66 Mr. Stone continued, If you will refer to the Chicago Herald Examiner of January 26, you will find a financial report of the Sanitary District of Chicago, and you will find the Peoria law firm of Daily, Miller, McCormick & Radley on the list as having received $12,500 for professional services for 1923, while not a case of any kind was tried during the year. It is known by all that Mr. Daily is a senator in the Illinois General Assembly. "Barr & Barr, attorneys for Joliet, are on the list as having received $15,000 for 1923," said Mr. Stone, "and Mr. Barr is also a member of the general assembly. "A Mr. Fahy, of Toluca, who is also a member of the general assembly, is on the list for $3,000 for professional services rendered the sanitary district, and he is a barber when at home." Mr. Stone denounced such expenditures to "stifle legislation" as being on a plane with the Teapot Dome scandal. He referred to Congressman Hull's appeal of recent date to newspaper editors "not to kill the goose which laid the golden egg" and said the sanitary district is indeed the goose which lays the golden egg for certain politicians. Mr. Stone denounced the Sanitary District of Chicago as "the biggest outlaw in Illinois for 24 years." The Illinois Legislature permitted the flow of 4,167 cubic feet of water per second, some years ago, but he said Chicago had been turning into the sewage canal 10,000 cubic feet for years. He cited authority to show that not more than 1,000 cubic feet is needed for sanitary purposes, and that more than 3,000 cubic feet would be detrimental to navigation and asked, "Why, then, does the sanitary district demand 10,000 cubic feet?" His answer was, "Water Power." He states that $1,000,000 worth of power is generated and sold by the sanitary district each year, and this is trying to be maintained. "Frank Quinn, a Peoria attorney, wrote the deep waterway bill presented to Congress by Mr. Hull," said Mr. Stone, "and Mr. Quinn received $6,500 from the Chicago Sanitary District during 1923 for professional services," said he. The bill is made in the form of a perpetual contract or grant, and when made can not be changed by Congressional enactment. Any recourse for violation would have to be brought in the form of a damage suit, according to Mr. Stone. He showed that there was no enforcing nor forfeiture provisions in the bill, as it now stands. "This so-called deep water way bill presented by Mr. Hull is only a guise behind which the sanitary district wants to get a perpetual contract to turn in 10,000 cubic feet of Lake Michigan water for power purposes, and I am amazed that the Representative of the sixteenth district should sponsor the bill," declared Mr. Stone. They want the water now, although the water way will not be completed for 10 or 15 years if the bill passes. Senator McCormick admits that the bill he presented was done at the request of the sanitary district, and the first seven or eight pages of the Hull bill are copied from the McCormick bill." Chicago is the only city in America which imposes its sewage on other cities in as nefarious way as it does. Cleveland has a reduction plant and the solid matter taken from the sewage is sold for enough to repay for the building of the plant. The laws of Illinois demand that Chicago must remove all solid matter from the sewage before it is turned into the Illinois River, but it has never been done." "If the Hull bill passes Chicago will have until 1945 to put in these reduction plants." THE CHICAGO CESSPOOL. [Letter published in the Henry (Ill.) News-Republican, March 20, 1924.] The Sanitary District of Chicago has uncovered its hand, for once, to the people of our State in spreading its full-page advertisements over the papers of our State. For once, it has shown the high-handed methods used in carrying out its selfish purposes and its utter disregard for the interests and welfare of other people. It made a number of supposed possible disasters to its property values. In the case of all the property owners from Joliet to Grafton these disastrous conditions are facts, not suppositions, to the extent of many million dollars, and covering a period of many years-all the result of diversion of water and sewage down the Illinois River by the sanitary district. This advertisement also supposes that the lives of Chicago children may be jeopardized. At Ottawa two boys have died, one from swimming in the poisoned Illinois River, the other from tetanus infected into a broken leg exposed to the river water. Not suppositions-but facts. The upper Illinois is a poisoned stream of death. No fish can live in it. No one knows when milk cows may drink this water and spread disease. The odors from this river from Peoria to Joliet are unspeakable. Who knows when a frightful epidemic may arise from this moving cesspool and slay its thousands! But what does Chicago care, if it can save its money on its reduction plants and its children are safe! The sanitary district has defied the War Department for many years. A Federal injunction lay dormant for 15 years, but was finally ruled against the district. This injunction is now in the Supreme Court. All Secretaries of War have refused to allow more than 4,167 cubic feet per second of water from Lake Michigan. The district has knowingly taken more and more and for eight years has been diverting an average of 10,000 cubic feet. It has known all this time that this was illegal. Just why did they not install reduction plants, and not thus knowingly and willfully jeopardize the lives of our children? Just why should property owners over a territory 350 miles long suffer intolerable losses and be exposed to poisonous sewage in order to retrieve the follies of an unscrupulous sanitary district of Chicago? Chicago's pitiful plea for the welfare of its children is an open confession of the meanness of its contention. No other city in the world claiming to be civilized would plead for the right to pollute a great river-just to save itself some money. London, with a population of 7,000,000, has used sewage reduction plants for over 30 years. So has Berlin and Paris and most of our larger American cities. Chicago is spending more money with a lavish hand on its internal improvements-why not care for its sewage problems first and not force countless thousands of down-State people to bear the burden of cost and