The herald., 1897-09-15
To Be Made in Elysian
Park Drainage
IT IS TO PREVENT WASH0UTS
COMMISSIONERS MAKE A TRIP
OF INSPECTION
Council Petitioned to Compel the Com
pletion of Third and Change the
Name of Alameda Street

The personal inspection Of the boule-
ward in Elysian park which the board of
park commissioners have purposed
making for several months for the pur-
pose Of ascertaining some manner in
which the destruction of some portions
of that roadway could be prevented,
was made yesterday afternoon, and it is
believed will result in the saving to the
city of large amount of money which
would have had to be expended next
year had not the commissioners given
the matter their attention at the pres
ent time.
For a long time it has been known
that the nature of the soil in the park
was such that at the first heavy rains
q part of the roadway that has been
built at the cost of several thousand
dollars would be washed away and rer-
der the park practically useless. The
matter has been mentioned several
times in the meetings of the board, but
It was not until yesterday that action
was taken. Accompanied by the mayor,
the city engineer and Councilman Nick
ell the members of the park commission
drove to the park in the afternoon and
spent several hours there looking al the
places where additional safeguards
were needed to prevent washouts.
The fret of these places and the one
at which there is greatest danger OF the
destruction of the roadway is at the frst
turn In the road after entering the park
There all the water which would rail-
upon the middle section of the park
would find an outlet and in the present
condition of the road large slice would
be taken out of the bank. 1t was found
that only the small cutters that line the
roadway were provided to carry off the
water and they were known to be wholly
Inadequate for that purpose. Two REM
edies were suggested. City Engineer
Dockweiler favored the plan of laying
large drainage pipe underground at this
point and carrying the water under the
railroad tracks at the foot OF the en-
bankment into the river. That method
would cost, the engineer thought. not
more than $500, but the others of the
party thought it would reach twice that
amount The other plan and the one
which it was afterward decided to adopt
was to place an underground pipe at
the curve and carry the water around
the curve, connecting the pipe with the
main gutter which is to be built and
which will empty into Buena Vista
street. This work will be commenced at
once and will cost not to exceed $3.50. ac-
cording to the estimate of Mayor Sny-
der. The building of the gutter will be
completed as soor, as possible.
After half an hour spent at the first
point of danger the party walked UP the
hill and inspected the other numerous
water outlets along the road. In most
places the sewer pipes which are used
for drainage were found to extend over
the entertainments in such a manner as
to make certain the caving-in of the
portions of the road. At other places
these drainage pipes were found to be
90 located that the water which they
will carry off will again run over the
lower parts of the road. To remedy
these dangers to the boulevard will re-
uuire the extension of many of the pipes
to twice their length or more, and some
Of them will have to be laid all the way
down the hill. AS these several places
were reached they were closely exam
ined by the commissioners and the engi-
neer, and numerous suggestions were
made as to the best manner of placing
them in proper condition. Just what
will be done at all such places has not
been decided, but repairs will be made
ut once, the nature and extent of them
to be determined at the next meeting of
the commission.
1t seems that no one in particular is
responsible for the defects in the drain
Ing system, but that they were laid
according to the accepted plans for the
park, the matter of drainage provided in
these plans being at the time of their
acceptance considered adequate. The
park superintendent was instructed to
proceed with the work at the entrance
to the park, and this will be completed
within the next three weeks