USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Discovery and conquests of the Northwest, with the history of Chicago, Vol. II > Part 3
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*There is, from the centre of the river section and under the north driveway, a sub or drainage tunnel 5 feet in diameter, leading to a pumping well on the east side of the river, where there is a steam engine and pump.
The pier between the driveways under the river has eleven openings, 3 feet wide, for the passage of policemen and workmen. Similar passageways were made through the pier between the south driveway and the footway, supposing they might sometimes be of great service to the police, in case of attempts at robbery or violence, which were apprended by some, but theee last mentioned passageways proved greater nuisances than benefits, and are practically closed. Robbery and violence, in the tunnel, occur no oftener, it is believed, than else- where.
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History of the River Tunnels of Chicago.
through it is very small. This is not surprising when it is remembered that the total ascent from under the river to Franklin or Clinton street is 40 feet, while the total ascent, with no steeper grades, to either the Randolph or Madison street bridge, is only 8 feet. While it is possible for horses drawing heavy loads to pass over the short ascent by making strong efforts, it is impossible for them to overcome the long ones without frequent stops; hence they prefer to wait a few, and generally but a very few, minutes for a bridge to close. For the passage of light vehicles, this tunnel is considerably used, but not nearly so much as was originally expected, except when repairs became necessary to the bridges, or stoppages of ves- sels occur. With regard to foot passengers, many use the tunnel, but compared with those who cross at the bridges, the number is very small. While navigation is closed in the winter, very little use is made of the tunnel, except by those who drive rapid- ly in light vehicles, and do not wish to be hindred by horse-cars at the bridges. The footway is sometimes preferred to the bridges in summer on account of its cool shade, and in winter because of its protection from freezing winds. The footway has to be lighted by day as well as by night. The driveways require much less artificial light by day than by night.
LASALLE STREET RIVER TUNNEL.
This structure is in most respects so similar to the one on Washington street, that only the differences will be mentioned. The total length from the begin- ning of the south open approach, a short distance north of Randolph street, to Michigan street, is 1,854 feet; the south open approach is 320 feet long, the south covered approach 510 feet, the river section 276 feet, the north covered approach 530 feet, and the north open approach 218 feet. The footway is 2 feet higher than that of the Washington street tun-
30
History of the River Tunnels of Chicago.
nel, which is a decided improvement. It is east of the driveways and has been utilized for the laying of the 36-inch water main, from the north pumping works, under the river. This main has been placed under the plank floor of the footway. This tunnel, as well as that on Washington street, has a great number of telegraph wires laid through it. The steep- est grade in the driveways is 1 in 20, and in the foot- way 1 in 1413. In order to avoid a steeper grade than 1 in 20 on the north open approach, and yet not make this approach extend north of Michigan street, and at the same time not interfere with the grade of Kinzie street, it was necessary to construct under this street girder-work with flat brick arches.
The greatest difference between this and the Wash- ington street tunnel is in the much freer use of asphalt, the two upper shells or courses of brick in the arches under the river being laid in it instead of in cement, with a most satisfactory result. On the faces of the abutments, under the river, where no asphalt was used, there is considerable moisture, but no dripping.
The entire original cost of this tunnel, including damages, was $566,276.48. The city was sued for damages to property by the south open approach, but the courts decided the city was not liable .*
*The contractors were Messrs. Robert E. Moss, George Chambers and Archi- bald I. McBean.
Mr. Wm. Bryson, assistant of the City Engineer, had the immediate charge of this and the Washington Street river tunnel, and afterwards of the new lake tunnel and its extension westward.
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The West Chicago Street Railroad Tunnel.
THE WEST CHICAGO STREET RAILROAD TUNNEL, UNDER THE CHICAGO RIVER, NEAR VANBUREN STREET.
CONDENSED FROM A REPORT OF CHARLES V. WESTON, ENGINEER-IN-CHARGE.
