The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-03
CHICAGO TURNS ON THE WATER
Sanitary District trustees Make
Something Like a SNEAK ofIf

$500 SSNCA SCoAlS VI La&4 NOLh Q1 tie
trustees OF the sanitary district. which
is the name of a corporation including
the larger part of the city OF Chicago
and many of its suburbs At least the
Chicago end OF ii is in use but the water
has not yet reached the other end, at
Lockport. H.. and will not reach it for
several days.
Probably never before has the compile
ton OF a public work Of such magnitude
been marked with such absolute lack Of
ceremony. There were no speeches, no
exercises. no cehreing. About a. m. the
sanitary district trustees and engineers
gathered at the scene. Besides few
workmen there were not a dozen spcta-
tors. There was no grand rush OF water.
10 be followed by the cheers Of specta-
tors. Indeed. the opening or the canal re-
ssmbled more the tiny stream OF water
that flowed over the Holland dyke and
grew larger and larger until It swept a
great hole in the wall OF earth That is
the way the great canal was opened.
This method was used 10 avoid the dan
ger of a sudden rush OF waters. but It
robbed the opening or all impressive
neSs.
What is caleld the collateral channel
has been completed for some time from
branch Of the Chicago river in the
southwestern part of the city to within
fifteen feet OF the canal Monday night
a big steam dredge began TO cut away
this wall of earth, but the work had not
been finished when the sanitary district
trustees arrived on the scene this morn
ing Shortly before 9 a. m. a small
stream of water was flowing through the
hole in the fifteen-foot wall 1t backed
up against a sluice gate and at O'Clock
the gate was opened. Then a small
stream Of dirty water flowed half way 10
the canal and stopped. BY this time the
dredge had cut away some more earth,
and more water came over the dam
This. with what had gone before. trickled
out on the ice-covered bed Of the main
channel and the great canal had been
opened. The men ar work on the earth
dam tried a charge of dynamite TO re-
move an ice jam that was interfering
with the flow Of water. but the opening
was not enlarged. At last the dredge
worked itself close up TO the dam Of
~ 0A40 Win a lew ShEtHc o. as df MS
cut a big hole in the dam Quite a
stream of water came through. but the
dredge continued for hours TO cut away
the fifteen-foot wall OF earth. Finally the
cut in the dam was discharging 30C0O
cubic feet OF water minute and the
flow was strong down the canal. The
dredge continued at work all day so as
TO make the discharge 5o,000 cubic feet
or more a minute. The canal has been
built to carry 10000 cubic feet a minute.
but only 5o.00o feet minute will be ad-
mitted until the channel Is full II the
Chicago river has been turned into the
empty canal at the rate OF 800, coo feet a
minute the engineers would have feared
for the safety OF the numerous bridge
piers In the canal charrnef and for the
controlling works at Lockport and the
city Of Joliet. forty miles away. There
would have been also great danger IN
the Chicago river from a sudden fail OF
water and a consequent inrushing from
Lake Michigan
About Wednesday noon the water f. eX-
pected TO reach Lockport and about four
days from the time the flow began. ac-
neer the canal will be fun and the water
will begin to run owe rthe tsllls OF the
controlling gates at LocKpOrt twenty
eight miles from Chicago. I'here will fan
into the DespIaines rivers and 50 finally
Lake Michigan will shake hands with the
Gulf OF Mexico.
Chicago people are already eagerly
wa tching the effect on the Chicago
river Of the opening OF the canal This
stream, which Is so Objectionable IN its
present condition. IS expected 70 be com
parativeiy pure. and certainly TO lose sll
its features objectionable from a sanitary
point Of view when the present stagna-
ton gives way to a full. strong current
from Lake Michigan.
Probably no public works has ever been
undertaken by any other state or mu-
ncipality which. from its very inception
was designed to do so much for the navi-
gable and commercial interests Of the
country as the Chicago canal. The re-
quirement Of law which compelled the
construction OF rock sections TO meet the
demands Of the next generation was wise
for It has laid the foundation OF nam
lakes with the Mississippe river and the
gulf and saving the sanitary district OF
Chicago and the federal government the
greater expense that would IN the future
be necessary in rock excavation and
blasting unde rths flowing water. The
canal II confined By law 70 the single
requirement Of dizposing OF Chicago
sewage. could have been constructed Tor
from $1,000 90 TO 100000 50 ihe sani-
tary district can Justly claim 70 have ok
pended at leas; t22.Oo0oo IN the direction
OF the great navigabie water way.
The proceedings Of congress viii show
that. IN the last le1 years % petitions
and demands for congressional appro-
prsations for harbors and canals ard pub
lie improvements. no Deutiouing cfty or
community has contributed for p.sreiy
commercial purposes per cent q The
amount which this sanitary district has
contributed toward the commercial VA
ter way 20 connect th- great iskes with
the Gulf % Mexico.
As an engineering trianpE. fthe great
interest gn the Chicago canal LEE IN the
fact thar q disposes ~ tae sewage %
this city IN a manner cgatrary % TIE
laws y nature ard contrary 70 fbe Jaws
q gravity While the Chicago river has
been deepened ard widened in order -
increase So How ard eapaelfy. the canal
itself. properly rpeskinE. beEias -
Robey street and continues southwark
az an artificial channel BnfU g Teaches
the controlling works ~ I>eckparf. a de-
tsnce az twsn7T-elght miles- = entirely
artificial construction The <z1i frs7 IRE
mouth q the Chicago rfTsr - ths bcck-
port wor-H-and b e remembered at
heneef0rth me Caicsgo rlser vi HyE
upstream. a. c7umoniT uritersfo-se-is
only neven fes.. 50 maj she foa = water