The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-12-13
Grand Total.

Oskaloosa has enjoyed her share of
prosperity during the year that closes
the nineteenth century. There has been
no special boom in any particular line,
yet there has been greatest activity on all
sides and the advancement of the city
has been marked.
Contrary to the record for several
years past there was not great amount
of public improvement nor was there
much building or increase in values IN
the business part of the city, but in the
residence portion of the city the great
est increase over the records of previous
years has been observed. Beginning with
the earliest months of the year the work
of improving and building began 1t
continued and increased with the growth
OF the year and has endured through the
fall and into the closing months OF the
year to the extent that all building
trades labor is employed on full time,
The employment will continue into next
year.
OskalooSa has had in round numbers
an Improvement of almost $500 100000,
which is an increase over the record OF
1900 OF about $Ioo, 10000. This is a
splendid showing for the year and one
Of which every Oskaloosan may we'll feel
proud.
Special attention is directed to the
large number of new residences thar
have been erected during the year, No
fewer than seventy-scven new residences
have been erected. In this number are
included a very few plaSes that were re-
modelled and enlarged from former
dwellings,. but the places were so entire
~ altered that the change has been equal
to the building of new home. Moth
ing else could be more indicative OF the
growth and prosperity of the city than
| this increase in the number OF homes
| of OskalooSa. There are occupants TOR
all of the new places of residence and
| still there is no abatement in the demand
for desirable places of living. These are
healthful symptoms for the future prog
ress and growth of the city. The out
look for the next twelve months is the
| best and the most promising that the
city has ever had. As splendid as IS the
| record made by the past twelve months
| il will without doubt be surpassed by
the initial year of the new century.
The statement that Oskaloosa has
! done $3So.o5o.oo worth of improving dur
| ing he twelve months just passed will
| bear some analysis and the statement IS
easier of belief when the figures for the
work are shown
Public Improvements ....,..$ $500 90
Business improvements ... 5000 90
| New residences al. ..... I76,45o 90
Residence Improvements .... $4,000 90
Total ......... ..,,.,.... .S3o9,ooo 90
A detailed review of the work that
has been going on in the city from lay
| to day and month to month IS here
presented. The work has been carefully
| prepared and it has been endeavOred to
miss no one in the yearly statement OF
| Improvements. If there are omissions
they are purely oversight and the
amounts thus missed would but make
| the grand total OF greater volume.
Wetherell Henry-Added porch to
| his residence on High avenue. worth
ABOUT ....,,.... .'.... ...''; 100000
Battles. Mrs Alice-Remodelcd and
repaired rcntablc property on A avenue
| east of the jail Observation-Disclosures. S5Oo.oo
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
There was not a great amount of pub
| lie improvement done in the city dur
! ing the season There was no paving
| as has been the case in the city for a
| number of years past and this alone
| in past seasons has been a big item of
! the Improvement column. The only
thing in this line during the season was
the putting in of curbing on Third ave
nue. east. There were som" sewers of
| the smaller class built and some grad
ing of streets and alleys done. The inn
provements in the water plant OF the city
| might perhaps be termed a public inn
! prOvement
The improvement and the extension OF
| the plant of the OskaloOSa Water COM
| panv was one of the most noteworthy
Improvements of the year. There was a
| new forse main of twelve inches in dia-
| meter laid between the river and the
Standpipe, a distance of four miles. A
mile and a half of four. eight and six
inch mains were laid in the city, con-
Meeting with the up dead ends and re-
inforcing the plant. Twenty-four add
1ional fire hydrantS were located in the
| city Fifteen valves for the controlling
OF the distribution OF water about the
city were located The filtering system
was rebuilt and in reality made new.
The filter house was rebuilt and added
to and the standpipe reprinted inside and
out, the retaining wall at the water
works plant was rebuilt and made
stronger than before and a new pump
for filling of the reservoir was put in.
The total Of the improvements done by
the company will amount to S5o,ooo.oo,
Sewer improvement for the year in the
city. the east end sewer extended in the
Fourth ward and the lesser extensions
that have been made in various parts
OF the city will amount to about $1,000
There have been a number of miles
OF permanent sidewalks built during the
year and this, with the necessary grad
ing done for the walks and including
the other cement work done in the city
for the season represents a figure OF
about SIS. 90
There has been considerable grazing
of streets and the opening OF new
streets This is very notable improve
ment and represents something
ike ,..h..... ..,..... ,...... .S5,ooOoo
CURLING OF Third avenue from First
avenue east to Seventh street and more
than an equal amount of private curb
ing put in. The amount OF this work
done during the season will be
about . So. 900 90
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT.
There has not been the usual amount
OF activity in building in the business
part OF the city during the past twelve
months that marked the past several sea
sons There has. however, been consid-