The accumulation of travel from the North and the West divisions of Chicago to its business centre in the South division grew rapidly, as the business of the city increased. To accomodate these conditions var- ious plans were suggested. The travel over the brid- ges interrupted, as it was, by the opening of them for commercial traffic made it necessary to tunnel the river, as a measure of relief. First, the LaSalle St. tunnel was built and next the Washington Street tun- nel, through both of which the Cable cars were allow- ed to lay their tracks, but these did not suffice to a- fford transportation for the persons wishing to go to and from their homes to the business centre morning and evening; therefore it was imperative to construct another tunnel wherewith to fulfil the purposes for which the first two had been built. This tunnel was exclusively a private enterprise to fulfil the mission of the system of the cable street car lines. The en- trance of the tunnel was located upon private proper- ty between south VanBuren and Jackson street; pass- ing under the Chicago river, under several large build- ings, and under the yards and tracks of the Pennsyl- vania R. R. Company near the Passenger Station of the Union Depot Canal Street.
Feb. 6th, 1890 active construction was begun by cof- fer-damming the river from the west side to its centre
The depth of the river at the side of the dam was 20 feet which made it a work of great care and expense, so great was the lateral pressure of the water. This half being completed the coffer-dam was removed so as to permit free navigation along the river where the
32
The West Chicago Street Railroad Tunnel.
other half of the tunnel was being built, by a similar process. Contractors for this tunnel had to become responsible for the safety and security of all buildings, adjacent to the excavations, necessary for the ap- proaches to the tunnel proper, immediately under the river.
In this responsibility it was optional, to either tear down the buildings and make new foundations forthem when the tunnel was completed, or construct safe foun- dations for them by means of pilings, during the pro- gress of the work, of course, remunerating owners of said buildings, in either case.
On account of protracted litigation between the Tunnel Company and the various property owners a- long the line of the tunnel, it was impossible to pro- secute the work continously from any given point, but the entire tunnel and the approaches thereto were constructed in several sections, often remote from each other. The section in the west half of the river and one hundred feet inland was first constructed; then the east approach from the west building line of Franklin Street westwardly one hundred and forty feet was completed. Then followed the simultaneous construction of the section under the Pennsylvania Railroad yards, and that between the east dock line and the center of Market Street. The completion of these two sections was followed by the construction of the river section, in the east half of theriver, which connected the sections previously constructed, mak- ing the completed work continous from the center of Market Street, east of the river, to the east curb wall in Canal Street, west of the river. Then followed the construction of the portion from the center of Mark- et Street eastward, to join the portion of the open approach which had been built westward from the west line of Franklin Street. The last section, which included the arch under Canal Street, and the entire west approach and portal, was then built, complet-
33
The West Chicago Street Railroad Tunnel.
ing the entire work. The time covered by construc- tion and delays was a little more than four years, or two years more than the time originally contemplat- ed.
Although the tunnel and approaches were built in this fragmentary manner, the joinings were perfect in alinement and grade, and no unequal settlement or deviation from the true section can be detected in the ¿ several joinings. This result, in a large measure, is due to the great strength of the centers, and to the fact that they were left under the completed arch with a sufficient time for the mortar to become thorough- ly set before striking. The last section of the arch built was the only case where the centering was re- moved soon after keying. The centers in this section were struck within twenty days after the arch was keyed; but there was no deviation from a true arch. As soon as practicable after any portion of the mason- ry of the tunnel was built, the trench overit wasfilled up in uniform layers, and the filling was rammed tho- roughly in place to bring the surface to its proper level.
The tunnel is drained by means of a 12-inch pipe, laid on the invert, along the center line of the tunnel and its approaches, with brick man-holes for cleaning, a- bout 200 feet apart. There are also (in the land sec- tions only) vertical lines of drain-pipe back of the side walls. These vertical drains are 4 inches in dia- meter and about 50 feet apart. They are connected with the main drain, in the tunnel, by means of 4-inch cast-iron pipes. The cable tubes of the railways are connected with the main drain by short pipes, laid at intervals of 32 feet. All man-holes and wheel pits,in the cable tracks, are also connected with this main drain which discharges into a sump at thelowest part of the tunnel, near the center of the river. The sump is connected by a 20-inch drain pipe with sump-well at the north side of the tunnel, just east of the dock line, where a brick shaft 6 feet in diameter, reaching
34
Water Supply of Chicago.
to the surface of the ground, and occupying a recess formed in the side wall of the tunnel, contains a drain- age pump which raises the water and discharges it in- to the river above.
