Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-26
; SOUTH OMAHA NEWS. !

Twenty fourth street, from Q south to
| Milroy and Railroad avenue, from Milroy
on to the county line, is in very diapida-
ted, If not actually dangerous, condition
The heavy rains have washed great
| holes in the roadway and for quite a dis
tance on both sides of these streets deep
trenches have been dug by the water, so
that 1t Is really dangerous to drive along
the thoroughfare at night. In addition to
| the holes and cutters the tracks Of the
Albright street car line are from six to
eighteen inches above the roadway. max
ing it almost impossible for teams to cross
from one side Of the street to the other.
This roadway is the principal thoroughfare
into the city from the south and DOZENS If
not several hundred, teams pass along it
every day. number of accidents have
| occurred lately on account of the deep ruts
and it is understood that several damage
claims will be filed against the city by the
owners of broken vehicles.
Councilman Wear suggests that some of
the dirt to be taken from Twenty-third
street when 1t is graded be used in filling
the holes and cutters on Twenty fourth
street from Q to Milroy. 1t is estimated
that it will take in the neigtnborhood of
25, 900 cubic yards to properly fill the wash
outs. After this is done the street COM
missioner could be directed to plow up
Railroad avenue from Milroy street to the
county line and then grade it so that the
storm water would run off without tearing
up the avenue. This was done two years
ago and for short time the road was in
fairly good condition, but nothing in the
way of repairs to amount to anything has
been done for a long time
AS the Union Pacific railroad parallels
Railroad avenue from Milroy street south on
the west the few property owners on the
east side of the avenue are practically pow
erless as regards grading or paving, as with
out the signature of the Union Pacific Off
cials a petition to the city council for either
grading or paving would not contain the
required majority of property owners
Various plans have been suggested for the
betterment of the existing condition of af-
fairs in this locality, but few appear to be
practicable. A small appropriation might
possibly be made by the county commits
sioners and it is understood that an effort
will be made to bring the matter before the
commissioners at an early date.
One of the plans suggested is that the city
council might declare the road boulevard
and thus secure some help from the park
commissioners. 1t is understood that the
park commission has quite balance on hand
at Ine present llIle WHICH lulBnL De uSeu III
the commissioners We're so disposed, to as
sist in placing this roadway in frst-class
condition. In case this is done the street
car company will be compelled to pave be-
tween it's tracks, and this WIN be quite a
help.
The boulevard plan is being favorably con-
sdered by quite number of property own
ers in the southern portion of the city, and
II is possible that a petition to this effect
will be presented to the council before long.
When this is done the park board will be
called upon to assist in the reconstruction
of the roadway. In connection with the
park commissioners 1t is stated that the su-
preme court not long ago denied the right
OF the district judges to name park commits
sioners, and gave the mayor the power to
name the members of this body. This has
been done in Omaha, and II is asserted that
the decision which gave to Mayor Moores of
Omaha this right gives to Mayor Ensor the
same privilege. The present members OF the
park board are Messrs. Van Dusen, Hunt and
Ms berry. 1t was stated yesterday that an or
dinance would soon be introduced in the
council making provision for an action OF
this kind and clearing the way for the ap-
pointment of a new park commission by
Mayor Ensor,