The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-09-12
RELIEF IS GRANTED.
Burlington improvements At Beace n
Bridge Satisfying.

The much desired and long talked
of improvement at the intersection of
the c., B. & Q. Ry. and the county
road over the Muchakinock creek west
of Beacon has been completed. The
betterment accomplished can be appre-
ciated only by those who have been IA
miliar with the conditions that existed
before and after the grading Of the
railway right-of-way at this point.
The immense dump put in by the con-
struction was of faulty character. The
highway ON the east side of the creek
was confined to narrow strip of
ground on the south side of great
dump, at the west end of which 1t
turned at right angles to the north
crossing under the trestle work of the
railway bridge and them made another
turn to the west on the north side OF
the bridge The county bridge was
stationed at the turn on the north side
of the trestle.. The conditions could
not have been more inconyenient. The
roadway was too narrow to permit of
the passing of teams. On account OF
the height of the entertainments, con-
veyances approaching the bridge from
opposite directions could not see each
other until they were attempting to
use the bridge at the same time. The
annoyance growing out of the coudi-
tons brought the matter before the
board of supervisors. The town of
Beacon also took it in hand, and final
ly the railway people promised relief.
Promises, long deferred, engendered
dissatisfaction that entered into local
political campaigns and the feeling
grew to be intensely bitter on the part
of the people using the road.
The promised relief has now been
brought about and the work stands al
most completed. The railway has
erected a ninety-foot steel truss bridge
over the creek. This gave room on
the east side of the creek to alter the
roadway. The county bridge was
moved from the north to a position al
most beneath the east end Of the steel
truss. Instead of standing on an east
and west line as before. the sharp
turns have been dispensed with and
the crossing of the creek is now on a
diagonal line from northwest to
southeast and the roadway skirts the
foot of the dump in an easy curve. The
foot of the dump on the east side of
the creek has been cut away and the
additional space gained thereby is CIV
en- to the roadway.
The railroad company In fixing the
place has done all and more than spe-
Gifted in the agreements, and the i'm
provements are of so marked a nature
that the people are disposed to be
pleased with the changes brought
about. Other changes and improve
ments are to be made, however, that
will make further betterments. A
guard rail is to be placed on the south
side of the turning roadway at the east
end of the county bridge, to prevent
teams going over the creek bank.
Measures will be taken to give the
place a perfect drainage to carry off
great flood of surface water resulting
from the big surface presented by the
dump and the roadway on the east
side.
The railway company has recognized
the necessity of rebuilding the ap-
proaches of the bridge proper, and this
work is now being planned. 1t will
probably be put in next season. The
place is one of the most annoying and
expensive on the line of the road be,
tween this city and Tracy, and the
end Is not yet.
At the time the road was first grad
ed many suggestions were made to the
county board concerning the disposi
ton of the wagon road. Many favored
the placing of the highway on the
south side of the big grade, beginning
at the top of the hill west of the creek
This plan did not meet with favor al
the hands of the board on account OF
the necessity of the purchase of STRIP
of land. It is freely admitted, how
ever, that this plan would do away
with all trouble and many believe that
it will eventually be the only solution