Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-03-02

Ing an appropriation In the next annual
budget for that purpose. In the mean
time 1t would be well for those with
public interest at heart TO mount
guard"
After n spirited discussion, In which
much strong language was used. the
Drainage Board decided Monday to
take action looking toward the sale Of
the spoil banks of the channel. A com.
mittce consisting of President Jones,
Vice President Baker and Thomas
Smyth was appointed to devise ways
ana means of advertising for sale ana
dlspOslng Of the stone ana earth In the
possession Of the sanitary district"
Trustee Webb evidently came forti.
fled with the assurance of Mayor Har-
risOn that the city would he pleased to
be presented with the water power at
LockpOrt, fully developed, and he sue.
ceedcd In stirring up strife early I'm the
proceedings. lie offered n resolution
pledging the district to sell the spoil
banks and to use the revenue TO dc.
velOp the water power ana then turn
II over to the city free of cost. He
used the argument that the city and
the sanitary district are practically one
and the same thing ana that his plan
would therefore be In the interest OF all
the taxpayers. Trustees who were In
favor Of selling the spoil banks, how.
| avar sntt1I nnt n vcn. x<.ttL An N'nl,l, In,
his proposition for spending the pro.
cceds. He was Informed that 1t was
beyond the legal power of the district
, to do what he proposed.
After the meeting Mr.. Webb said: ~
am told that the stone ana earth In the
spoil banks IL worth between S2.OOO,OOO
and $5,OOO.O0O. One man who ought to
know placed the figure as high rs &c.
OOO, 1000. hut | believe he was far from
the facts. am convinced, however.
that enough revenue can he derived
from the spoil banks to put up and
equip II modern water power plant ut
I.ockpOrt. This can be done for about
81 100000, Notwithstanding previous
estimates.
II think l should he willing to under.
take to exchange the spoil banks for u
good water power plant on the theory
that ! would come out winner In the
bargain. The city needs the water
power worse than anything else on
earth, ana do not see why It should
not get 1t In this way. The interests
of the city ana the Sanitary District
are practically one ana the same do
not wish to impugn any ones motives,
but 1t may be that there are some paw
ing stone men who do not want the
spoil banks sold, and this may account
for the hesitancy with which certain
members approach the subject of dis.
posing Of them"
This innuendO was laughed at by
other Trustees, who asserted that the
previous board had decided to allow
the banks to remain until the channel
was opened and furnished means OF
getting the material out. Ii will be
forty days ut least before the passage
of all the channel bridges can he made
The latest estimate on the part of some
members regarding the value of the
spoil banks is S2,7OO,OOO. There are
22,OO0,OOO cubic yards of stone and TO-,
100000 cubic yards of earth, ana tho
values per yard are placed at 10 cents
and ! cents respectively.
Attorney Todd Informed the bOari
that there was not legal contract be
tween the city and the board regarding
the purchase of the water power rights
at Lockport. The seal of the city II
missing from the document which tn,
Mayor signed and this, i'm the opinion
J of the attorney for the board, invali
dates the contract, or rather signifies
no contract. 1t was supposed to hay,
been inadvertently omitted. While tn,
city has evidently been remiss in tn,
matter the board Is still DESTROYS OF
giving it the first call on the watel
power.
The members of the board We're no
: much disappointed to learn that tn,
decision in the bond case would make 1
impossible for the city to bear its pro
portion of the expenses of bridge build
, ing. This means a loss to the board O
about $5SG,OO0 on the eight bridges