The National tribune., 1905-11-23

heart of the city and branches out into
what are known as the North and South
Branches. The sewage would not flow
into the lake, especially when the wind
was in a contrary direction, but re-
manned stagnant and vile-smelling.
Thus the Chicago River became a great
open sewer in the heart of the city and
fountain Of disease-creating odors.
After trying great many fruitless de-
vices the city was at last compelled to
the heroic step Of cutting a canal from
the head Of the South Branch across
the low ridge which separated the
watershed Of the Des PLANES River
from that of the Illinois River. At
| some recent geological period the water
of Lake Michigan had emptied into the
Mississippi, but this had been stopped
by CONFUSION which threw up q low
ridge Of rock. The Chicago Sanitary
Commission was created to prosecute
the work, and it did so in a manner
brilliant and effective, with some en-
gineering triumphs that astonfshed the
world. Some facts connected with this
work are set forth in the memorial
which has been prepared for presenta-
ton to Congress in favor of the deep
waterway. The memorial says:
1.-The canal proper begins at the west
fork of the South Branch of the Chi
cago River and extends to LOckport, q
fraction over % miles. The lateral di-
mansions vary from 10 feet at the bot
202 feet at the bottom and 290 feet at
the water line. Through solid rock cuts
these dimensions are $50 feet and 1872
feet respectively. The grade OF the
channel is one and five-eighths of an
inch per mile through earth sections
and three and a quarter inches per
mile through rock sections. The depth
Of water varies with the flow, but the
minimum is % feet. At Lockport there
Is in the canal a large windage basin
t., 49, -k III L. ~1<.
to turn around. The controlling works
for governing the flow Of water in the
canal are also located here.
1.-The flow of water which the canal
is designed to accommodate is 600, 600
cubic feet minute. However, in its
present condition it will not admit this
volume In all parts without producing
| a current harmful to navigation. The
narrowest section Of the canal will
carry only 5000 cubic feet at q cur
rent of one and quarter miles per
hour. This section can readily be en-
larged, however, when conditions re-
quire. The Chicago River, the flow Of
which was reversed by the canal, Will
handle at the present time little more
| than the present capacity Of the canal,
it, Of which approximately 60 per cent
have already been accomplished, will
make possible a flow Of $50, 900 cubic
feet, and the remaining 10000 cubic
feet needed to yield the maximum ca
pacity OF the canal will be supplied by
a large conduit along 39th street (Chi-
cago) to the lake, forming part Of the
Iintercepting sewer system which IL be-
ing built to divert from the lake to the
canal the sewage of the south side of
the city.
"From Lockport to the southern linn
its Of Joliet, six and q half miles, the
Des PLANES River is being deepened.
widened and Strengthened to accommo-
date a flow of 1 100000 cubic feet per
| minute. This provides for the maxi
fnum flow from the canal and for all
possible flood waters of the Des PLANES
Valley. A navigable depth for large
craft will not be established, however,
by the work at present under way.
"All bridges concerned in the con-
struction Of the canal were built or al
tered in conformity to the needs OF
navigation. The cost of the canal when
all work is completed will be approx
mately $55,000,o00. This exceeds by
$4,000. 900 the sum that would have
been necessary to meet the needs OF
sanitation alone.
From Lake Michigan at Chicago to
st. Louis by the proposed water route
is 362 miles. OF this distance the canal
has already developed "a miles. The
Mississippi River section covers 80
miles, leaving 289 miles Of the Des
PLANES and Illinois Rivers to be i'm
proved. Figures and estimates con-
tanned in the memorial are based on a
22-foot channel from Chicago to Lake
Joliet, and a 14-foot channel from that
point to the mouth of the Illinois. The
latter figure is the depth for which the
canal would provide the necessary flow
OF water. The estimated cost from Lake
Joliet to the mouth Of the Illinois is
$500 900, of which $40. 200, 900 is ap-
portioned to the first 81 miles, consid-
erably more work being necessary on
this section than on the remaining 227
miles. 1t is interesting to know that
the full flow Of the canal-600.0 900 Gu
bic feet per minutes one-half the
volume of the Mississippi at Rock
Island, ILL.,, during the low-water sea-
son. The discharge of this additional
amount OF water from the canal would
therefore increase materially the VOL
- fI,o