CHICAGO. The western half of this area has but 20 feet or less of water. 13 The entrance channel to the harbor has been dredged to a depth of 20 feet, with a width of 250 feet at the eastern and 200 feet at the western end. At the latest information this channel had slightly shoaled, but there was a depth of 18 feet at extreme low water. There is a depth of 18 feet of water at the entrance of the river. but 16 to 18 feet of water over their crowns. river has over a 15-foot depth of water. Three of the tunnels have The draft of vessels entering the river is limited to the depth of water over the crown of the La Salle street tunnel, which is 16 feet, 8 inches, as an average. This depth is in the exact center of the river on a line between the central piers of the Clark street bridge and Wells street bridge. There are no public wharves or docks. The buildings are in many cases so near the docks as to prevent dredging deeper than 16 or 18 feet close to them. There are about four bridges to the mile which seriously interfere with navigation. Tugs should be employed in all movements of vessels above the junction of the two branches. The navigable length of the Chicago River is for the South branch about 5 miles from the mouth up to McCormick's Reaper factory. The North branch is navigable about 4 miles up to Western avenue. The stream is very crooked in places, and varying in width as follows: Main branch 274 feet; south branch 205 feet; the Forks 100 to 150 feet; north branch 100 to 200 feet; and somewhat less beyond the Forks. There is a harbor master to regulate the passage of vessels. Lights and Fog Signals.—Chicago Outer Breakwater (NW. end), a fixed white lantern is shown from a post attached to the SE. side of the building on the Emergency Intake Waterworks Crib, an extension northwesterly of the outer breakwater. Chicago Harbor.-A light, flashing alternately red and white at intervals of 10 seconds, visible 13 (16) miles, and 673 feet above the level of the lake, has been established in the tower on the structure recently erected inside of and near the SE. extremity of the outer breakwater. The light illuminates the entire horizon. Fog Signal.-A steam whistle in a house alongside the tower of the Chicago Harbor light sounds blasts of 5 seconds duration with silent intervals of 25 seconds. Chicago Pierhead Range.—A fixed white light, visible 11% (13) miles, is shown from a tower 40 feet from the outer end of the North Pier, entrance to the river, and a fixed red lantern is shown from a post on the outer end of the same pier. Fog Signal.-Near the outer end of the North Pier, entrance to the river, a bell is struck by machinery a double and a single blow alternately, with silent intervals of 20 seconds. Chicago Breakwater (north).-A fixed white light is shown from the top of a post on the northerly end of this breakwater. Chicago Breakwater (south).—A fixed red light, visible 81⁄2 (92) miles, is shown from a tower on the southerly end of this breakwater. Chicago Avenue Waterworks Crib.-A fixed white light visible 13 (16) miles is shown from a white lantern on an iron framework tower, 58 feet high, built on a stone crib. It is 4,300 feet N. by E. & E. (N. 15° 28′ E.) from the SE. end of the outer break water. This station is maintained by the city of Chicago. Fog Signal.—On Chicago Avenue Waterworks Crib a bell is struck by machinery about 12 times every minute. Cribs.-Off Lake View, 31 (4) miles north of the outer breakwater, are two cribs, one temporary 1 (1) mile, and one permanent 13 (1) miles from shore, marked by white lights. There were two cribs SE. of the entrance to Chicago Harbor 2 and 4 miles respectively from shore. The 24-mile one has been removed to the water level and is now a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The 4-mile one is completed. At Hyde Park, 23 miles NW. of Calumet light, there are two cribs 13 (17) and 13 (2) miles respectively from the Hyde Park Waterworks; both are marked by white lights. A tower is to be erected on the outer crib. The color of the permanent lights on these cribs is white. These lights are all maintained by the city of Chicago. Life-Saving Stations.