This tunnel cost $800 000 for actual construction, and $1,000,000 for property along the line and for legal expenses.
The contract for the construction was Fitzsimons and Connell Company, and sub-let by them to Messers. Joseph Downey & Co .; the latter firm being composed of Mr. Joseph Downey and General Charles Fitzsimons, of the Fitzsimons & Connel Company. These gen- tlemen had a great many difficulties to overcome, and met them with great courage and fortitude.
WATER SUPPLY OF CHICAGO.
TAKEN FROM COLBERT'S HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
To supply the people of this fast growing city with water of sufficient purity and in ample quantity, was a long vexed problem. In the days of the village and town the needed supply was drawn directly from the river, then unpoluted by the sewerage of a city, or taken from the lake. The latter was the principal source of supply after the township organization, when one of the citizens, whose name is not preserved, found it profitable to peddle water around the streets at so much per bucket full. In 1836, the year before the incorporation of the city, the State Legislature passed a law incorporating the "Chicago Hydraulic Company." The incorporators named in the bill were James H. Campbell, Gholsen Kercheval, R. A. Kinzie, R. J. Hamilton, H. G. Hubbard, David Hunter, Peter Cohen, E. W. Casey, G. S. Hubbard, G. W. Dole, J. H. Kinzie, W. Forsythe, and S. Wells. The capitalstock was limited to $250,000. The water cartshaditall their own way, however, for four years longer. Owing to financial difficulties following the panic of 1837 the
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Water Supply of Chicago.
1198387
company was not formed till 1839. It commenced operations in 1840. The company built a reservoir at the corner of Lake street and Michigan avenue on the ground now occupied by the Adams House, twenty-five feet square and eight feet deep, elevated abouteighty feet above the surface of the ground, and erected a pump connecting it by an iron pipe with the Lake, laid on a crib-work pier, running into the lake about one hundred and fifty feet. This pump was worked by a steam engine of twenty-five horse power. The water was distributed to the citizens through logs bored at the "works," five inches for the main lines and three inches for the subordinate ones. In 1842 James Long entered into arrangements with the Hydraulic Company to do all the pumping for the sup- ply of the city with water for ten years, without cost to the company, in consideration of the free use of the surplus power of their twenty-five horse power engine. In a letter read at the formal opening of the lake tunnel, Mr. Long thus refers to the difficulties of the primitive situation: "In winter the pipes on the pier would be disarranged by the heaving of the frost, and I had frequently to spend hours at a time to caulk up the joint by throwing on water and thus freezing up the cracks before we could make the pump avail- able. When the end of this pipe from the pier was first put down it was three or four feet below the sur- face of the lake, but in 1842-3 the lake had receded so far as frequently to leave the end out of water, par- ticulary when the wind blew from the south." But it was soon found that a large extension was needed. Long before the adove named contract had expired the twenty-five horse power engine had become too small even without doing the extra work expected of it. On the 15 day of February, 1851, an act passed by the Legislature was approved by the executive of the State, giving existence to the Chicago City Hy- draulic Company, and John B. Turner, A. S. Sherman,
36
Water Supply of Chicago.
and H. G. Loomis, were appointed to constitute the first Board of Water Commissioners. They entered on the duties of their office on the 16th day of June fol- lowing Ten days later the Board employed William. J. McAlpine, an engineer of considerable reputation in those days, to make the necessary surveys for the works, and toreport, with plans, for the purpose of enabling the Commissioners to carry the act into exe- cution. On the 24th day of October he submitted a plan which was subsequently adopted. It was based on the estimate that at the expiration of fifteen years the population of the city would be one hundred thou- sand souls. This calculation was thought,by very many, to be an extravagant one; but at the end of the time mentioned, October, 1866, the population was more than double that amount. The estimated cost of the works was about $335,500. The annual expense of running them was estimated at $18,000.
