The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-09
CHICAGO DRAINAGE
CAUSES BIG TROUBLE
Level of Great Lakes Lower.
ed to a Harmful
Degree.
BY gibson GARDNER.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 9.-Lake Mic.
higan and the other Great lakes are
leaking Chicago has Illegally tapped
them and the water is going out so
fast that the harbor entrances and
channels between the lakes are be.
ing Swallowed. This inconvenience
shipping and threatens to burden the
federal government with and adhit-
ional expenditure of many millions
TO deepen the harborS and channels.
An injunction to preevnt the water
theft is pending in the United States
District Court for the Northern Dis
trict OF lllinois-has been pending
since 190S-but eight years is moth
ing to court.
The Secretary OF War thinks it is
about time something was done and
has communicated this opinion 10 Con
gress.
The trouble began with ChiCago's
notion that the best way to dispose
Of its sewage would he TO reverse the
current of the Chicago rive which
has become the city's sewer and
which was dumping the sewage into
the lake, whence the city drew its
water supply. and To have tho river
flow from Lake Michigan into the
Illinois River and thence into the
Mississippi and the Gulf Of Mexico.
For this purpose the city organic
cd what is called tho Drainage bis.
triCt" and dug thirty foot channel
connecting upper branch Of the Chi.
cago River with tho Illinois River.
By cutting the divide between the
watershed of the Great Lakes and
that OF the Mississippi the course of
the Chicago River Was in fact rcvcr-
sed and it has been flowing "up hill"
for n number Of years, with water
taken from Lake Michigan The re.
suit. so far as sewage is concerned, is
beneficial to Chicago. The sewage
Is diluted and distributed over wide
precipitation area and is undoubtedly
dissipated and destroyed by action of
the sun and air without contaminat-
ing the Mississippi. but the water of
Lake Michigan and the other lakes
are being lowered.
When the canal was first opened,
application was made to the War De-
partment for permission to tap Lake
Michigan. The War Department felt
that the request was rather a grave
one and declined to either deny or
assent, and compromised by grant.
Ing a temporary license. This was
In 1899. The canal and drainage sy.
stem had cost Chicago moro millions
than have ever been summed up and
1t seemed necessary to let the work
60 on. The temporary permission aut-
horized the diversion Of 41G7 cubic
feet per second OF Lake Michigan
water. Nevertheless. Say Secretary
OF War Baker" the Sanitary District
has for many years been withdrawing
much larger amount OF water than
was authorized by this permit. Up.
on two different occasions the SAM.
tary District has refused conform
TO decisions Of the Secretary declin.
Ing to grant authority for larger div.
ersions and has declared its intent.
ion 10 continue excess diversions un.
less prevented by Injunction"
1t was this decision which resulted
IN application for injunctions in 1905
which case, as before stated. is still
being pondered on by the court.
From the beginning. says the Sec
rotary of War, "the operations OF the
Sanitary District have been looked
upon with disfavor by navigation in.
terests and the Secretary of War has
not only declined to increase the div. !
sion temporarily authorized. but has
adhered to the discision that the per.
NIT granted was OF temporary char.
acter and that no permanent diver.
sion OF the waters of Lake Michigan |
could he made without express aut.
hority from Congress"
The growth Of population in Chica-
80 makes necessary larger diversions