The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-03-16
CHIcAG0's GREAT CANAL.
~ eea-r.io
Present and Prospective Objects OF
the New Outlet of Lake
Michigan.

Present and Prospective Objects OF
the New Outlet. of Lake
Michigan.
On the second day of January there
was practically completed work
which. in it's magnitude and possible re-
suits, is worthy of more than passing
notice. On that day canal was opened
by which it is intended to drain the
city of Chicago by carrying it's sewage
into the Illinois and Mississippi rivers
instead of Lake Michigan.
Although Chicago is admirably stu
ated for the purpose of railway COM
munication between the east and west,
the site of the city is one of the poorest
imaginable. The ground is fiat and
marshy, in many places being overrun
by the lake waters, and it possesses no
river OF any consequence, the so-called
Chicago river being little stream,
hardly worthy of being called a creek
elsewhere. As consequences, a great
portion of the built-up area is on
made" ground, that is, filled in above
it's original level, and the underlying
soil is moisture-soaked to such an ex-
tent that buildings of any size require
to be built on caissons, something like
bridge piers.
That Chicago has overcome these
natural difficulties is to the credit of it's
enterprising people, but there was an
other difficulty which was not fore
seen. An absolute necessity for large
city is an ample supply of water, and
at first it seemed as if Chicago was par
ticularly favored in this respect, having
all Lake Michigan at it's disposal. So it
would have proved had it not been for
the sewage which had to be disposed of
in some way.
The only feasible plan seemed to be
to run the sewage into the lake. This
disposed of it very expeditiously, but as
the city drew its drinking water out OF
the same lake, it was soon found thai
the people were drinking their own
sewage, which was not only disagree.
able, but disease breeding. 1t was
sought to overcome this difficulty by ex-
tending the intakes further out into the
lake, and they were successfully extend
ed to a distance of four miles from:
shore, but the water kept growing
worse and worse.
Finally, it was recognized that the
only way to secure water was to keep
all sewage out of the lake, and empty it
elsewhere, and for that purpose a
drainage canal was conceived. The
work was begun in September, 1892,
but as it progressed the original idea
was expanded, and the canal was wild
ened and deepened with the ultimate
intention of making it ship canal
from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi
river.
AT present it is simply drainage
canal. Into it all the sewage of Chi.
cago will run or be pumped, and it will
be diluted by water drawn from Lake
Michigan at the rate of 100000 cubic
feet minute. The filthy Chicago river
instead of flowing into the lake, will
flow the other way, and the entire mass
will be carried to the Desplaines river
thence into the Illinois river and final.
y IAlO Tie AlSISSSlppl.
Of the value to Chicago of this canal
there can be no doubt, but other local..
ties have entered protests against the
work, The first opposition came from
the ports along the great lakes, be,
cause those towns feared that the di.
version of so much lake water might
lower the Detroit river and interfere
with lake navigation. Civil engineers
maintain that the amaunt taken, al.
though it seems large. will produce nc
appreciate effect on the water level.
The other and strongest objection
comes from the people who live along
the Illinois river and the residents OF
ST. Louis. Naturally, they object to
drinking Chicago sewage, no matter
how much it may benefit Chicago. 10
this Chicago replies that considerable
portion of its sewage has always gone
into the Illinois river, and now that it is
diluted with lake water it will be COM
Paratively pure and wholly innocuous.
In effect, however, Chicago's reply is
that St. Louis may look out for itself.
Outside of these cities. the country
il chiefly interested in the ship cana.
feature. With minimum of % feet,
vessels OF considerable size may go from
Lake Michigan to the Gulf Of Mexico.
and the south and southwest will thus
be placed in cheap communication with
all the lake region from Buffalo to Du.
luth. TO secure these advantages,
congress is to be asked to deepen the
Desplaines and Illinois rivers. It will
not be done this year, or the next, but it
will be done, to the great benefit of all
the country,-Golden Days.