The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-05
TO DAM THE RIVER
Action VIII Save Cost of
Cleaning the Bend,
IMPROVED CITY WATER
Matter TO Be Considered at
Next Council Meeting.

Councilman c. Z Davidson has a new
scheme for rebuilding the Central avenue
Siam ia She Little river He is chairman
3f the public Improvement committee and
also OF the park committee Of the coun-
eli and while people are talking about
cleaning out the Little river opposite the
Stackman farm and rebuilding the dam
south of the Central avenue bridge. Mr.
Davidson has The engineers figuring on
an entirely different proposition.
His plan is 10 have the dam rebuilt
above the Stackman place which would
De 40 the west end Of the South section
0f Riverside park. The lowest bid re-
ceived for cleaning out the bend of the
river opposite tho Stackman place. was
iZ.50a. Mr- Davidson claims that q dam
can be built above this bend 81 the river
for less than 1T win 10 do the pro-
posed cleaning OF the river He would
let The current formed by the flow Of
water over the dam clean out the river
opposite the StaCkman farm.
When the dam was built below the
Central avenue bridge IT caused the
water to back over a low island CT about
a balf acre opposite the Stackman fam.
A damage suit was iustit ed ho SIR.
Steinbuchel on belalf of the Stsckman
heirs. The case hung fire m tie district
court until finally Air. Stainbuchel agreed
% withdraw the case if the city would
clean ont the channel Of the river and
aise this little island above the stage Of
water maintained by the dam The city
council thought best to accept this prop
ositi0n and City Attorney Helm was in
structed To draw contract covering
the agreement and bids were asked for
In do the work but before the city at
torney got the contract drawn and signed
the dam washed ont.
Everybody wanted the water damned
in the I.Htle river but there was @ good
deal Of objection TO the dam south Of the
Central avenue bridge. The channel Of
the river was narrow at that point and
during high stages OF water in the river
IL ran over the dam with terrific force
The current tore out q portion OF the
waterworks island and some Of the prop
erty on the east side Of the river below
the dam was gradually being undermin-
ed Then there was a still greater OBJ
lection to the dam than any that has
been mentioned The dam caused an un-
derdow IN the wateTWOrks island and
there were not few people who claimed
that water furnished to this city had an
alksu taste after the dam was built be-
cause we were getting a portion Of Little
river water. These same people are now
claiming that the water IS better since
the dam was washed out.
Vow what Mr.. Davidson proposes TO do
IS 70 get rid of an these objections by
building the dam above the Stackman
farm The river is wide at that point
and the banks aTe high and the current
cannot damage anyb0dy's property. Be
ing above the watervoTks island e could
not effect the water supply ~ the city If
1T ever had
Councilman Davidson is getting eeti-
mates and De viii bring his proposition
before The next meeting of the city coun-
eli which VIII be one week from tomor-
r0w night. Mr. Davidson is member
or tha park commission by virtue OF his
being chairman of the committee on
parks 81 the city council. but he said last
NIGHT thst he had not yet consulted with
the other commissioners in regard to his
plan.
Ross iast night and explained Council
man UavIdsaus plan 10 him and asked
Tor ais opil Son in regard to it, Mayer
Ross li5 not take kindly to the scheme.
He Thought TT would snoh south River
side park because it would remove the
large body az water west Of that section
Of the park lie said city Engineer
Jackson had figured On that very propo-
sition and found that the banks of the
river ut that point were not sufficient tn
maintain the dam. FIe said he had heard
the talk about the dam at Central avenue
causing an underilow from the Little
river. but be thought that was imagi1-
airy. because the pipes from which The
water company pumps water are fully
thirty feet below The bed OF Ihe big Ar
kansas and they could not he effected by
q dam I'm the little river.