Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-25
MUNICIPAL RIVER TERMINAL.

Chicago's municipal pier, the larses.
and most unique structure OF its k'na
in the world, Is rapidly nearing COM
pletion.
Construction work on the improve
ment. which cost $4,000, 900 will be nm
ished December Is and it vii! De reaoy
for service at the opening or lake nav !.
cation next April. 1t is combination
passenger and freight terminal anu I"
public recreation pier.
It marks the first step IN Cnlcaso
new outer harbor plan which is design
ed to concentrate all lake steamers
messenger and light freight business on
the lake front and relieve congesuon IN
the Chicago river as well as furmsh re.
creation for hundreds Of thousands OF
men. women and children during the
summer months.
The pier, which Is constructed OF
concrete. steel and brick, extends 81
ZOO feet into Lake Michigan from tne
foot of Grand avenue, is 292 feet VIDE
and is two stories in height. One feat-
IRE which it is expected will prove pop
Mar "a an elevated 16-foot board Walk,
5O feet above the water. encircling the
entire pier which will afford prom
enade more than mile in length.
Along each side of the pier are
freight docks on the lower floor and
Messenger docks on the upper deck.
On the lower deck are railroad switch
tracks and roadways for wagons TOR
handling freight. The upper deck con-
tains an so foot roadway for trolley
cars and automobiles.
At the land end of the pier are the
administration offices, power plant ana
two water storage tanks, with capac-
ity of $4,000 gallons each, which will
feed a sprinkler system as precau-
ton against fire in the freight houses.
The recreation pier is located at the
other end OF the pier and is $50 feet
long. It contains 4 story brick build
ing with two, ornamental towers 100
feet in height which will be brilliantly
Illuminated at night,
One OF the first two floors will be
rest rooms for women and children,
smoking rooms for men, large pubic
comfort station and rooms for the use
of picnic parties. The third floor Will
contain an auditorium with seating
capacity for 1000 persons where
dances and concerts will be held. The
ton floor will be devoted to restaur-
ant with several thousand seats where
meals will be served at cost. \
In one corner of the building will be
an emergency hospital. Back of the
large recreation building will be
double decked open shelter 220 feet
long and 80 feet wide supplied with
hundreds OF chairs and porch ham,
mocks.
In one corner of the open shelter
there will be play space for chill
dren.
Seven steamship lines and owners of
dozens of independent steamers al
ready have applied for dock space on
the pier.
It is expected that the rent received
from the use of the docks and the vari-
nus other concessions will maintain the
pier and eventually pay for the citys
original investment in the improve
ment.
The federal government is building
new. ,breakwaters at an expense of ST.
OOn 900 to protect the municipal pier.
Plans for Chicago's Municipal pier
were ordered prepared by the city
council January 2, 1912 and construc-
ton work began March II, 1914 after
the citizens, by referendum vote, had
affirmed a $5,0O0,000 bond issue to pay
for the improvement.