Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-11
DECIDES TO DIG THE DITCH
Board Takes Final Action on the Long
Talked Of Proposition.
HARRISON COUNTY TO PAY ITS SHARE
Thomas TOstevin Appointed Engineer
in Charge of the Work to Look
After the Interests of the
County.
HARRISON COUNTY TO PAY ITS SHARE

Harrison county's two bitches, known as
the Willow Creek and the Allen Creek
bitches, will be constructed to connect with
the ditch in Pottawattamie county, which
will be known as the Boyer cutoff ditch.
The Willow creek ditch will start about
FIVE miles north OF Missouri Valley and
after merging with the Allen creek ditch
in Pottawattamie county will tap the
Boyer river at a point about one mile
south of Loveland. From this point the
ditch to be known as the Boyer cut-off will
be constructed in an almost straight line
to the Missouri river. This ditch will be
about one and one-halt miles long.
The construction of the ditches It is
estimated. will necessitate S84SS1 cubic
yards of excavation as follows: Willow
creek ditch, 41s,s4s; Allen creek ditch. S22,-
S36; Boyer cutoff, 9S,17. 1t is estimated
that the total cost of the improvement will
be SS75oo, although these figures may be
increased, as a number Of owners of land
through which the bitches will pass are
demanding greater damages than allowed
by the appraisers. It is figured that the
work of excavating can be done for cents
per cubic yard, or a total cost of $66, 100
The right of way. including damages, IT is
figured will absorb about $1,000, while
other expenses, such as pay of the en-
gineer in charge, will amount to about
$4,000. 1t is expected that the work of con-
struction can be completed this year
Harrison Gives Bond.
The Board of County Supervisors took
final action yesterday in the matter of the
awattamie-H Harrison county drainage
ditch proposition and the improvement will
be carried out The board adopted the re-
port of the commissioners appointed by
the two counties also the report of the
appraisers of damages 60 property affected
by the proposed bitches. The auditors of
the two counties will now advertise for
bids for the construction of the ditch which
will be divided into sections for this pur-
pose.
Thomas Tostevin was appointed engineer
| in charge of the construction of the ditch
by the board, which will also determine
the compensation he shall receive. The
bond in the sum of $4,000 signed by thirty
four property owners of Harrison county
I as a guarantee that Harrison county would
: pay the additional cost of the construction
of the ditch in Pottawattamie county. was
! filed with the board. The ditch in Potta-
wattamie county will have to be of in
creased capacity in order to care for the
water from Harrison county. thus increas-
. lIb lHO COSI Oh ltS COncti uClioHI lIS
county and this extra expense is to be
borne by the Harrison county people.
The ditch is one of the most important
/ undertakings ever contemplated in the two
counties and II is expected that 1856 square
miles of land will be directly benefited by
| its construction.
The board also approved the establish
ment of the Pigeon creek ditch in Crescent
township and Thomas Tostevin was also
appointed engineer in charge of this work.
The Pigeon creek ditch is but small un'
dertaking in comparison with the proposed
Pottawattamie-H Harrison county joint ditch.
F. L. Reed. clerk of the district court
filed a report showing that he had col
lected $1,477.s5 in fees from December 2l
1902, to June /, 1eO3 and which he had
turned into the county treasury.
Alderman Israel Lovett petiuoned the
board to have the county building al
Twenty-fourth street and Avenue re-
paired at a cost not to exceed $40.
Today the board will take up the matter
of the plans for the buildings on the new
county poor farm.