the stench of its backyard cesspool! This full page ad does not tell the people of Illinois about the great power companies that keep their lascivious eyes on the power sites on the upper Illinois. It does not tell about how many millions these sites will be worth, or who will get them at a profitable figure from their politicians who will be in power. It does not tell the names of the lawyers and politicians all the way from Joliet down to Beardstown, and members of our State assembly who are receiving fat salaries for the privilege of betraying their home towns and surrounding territories by forcing them to yield to Chicago's wishes. It does not tell the people of our State that no politician can get by in his election unless he first subscribes his name to the will and policies of the Chicago interests which are back of this demand for 10,000 cubic feet of water. A representative of this district is quoted in a Beardstown paper thus: "He recalled how an appropriation of $350,000 for the construction of protecting works was passed by the Illinois General Assembly and how in that appropriation Beardstown had the support and assistance of the Cook County senatoros and representatives, in exchange for a promise on their part to cooperate with Chicago interests in maintaining the flow of water from Lake Michigan. The Chicago interests still stood ready to fulfill their agreement. They stand ready to provide that protection (for Beardstown) even if it cost $2,000,000." Just where this money would come from the speaker did not say. And this little city, ostensibly, is working hand in hand with the Chicago interests. It has sold its soul for a mess of pottage. Apparently, we unfortunate people of the Illinois River Valley are sold for a price. The representatives of the sanitary district predominate in all the river cities. The people have no voice in the matter. The landowners of the valley have suffered frightful losses due to this large volume of water flooding the valley. Their fight against so powerful and unscrupulous a corporation seems to be hopeless. But we cling to an ever-increasing confidence that youthe people of our great State-will not desert us in this time of our great need. We have faith in the good judgment and sense of fairness of our American people. We refuse to believe that our attractive valley and all its people will be laid on the altar as a living sacrifice to satisfy the god of greed and political graft as represented by Chicago interests. Our case will be considered by the Rivers and Harbors Committee in Congress this week. We appeal to the chivalry and gallant spirit of our Great American press to give publicity to this article so that all our American people may know and understand. We appeal to you the People of Illinois-to appeal by letter or tetlegram to this committee or any Member of Congress to give common American justice to a weak and much wronged people. By so doing, you will help make our State and our country safe for the common people. JOSEPH P. KERR, President Association of Drainage and Levee Districts of Illinois. MILWAUKEE, WIS., March 14, 1924, Hon. S. WALLACE DEMPSEY, Chairman Rivers and Harbors Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We are informed by the secretary of the Board of Harbor Commissioners of Milwaukee that the date has been set for a hearing before your committee on House bill 7044, which will permit a flow out of Lake Michigan of 10,000 cubic feet of water per second for the flushing of sewage of the city of Chicago through the drainage canal. The Milwaukee Civic Council wishes to hereby file with your honorable com mittee a most emphatic protest against this selfishness of the city of Chicago in profiting at the expense of other lake cities. The Milwaukee Civic Council consists of organizations representing 7000 voters who are fully aware of the harm that will accrue to this city which depends largely upon its harbor and lake shipping for its freight service. Milwaukee is spending millions of dollars for the disposal of its sewage and aiso for the development of its harbor, and it is no more than just that the city of Chicago should make plans for the same purpose without infringing upon the rights of others. We feel that it will be only a matter of years when the 10,000 cubic feet will not be adequate for the purpose desired and it is surely up to your honorable committee to stop this practice of using the lake for a flushing device for lake cities, and permit one city to take the water that others are trying to purify, by expensive sewage disposal plants. Assuring you that the Milwaukee Civic Council is organized to concentrate all efforts toward civic welfare and improvement, and convinced that our protest as stated above is not only reasonable, but eminently equitable, and will receive the consideration of your honorable committee that it deserves, we are, Very sincerely yours, MILWAUKEE CIVIC COUNCIL, Secretary-Treasurer. B. E. BROWN, President. Hon. S. WALLACE DEMPSEY, Chairman Rivers and Harbors Committee, NAPLES, ILL., March 14, 1924. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We have been advised that H. R. 5475, bill introduced by Mr. William E. Hull, is to be presented for hearing before your committee on March 17. We wish to go on record as being strongly opposed to the approval and passage of this bill, as it is purely a Chicago Sanitary District measure and will not provide the protection that should be allowed the cities and property owners in the Illinois River Valley. Naples was at one time a thriving river town prior to the diversion of water into the Illinois River from Lake Michigan through the sanitary district channel. Since this diversion Naples has been subjected to numerous overflows which have almost completely wiped out the property values and caused a 50 per cent decrease in the population. There has been no disposition upon the part of the sanitary district to compensate the residents for their losses. Any bill that is approved in committee or passed by Congress which provides for any diversion of water into the Illinois River should first provide for both past and future damage compensation. Before any bill whatsoever is consid ered, a committee from Congress should visit the Illinois River Valley points and view the conditions existing. The Sanitary Distrct of Chicago is