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SummaryStatement

Inthe1850s,therapidpopulationincreaseandtopographyofChicagocauseda
greatdealofsickness.EllisS.ChesbroughwasbroughtfromBostontoraisethecity
outofthemud.Hisplanincludedanewundergroundsewersystemwhichwouldpush
thewasteintoLakeMichigan,curingthecity.Inordertobuildthesewers,Chesbrough
raisedthecityofChicago.Menwithjackscrewscrankedthebuildingsupbetweenfive
andtwelvefeet.BecausethesewagewasbeingpushedintoLakeMichigan,
Chesbroughcreatedanintakepointfartherawayfromthemouthofthelakewhich
wouldtakeincleanwater.Hebuiltanintakecribandatwomiletunnelhewasalso
responsibleforreversingtheChicagoRiverwhichpushedevenmoresewageoutofthe
lake.WithoutalltheworkthatChesbroughputin,Chicagowouldnotbeabletoexist
today.HecreatedthefirstcomprehensivesewersysteminAmericaandsaved
Chicagofromyearsofpollution,disease,andepidemics.

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