The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-26
DEMAND FOR LEVEE
People Along Little River
Want Protection.
LEVEE MUST BE BUILT
Or City Must Remove Central
Avenue Dam.

The city council and the park commits
sioners are up against serious PROPOSE
ton in the matter of protecting the peo-
pie against damage from overflow of the
Little Arkansas river.
All of the people living in the section
of the city south OF the Little river and
west of Waco avenue are on the war
path and they have submitted sort of
ultimatum to the city council. The park
commissioners are taking sides with the
people in the western part OF the city and
they will urge the city council 10 i'm
mediate action.
The ultimatum of the people in the ter
ritory mentioned submitted three propo-
sitions First that the dam on Central
avenue be widened and driveway can
structed along the south bank of the
Little river from South Riverside park TO
Murdoch avenue. Second: The construc-
ton of substantial levee instead of the
driveway, or Third: the removal Of the
Central avenue dam.
The city council favors the plan of a
driveway for the reason that it will give
the city the right to maintain it and it
is believed that driveway built of the
mud from the bottom of the river would
lasA indefinitely But in this plan the
city is met with the combined opposition
of property holders along the Little river.
They object to having their property con-
demned for public use but claim that
they are in favor of projecting themselves
and others by the construction of a levee
on their property by the city.
Park Commissioner George NJ. Dickson
said yesterday that he did not blame the
people living west of Waco avenue and
south of the Little river for demanding
in no uncertain terms that something be
done and that it be done at once. BE
said that if a few people were allowed
to interfere with and prevent this work
the first thing another spring with its
heavy rains would be here and perhaps
the next time the city might not be able
to stop the water as they did last spring.
The little levees had become so waller
soaked during the high water" continued
Mr.. Dickson that if the flood had lasted
another day the Ievees would have given
way and the water would have plowed
through Grffenstein's addition and would
have ran down all the streets south Of
the Little river and west of Waco. Who
can estimate the damage If that thing
had happened Riverside park by the
last flood was damaged more than
thousand dollars. This is a matter of
self preservation to a large number of
people and this thing ought not to be de-
layed
The people owning the river bank from
South Riverside to Murdoch avenue claim
that they do want the fevee. Some Of
tween their property and the river but
that they do want the levey. Some of
the people most vitality concerned in the
levee or driveway claim that the proper
ty holders along the Little river are try
ing to hold up the city for excessive dam
ages If that is not true the property
holders can clear themselves of that sus-
picion by giving the city the right to
build and maintain a levy on their pro
perty. I for one would be willing to ac-
cept that kind of settlement.
1.-THE law will not allow the city to take |
private property for public use without |
paying for it and it is only right that the |
owners of property fronting on the Lit |
tie river should receive pay for all ac-
tual damage. I do not think that any /
body wants them to donate it. but I do |
not think that the city ought to pay for 1
the privilege of building a levy on this /
property for the protection of the owners !
as we'll as other residents in that section /
Of the city. This constant fear Of a mover |
flow is a detriment TO the whole city 1
people in some other cities have learned |
the horrors of an overflow. If the track /
8 raised in south Riverside and the drive /
way constructed as contemplated this 4
'ity would rest in comparative safety |
from an overflow for all time They |