Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-08-12
GOOSE RUN.

NOW Wnlle the mdUleT Ol tdhlHS care
of this stream is before the people and
the Engineer has gone to the extent of
making estimates, something should
be done. Not like the King of France,
who marched up hill with $4,000 men
and then marched down again, or like
the Spanish Admiral Camara, who
sailed for Manila with the warships
got as far as Suez and then sailed back
again. Let us do something.
1t is evident that if we are ever to
redeem the low ground or make any
progress toward developing that part
of the city the City Council must
move in the matter. 1t is also plain
that the city must take the laboring
oar, private capital either of individ-
uals or corporations, railroads or 9TH
erwise will not build culverts or fill up
holes any further than self interest
will dictate. Indeed, how can we eX-
pect more than that of them. All we
can expect is cooperation so far as
their contracts or franchises compel
them to so and no farther. 1t will be
wise policy, however, which takes
advantage of the railroads willingness
to begin and joins on to what the rail-
road is compelled to do.
1t is possible that the bridge fund,
which now amounts to something like
$500, can be utilized for this wark.
1t will not be long before something
will have to be done to drain the part
of the city east of Greene street and
north of Sixth. Goose Run does not
now afford drainage for this section
and can not be made to do it adequate
ly. A storm water sewer of large pro-
portions will have to be constructed
to the Ohio river at some point; that
is plain. The river is the great drain,
into which all city sewers and drains
empty. The plea hat sometimes the
river rises and flows back through
these drains cuts no figure; because
the water is bound to cover that low
ground whenever the stage of water is
high enough, unless dikes and levies
are built to keep the water out, and no
one seriously proposes to do that. A
dixie would be a factor of dangr and
destruction to life and property that
no community would tolerate or think
of building.
The piercing of the bank at Sixth
street with a culvert would not bring
the water onto the low ground an
hour sooner than it comes now. So
that objection has no force. Any en-
gineer will, l think, bear me out in
this assertion.
We should encourage the railroads
to fill and raise their tracks, even if
the city has to do some work herself
to get these Improvements. We will
run very slim chance of getting
much money spent here if we pursue
the policy, illiberality and parsimony.
Marietta has always been liberal to
public enterprises, and has not done |
so bad in getting something in return
for her liberality. Any one can cast |
about and see where we have gained |
by this policy The railroads have
don more for Marietta than she has
done for them. If anyone doubts this,
let them figure up the cost o. the rail-
road Improvements in and about the
city and then compare that with what
the city has given the roads. How
ever it is not the purpose of this arti-
lie to defend the railroads, but rather
% give a note of warning against be-
ng prejudiced off hand against these
Necessary and very useful corporations
which we cannot get along without,
md would not II we could,
Let the city and the roads work to-
,ether. The peoples interests and the
interests are in common so
ar as the disposal of Goose Run is
concerned. There can be no good
'eason why they should not work to-
'ether in this matter. S. ]. H.