In April and August, 1852, two loans were effected with Messrs. Duncan, Sherman & Co., of New York, bonds being issued to the amount of four hundred thousand dollars, bearing interest at the rate of six per cent per annum, and twenty five years to run.
The net amount realized from the sale of the bonds was $361,280. The work was almost immediately commenced, but the Board were very much impeded in their movements by an injunction issued at the in- stance of the Hydraulic Company. A committee of the Common Council had, during the preceding March, recommended that the city pay to the company thirty thousand dollars for its property and franchises, or fifteen thousand dollars for the franchise alone, but the company never intimated its willingness to accept the offer, and stood out rosolutely to withstand any encroachments upon what had been heretofore an ex- clusive privlege. The difficulty was subsequently ar- ranged to the satisfaction of both parties. The work was proceeded with asrapid as the limited facilities of
37
Water Supply of Chicago.
that period allowed. The following is a brief sketch of the works as originally built: The works were lo- cated on the lake shore near Chicago avenue. A tim- ber crib, twenty by forty feet, was sunk six hundred feet from shore, and from this crib a wooden inlet pipe of thirty inches interior diameter, laid in a trench on the bottom of the lake, conveyed the water to the pumping well, which was placed under the engine house, and was twenty-five feet deep. The end of the inlet pipe was of iron, and made to bend down to the bottom of the well, acting like a syphon. The water flowed into the well by its own gravity, and thence was forced by the engines into the mains, and thence into the reservoir in the South Division-the first built. It was conveyed thence to the distributing pipes in the various parts of the city. The engine house was built of brick in the modern Italian style. The main building was fifty-four feet front and thirty- four feet deep, with two wings, each forty-four by thirty-four feet. The main building was carried up two stories high, the wing one story. In the centre of the main building a tower was constructed, 14 feet square at the base, and 140 feet high, serving as a chimney for both boilers and a chamber for the stand- ing column. This column was of castiron pipe, twen- ty-four inches in diameter, connected with the pumps and main pipes, and serving as a regulator in keep- ing up a uniform head of water in the reservoir. The engine was about two hundred horse power. There was also a smaller one kept for use in case of accident to the principal engine. In December, 1853, water was first pumped into the pipes to test them, and the first hydrant was opened on North Clarkstreet, near the bridge. In February, 1854, water wasfirstintro- duced into the houses.
The reservoir building was completed in November, 1854, and was located near the corner of Adams and Clark streets, twostories high, with a tank capable of
38
Water Supply of Chicago.
holding 500,000 gallons of water; the tank was de- signed to hold a night supply for 50,000 inhabitants; the surface of the water was eighty-three feet above the level of the lake. Two other reservoirs were after- wards constructed for the other divisions of the city, viz: on Sangamon street, near Monroe, and on Chica- go avenue, near Franklin street, and the distribution pipes were gradually thrown all over the city till at the close of the year 1862 there were nearly 105 miles of pipes laid, including mains. Since then about 90 additional miles have been put down, making a total of 195 lineal miles in the city to the end of 1868.
Another decade had passed, and the growing nec- essities of the people became more and more pressing, and early in 1863 the matter became one of absorbing interest. The progress of the war was the national excitement; the raising troops was the State concern, and the quality of water which was, and the quantity which, in the future, could be delivered, was a local civic consideration which exercised the private citizen, public corporations,and municipal bodies.
Many suggestions were made, and many plans sub- mited for the remedy of the evil. Pipes along thelake shore; pipes out into the lake; filtering pipes alongits margin; deep cuts from river to lake; fanning mills and Archimedean screws; pipes at Bridgport, and many other devices were all thought of. Some of them were tried, and all, in succession, were rejected as impracticable. All of these plans sought to cleanse the Chicago river from its accumulation of filth, and to provide an ample supply of pure drinking water. The sanitary condition of the city, good as it was, might be bettered by action, and the enterprise of the citizens would brook little delay which could be over- come by treasure and by invention. Public opinion at length compelled the Common Council to take ac- tion, and it joined with the Board of Public Works in completing a contract with Mr. Preston, Superinten-
39
Water Supply of Chicago.
