineers" who
have given the progress of the drainage
canal close study, feel that the expendi-
ture of S32, 600, ,000-this amount being the
total expended to the date of the opening
of the channel-only marks the beginning
OF the expenditure of at least S5O,O0O,OOO
more by the General Government and the
State OF Illinois toward making the river
and channel a complete waterway. one
which will not create perpetual damage
claim suits against the sanitary district
and which will satisfactorily dispose OF
all the water and waste emanating from
the city of Chicago and every community
upon the banks of the two streams. 1t Will
be observed that no account is taken in
this calculation of the sedimentation with
which the drinking water of st. Louis is
to be polluted. All Chicago is thinking
about is relieving the congestion caused
Dy HeT present sewer arrangements 10 ner
wonderful Chicago River, the water of
which would have to be first cut with a
knife and then reduced to liquid form by
fire before it could be drunk. Navigation
on that marvellous stream, as we under
stand it, is by means of curious system
OF rollers with which the craft put into
! that service is supplied. OF course if the
General Government gives Chicago the de-
sired $50 600, OG0 for the enlargement of the
drainage canal into a navigable waterway
| connecting Lake Michigan and the Gulf of
Mexico, Chicago genius will be equal TO
the task of successfully grappliag with
the new problem in steamboat making
which would be presented by a "navigable
waterway whose startling consistency of
water would be about that of molten lead.
St Louis may be able, through the har-
monious action of her citizens, which. by
the way, is not a glittering element in the
effort the Hon. David R. Francis is now
making to hold fair in the Missouri
metropolis in 1903, to head OFF this latest
scheme of Chicago. not only to make st.
Louis the receptacle of all the waste mat
Ter and carrion of the greater part Of
northern Illinois, but also to take the trade
of the Mississippi River and its tributaries
away from St. Louis. When Chicago ap-
plies to Congress for $50, 900, 600 with which
to prosecute the gigantic enterprise St.
Louis may be able to defeat the bill.