Chicago eagle., 1902-03-01
The Health Department Declares that the
Only Flushing" Has Come from
Water Waste
Therefore in the Name Of the Public
Health Let the Water Flow
Freely.

with one nj the greatest bodies al
fresh water in the world right at it,
front door. Chicago is now threatened
with II frightful epidemic for want oi
water
Extraordinary though IT may appear
IL j. nevertheless u fact that although
we possess one of the finest and most
expensive water supply systems of ANY
city In the world our source being the
vast aud incNhaustihlr Lake Michigan.
the public Is now confronted with the
proof that the sewers of Chicago have
not been flushed for years because of
the continual and persistent howl of
the city administration agalns, the ILL.
cral and necessary Use of water. which
our municipal officials see tit To dcsig
nate waste" the result being n threat
cned epidemic Of typhoid fever arising
from accumulated iilth
And righ: on top of this desperate
state of affairs comes the Introduction
into the City Council of an ordinance
which provides for the general Use of
meters. meaning, of course. II still
greater restriction upon the use of
water. and nn added menace to the
health of the city.
Thus In the very face of u fearful
scourgc. threatening us as II rrs,i, Of
uncleanncss, We find the city admins.
tratlon actually preparing to put u tax
upon cleanliness, and make of natures
bountlful gift To u>-wntrr-a luxury
to be doled ont only IN measured q,ian.
titles aud tn bc paid for by the gallon.
This is II condition not theory: n
condition that will he firmly liked upon
the ncckS Of the taxpayers of Chicago
II the proposed water-metcr ordinance
is put through the City Council.
These statements are not cNiggcrn-
tions. They are plain. unvarnislcd
truths based upon existing conditions
which are not denied.
For years The Chicago Eagle has
been warning It's readers and the pub.
lie against the policy Of unclcanncSs
which WAS lnnugurated with the pres.
ent city administration.
Time and again this journal has tier.
atcd and reiterated that the sewers on
ih' sN'i'l '"Ni' HiNf NV bf'll
for ten years. II has wrung the changes
upon the fact that not sewer in chi.
cago outside the downtown district has
been flushed by the city since Carter
Harrison was first elected Mayor. The
only reply II ever received. however.
was the continual howl of the city of.
iiclals against the waste of water
The extraordinary individual, Erie.
son, whom Mayor Harrison discovered
and made City Engineer. has apparent.
iy considered his highest conception of
the prime duty of his office. tn he the
daily utterancc of jcremads against
the deplorablc waste" of water.
Think Of wasting" water with Lake
Michigan as the source of supply.
Now what has been the result of this
astounding policy Of our city admins.
trntion;
For answer "" will refer olIr readers
10 the following extract from an official |
bulletin issued by the City Health De
partm"nt last Monday:
IF II had not been for the so.callrd |
vast" Of water" says the bulletin, |
THE city would have been Smittcn ~ |
by q p"stilcncc from the tlth.cbokch |
sewers, Fortunately the pumpagc has
been abUndant-Hn average of nearly
:5oUuu,uun gallons day has been sup
piled In these four months. and this
has been tn" sole salvation of the clty's
health from Scw"r-gas diseases during
the period
From sanitary point of view there
* 10 such thing as waste Of water
Running water Is the great purlhcr-
the dlSsOlyrnt of Nth, the absorbent of
poisonous gases.
'But abundant a. the city supply Is.
1t Is not sufficient 10 flush and properly
cleanse low grade sewers; for this at
least thrcc-fOurths of an inch Of rain
IN twenty-fOur hours j. necessary.
Nhrn this comes after the twcnty-odd
weeks Of dry weather and the sewers
CIV" out their accommodations ana thou
sands OF tons Of filth Is washed from
roofs ana streets and other surfaces
INT" the lax" and river, 1t viii behoovc
parents TO safeguard their children
against the use Of untreated hydraat
water for drinking purposes" .
What, We wonder, will the City I'm.
slncer have TO say to this statement? In
Continuing, the Health Department / i
bulletin says n
last Saturday ended the twentieth :
consecutive week Of the drlcst fall and )