Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-10
Council Bluffs
TODIVERTNDIANCREEK
Mayor Maloney's Scheme Discussed
from Several Standpoints.
STREAMS RAvAGEs ARE COSTLY
Annual Expense to City L. About
$4,000, Besides Losses Sustained
by owners of Private
Property.

Tha some definite steps should be taken
by the municipal officials to prevent the
periodical overflow Of Indian creek by d.
verting the stream at the city limits or
by any other plan which may be found
feasible is the general opinion.
Mayor Maloney's scheme to divert the
creek at the city limits seems a good one"
said a w~ell-known Broadway merchant yes
terday. Il do not know whether such a
plan is practicable, but II It is 1 for one
am in favor of the city doing something
definite in this direction. The expense an
nually to the city of repairing the damage
after one Of these periodical floods IL
not only large, but the damage to property
and business on Broadway and adjacent
territory is The proposition TO
bond the city, II this can be done, to carry
out some scheme Of dlvertlng the creek
would be an economic proposition in the
long run
A conservative estimate places the cost
annually OF repairs to the bridges over
Indian creek and cleaning the streets after
each successive overflow Of the stream
at $4,000. This sum would be 5 per cent
on 5000 O00, and II this amount was expended
In diverting the creek or in carrying out
some other plan to prevent these con-
slant overflows, the taxpayers would not
be paying any more than they are now.
Then, again, as a city official pointed out
yesterday, there would not be yearly the
immense loss to property owners that there
now is every time the creek leaves its
banks.
II the creek could be diverted and 1t is
believed the scheme is practicable, 1t
would do away with the necessity of
| hrgdgag avoa fba n~oepantIvo Iaraa arUanao
Of replacing the present structures with
concrete bridges. BY diverting the creek
the bed OF the stream could be filled in
and utilized for a large main storm sewer.
This would give hundreds OF acres Of
valuable ground TO the owners Of prop
erty abutting on the creek.
1t has been suggested that the diverting
of the creek could be made part Of a
new storm sewerage system for the city,
for the construction of which bonds could
be issued provided the proposition met
with favor at the hands OF the voters.
Mayor Maloney has been unable to con-
suit City Solicitor Kimball on this phase
of the question as Mr.. Kimball is at
present out Of the city, but other attor-
neys with whom he has discussed the
proposition rave expressed the opinion
that this could be done.
City Treasurer True has In his possession
the copy of a report made twenty-five
years ago by Benezette Williams, a civil
engineer, who at that time made plans
for a sewerage system in Council Bluffs.
In that report Mr.. Williams says: 1.-THE
most difficult thing with which we have
to contend. as 1t is now the great draw
back to the city's prosperity, ia Indian
creek"
AS a remedy Mr.. Williams made the
suggestion In his report to divert the
creek from its present channel at the
north city limits by means of a tunnel
through the bluffs to the Missouri river.
This would serve to drain the nine square
miles Of watershed above the city. AS
it now is the creek receives all the water
from the hills, thus causing the periodic
overflows and resultant destruction. This
Mr.. Williams estimated coould be done at
a cost OF about $500, 900.