Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-30

anu duHlIIllstTdtlNe puTpOSeS. DuiihS
the current year, the Office will coop
crate with the Chief Engineer, the |
Electrical Engineer and the special ex. |
pert respecting the analysis Of &C.
counts relating to the Electrical De. |
partment, will complete the statistical
and administrative revision of &C.
counts. and will make study and re.
port upon the water power situation
between the power plant at Lockport
and Lake Joliet Progress has also
been made in the preparation Of a
compendium of information respecting
the works and expenditures of the
District which can be used in response
to requests for information. This
office expects also to cooperate with
the Commission on Sewage Disposal
and Water Power Development. The
Office of the Consulting Engineer has
proved very beneficial, not only in It's
relations to the District, but also in
relation to the many points of contact
with outside affairs.
The Commission on Sewage Dis.
posal and Water Power Development
COHIDltteu ItS WdttE pOWcT EepOIty
which was submitted to the Board on
November ~, 1914. The Commission
Is now engaged in research respecting
the subject of sewage disposal for
which an additional appropriation of
$1,000 was made on December 4, 1914
It hopes to complete this digest and
submit its report during the current
| year.
The available funds of the District
| during the next five years, 1915.1919,
will be ample for all the legitimate
purposes of the District and should
enable It to complete all its primary
work, including feeding adjuncts and
branch channels and establish the
flow of the Main Channel to It's full
capacity. believe that too much at.
tention is being given at this time to
local works which are within the juris.
diction and power of municipal gov
ernments, such as sewer systems and
additions thereto, and sewage dis.
posal. II Is a question Of law as to
how far the District has authority In
the premises and a question Of policy
as to how far any authority that 1t
may have should be exercised at this
time. The report Of the Chief En-.
gineer states that any alternative to
the method OF sewage disposal, au.
thorized by law, will cost this District
an additional sum Of upwards Of $780,.
OOO. 100000, and am Of the opinion that
II will be unwise at this time to adopt
or foreshadow any measures which
can be construed as committing the
District to special and artificial meth.
DDS of sewage treatment. There can
be no question of the necessity to ev.
cry part OF the District Of completing
the outlet system and providing the
full flow OF water therein, and this
work carried out in comprehensive
manner will absorb the funds immedi
ately available.
DO not mean to convey the idea
J that the District should not exercise
! It's good Offices In respect to trade
, wastes and the investigation Of such
, matters should continue and every
: proper influence should be exercised
with q view Of curtailing such wastes
as speedily as practicable. At the
! same time, q drastic course-if within
, our power-should be avoided SO al
I not to subject to undue burden. the
great industries which are identified
with the upgrowth Of Chicago. The
/, | capacity Of the Main Channel. wher
!. completed and properly fed, 10 ade
) quate on the basis Of the legal ratio
, OF dilution and the normal increase
2 Of population to the year 1910. Of
! whereabouts, and 1t may be for long
Y er period, provided special sources o
!, filth shall be cared for meantime. SO
3 while we should be diligent In ascer
3 tanning and In securing the economic
disposal OF trade wastes, there Is NJ
r emergency which requires summar!
action.
II Is incumbent upon the District
however, to maintain the flow Of waite
up to the full legal standard. and pei
% haps somewhat above, until the extr
wastes shall be curtailed. and to sucl
end conditions in the Chicago Rive
. and at the seth street conduit intak
2 should be remedied at once so as t
= permit an increased flow Of water. no
;. only for sanitary purposes, but ais
for a larger output OF electric curren
q at the water power station at Loci
q port. There Is no occasion to be dere
q lict in these matters on the theor
:. that the United States will limit tn
n flow OF water to less than the full
capacity OF the channels which hav
been and are being provided. Our d.
:, ty under the State Law Is clearly d.
fined and mandatory and there Ia n
reason to presume, In view OF man
o fest and simple remedies for maintain
: ing lake levels, that the courts or tn
. Congress will make final objection.
r Next In importance. Is to provide
d | right of way for the waters that hav
!. been and are to be diverted to tn
!. Illinois Valley. The theory OF legisls
a ton under which the District has bee
"A acting has been that the channe
!. through the lower Illinois Valley shout
a. be deepened after the State and Fec
q. eral dams have been removed SO a
'. to produce an additional capacit
a equal to the additional flow Of waite
r. contributed by the Main Channel. Tn
\. early Investigations on which legisli
q ton was based call for depth OF nc
"a less than fourteen feet and this wa
q the origin of the deep waterway pro
v ect. Later investigations show tina