Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-04-01
REGULATES HEIGHT OF
STREAM AT -1201
CHICAGO DATUM
CITY CAN PROTEST
PROVIDES THAT FORMAL OBJEC-
TIONS CAN BE FILED IN CASE
SEWAGE SYSTEMS ARE I'M
PAIRED BY EXCESS FLOW IN
RIVER.

That the Lowien waterway bill
throws ample protection around Otta
wa, as safeguards against floods, reg
ulating the height of water and pre-
venting destructian of the city's vast
sewer system, is the Chamber of Com
merce verdict after a close scrutiny
of the pending legislation which now
is before both branches of the Illinois
legislature.
Chairman Clarence Griggs of the
Chamber of Commerce waterway com,
mittee has just completed very
careful study of the law, followin'
which he has reached the decision
that all the features embodied in the
Dunno No. 3 plan, which has been
modified to meet Governor Lowden's
requirements, are contained in the
blu which now seems certain of pas
sage before the present legislature ad.
journs The bill was drawn by
Charles r. Woodward of the law firm
of Woodward & Hibbs OF Ottawa.
Mr.. Woodward is Governor L0Wden
personal counsel ON all important
matters effecting state legislation III
the Chamber of Commerce report IL is
pointed out that the waterway starts
at the end OF the sanitary district
channel at Lockport and runs to Utica.
The general route is by way of the
Illinois and Desplaines rivers, but il
at any point it is not practicable o.
feasible to use the river sections o.
the Illinois Canal may be used OF
channels constructed outside of the
rivers. The minimum depth in earth
tions ten feet. The minimum Width
of locks is 10 feet and the minimum
length 600 feet. The department o.
public works and buildings has large
powers in relation to The construction
and maintenance of the waterway. Al
land taken or damaged will be paid
for
Section II provides that wherever
and operation of the waterway exist
ing drainage or sewer systems con
structed or maintained in any city are
destroyed or materially interferad
with the department of public works
and buildings, at its own expense.
shall alter, rebuild or reconstruct
them, so as to restore the same to as
good efficiency as found when the
work began. Section IS provides that
when the plans and specifications shall
have been perfected they shall first be
submitted to the city councils and vii
lage boards of the cities and villages
along the line of the waterway before
construction is commenced
The city council may then, withi1
thirty days, file objections, if the
plans do not provide adequate pro
lection against damage from overflow
or food water, or do not provide ade
quately for the altering, rebuilding or
construction of the drainage or sewer
systems, or public works and bridges
which will be interfered with, or Il
they do not provide for the proper 10
cation of public landing places. The
bill provides that on the filing of such
objections the department viii en-
deavor to adjust any differences. Ii
found necessary to review or check
the plans, the objecting city may EN-
ploy an engineer at the expense of the
department. If the two cannot agree,
the circuit judge shall appoint a third.
and the decision of a majority of the
board is final
Section 20 provides that in the con
struction of the waterway through OF
taWa the elevation OF the water level
at normal stage at the Illinois River
bridge shall not exceed the elevation
of minus 1201s feet, Chicago city
datum. (It is stated that this repre-
sents the water at Ottawa ten feet
above low water mark.) This section
especially provides that any dam con
structed shall be of such design that