Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-12
COUNCIL SCORES
MIL WAUKEE ROAD
BELIEVING THAT COMPANY is
FENCING IN RIVER, WILL
TAKE ACTION
MAY OPEN STREET
If Railroad Is Found to Be Violating
State Law, the Fences VIII BE
Torn Down-Board Of
Health Meeting.

The Milwaukee railroad and the OF.
tumwa Sand company received a
severe scoring in the special meeting
of the city council last evening be-
cause It is fencing In the Des Moines
river at a point near Wapello street,
which the councilmen declare is in vio-
lation Of the state law The matter
was left in the hands Of City Solicitor
Clyde G.. Sparks to investigate and II
It Is found that the Milwaukee or the
Sand company has no right to fence
the stream Chief of Police Peter Gal
lagher will send q squad Of patrolmen
to the place to tear down the fence.
The fencing in Of the river was
brought to the attention Of the city
council by T. E. Rodgers Of the
Rodgers Sand & Gravel Co., who ap-
peared before the aldermanic body and
asked the city to open up Wapello
street to the river. He stated that
he was now paying eight cents a load
to haul the gravel over a lot belonging
to another party, meaning an expendi-
ture of $40 to $12 day.
A Game Of Freeze-Out.
Alderman Bremhorst stated that he
had visited the spot and it looked to
him like a game of freeze out. He
stated that the Milwaukee company
had run the fence within few feet OF
the water edge. The fence he declar-
ed was half way across the river bed.
and that the company was practically
fencing In the river. Alderman Will
iams declared that the men who put
T.. ,~t in
boots as it was so close to the waters
edge He stated that it was VIOLA
ton Of the law to run the fence farther
than the high water mark. Alderman
Williams wanted to know if Wapello
street or the streets in Central addi-
ton had been opened to the river. The
matter was placed in the hands of the
city solicitor and City Engineer Brady
to report as soon as posimle.
Will Open Streets.
In case the streets were not open
upon Mr.. Williams motion which was
UNANIMOUSLY passed, City Solicitor
Sparks was instructed to commence
condemnation proceedings to open
Wapello street to the rivers edge. The
cost will not be large and Mr.. Rodgers
made the proposition that he would
put two teams on the road every day
to get it in good condition.
Alderman Hartman said if the rail
road company was violating the law
in regard to fencing in the stream
which belongs to the state, immediate
action should be taken to abate the
nuisance by tearing them down.
Board Of Health Meeting.
Previous to the special session of
the council, the aldermen convened as
a board Of health but there was little
business to come up before that body.
City Physician A. H. Peterson re-
ported that during the past month
there had been one case Of diphtheria
which had been released yesterday
and with the exception of two cases OF
typhoid fever the city had been free OF
contagious diseases. City Physician
Peterson wanted to know what the city
was going to do about the removal Of
garbage this year but he received no
answer to his question.
Following the board of health and
special council meeting the council con-
vened as the board of equalization.