of American architecture," said Mr. Page, "when we had all gone wild about mansard roofing and the Queen Anne style, there suddenly arose a city within a city, a city like a dream. Chicago, the parent city, had been regarded as the very center of commercialism, but it gave birth to the 'White City' which sprang up on the shores of Lake Michigan. The great Exposition which it housed was supposed to represent the triumphs of commerce and of trade, but in its planning and construction the White City really did represent the greatest example of modern genius." The great impetus given to the World's Peace Movement by means of Mr. Andrew Carnegie's gift of ten millions of dollars as an endowment for this purpose, was commented upon by Mr. H. N. Higinbotham in an address made on the 18th of December, 1910, in Chicago. Mr. Higinbotham recalled the work of the World's Congresses at the Exposition, which he regarded "as the sowing of the seed that resulted in the beautiful flower of Mr. Andrew Carnegie's munificent endowment, the fruitage of which will undoubtedly be 'Universal Peace in all the Earth.' Further, referring to Mr. Page's address in Washington Mr. Higinbotham said: "Thomas Nelson Page has most graciously acknowledged that our World's Columbian Exposition was an inspiration in architecture, a dream city that will never die; although as a material entity it disappeared even more quickly than it sprang into being."

CHAPTER XLVII

SANITARY DISTRICT

FIRST MOVEMENT FOR DRAINAGE CHANNEL-PROBLEM OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL FLOOD DISCHARGES COMPLICATE THE PROBLEM-COUNCIL

TAKES ACTION-COMMISSION AUTHORIZED ENGINEERS APPOINTED REPORT OF THE ENGINEERS ESTIMATES OF COST-WATER POWER CONSIDERED PURE DRINKING WATER ASSURED COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE LEGISLATURE-LAW CREATING SANITARY DISTRICT ENACTED IN 1889-PROVISIONS OF THE ACT JUDGE HURD'S SERVICES-SANITARY DISTRICT BEGINS LEGAL EXISTENCE-BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTED BOUNDARIES OF DISTRICT -TOPOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT DIVIDE-THE CHICAGO AND DESPLAINES RIVER-LYMAN E. COOLEY FIRST ENGINEER-COOLEY'S REPORT AND RESIGNATION-FREQUENT CHANGES OF ENGINEERS "SHOVEL DAY," SEPTEMBER 3, 1892-FIRST EARTH TURNED BY PRESIDENT WENTER-WENTER'S ADDRESS OTHER ADDRESSES-SEVEN YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION WORK-ISHAM RANDOLPH BECOMES CHIEF ENGINEER JUNE 7, 1893-SANITARY CANAL OPENED JANUARY 2, 1900-THE GOVERNOR'S PERMIT DETAILS OF THE OPENING GREAT PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE EVENT.

FIRST MOVEMENT FOR DRAINAGE CHANNEL

HE Citizens' Association of Chicago, through the newspapers and printed pamphlets, began, in 1880, the work of creating and fostering a public sentiment which demanded better drainage for the city. Expert examinations were made by the association and their results made public, and although the suggestions made by the association were not always practical, "they kept the people thinking, a very useful preliminary to public legislation." Of the various plans proposed the one which received the approval of the committee on drainage, appointed by the association, provided for the construction of an entirely new canal or channel, to be called "New River," to start from the West fork of the South Branch, running between the old canal and the Desplaines river and ending at Joliet, a distance of thirty-one and a half miles. To carry out this project would require legislative action creating a drainage district. The estimated cost of the New River was nearly seven millions of dollars.

The Fullerton avenue conduit, something over two miles long, was completed in 1880. It was a brick tunnel twelve feet in diameter, built along Fullerton avenue from the lake to the North Branch. Pumping machinery was placed at the river end and water could be pumped into the river from the lake or into the lake from the river as might be required. This conduit, however, was not able to keep the North Branch clear of offensive sewage; for even after it was finished and at work the sewage in that stream continued to increase. It was found that more ef

ficient means for flushing the North Branch must be provided, though this problem has had to wait many years for its solution.

The extraordinarily rapid growth of the city with the consequent greatly increased discharge of sewage soon made it evident that the Illinois and Michigan canal was utterly inadequate as a channel of drainage. Early in August, 1885, a heavy flood on the Desplaines swept over the divide into the South Branch and carried the entire contents of the river out into the lake. The pollution of the city water supply was so intolerable that action was hastened to remedy the drainage conditions. Another committee made a report soon after the flood occurred. This committee was composed of Ossian Guthrie, Lyman E. Cooley, F. W. Reilly, William Rutherford, Charles A. McDonald, David Bradley, J. J. Glessner, and Edwin Lee Brown. In the report of this committee it was stated that the water of Lake Michigan in its natural condition was perfectly satisfactory, but that the water supply of the city was frequently, and during considerable periods of time, dangerously contaminated; and that the river water and sewage have, on several occasions, reached the crib "in an unbroken flow;" and attention was called to the danger in the future from such "flood discharges." The closing of the OgdenWentworth ditch permanently was recommended. "For ten years at least," said the committee, "the ordinary flow of the Desplaines from a watershed of many hundred square miles has come to Chicago to complicate her main drainage and render the canal ineffective; and with each year larger proportions of flood waters find their outlet in this direction, threatening a complete diversion at an early day, unless remedial measures are adopted." This committee concluded its report by urging the appointment of an expert Commission whose duty it should be to make an exhaustive investigation of the whole subject of sewage disposal.

ACTION BY THE COMMON COUNCIL

The great interest in the matter taken by the Chicago Citizen's Association, together with the urgent appeals of the press, prompted the City Council to pass a resolution authorizing the creation of a "Drainage and Water Supply Commission." This resolution was adopted on January 27, 1886. Heretofore all the committees had been of a private character, and their reports made to a private organization. But now the first official step was taken by the Chicago Common Council in the movement which resulted in the excavation of the great Drainage Canal, one of the greatest engineering achievements of the nineteenth century. We shall feel justified, in view of the importance of the subject, in giving the full text of the preambles and resolution adopted by the Council.

TEXT OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING COMMISSION

"Whereas, Pure water and scientific drainage are necessities of this community, and the people demand a system of water supply and drainage adequate to meet the requirements not only of the present, but of years to come, nor will any temporary expedient or makeshift satisfy them; and

"Whereas, A thorough and permanent system of supplying pure water to our citizens and caring for the drainage of the municipality cannot be paid for out of current taxation, therefore it is desired that a plan shall be devised and perfected