The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-06-25
A new SEWER SYSTEM
Oskaloosa is to Have an Important
Improvement,

Oskaloosa is to have better sewer
system The council met in special
session Monday evening for the pur-
pose Of considering the proposition 81
employing an engineering expert to
make a complete survey Of the city
to determine the requirements and to
give Oskaloosa a perfect system OF
sewers that may be built from time
to time as the city sees fit,-but when
they are built they will be correctly
built.
The matter was fully considered al
the meeting and the council voted to
employ the Iowa Engineering Com
pany of Clinton to make perfect ana
detailed survey of the city and to fur
nish plans and specifications, togeth-
er with estimates of cost, for sewer
system for the city. Relief is in
sight at last and the troubles that
the city has had on account of its
sewers and the imperfect way In
which they have been constructed
viii soon be at an end.
Mr.. Chas P. Chase, q member of
the company, was before the council
to make full and detailed explanation
of the work that his company would
do and what the work would
mean for the city. The gentleman
talked at a considerable length but he
was closely followed by all members
Of the council present, and having fin
ished his lecture he was quizzed by
several members of the council con-
corning several points of the work
to be done, the requirements of the
city, and the like. The gentleman an
swered all queries fully and complete
ly and explained what the company
did and how they worked The crd
of the matter was that the company
was engaged by the city to make the
necessary survey and to furnish the
plans.
The work that will be done in max
ing the survey is quite extended. A
special surveying gang will come to
the city and make a detailed survey
of the surface within the corporate
limits of the city. They will take the
levels of the street and the street
grade at every street intersection, ana
the levels of all ravines or runs"
This having been completed, the
notes taken are used in making to-
biographical map of the city. This
map will reveal the elevations and
the natural drainage of the city, the
amount of territory drained, and how
drained, and from this the engineer
ing experts determine what is the
best system to pursue. The present
sewer system is carefully noted ana
is taken into consideration with the
making of the plans for the new sys-
tenn, and it is utilized. 1t may even
influence the plans that will be made.
Having made a careful study or
the city and the existing conditions,
the company will make a report to
the city council recommending GER
tain things and telling the reasons
for the same. Should the council see
fit to make recommendations or
changes they may do so and the same
are considered by the company. If
the recommendations are wrong, from
an engineering standpoint, the COM
pany points out tn efaults and why,
and if they are right the company In
corporates them in its work. The re-
port having been approved by the
council, and the plans as proposed
having been accepted, the company
proceeds to work out the details of
the proposed plan. Complete sets of
plans are made that show the street,
its intersections, levels, grades, depth
of the sewr, size of the pipe, location
of laterals, and all other information
that is necessary to a complete under
standing. With the plans and specifi-
cations in possession the city will be
in shape to work for the building of a
sewer system that will meet the re-
quirements of the place for ages.
One of the most important things
that will be done is the careful study
Of the conditions existing in the city.
and the determination from known
and positive facts how and where to
make disposition of the sewage of the
city. A sewer expert comes to the
city and carefully notes the conditions
and requirements and a special study
is made of the problem presented.
Oskaloosa's drainage is somewhat
peculiar in some respects. The city
is built on the divide" or what might
be termed two sides of hill between
two rivers. Water from one part OF
the city is drained to the northeast
and that from another part is taken
to the southwest. Skunk and Des
Moines rivers both receive a part of
the drainage through Muchakinock
and Spring creeks. 1t may therefore
be practical for the city to have two
or more outlets to it's sewers.
Other questions to determine will
be how to care for the surface or
storm water. Mr. Chase showed the
council how it might bemore econom-
zeal to make special provision for this
while in other cases it was better to
have the surface water accommodated
in the sanitary sewer. Almost every
imaginable phase Of the problem was