-There is a Life-Saving Station 7 miles S. by E. from Chicago Harbor entrance with a branch near the harbor. Wharfage. During the season of navigation, beginning April 1 and ending November 30, it is not customary to charge wharfage, so long as the owner does not wish to use his dock, but during the winter vessel owners pay from $10 to $100 for special accommodations. Tugs. Tugs are owned by the Chicago Towing Company, Vessel Owners Towing Company, Dunham Towing and Wrecking Company, and the Independent Tug Line; also a number of private parties own tugs for special purposes. Charges are moderate for the distance towed. These charges are regulated by a tariff scale for the distance and size or tonnage of the vessel towed. Charges are on an average of $10 an hour for ground work. The average cost of towing steamers is $75 per trip, consorts or barges $130, and sailing vessels $45. Dry Dock. The Chicago Ship Building Company has completed, at their ship yard on the Calumet River, a large dry dock capable of accommodating any vessel on the lake. Miller Brothers' Dry Dock Company.-This company has 3 docks, the largest being 310 feet long, with a 50-foot gate and 14 feet of water on the mitre sill at ordinary stage of tide; the second is 280 feet long, 42-foot gate, with 12 feet water on the mitre sill; and the smallest is 260 feet long, 40-foot gate, and 9 feet of water on the mitre sill. There is also at the yard a spar derrick capable of lifting 25 tons, besides a full outfit for making repairs of all sorts to wooden vessels. Directions for Entering the Harbor.-Vessels having reached the point 13 (21) miles east from Chicago Pierhead light may enter from the west or east end of the outer break water, or from either end of the eastern break water, these ends being marked by lights. Vessels may then come to anchor behind the break waters or steer for the mouth of the river, which is marked by a range of lights, where they will be taken charge of by a harbor tug in charge of a licensed pilot, who will take the vessel to the dock to which she may be consigned. No vessel is allowed to use sails in the river. Making the harbor from the northeastward, pass mile east of the Chicago Waterworks Crib light, on a course of south, until the North Pierhead light bears W. by S. (S. 78° 45′ W.), when run in on this course for the entrance. Approaching along the land from the northward and intending to pass between the west end of the break water and the shore, bring the North Pierhead light to bear S. by E. (S. 11° 15′ E.) and run down on this course until close to the light. To enter the Outer Harbor from the southward, bring the light on the south end of the eastern breakwater to bear west, stand in through the entrance, and, as you pass the light, haul up to the northward for anchorage. Currents. There is no perceptible current in the Chicago River, except when a sudden change of wind raises or lowers the lake surface, or when an exceptionally high freshet occurs, setting a current out into the lake. Near the end of the piers at the entrance to the river a current has been noticed which sometimes forces vessels against the piers. Pilotage.-Tug masters are license and responsible pilots. All steamboat masters who navigate the river or harbor are also licensed pilots. Time Ball. A time ball is dropped from a flagstaff on top of the Masonic Temple, by the U. S. Branch Hydrographic Office, at Chicago, daily (Sundays excepted) at noon, Central Standard Time. CHAPTER IV. SAILING DIRECTIONS FROM CHICAGO TO THE PORTS ON THE SOUTH AND EAST SHORES. Stand out of Chicago Harbor steering east from Chicago Pierhead light for 13 (21) miles, then steer as follows: To Calumet (South Chicago) St. Joseph... South Haven Kalamazoo River. Ludington.. NE. % E. (N. 52° 02′ E.) When 11⁄2 (112) miles off the entrance to the harbor. Stand into the harbor. 6434 (742)--- Stand into the harbor. For Traverse City, etc., see body of this work. Chicago to Calumet Harbor.—The land is low and very flat along the coast, nowhere much over 20 feet above the level of the lake. Leaving Chicago Harbor bound for the southward or eastward, keep at least 2 miles off shore. This will carry outside of all dangers. Courses can be laid nearer shore, but many shoal spots will be encountered. Oakland Shoal.-Off 41st street, Chicago, 43 (5) miles from the entrance to the river a sand spit called Oakland shoal extends out mile with 9 feet least water near the center of the shoal. Buoys. The outer (easterly) end is marked by a black can feet of water; the inner (westerly) end by a red spar buoy shore, in 16 feet of water. These buoys are mile apart. buoy in 26 mile from |