The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-28

1 -.
| provements Can Be Made.
City Engineer H. L. Jackson has sub
mit:ed els report to the mayor.
| Hon. Mayor and City Council:
| Gentlemen:-I beg leave to submit tht
| following report, covering the entire sx
perditures for the engineer, sewer and
! street departments beginning April /, 1885,
and ending April j, 1897:
ENGINEER DEPARTMENT.
Salaries 49,. ............ $4,000
Supplies .......s S515-s12s5. /;
SEWER DEPARTMENT,
Labor ...... .............S1 16s.65
Material for repairs -. Ss-sS
Water for 1ush tanks 80. 5s5.I2-$2454-3;
STREET DEPARTMENT.
Cleaning cutters on
paved streets ....-...S 2760.35
Moving weeds ......... $500
Keeping ir repair $50
lineal IT. OF bridging:
also repairing box cul-
verts, and all carpen-
ter work in the CITY,. 196500
1903 days labor on dirt
streets q 1.5o per day. 6454.5o-$13o25. 81
Tools, repairs and hard
ware ............. $Z5O.oo
LUMBER ..-......... too.Si- $SoI.o
Grand total for all de-
departments for tbs
year $500. ........... s1s.7521s
Grard total for all de-
partments for the pre-
yious year ......-.... 1857 A
Grand totd, for all de-
par;ments for the last
two years ..... s4,25s60
AS against s59,37ss7 for the two years
previous.
This amount, s34. $50 so for the past two
years, is so per cent less per annum than
any previous year during the last ten
years.
During the last two years grader, two
wheel scrapers. sever % scrapers. shovels
and scythes have been purchased. and the
city Is fairly wei supplied with tools.
The work done on the streets for the
amount Of money expended at the rate
OF wages for eight hours per day, has
been phenomenal. Over eighty-two miles
Of streets have been graded. and some
fifteer basins or water holes, covering a
considerable area in some localities. have
been effectually draind, grades and levels
established covering $50 miles of sides
and centers Of streets. AL Of which have
been compiled on profiles in book form
so that any engineer can readily under
stand the situation as soon as any COM
plant is made with reference to drainage
of airy locality within the corporate lin
ats of the city.
In the sewer department great many
Improvements have been made at nom
inal cost; not only In the sanitary way
Qor which sewers were expressly con-
structeO but in way Of relieving the
city ir a measure Of the storm and run
Off water. In this connection desire to
state that the city of Wichita can be
thoroughly drained in one-half hour after
the hardest rains by constructing three
storm water outlets. One on Thir:eerth
street to break from divide between the
Little Arkansas river and Chisholm creek
one on Central avenue, the same, and one
on Kellogg street. the same. and all storm
water south OF Kellogg street that cai
not readily be taken into Kellogg TO be
taken into the Arkansas river. This
would not be very expensive when the
city can see its way clear to do II.
During the past two years twenty-one
additional catch basins have been put in,
some at considerable expense on paved
streets, where 1t necesstated the cutting
Of the pavement to lay water mains; also
a permanent dam across the race.
The flush tanks have been closely watch
ed and no water paid for that was rot re-
quired TO keep the lateral in good sani-
tary condition. All plumbing has been
carefully inspected where any new work
was being done, ard no certificate given
when same did not comply with plumbing
ordinance.
STREETS.
The inspection Of bridges and culverts
was promptly and carefully attended TO- |
and 70 accidents were reported on &C
count Of defects. This is remarkable. |
the number Of wooden struc-
lures in the city the natural life OF which |
has about expired.
We have over six miles Of cutters on !
paved streets. three miles OF which were |
cleaned every day except Sundays. and |
he residue every other day.
I have no hesitarcy in saying, without |
ear OF contradiction. that Wichita has |
ne best dressed. crowned and smoothest |
iiri streets of any city OF equal size in the |
vest.
SIDEWALKS.