Year: 1863

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CHICAGO 1iIvKIl.


It will not, we think, be seriously pre-
tended By any one cognizant Of tho facts,
that the recent aclion Of the Common
Council in reference to the Improvement
Of the contents of Chicago River, Is any
tLing more than a n,akc.sflift- temporary
Arrangement whereby tho loud complaints
Of citizens may be hllaycd until something
else can be done. Tho magnitude Of tho
interests involved forlids tue supposition
that the city can be permanently depend.
cnt upon the pleasure Of tho Trustees Of
the Canal, for insuring the purity md
hcalthfulncss Of the river. It must not be
at the mercy Of any body or anything for
thatpurpose. So tar rs possible, it should
hold in its own hands the regulation and
management Of what concerns it so nearly,
It must do 50.


Again, We take it that nobody who
knows why Chicago was built upon the
ground on which it stands, and the char
actcr of the business thatL made the CITY
what it is, will say that the large distil1er-
les, slaughter houses, packing establish
mcnts, glue factories, ETC., ETC., upon which,
so much Of the prosperity Of the city de-
pends, can be driven out Of town,
or, that standing where they are, they
can be permanently denied the
use Of the river as a great sewer by
which the refuse and useless matter
can he carried of to the Lake. when
that is done, and when the raw material
and nayigab1e water are divorced, pack
ing, distilling and manufacturing may each
be as well and chcap1y done, fifty or
two hundred miles from this point, in the
middle Of some great prairie, as in Chicago.
Hogs and cattle are driven here in such
immense numbers, making this the greatest
beet and pork market in the world, solely
because the river affords facilities for pre-
pairing them in the quickest, cheapest and
best manner for conversion into gold in the
markets Of the Atlantic States and the old
world. To take away or materially lessen
those facilities, and thereby narrow the
margin for profit, would be to divert to
other and better ordered places, large
share Of the business that the city now en-
joys; and the men who are now clamorins
for the removal Of the "nuisances" would
find when they have gone, that they had
removed large percentage Of the popula-
ton Of tie city along with them. The
wise way is, then, TO make such public ar
rangement, and at the cost of the city, as
will not only remove all causes Of com
plant on the score Of comfort. and health,
but which will at the same time invite the
further growth and more prosperous de-
velopment Of the particular branches Of
industry and commerce about which such
d hullaboo is now made. To this end, it
is imperative that the public authorities
should provide for such frequent changes
Of the water in the river, by some
permanent and sufficient improvement, that
the public nose will not be offended by tile
smell Of of1al, and that ill hands will
agree TINT the public health will not be i'm
paired. We do not pretend to say what:
that improycmentshall be; that is the work
ofintelligcnt and careful engineers. We.
only plead for the Inauguration Of soma
plan without any further delay-some
plan, no matter what it costs, that will be
equal TO the object to be accomplished.
We forsee plainly enough that the use Of
the river as great sewer is inconsistent
with the usecof the water at Or near the
mouth for the supply Of the water.works,
and that removal Of the pumping en-
gines to a point much further North will
become fit is NOW ipdeed} an instant ma
ceseity. To that aloo, uu1tss the Canal
bill should pass Congress In SUCH 2 shape
as to insure the speedy construction Of the
work contemplated thereby, our people
will be compelled to accede; and no hope
that they are so convinced Of its Importance
that they Will not willino1,- consent to have
tbe mote -s.oppeu out Of sight until all
that is required is done-until the business
that our city must do if it does any, and
the health and comfort that to be prosper
GUS it must offer to all who live therein, can
be brought into such agreement that We
shall hear no more complaint.