Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-23
PUBLIC E

THE reports Of the board OF public
works and the city engineer, submit.
ted at the last meeting OF the city
council, are interesting and suggestive
d cuments, which should be carefully
read by every taxpayer and citizsn OF
Omaha who Is Interested in the growth
and material advancement OF our city.
Daring the last two years the city
has expended $2o6 1887 70 In public
improvements, including sewerage,
ourblrg and guttering sidewalks and
bridges and the beginning Of paving
operations. The time has now come,
In the opinion Of the city engineer
and the board Of public works, when
Omaha should lay the foundations for
a system of public works which can
be extended as the neoe stiles CT the
city demands.
In this opinion THE BEE adrees.
Steps ought at once to be taken to
pave the business center OF the
city. The horrible condition Of our
main streets have injured Omaha
very materially. Capital las been
repealed and investments have gone
elsewhere, because our streets, during
a large portion of the year, have been
In q condition which would disgrace o
country village. The paving Of Doug
las and Tenth streets will be a good
beginning, but 1t will BIS only a be-
ginning. Within the next three
years paving operations must be ex'
tended to the section between Ninth
and Sixteenth and Harvey and
Dodge, while Sixteenth street, DO
tween Harvey and the bridge, ought
also to be included.
The charter as amended provides q
safe and satisfactory method tor rails
Ing the necessary revenue. Estimate.
place the sum which will have to be
levied upon the city at large at only
$50, 900. The remainder will come
from the abutting property. Every
owner Of q lot In the district can well
afford to pay the amount levied on his
property, as he will be more than re.
imbursed by the increased value Of his
lot. We have no doubt that Omaha
will authoriz, the necessary bonds for
the city's share Of paving as soon as
the proposition Is submitted. At the
present rates Of interest no more ia.
vorable chance to place these securi.
ties il likely to offer itself for some
years to come.
The subject Of storm water sewers
referred to In the reports of the city
engineer and board Of public works Ia
scarcely less Important than the paving
question.
Our system Of sanitary sewerage Ia
perfe ct, but we lack means to carry of
our surface drainage. The storm wa
ter from the hills, 81 we are situated
at present, must seek the rive,
through the street cutters. The CON
sequence Is that after every rainfall.
torrents OF water rush down our street,
and We are compelled to have on,
CUTTERS from FIVE TO ak inches highe
than would otherwise be necessary
In addition, street crossings ar
unsightly and often dangerous.
The remedy for this must be fount
In the construction Of ~interceptinl
storm water sewers which will carr,
of the surface water either directl,
to the river, or empty II into tn,
North and South Omaha ~oulverts
This ID the recommendation Of tn
city engineer and will sooner or late
have to be carried out.
1t Is high time that Omaha shoul'
look to the future as we'll a. to tn
present. If the required bonds ar
voted at the coming spring election
will be fully two years before the In
provsments that are 81 greatly needle
can be carried out. Whe
these are finished they vi
add hundreds Of Thousands {
dollars to the value Of our reI
estate, and enhance by more tia
: that amount tho various interests
the city. Uatil our business street
: are paved and severed and provision
made for the carrying off Of the ~
plus water we will remain = GROSS b
tween . large town and . small cit,
20 far u our public improvements q
/. concerned. Every interest, both pu'
1 Ito and private, demands that the re
concentrations Of the board Of publ
5 works should be carried Into effect
n rapidlv A possible.