Year: 1871

X,
and will have building up and occupied
speedily. In fact there is scarcely block
in the burned district on which buildings will
not more than usually severe, the advent of
spring will witness very substantial progress
made in the work Of rebuilding the " Burnt
District


THE WATER SUPPLY.


From the Chicago Tribune, Oct. 10.


Next to the supply Of food to the
starving, and shelter to the perishing,
the question Of water is the all-absorb
ing one. A feverish uneasiness upon
this subject pervades the entire city,
for no one can tel at what moment the
conhagration may be resumed in the
West or the remaining portions of the
South Divisions, with no power to check
the progress of the flames. The steady
rain of Saturday afternoon and evening
was an inestimable blessing, as it filled
up cisterns emptied by the months of
dry weather, and enabled everybody TO
collect small stock of water against
the need which may arise any instant.
Still, our condition in this respect is
one Of almost absolute helplessness,
since, with the exception of the dis.
tricts Immediately adjacent to the
river, the fire engines would be practi-
cally useless in dealing with fire.


A force of nearly three hundred of
the best machinists in the city has been
collected and divided into day and
night sets, so that the work is not al
lowed to flag for an instant. A close
examination of affairs has revealed the
fact that the largest Of the three en-
gines-the one situated in the northern
part Of the building--is but slightly
damaged at least it can be fully re-
stored, so that we are spared the long
and dangerous delay which would be
involved in case it were necessary to
put in an entirely new engine. Under
the able and sleepless supervision of
Mr.. Cregier, Chief Engineer Of the
Water Works, Mr.. Chesborough, City
Engineer, and Mr.. Locke, Assistant
Engineer in the Water Department, the
monster engine is being rapidly and
thoroughly overhauled in all its parts
by the army of skilled mechanics. which
has been organized for the purpose.
The complicated machine, with its will
derness of details and connections, is
being completely atomized, each separ-
ate part, no matter how minute, under
going the most rigid scrutiny and re-
pair. Nothing is sighted or hurried
over, for upon the integrity Of the parts
depends the utility of the whole. For.
tunately, the foundations were not dis
turbed and the engine can be repaired
as it stands. The pumps beneath, and
the connections with the lake tunnel,
are for the most part intact, only re.
quiring repacking and retouching. All
these ramifcations had been more or
less injured, to be sure, but not so much
so but that the engine can be set in
operation, and continued until other ar
rangements can be perfected.


The capacity OF the engine upon
which we must depend for our water
supply during the next six months at
least, is eighteen millions of gallons per
day, which will be more than sufficient
to give the remaining portion of the
city an entirely adequate supply of
water, with as strong head as ever be-
fore. Direct connection will be made
with the South Side through the twenty
four inch main which crosses the river
at State street bridge; while the great
main along Chicago avenue and passing
through the tunnel under the north
branch at that point, will provide for
the West Division as before. The un-
burnt district of the North Side will be
supplied through the North Clark street
main.


Everybody is intensely eager to know
4 hn Il ,,,l oh ha
supply Of lake water will be renewed.
For fear of disappointment by reason
OF some difficulty not now contemplate
ed, the Board of Public Works desire
that no explicit promise be made as to
the time. Enough, however, was learn
ed 10y our reporter, on yesterday, TO
warrant the statement that by the MD
die, or, at the furthest, the latter part,
of the present week, the large engine
at the Water Works will be in running
order, furnishing the city with COM
plete supply of pure lake water.


The water tower, adjacent to the
Water Works, and to the top Of which
the water is forced for the purpose of
giving to it the head requisite to carry
it to the upper stories of buildings, is
wholly uninjured, and stands in readi-
ness to perform its important part. The
time required to repair the engine will
be profitably employed elsewhere by
setting to work large force of laborers.
under competent supervision, to detach
mains and service pipes in
the burnt districts, so that there will be
no waste when the water is turned on.


VISITING THE RUINS.


The South Side for the last two DAYS
has been decidedly the most promising
portion of the city. The magnificent
residence portion Of the city left un-
burned has been rapidly turned into a
city OF the present, and the city of the
past has shown encouraging signs of
Sufficient time has now
elapsed to enable the houseless firms to
get into new quarters, and the result
has been that about every second house
has hung out sign, and the large firms
of the past are getting into temporary
offices with what stock remained to
them. The banks have taken the lead
and are now nearly all situated within
a radius of ten blocks from the corner
Of Harrison street and Wabash avenue.
1t is perhaps the most encouraging
sign FOR the future that nearly every