New-York tribune., 1900-08-06
CHICAGO TOPICS OF THEDAY
DROP IN LAKE FREIGHT RATEs-BENE-
FIT OF DRAINAGE CANAL-ACT-
ING MAYORS ALLEGED DOG
ANn
AND THE POLICE.


beset the lake freight rates for every other com
modify the Chicago rate on corn to Buffalo bids
fair % collapse. II the rates do break-and
there seems now to be no help for it-aH Of the
power OF Mr.. Rockefeller to control the lake
freight market viii have disappeared. Just two
months ago the Rockefeller fleet OF whaIebacks
was tied to the Wharves in order to force the
rates for carrying iron ore up to where they were
last year The effort was a failure. On August
the rate dropped TO 90 cents. after having held
around 81 for the two months Now comes the
prospective slump In grain rates. which the
grain shippers are insisting on. 1t develops that
at the conference of the big steel and furnace
interests in this city last week it was shown
plainly that there was to be curtailrnent Of the
producing capacity OF the furnaces now engaged
in turning out pig iron This. OF course, means
less iron ore wanted, hence the slump in the
carrying rate from the Lake Superior mines.
Whether Mr. Rockefeller viii continue TO alb
stain from placing his boats on the market now
that the freight rate has proved too big q propo-
sition for him 10 handle, Is one OF the things
over which lake interests are just now pondering
deeply.
just fifteen years ago Chicago received a
drenching which clinched the matter OF a drain
age canal TO take care OF her sewage On Sun
day. August ?. 1885. there was a rainfall Of six
tons OF water. precipitated within the city limits
inside of the twenty-four hours that the down
pour lasted. Easements and sewers we're food
ed and a current in the Chicago River created
which carried the sewage fifteen miles out into
the lake Preliminary meetings leading up TO
the vote to create drainage district we're
held, and the present big canal is the result. The
heavy volume Of pure water now running down
the channel has solved the problem OF drainage,
and apparently without bad effects to the people
Of the Illinois River Valley. as the water ap-
pears to cleanse itself Of all impurities before IL
has gone very far. Reports are current here in
fact, that Lake Michigan herring have been
far south as Peoria If the latter report
is correct, the water there is certainly all right
Another effect Of the opening Of the channel has
been 70 slightly change the currents in the lake
and to lower the temperature Of the water in the
lower end Just precisely how much OF change
in these directions is permanent and how much
is seasonable is a matter for the future to de-
termine. The present currents in the lake were
mapped by the Government photographic Office,
which for long period Of time had the lake
vessels drop large number Of sealed ana prop
erly recorded bottles overheard. These were
afterward traced by recording their arrival al
various stations around the lake for the entire
time that they were kept afioat. A study OF the
maps Of the Photographic Office is interesting
on account Of these currents.
Inspector Max HeideImeier is very much
.led up over the fact that some astute pri-
yate citizen succeeded in making the greater
part Of his force Of policemen hustle for several
hours fer lost dog alleged to belong TO Act
ing Mayor Walker The astute citizen. reaIiz-
ing the power OF a good strong pull" called
the Inspector UP by telephone told him how
badly the Acting Mayor and his family felt over
the loss Of the dog. and described the latter
u1iButely. After the lapse Of several hours the
dog returned home. and the owner considerably
telephOEed that the lost animal had been found.
In some way the Inspector found out that Mr.
Walker did not own dog and he was wroth at
the idea conveyed by the citizens action that
the Mayor could get any better attention at
the hands Of the police than could a private
citizen Though quick enough TO grasp that
feature Of the case. the Inspector overlooked
the effect Of making public howl about il, and
he is getting so many laughs from all sides that
he is more angry than ever over the incident
There appears to be gradual dlsintegration
Of the labor forces that have been engaged IN
long strife with their employers Of the building
trades. II is individual with the BorkEnen, who
are literally starved into accepting any sort OF
work available, and there is a disposition on the
part Of the small contractors TO start small jobs,
repair work or otherwise. and quietly put the
men back to work The resumption Of opera
ticns is expected gradually to come about In this
way within the near future. All sorts of trades
have suffered severely as the result OF the long
paralysis and. from the expressions Of some OF
the merchants, the resumption OF work viii not
come bit too soon Many merchants We're
under decidedly heavy strain. and a number
Of them were beginning 10 wonder how long
they would be able TO stand il
Every day citizens who a rule hang onto
straps in the elevated or surface line cars are
becoming more and more impressed with the
fact that their alleged servants the City Hall
employees. do not have 70 do that sort Of thing
The City Hail man. often when ne is only third
assistant to the secretary Of the garbage de-
partment. comes flashing down the boulevard in
his automobile. In fact the City Hail employees
and their automobiles take up a good share Of
the available space in these drfveways and the
ordinary ar1stocrat is getting little jealous az
the superior magniheence Of their turnOuts.
President Harper Of the Chicago University
IN an address delivered to the one thousand sum
mer students, shows how the small colleges of the
country Will soon be thing OF the past in SC
Tar as their value as educators is concerned
He attributes this condition TO the fact thai
they have not sufficient money 20 employ the
best educators as is the case with the larger
colleges, and that much OF the work which thew
nave oeSA upiils Is row ihSlue Lne province Of
the high schools As many OF the students at
the Chicago University are themselves instruc-
tors IN the smaller colleges the address did not
leave them in the most cheerful frame Of mind
Another point which Professor Harper made
was that against wouenS colleges. Of these
he said that they would never be able 10 attract
and retain the strongest men, even when large
and well backed financially. as such men would
never be content TO devote their lives TO work
in a women's college
When it comes to an exchange Of courtesies
with the countries Of Southern Europe the city
officials Of Chicago seem 10 get tangled up