The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1915-05-27

and the Calumet-Sag on the south,
sixteen miles long, were projected in
1908.
AS part OF the general scheme sys-
tenn of intercepting sewers was de-
signed, to be built by the city itself,
skirting the cities and towns along the
shore, receiving from the old sewers
the sewage formerly flowing into and
polIuting the lake, and by means OF
pumps eleyating and pouring the sew
age into large sewers which shall
carry it to the west side of the city
and discharge it into the Drainage
Canal.
The Sanitary Canal District covers
$50 square miles. The population Of
the district is nearly three million, be-
ing about so per cent of the popula-
ton of Illinois.
The canal was opened in January,
1900. Its cost, including seven mill
lions spent by the City of Chicago for
intercepting sewers, was $75,OOO,OO0.
1t is one of the greatest waterways
and engineering works in the world
Nine-tenths Of the special machinery
used on the Panama Canal was either
originated or perfected in completing
the Sanitary Canal.
The Isthmian Canal was construct
ed for one purpose The Chicago
Canal was originally designed for two
purposes, sanitation and navigation
but subsidiary uses have been, and
will be, developed. 1t was intended
to carry off and purify Chicago sew
age, reversing the river flow and taxi
ing from the lake 100000 cubic feet
of water per minute. 1t will furnish
enormous water energy, estimated at
$1,000 horsepower; and when the will
of the people of Illinois, expressed at.
the election of 1908 Gratifying the 20
million-dollar bond issue for a deep
waterway,) is carried into effect by
additional and belated legislation, the
canal will afford a deep waterway
from the lakes to the gulf.
Statistics show that the Sanitary
Canal has more than paid for itself
in the saving of human life. In an
eight-year period used for compari-
son the reduction in the number of
deaths from typhoid and diarheal dis
eases was 10000, which, estimating
each life as worth $1,000, represents
a saving of $S0,000,000
This great work was carried on by
competent experts and with little
graft. The cost of engineering for
| at per cent. The Sanitary Distritc
expense for engineering during CON
struction was only "a per cent.
Until recent years the administration
has been generally actuated by COM
mendable public spirit Here was a
mighty water power under their con-
troll, and the Drainage Trustees set
about it to utilize it III the public in
terest.
Formerly Chicago had paid enor-
nous rates for public and private
lighting and power. The city in 1887
established an electric light plant
which greatly reduced the cost of
lighting the streets and forced the
companies to lower rates from $l95
year per arc light to $50. This
economy was effected under artificial
production of power.
But now the Sanitary Canal was
producing vast power almost with
out expense. 1t would be possible to
sell current during the day for COM
NidA puA uAPOsLE 6l ittdlhEt IdAGSs anu
from the profits to light every resi-
dence, street and park in Chicago
free of cost.
This possibility was apparently
foreseen by the financial interests
and from the beginning the sanitary
district encountered obstacles.
First there was criticism of the
districts proposed method for dis
posing of sewage through publication
by aotation and aeration. It was
commended by the opposition thar a
system of sewage treatment would
be cheaper. The operation of the
Thirty-ninth Street testing station
during 1909 established the fact that
the method used by the Sanitary
District was more efficient than that
adopted by any other city in the
United States or Europe.
(Here follows in detail graphic
description of the efforts by private
corporations to discredit and wreck
this great enterprise, which we are
forced to omit for lack of space. but
we advise everyone Interested in the
subject to secure a copy of Pearson's
Magazine for june. and read the ar
ticle in its entirety.)
That's what the men who make
money out of public utilities have
been trying to do to Chicago's great
| ipnblic-owned utility. That's what
they try to do everywhere Whenever
the people make up their minds to
public ownership, men with reason
try, by hook and crook, to defeat the
peoples will But when the people
triumph over the money erabbers.
then the money grabbers do their
best to make failure of any public
operation. just mark this Public
ownership. wherever given fair trial
has pleased and served the people.
Look at this Giasgow's street light
ing system belongs to the people. The
annual cost per lamp IS seventeen dol
lars. New York's street lighting sys-
tenn is privately owned. The annual
cost per lamp is sixty-iiye dollars
And Glasgow is the better lighted
city. If you really want 10 know the
comparative costs and benefits Of pub
lie against private ownership in mu-
nicipal affairs read the contrasts in
the next issue OF peafson's Mapa-