The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-11

! terprise in Wichita, which We now be-
hold all over the city and which in the
near future viii make demands on the
| public which are not now anticipated.
| Mention is made of this to pave the way
| for few recommendations that will fol-
! low In their regular order in this report
ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
Much valuable work has been accom-
plished at odd times in the accurate COM
! pilatfons Of various records Of inesd-
mable value to the city which are well
along and when completed the engineer 5
| Office OF Wichita will be as well equipped
j with accurate and ready reference data
as any like office in the United States.
| Work In the field consisted in giving
and establishing grades and lines for
| permanent improvements. also laying out
| sewer district No. 2, compiling specifca-
4 tons for same, establishing permanent
corners in the parks and all over the city
and opening streets.
| SEWER DEPARTMENT.
Six catch basins were constructed, US
| ing 200 brick and six barrels Of cement.
Two hundred and forty feet of S-inch
| sewer had to be moved east in order that
same would not be covered by building
now being constructed by Messrs. Leh-
man & Higginson between the Santa Fe
| and Rock Island depots. Forty-six flush
| tanks are dumping water in dead ends OF
laterals
The sewer Is constantly and carefully
examined and Is in excellent sanitary
condition. Mains and have con
CT ~ Nv
Main A is we'll supplied from power
house of Street Railway and Gas Plant
The water now from Little river is IN
der perfect control for flushing the sew
ers and keeping a constant flow of pure
| water down Chisholm creek. Seventy
four permits were issued for connection
with the sewer.
The present sewer system contains
56.T miles Of mains and laterals, eS3
man holes, 1925 observation holes, 270
flush tanks, Sc catch basins.
We have about reached the limit OF
catch basins for mains A, B and c, and
IN my Judgment, no more should be con-
structed on these mains, but instead a
storm sewer beginning at northwest cor
ner of Emporia and Thirteenth and lex
tending east on north side of Thirteenth
to open ditch beyond Kansas Midland
railroad track with catch basins at in
tersections Of all streets crossed. Also
one beginning at northwest corner of To-
peka and Central and extending east on
north side of Central to Chisholm creek
with catch basins at intersection jof all
streets crossed. Also one beginning at
northwest corner of Central and River
view and extending west on north side
of Central to Little Arkansas river, with
catch basins at intersection of all streets
crossed
This would enable the filing of bitches
and improve Central avenue as a driving
street after the street railway Is con-
structed, and very materially assist in
getting relief from the storm water that
cannot successfully be carried in open
bitches with so little fall
STREET DEPARTMENT
Under the we'll directed efforts Of Mr..
E. J. Allen, street commissioner, who
vigorously demands that a full days ser
vice must be rendered for a days pay,
the results have been very gratifying.
For details you are referred to the COM
missioner's full report.
Nothing SO seriously hampers this de-
partment or causes such unnecessary ex-
pense as the acts of thoughtless people
in throwing paper and all kinds OF rub
Dish on the sidewalks, streets and in the
cutters. This, with a little consideration
for the public good by these people. could
easily be avoided Children should be
to refrain from this practice.
The time is at hand when all cross
streets on Douglas from Wichita to Fifth
should be paved one block north and
south of said street; also First and Sec
ond west from Main to the Missouri Pa
cific railroad tracks. This would mater
tally aid traffic and relieve Main and
Douglas Of a vast amount of mud car
ried from these streets by vehicles.
The city should own the sweeper and
sweep Main and Douglas six nights every
week as far as they are sprinkled, and
the residue of the paved streets two
times every week.
A graduated license might advantage
ously be offered to all drays and carts
that use no wagon with tires less than
four inches wide and 50 arranged that
wheels will not track, thus using a road
maker instead of road breaker.
Wichita has S4,34s square yards of
asphalt pavement, 1866 square yards Of
brick pavement, and 1881 square yards
OF Colorado sandstone pavement, equal
to nine miles of pavement Is feet wide.
with about Is, $50 feet of curb and gut
tering on paved streets. The repair on
Main street pavement last year cost
s238.7O, only a little more than one-eighth
OF the cost on about one-ha1f as much
pavement on Market street under a
maintenance contract.
BRIDGES
In my judgment it would be good prac-
tice in the future when pile bridges span
ming Chisholm creek or any other short
spans require an entire new bridge, to re-
place the same with shorter steel spans
erected on pneumatic piers with sufficient
strength to carry permanent roadway; or
better still, concrete spans with absolute
permanent way for all time. Gradually,
1t seems to me, this could be done with
out much greater expense than new pile
bridges and, taking the repairs into &C
count afterwards. with much I=ss ex-
pense-
STREET AND ALLEY OPENING
Streets and alleys were opened as f.
lows:
Central avenue widened from Main 10
alley west OF Water street.
Indiana from First 10 Douglas.
Wabash from First % Douglas.
indianapolis from Water 10 Wichita.