Year: 1869

An accident of a serious nature occurred YES
terday forenoon, which will affect the domestic
comfort of the residents of the West Division to
a rather unpleasant degree About II o'clock
the Lafrentee, a vessel laden with lumber, was
towing by the tug Crawford from the South
Branch along the river in the vicinity of the
Chicago avenue bridge. Contrary to the pro-
visions of the city ordinance she was proceeding
stern foremost and dragging her anchor, which
struck the main pipe which supplies the West
Division and sprung a huge leak The pipe runs
from the water works along Chicago avenue
and dips about three feet under the bed of the
river. 1t is two-foot pipe, and forms the prin-
cipal main from which the entire West Side
draws its supply of water. The leak was at
once detected by an unwonted commotion in the
river-the water boiling up from below and
creating quite q current The anchor chain of
the vessel was broken. and the anchor was left
at the bottom of the river.


Information of the occurrence was at once
communicated to the Board of Public Works
who lost no time in taking the proper steps to
remedy the evil. Messrs. Fox and Howard con-
veyed their pile-driving machinery and material
to the spot and the worllmen set about making
the necessary preparations for building a Golfer
dam. Most of the afternoon was occupied in
dragging for the lost anchor, when the precise
character of the injury done to the pipe could
be ascertained. The leak appears to be q very
heavy one, and its influence was quickly per-
ceived throughout the entire West Division yes
terday, by the slackening of the regular supply


The cost of erecting the coffer-dam and re-
pairing the pipe will probably amount to over
$1,000, while the inconvenience to citizens will
be serious indeed The supply from that quar-
ter will have to be cut off for at least a week.
and the only remaining sources of supply are
One-foOt pipe which runs under the river at
Adams street and a two-feet pipe crossing the
river at Twelfth street. These will, to some
extent, supply the demand, but very made
quately, inasmuch as the South Side has in the
first place to be satisfied.


The West Side people will hear of the disaster
with some alarm. Their prospects for at leastVa
week to come are not pleasing to contemplate
and it is to be hoped that the Board of Public
Works will see that the work of repairing the
pipe is proceeded with vigorously by day and
night, and without an hours delay. The acci-
dent may also teach a useful lesson in causing
the city ordinances to be more rigidly enforced
1t appears that the ordinance prohibiting ves-
sells from dragging their anchors in the river is
ncy0r .nded to. The result is calamity
which will be felt very deeply by a large portion
OF the community.


Now there are two other things to oe done
One is to Immediately arrest and prosecute,
with all the power of the law. the captain who
wantonly endangered the safety, health, and
comfort of one hundred thousand people. If he
we're sent to prison for fifteen years and his vessel
c0nfisCated, it would not be adequate compensa-
ton for what he has done.


The next thing is that for Il few days. at least,
people must get along with as little water as
they can, using it judiciously in all parts of the
city and not squandering it, With such pre-
cautions and with unremitting labor on the part
of the Board, we hope that the citizens of the
West Division will get on with rs little trouble
as possible.-C Chicago Tribune, Aug. 10.