making a plea for more water on the ground of the possible danger to the lives of their children and property values due to the possible insanitary conditions that might exist if they are refused this water. They give no thought to the danger which has faced the valley people the past few years. In 1922, 400 men, women, and children in Naples were driven from their homes when the levee at Naples broke. This break occcurred on the last 6 inches of raise in the Illinois River. At that time we are advised that the sanitary district was taking 15,600 second-feet of water from Lake Michigan by measure computed by Army engineers. This alone would raise the river at Naples several feet and therefore was responsible for the conditions existing in Naples at that time. Yours very truly, MELTON MOORE, Mayor. NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., February 26, 1924. Washington, D. C. S. WALLACE DEMPSEY, M. C., DEAR SIR: Inclosed herewith please find certified copy of a resolution relative to water diversion of the Great Lakes system at Chicago, which was adopted at a meeting of the council of this city held February 25, 1924, and I was directed to send a certified copy of the same to you. Respectfully, GEO. J. RICKERT, City Clerk. I hereby certify that the following resolution was adopted at a meeting of the council held February 25, 1924: Whereas there have been introduced in the Congress of the United States certain bills having for their true purpose the attempted legalization of the diversion from the Great Lakes system at Chicago of a large amount of water now taken from Lake Michigan by the so-called Sanitary District of Chicago, which water is not returned in any way to said Great Lakes system; and Whereas there is also pending in the Supreme Court of the United States an appeal by said Sanitary District of Chicago from a judgment or decree in a suit of the United States of America restraining it from diversion in excess of 250,000 cubic feet per minute; and Whereas the diversion of any water from said Great Lakes system, without returning the same thereto, is in violation of the fundamental principles of the common law, and is exceedingly harmful to the State of New York, both in its effect upon navigation on the Great Lakes and connecting rivers and upon the supply of water available for power development in the Niagara and St. Lawrence Rivers, the amount so taken out at Chicago being the equivalent of 300,000 horsepower at Niagara Falls; and Whereas the amount of water now being permanently abstracted by said Sanitary District of Chicago is unnecessary for any proper purposes of the city of Chicago or of the State of Illinois, and such abstraction is exceedingly harmful to the Niagara frontier, whose progress and growth are largely dependent upon commerce of the Great Lakes and the development of hydroelectric energy, and tends to reduce the amount of water that may be diverted from the Niagara River for power purposes without injury to the scenic grandeur of Niagara: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Niagara Falls, That (1) it is opposed to any legislation having for its real purpose the attempted legalization of diversions of water from the Great Lakes system without any return thereof to such system, particularly the bill H. R. 5475 of the Sixty-eighth Congress, known as the Hull bill, and the bill H. R. 7044, known as the Madden bill, and that a certified copy of this resolution be filed with each of the Representatives in Congress from this district and the Senators from the State of New York, as well as the Rivers and Harbors Committee of the House of Representatives. (2) That the mayor be authorized to appoint a committee of three from the officials of this city to attend at Washington in opposition to these measures upon any hearing that may be given in respect thereto. (3) That a certified copy of this resolution be filed with the attorney general of the State of New York with the respectful request that in view of the enormous interests of this State affected by the proposed legislation and the litigation referred to, he take steps to protect the interests of the State of New York in the subject matter by intervening in said suit in the Supreme Court or otherwise. (4) That a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to the New York State Water, Power Commission for its attention. Witness my hand and seal this 26th day of February, 1924. [SEAL.] GEO. J. RICHERT, City Clerk. Hon. F. W. DEMPSEY, [Telegram.] NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., March 17, 1924. Chairman Rivers and Harbors Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: Prevented by sudden illness from attending hearing Chicago drainage canal bill to-morrow. City counsel directed me to appear and oppose same. Wish to file opposing brief. Wire last date can do so. GEO. W. KNOX, Corporation Counsel. [Telegram.] OGDENSBURG, N. Y., March 20, 1924. RIVERS AND HARBORS COMMITTEE, Washington, D. C. We are opposed to Hull and Madden bills; detrimental to our water supply. OGDENSBURG BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, OGDENSBURG, N. Y., March 27, 1924. CHAIRMAN RIVERS AND HARBORS COMMISSION, House of Representativcs, Washiungton, D. C. DEAR SIR: I am sending you a copy of a resolution recently passed by the Chamber of Commerce of Ogdensburg, N. Y., which resolution opposes the Hull bill, by which the city of Chicago is authorized to divert 10,000 cubic feet of water per second from Lake Michigan. We ask you to most strenuously object to the passage of such a bill. Thanking you, I am, Very truly yours, ARTHUR J. LAIDLAW, Secretary Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce. RESOLUTION. Whereas there is pending in Congress a bill known as the Hull bill, by which the Sanitary District of Chicago is authorized to divert 10,000 cubic feet of water per second from Lake Michigan: Now therefore be it Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Ogdensburg, N. Y., protest against such diversion of water on the grounds that it will lower the water in the harbor at Ogdensburg and elsewhere along the St. Lawrence River; be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted by our president to our Senators and Representatives and to the chairman of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors at Washington, D. C. |