The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-03
WOULD PREVENT
FLOODS IN CITY
Committee Appointed by the
Mayor 10 investigate
NAY BUILD CANAL
BUILD CANAL
From One River to the Other
in the North Part of City.
NEW POLICE TELEPHONES
VIII be Installed While Com
pany Is at Work

The first steps were taken last night
to stop the flooding Of the north and east
sections Of the city by the water from
the Arkansas river. The mayor appointed
Ransom II. Brown, county surveyor, and
R. H. Harding, city engineer, and the
committee Of public Improvements as
a committee to investigate the matter
and report to the council what could be
done
The matter as-pIaced before the coun-
eli by Mr.. Davidson. who introduced Mr..
A. c. Dickson OF The park board. Mr..
Dickson stated that if the water in Little
river had RISEN six inches more there
would not have been bridge left in the
park. The water was within foot Of
the floor Of the bridge and there was
barely room enough for the driftwood
70 go under. and II the water had reached
point whore this trash could not get
away the great pressure would have de-
stroyed every bridge.
Without taking into consideration the
bridges raise Of four inches would have
ber OF places and the business section Of
the city would have been flooded and the
amoant Of damage from this source
could not be estimated.
As it is. the parks were submerged
and the damage 10 the grass and shrubs
already amounts to hundreds of dollars.
One Of the causes for the flood in the
east and north sections Of the city is
the water coming through the race at
Sullivans dam.
The only plan preached so far is to dig
e shallow canal from the Little to the
big Arkansas river, and beginning about
Twenty-drst street. This canal would be
wide. bat not very deep and would only
carry Off the water when the river had
reached a stage that would be danger
Gus TO property and people. 1t is thought
that canal OF this kind would effectu-
ally prevent a repetition OF such scenes
as can be found in the city's pride Riv-
erside park. and that the cost of the
canal would be returned in a few years
by preventing the great damage 10 the
parks and also to private interests.
The committee VIII be organized at an
early date and active work commenced,
ana il is hoped 10y the promoters that be-
fore the river has another chance TO do
damage. some possible plan would be sug-
gested and the work completed so that
the city need feel no alarm whenever
there comes Il succession Of heavy rains
and the river channels are brim full.
Mr.. Herman Of the police and prisons
committee reported that this city needs
e police telephone system and this could
be installed easily at present while the
new telephone system is being installed.
The police now have system. but dur
Ing storms these are dangerous TO the
officers on account of the wires not be-
ing properly insulated. The new sys-
tenn would Doe of the latest and most APP
proved patterns of police signal systems
and would enable the officers on their
beats to communicate with the station
or vice versa in "a very few moments and
they would be saved the trouble and
time OF making connections through the
central telephone Office
The system would cost complete and
ready for operation. about $50 and would
b. the best and the same appliances as
used in larger cities There would be ten
OF The boxes placed as far as possible
under outside stairWays and OF the pub
lie streets. yet where they could lee easily
reached by the officers. The telephones
and wires have 40 be purchased. bat the
city electrician viii install the system
al the same Time the independent Tele-
phone company docs It's work.
The boxes are 10 be distributed mostly
IN the main part OF the city and where
they would be needed the most. The Of
ficers are required TO report 10 the station
~ cry hall hour. The locations Of the +
boxes are as follows:
At corner OF Main street and Douglas
avenue
Corner of Wichita street. and Douglas +
avenue
Corner Of Lawrence and Douglas ave
nues.
Corner OF Emporia and Douglas ave
nues.
Corner Of Santa Fe and Douglas ave
nues.
Come. Of First and Main streets
Corner 81 Second and Nain streets.
Corner of Central avenue and Main
street.
Corner Of Seneca and Douglas avenues.
Corner OF Twenty-frst street and Law
renee avenue.
The council ordered the police and pris-
ons committee and tho city electrician to
purchase and install the phones.
The people ~ this CITY have The side
walk fever bad. r the way they are send
ing in petitions IS any criterion. Ii is
seed thing and the counoll Is more
than willing To push it along. LAST nieht
eighteen petitions were presented and all
lowed. while there we're two o~ three
from the West Side that there was some
hitch about and they were referred back
u the councilman from that ward The
following were the petitions. all for per
rs.anert walks.
On the west side of ST Francis from
Tenth 10 Eleventh streets.
or the west side Of oak from Douglas
10 Maple avenues.
on the west side Of aIaruason from
Douglas 70 Mccormick avenues.
on the east side II Waco from Ninth TO
Tenth streets
on tire north side of Eleventh from
Grie6cnstein's third addition 20 Main
street.
on the south side OF Waterman from
Water street 10 Fremont avenue
ON the east side 81 Mafa from Kellceg
20 Orme streets
on both sides of English from Water /
T. fremont street
on tie west side CT Pearce avenue from
Tenth 70 Eleventh streets.
on the west side az Main from Tenth
70 Thirteenth streets.
or both SIDES ef Park Place avenue
from Thirteenth 70 Sixteenth streets
On tie west side of Fairview from
Thirteenth To Fifteenth streets.
There were TWO petitions for curling I
ana guttSring-bOth sides * Topeka ave 7
g