The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-08-10
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1915.
Preserving a Real Asset.

u46CA4cI1 AGs easy dCC0oS " UuO hioA nous
Of the world, the smiling valleys and
the laughing hills of the broad acres
of farm lands adjoining it, its beauty
spots about charming lakes within easy
reach Of it's population, schools and
churches and the whole hearted good
fellowship Of its clubs and organiza-
tions--but it has one asset which lot
of people are overlooking-tha asset
is old Lake Michigan. 1t was the
woudrous beauty Of its lakes shores
that first attracted people to Kenosha
They came and looked out on the wide
expanse of water they saw the moon
coming up over the lake, covering the
water with shimmering diamonds, they
saw the possibility of route for COM
merce, of cooling winds in the summer
and Of an inexhaustible water supply
To those early settlers the lake was
the greatest asset. 1t made commerce
possible before the coming of the rail
way and many Of the men who laid the
foundation for Kenosha found the only
way in and out of the city by means of
an old lighter which carried them to the
old schooners which piled the lake.
Kenosha people have come to take
the lake as matter of fact. They
ran at it when it grows boister0us and
threw the surf high in the air until it
makes cushion of ice for the break
ing of the waves, but they never stop to
think what value it is. They take
the cooling breeze which breaks the
heat Of summer as something they
have paid for by enduring the north
east winds Of the winter.
This year more than ever before,
Kenosha people have realized the value
of Lake Michigan. They have bathed
in it's cooling waters and romped in it's
tide swept surf and they have begun
to appreciate what it is that the
stranger in the city means when he
wants to spend most of his time over
along the beach. To him it is not an
old story. The ripple of the water is
telling him Of comforts that he has
pever known before.
Old Lake Michigan is Kenosha's
greatest asset and it should be a mat
ter of concern for the officials of the
city to protect it as great asset.
Lake Michigan, when the Indians
found it years ago, was great body
Of pure spring water. Since then cities
have grown up along its banks and men
unconscious of the danger, have pour
ed the contents of sewers and the re-
fuse of great manufacturing plants in
to the waters of the lake until they
have become polluted. Bathers in the
lake are wallowing in the sewage of a
half dozen cities and the water sup
plies of these same cities have been
made dangerous because modern SAM
tary methods have not been followed.
Within few years the thoughtless
officials Of lake shore cities are to be
called to an accounting for federal en-
actment of laws which will stop the
pollution Of the waters Of the lake with
sewage and refuse from factories Right
now is the time for the officials of the
city of Kenosha to take steps to meet
the demand that is to be made on them.
Kenosha is not going to be permitted to
dump the sewerage of the city over the
breakwaters for an indefinite time.
The city is not going to be allowed to
endanger the lives of its people by
typhoid infection. Right now is the
time to act to secure some plan for the
reduction Of every ounce of the con-
tents Of sewers which are to go into
the lake. A few years ago property for
reduction plants and reservoirs could
have been bought for very small sum
of money. 1T will cost more now and
In years to come when the national gov
eminent forces Kenosha to act in this
matter it win cost indefinitely more.
The city should at this time secure the
purchase of lake shore property at
three places along the water front to
be used for purposes of this kind Pos
sibly the purchases could be made with
a view of using the property for a
park as well as a place for a plant to
protect the lake water from further
pollution. Kenosha is spending nearly
half million dollars to build a water
plant. Is the city so narrow minded
as to continue to have plant pump
ing polluted water from the lake9
The man who has opposed proper
care of sewage in Kenosha has always
referred to the fact that water at Ke-
nosha would be polluted by other cities.
Let it be said right now that the
greatest offender in befouling the
water of the city of Kenosha is that
same city Of Kenosha. 1t may be that
some of the sewage from other cities
drifts into the waters near Kenosha,
but all of the sewage of Kenosha is be-
ing poured into the lake and near the
the homes of Kenosha people. The
city's health is already in danger on
account of lack of provision to carry
off or reduce the contents of the sew
ers. With the growth of the city the
conditions become even more of