The question what to do with our sewerage has been a constant headache to the administration. Most of our sewers empty into the river, while a few discharge their contents into the lake. The Chicago River flows into the lake or into the Illinois Canal, the direction of the flow depending on whether high water prevails in the Desplaines River or in the Chicago River. In either case, the current is very slow, and thus permits the sediment to accumulate on the river bed. Everyone knows that at times the water emits an awful stench. As Chicago increases in population, more sewerage will pollute the river. In fact, the residents along the Illinois Central Canal are already complaining. Plans are being discussed to widen and deepen the canal to increase the flow, but money is lacking for such a project.

Another method under consideration provides for complete independence 2of the drainage canal system by utilizing the sewerage for fertilizer. Among the many projects involving the latter proposal, one might mention the plan of L. G. Hallberg, civil engineer, who proposes to construct two or three large canals, running north and south, which would gather the discharge of all the sewers. The canals would converge into a huge settling basin, south of the Stockyards, where suitable chemicals would deodorize the liquid while the sediment would furnish the fertilizer.

The idea is not new; City Engineer Chesborough advocated something similar several years ago. Unfortunately the city lacks funds to make such extensive changes in its sewer system. Even if the money were available and it were possible to separate sufficient solids for fertilizer, we still lack sufficient demand for the disposal of the product. To the best of our knowledge, owners of horses and stock feeders must dispose of the manure by loading it onto barges, towing it far out on the lake, and dumping it, or they must pay to have the dung carted away. The land is still so productive that the farmer has not recognized the value of adding fertilizer to the soil. It is, of 3course, quite possible that a time will come when our farmers will understand the economic importance of utilizing the waste products of large cities; and therefore it is well to call attention to the question from time to time.

Mr.Hallberg circulated a petition among the merchants requesting the City Council to construct a temporary filtration basin at the end of one of the larger sewers. A fairly large number of signatures have been obtained, and the petition will be presented to the council within the near future.