Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-08-16
Of Men and Events Of the
Day.
Pointed Questions Asked Regarding the Trans
actions Of Public Bodies 'and Of
Political Leaders.
Gossip Of the City and Of the Country
Forms the Subject Of Com.
munications.

Dear Sir:-In view Of the fact that
one Of the most prominent measures
that will come up before the city coun-
Gil when 1t reconvenes next month IL
the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph
ordinance 1t may not be uninteresting
to your readers to peruse the follow
ing document which citizens are Just
now receiving through the mail. do
not make any comment but submit the
matter for what It IL worth:
Quotations from interview with Mr..
Albert q. Wheeler, president Illinois
Telephone h Telegraph Company, as
the same appeared in the Chicago Rec.
Ord.Herald, February "a, 1902, page B:
1T has been built forty feet below
the surface Of the city, Is perfectly
cenented, dry. filed with wholesome
air, electrically lighted, supplied with
complete telephone service, and so
large that 1t can be made use OF not
only for Its primary purpose, storage
Of telephone and telegraph wires. but
for the transmission Of mails, news.
papers. and II desired. all freight des-
tined for the retail and wholesale dis
trict.
after these pledges have been full
filed we will then consider going to
the city council, better equipped than
any other corporation ever has been.
to ask for additional powers, such as
carrying freight In our tunnel. Our
ordinance now permits us to install
telephone and telegraph wires and to
carry the mails and newspapers.
1T IL so complete In its ramifica.
tons that in its trunk or main thor
oughfares 1t is II feet In height and II
feet wide. with space sufficient for all
wire cables and double electric freight
tracks; In Its feeder or collateral tun-
nels 3 feet high and o feet wide, with
not only track but also cable storage
room. 1t IL literally new system OF
streets. only under ground.
II. To carry the service wires Of the
Illinois Telephone and Telegraph Com.
pany.
'.2o. TO carry the police and fire alarm
wires Of the City Of Chicago.
"3. To carry the 300 tons Of dnily
mail handled by the Chicago pOstOfiice
from and to the various depOts.
~. To carry the newspaper mail Of
the city from the various offices to
the depOts.
- To carry eventually, as necessity
arises, all other telegraph and tele-
phone wires Of the city.
20. After all pledges as to telephone
service have been carried out, to seek
from the city council the right to trans.
port freight through the tunnel.
I'VE have under way the largest mu-
nicipal tunnel mo matter what other
uses 1t may yet come to) In the world.
"After that work IL done we are pre-
pared for mail contracts, the carrying
OF newspapers. and eventually when
the city council knows that we have
kept our pledges, the carrying OF
freight from the depOts to the whole
sale and retail houses.
"Our fourteen foot tunnel IL made
that size to permit the introduction
of the cable reels without street exca-
walton.
1T Is estimated on Its capitalization,
and independent of its revenues from
telephone service. that the Illinois Tel
ephOne ana Telegraph Company should
realize from rentals of tunnel space
and other uses of the bore not less than
100000 q year, and probably much
more. The cost of maintenance OF the
tunnel promises to be comparatively
small"
AS / have said I make no comment
but submit this circular for whatever 1t
may he worth In the line Of infOrma-
tion.
Yours truly,
MUNICIPAL TAXPAYER.
%6A
10 the Editor:
Sir:-NOw that there Is so much noise
bcing kicked up not only In Cook coun-
ty but all over the State about civil
service and the need there Is for bring
ing all public offices and the employees
therein under its provisions, what IL