Omaha daily bee., 1885-03-19
THE OUTLOOK.
Council Bluffs Has a Brighter Future
Than Ever,
Half a Million Dollars OF New Build,
ings in Sight,

Council Bluffs never has had 80 bright
a future as now lies at its very feet.
There are already iu sight building Inn
provements which will, when completed,
reach fully $780, 00. The government
building has got IN appropriation of
$3.50, 900, the new court house and jail
have been voted for to cost $3.50, 900, the
Episcopal church and the Catholic church
will be now carried on to completion,
and scores of lesser building improve
ments are being commenced, which
cannot but make the amount
swell Into the hundreds Of thousands of
dollars, and there are several very i'm.
portant enterprises on foot which will add
thousands Of dollars to the industries of
the city.
The time is not far distant when the
wagon bridge connecting Council Bluffs
and Omaha will be built, Council Bluffs
will be greatly benefited by this. Oma
ha is getting crowded, and w%orkingmen
requiring homes, ami business men re-
curing room for warehouses, yards and
shops would gladly fill up the bottom
lands, now lying unoccupied, IL these
lands can be made easy of access, and
communication between the cities can be
made closer.
Aside from the building improvements
and great promise of the advancement of
commercial interests there are other
features rich with promise.
The chief is that the citizens them
selves are getting enthusiastic and full of
confidence In the city. One of the great
faults Of Council Bluffs has been that It's
own citizens were continually giving their
own town a black eye. Almost any
stranger coming to the city to investigate
with a view of settling here or e~mbsrking
in business, would be told the most dole
full stories by Council Bluffs people them.
selves as to the prospects of Uhe city.
They have been constantly running down
the town, and speaking Ill of 1t. This
sort Of talk has done great harm to this
city, but now there seems
an : end of this. The people
now seem confident themselves, and 60
confident that they are willing to invest
their own means In enterprises. This
general expression of confidence on the
part of Council Bluffs own people cannot
but inspire confidence in others.
Real estate men say that already the
prices which have been very low, are be-
ginning to stitfsn somewhat, and there is
the promise of greater activity in that
line.
Another encours giug feature Is that
the city's financial affairs, under the
handling of the new council, will be
based on a more economical policy, 80
that the tendency will be to make the
burden of taxation lighter instead of
heavier. A little retrenohment can be
better made this year than other years
for the building boom, and various new
enterprises will keep the city lively and
growing without SO great an amount
of public work being done. The
public improvements which are
to be made will mostly be
of a character which will be met by
assessment on the property direct
ly beneftted.s Pearl and Bancroft streets
are to be paved, and several residence
streets will also be paved. Other work
will be done also andin fact wha!ever..oew
Is taken of the coming year there eeems
nothing but brightness and hope.
The city promises to be cleaned up and
regulated more closeIy-morally also. In
fact Council Bluffs this year will make a
glorious record for itself every way, and
will come as near to having a regular
it Is healthy for any city. Too much
of a boom Is liable to result In too great
reaction, but growth surs and solid, is
just what Is coming.