Restoring a Lifeline
Sunday, October 15, 1871
Some three hundred machinists are working day and night to restore water to residents. The hope is to return the main engine to service by the middle of the week. In the meantime, railway locomotives and steam fire engines are pumping Chicago River water into mains. This involves real risks, given that the river is badly polluted. The city is also tapping into artesian wells in Lincoln Park and at the Northwestern Distillery.
