32K Source: First Water Works built on the present site of the Chicago Avenue Pumping Station. Completed in February, 1854. Chicago, Ill. Dept. of Health. Annual Report 1911-1918. p.1480. Chicago Historical Information 1849-1855, 1866-1867: Early Cholera Epidemics Severe outbreaks of cholera had been reported earlier, but accurate records are not available. In 1849 the disease was brought to the city on the emigrant boat John Drew April 29 and raged until late October. That year 678 persons died, a rate of 2,897 per 100,000. 314 died between July 25 and August 28. This is the worst death rate for any cause since Chicago began keeping health statistics. Although the germ theory of disease was still unknown, Chicago did undertake a number of sanitary improvements which markedly reduced cholera and other diseases. In the 1850's, a piped Lake Michigan water supply was introduced cutting reliance upon unsanitary wells and buckets of water from the sewage filled Chicago River. Sewers were constructed beginning in 1856 and greatly expanded after the cholera epidemic of 1866. In 1867 a remarkable drinking water tunnel--two miles out into the lake-- was opened, reducing the amount of sewage from the river in the water supply. After the 1870's cholera ceased to be a source of mortality. Cholera Deaths: Year Deaths Rate Per 100,000 Persons 1849 678 2897 1850 420 1402 (416 deaths from July 18 to August 21) 1851 216 635 1852 630 1626 1853 1 -- 1854 1,424 2162 1855 147 184 1856-1865 not significant 1866 990 494 1867 10 --   Sources: Beatty, William K."When Cholera Scourged Chicago." Chicago History. v.11 no.1, Spr. 1982, p.2-13.   Bonner, Thomas Melville. Medicine in Chicago 1850-1950. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois, 2nd ed. 1991.   Chicago (Ill.). Board of Public Works. Annual Reports.   Chicago (Ill.) Dept. of Health. Annual Report 1911-1918.   Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Public Works. Chicago: A History. Chicago: Rand McNally. 1973.   Rauch, John H. A Sanitary History of Chicago from 1833 to 1879. published as the: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Health. Annual Report 1867-69.   Deaths, Disturbances, Disasters and Disorders in Chicago Compiled by Reference Librarians Ellen O'Brien and Lyle Benedict Municipal Reference Collection, Chicago Public Library Last Updated: 03/1997