The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-07-18
SEWERS and RY.GATES
City Council Discuss Two Import-
ant Improvements. ~


regular monthly session Monday
evening the mayor called attention
to the fact that over year ago
storm sewer. had been ordered con-
structed on Sixth street between
High and A avenues, and that up to
the present time nothing had been
done. This caused a lengthy discus
sion on account of the fact that it
was stated by City Engineer Earl
Bridges that the surface water that
now enters the Sixth street sewer
was in excess of what the sewer
could carry. The Sixth street sewer
etnpties into deep ravine on B ave
nue. and Sixth street and the water
is gradually washing away the banks
of this ravine. City Attorney Hugh
Mccoy was instructed to look up the
ordinances that were passed by the
council a year ago and something
viii be done in the near future to
relieve the residents on Sixth street
of the food nuisance. d ~@lsG
w. H. Wray, representative Of a
steel pipe concern, was before the
council endeavoring to sell few
more steel culverts. The street COM
mittee was instructed to make tour
Of the city and find out how many
more culverts would be needed and
then purchase the entire lot at once.
The committee composed of Sci
bert, Campfield and Minnick,, who
were given Instructions the first of
the month by the council to make a
thorough investigation of the rail-
road crossings in Oskaloosa, read
their report to the council. They
recommended the installing Of the
automatic gates at eighteen different
crossings in the city. Their report
omitted a number of crossings, in
Guiding only those where the view
If the right-of-way was obstructed by
buildings. Following the report q
lengthy discussion took place and
each member told briefly his view of
the automatic gates. The mayor
urged that action should be taken
Immediately. Councilman Blattner
thought that the full council should
be present before the gates were or
dered in. He was severely criticised
by other members of the council. The
mayor stated that il the gate subject
was passed up this time it would be
continually set aside until some acct
dent occurred and then the gates
would be ordered in. There is not
a city in the state the size of Oska-
loosa that does not have their public
crossings protected by automatic
gates" the mayor said, and we
must have the gates" Campfield Of
fered a motion instructing the city
attorney to draft an ordinance com.
polling the railroads to install the
gates and this motion was seconded
by Seibert and carried unanimously.
Following are the crossings to be
protected by gates:
NJ. & st. L. Railway-A, B, c, ID,
High and First avenues; Sixth and
Ninth streets.
c., B. & Q. Rsilway-High and
First avenues; D (2), B and Market
streets.
c., r. l. & P. Railway-D, B, Mar
ket and Seventh streets. ~
City Engineer Earl Bridges and
DR.. s. F. Boyd, head of the new
health department. made a report on
the Gentry sewer which is causing
the city more or less trouble. The
sewer Is in a bad condition and
would cost the city a considerable
amount to construct 1t to the city
limits. Mr.. Gentry has offered to
sell the city a strip of land on which
the sewer empties, at a reasonable
price and both DR.. Boyd and Mr..
Bridges recommended to the council
to purchase the strip of land. DR..
Boyd stated that it would be the ideal
place to construct septic tank and
this would have to be done sooner
or later.