Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-31
Council Bluffs
OF INDIAN CREEK
City Auditor Complies Facts and
Figures About Its Ravages.
EIGHT THOUSAND EACH YEAR
lie Opposes Any Further Waste of
Funds on Temporary Expedi-
ents 10 Control
Stream.

City Auditor McAneney has taken a firm
stand against the expenditure Of any more
Of the city's money on Indian creek ex-
cept such as may be needed to remove
present distractions. The futility Of vast
ing the taxpayers money on temporary i'm
prOvements, he contends, has been exem-
plified time and time again and in support
Of this contention he gives the following
facts and figures:
IAN money spent on temporary improve
ments on Indisn creek is merely temper
Icing and the sooner the city meets the ex-
listing condition Of affairs by an attempt to
construct a permanent source Of drainage
for the water which Indian creek is re-
quired in times Of heavy rains to carry off,
on practical modern lines. the cheaper it
will be for Council Bluffs.
Council Bluffs has been temporizing with
Indian creek ever since the city has been
Incorporated, and the money expended
thereon each year in attempting to keep it
within bounds, and during freshets make
the water run up hill, represents a sum suf-
ficient to build either a tunnel or a lifting
pump station to give relief permanently.
ITO illustrate, there has been expended
directly from the city treasury in the five
coli NAtAAN ~ " @Nf
Indian creek, the sum of $40, 5Ol.35. The
amount paid out on account of bridges
washed out mot worn ou) represents an
enormous sum covering the same period,
and the extra expense to the streets and
alleys department and the sewer depart
ment on account Of the eccentricities of the
creek, will run into thousands of dollars.
This is only the drain from the public
V,,roa. fbtpLy NJ yybat a hardghiD the raw
ages of this worthless stream has worked
upon the private property holders during
the long period of Ms uselessness, and the
menace TO public health as well.
Our sewerage system eliminating the
drainage and flood proposition altogether,
is already inadequate to the wants Of our
growing city. Justice to the patriotic ci:i-
zens who nave stayed with it, and in spite
of dlscouraging conditions similar to the
] aftermath Of the July 5 flood with which
we are now wrestling, have, by word and
action. expressed confidence in the future
of Council Bluffs as a city. and their be-
lief that a plan Of permanent relief would
be adopted, demands that immediate ac-
ton should be taken.
The frequent overflow Of Indian creek
is an evil that we have always had to con-
Ntllu Will dlu III 'pNN
sums Of money expended in the last TWEEN
ty-five years in attempts to temporarily re-
strain it. the ravages Of the creek are set
ting worse all the time.
Citizens of Council Bluffs and Potta-
wattamie county should get together and
decide upon some permanent plan of relief.
There are numerous systems of permanent,
practical drainage and sewerage now In
use applicable to our needs, present and
future, and at a cost that will work no
hardship on anyone, rich or poor. II Is a
belief that statutory authority now exists
for the aking up and completing of this
necessary measure.
The financial means will not be hard
to find any moment that definite action is
taken In this direction. Certain 1t Is that
permanent relief Of this nature will add to
the value of Council Bluff property as well
as farm lands affected by this creek from
% to 100 per cent"
Mr.. McAneney intends to present this
matter to the city council at it's meeting
next Monday night, with the recommenda-
ton that it take steps to devise some plan
without further delay to solve the Indian
creek problem.