dent of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, by which a portion of the water of the Calumet river should be diverted through the feeder and pumped into the riv- er, thus creating an artificial current, which should carry off the impurities of the stream. This was but a partial relief, and it could not be otherwise, for it availed us nothing when the canal was in disuse. Several schemes were next proposed, as follows: To divert the water of the Calumet and the Desplaines Rivers into the Chicago River by means of the feeder and the use of pumps. To this it was objected that the supply of water would be inadequate, while the adoption of the plan would involve the city in inter- minable and expensive chancery suits, the diversion of the current of the streams and of the canal seeming necessarily to encroach upon rights which had vested in the canal company, and in the owners of mill prop- erty and water privileges on the running streams.
A second plan suggested was to build a series of intercepting sewers, similar in their nature to those which have lately been erected in the city of London, for the purification of the river Thames. These, it was thought by some, could be constructed along the mar- gin of the river, as reservoirs for the filth passing within its borders, and from the sewers, the contents thus received being emptied into the lake, or distribut- ed over the country for purposes of agriculture. This suggestion had a theoretical value. The largest city of the world adopted it, at an enormous expense, but to the time of its consideration here, no results had been deduced which promised a certain or probable success. The expenditure of money would be very great, and the loss of time would be considerable, and on so great an experiment, which had not in itself a fair prospect of success, our people were unwilling to enter. The proposed ship canal had the appearance of being something feasible, but there was a bearier to its success. It needed congressional legislation,
40
Water Supply of Chicago
and to procure the necessary number of votes, the as- sent of Western Congressmen was asked to have four distinct lines of railroad communication to be built at the expense of the nation. Less than a canal could not be thought of, because of the towns upon the river bank would be ill content to receive the surfeit of our surplus nastiness. A covered aqueduct was also pro- posed. This it was thought should be of the diameter of ten feet, to extend from the lake to the river, which it should enter at some point on the South Side, a point at about Sixteenth street being designated. To this plan it was objected that the obnoxious matter being emptied into the lake so near the point whence the lake water would be drawn, it would be corrupted and increased rather than diminish the evil complain- ed of. Hesitation followed the promulgation of so many plans, to each of which so many objections were made. An impulse to further investigation and thought was, however, furnished by the discovery and publication of the fact that there was a constant precipitation of decaying organic matter draining on to the lake shore, and rendering the shore water im. pure. At about the same time the controversy over disposition of the City Cemetery was at its height. Investigation showed that notwithstanding the ordi- nances of the city forbidding it, some six-hundred rebel corpses had been buried in that ground, which is intersected north and south by a slough, draining the whole cemetery into the lake but little north of the City Water Works.
Circumstances required action, and all the energies of our prominent men were put into the fulfillment of some scheme. That water should be taken from the lake was resolved upon this year(1863), and on the 13th day of February the amended city charter of that year was approved, in which power was given to the city "to construct such aqueducts along the shore of Lake Michigan, or in highways, or elsewhere in the
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Water Supply of Chicago.
said Cook county, and to construct such pumping works, break-waters, subsiding basins, filter beds and reservoirs, and to lay such water mains, and to make all other constructions in the county necessary in obtaining from Lake Michigan, a sufficient supply of pure water for said city;" "to extend aqueducts, or inlet pipes, into Lake Michigan, so far as may be deemed necessary to insure a supply of pure water, and to erect a pier or piers in the navigable waters of said lake, for the making, preserving and working of said pipes or aqueducts."
This action of the State Legislature was sanctioned by Congress, January 16th, of the following year, and being sanctioned, the tunnel was the accepted means of procuring water.
Previous to this sanction being given,but subse- quent to the action of the State Legislature, the bed of the lake was examined, with a view to test the feas- ibility of excavating the tunnel. In the month of June, 1863, the City Engineer, with some scientific aid, commenced boring to ascertain the nature of the bottom. The experiments were made first at some twenty feet from the shore. At about two hundred feet from the shore, the water being a little over twen- ty feet deep, there was blue clay under-lying a sandy covering. These experiments led to others. Two scows were towed into the lake and secured by anchors.
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