The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-04-07

ne tolioWing report was received and Or
dered TO be published.
city Engineers Report.
To the Hon. Mayor and commou Council or the city
OF Keakuk:
In compliance with the order Of your Honorable
body, the city Engineer would respectfully present
the following report of matters in his department
Under the economical admins tratlon Of the m 4
year, but little work has been done by the Ji-
ty. The main expenditure having been incurred
In repairing and protecting such structures NJ were
absolutely in neei OF IT, and where neglect would
have been ruinous to them.
Among the most important and expensive OF these
repairs, has been that Of the Sewerage, which was
very much injured by the heavy floods Of last
spring.
Previous to the election Of the present Engineer,
thoroug examination was made by two practi-
cal masons of the whole extent OF the sewers: EN-
braeing over mile and half.of stone arched cul-
vert Ut from eight to twelve feet span, and re-
port made to the council Of their condition with
suggestions tor their repsirs, which repairs have
since been completed In substantial aud durable
manner, and the sewers are now apparently in
good and serv .ceable nation throu ghout
a portion OF the sewer crossing 9th street near
Cedar, which was entirely washed away has been
replaced by wooden bridge OF % feet water way,
and a small one washed away ut Cedar and 7th
streets, has been rebuilt, also bridge Of three
spans OF b feet each, On the Buena Vista road i,
North West from the City. A receiving vault, Of
cut stone front, add neat architecture, has been
built in Oakland Gem terry, and other improve
ments made in the same.
considerable amount Of grading, and repairs
OF various kinds, mostly for the protection OF ex-
posed masonry, or to make passable important
thoroughfsrss, has been done by contract, besides
many small repairs wo ked out by the road tar un
der the .upervisicn Of the street Supervisor.
The sidewalk upon Main street has been repai red
throughout, and plank walks laid In many parts of
she City. The Matchmaking and guttering are
generally in good order. and bur few repairs have
been needed upon it.
During the past season the completion OF the two
Railroads TO junction on the Levee, incurred the
occupation Of the streets and the dsplacem emit of
considerable grading done by the City upon th en-
which infringement upon the City property re
ported TO the City Council, and received from
them instructions to require from the Railroad
companies, such repairs and such strucsuros, Is
would put the streets in their former condition In
accordance with which. notified the TT. ID. N. a
M. Il. 4. Company, to build road bridge, ut the
crossing OF Bank street. This bridge, though often
promised has never vet been built
i would here rcmark, that the grade OF Bank
street IL much lighter than any Of the other streets
leading up from the river that are graded and pas
sable, that with the bridge aforementioned II
would b. entirely unobsfructed by the Railroad.
and as there IL good steamboat landing at the
end OF IL, il might, with lsttls extension form
valuable addition to the Levee; with the advan-
tage that all work done upon il will be upon the
permanent location Of the Lsyee
lwiil mention, in this connection, that almost
the only piece Ut work which has been done this
year. With any other view than that OF present ne
cessity, has been the building Of pier or break
water NJ the foot OF Carol street, designed to pro-
tect and increase sandbar forming parallel to the
shore AID near the edge Of the proposed Levee.
This pier, though only partly completed has pro-
duced large increase In the bar, both above snd
below, and 1t IL my opinion that one or at most two
similar p.ers would entirely destroy the in-shore
current and leave dead water between them. AZ
every yard OF material thus deposited, is 20 much
towards the formation OF a future Leyec, it NAV
b. considered true economy to perfect this pIAn