Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-26
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Engineer FOWL Startles Exchange
with City Planning Mistakes.
OWNER DEGREES TENANTS ACTS
.etter 10 Dec Reveals bad Habits Of
Careless Tenants, Who Rcekiessiy
Mutiiate Good Home aud Leave
n UNIT for Occupancy.

The Real Estate exchange at It's last
meeting was startled TO hear OF the pres
mt condition Of omaha's city plan. Roy
=. Towl. q local engineer. read a paper
u which he told OF the discrepancies
.aat have been found and offered many
usgestIons for reparations. all OF which
gere unanimously endorsed by the ex-
thange
The Bee prints below a part Of his
emarl:s,
everyone viii admit that Omaha should
make Its further growth conform to the
contour OF its high slightly ridges. bluffs,
.uently there Is imperative need OF ac-
Ilrate and comprehensive surveys. a. a
basis for the layout Of streets, sewers,
and all public works. thus avoiding ex-
pensiye and irreparable mistakes.
Other large cities have recognized this
curate and comprehensive typographical
maps as the basis for intelligent and
economical planning OF their improve
ments. In this respect Omaha Is classed
49,. tue unpros ressayes where the official
drveys are merely incomplete. casual
cords OF streets. properties and public
,Crks, gradually accumulated through a
ing series OF years. These records con-
st, for the most part, OF independent
secemeal surveys OF all degrees Of ac-
raoy and inaccuracy, made for all sorts
Purposes. and OF compilations and
Lnscripts OF these piecemeai records
lehed together In attempts 10 recon-
~ irreconcilable data.
Ii Is not necessary TO give long list
examples OF these incomplete and IN
searate records which are TO be found
the offices Of our city engineer and
'aniy surveyor, Every surveyor and
isineer in Omaha With whom | have
llked, whose work has given him oc-
ason TO use this data, Is familiar with
* conditions. with the fact that old
PES and chains used In the surveys OF
,iletent parts OF the city differed In
hgth and that the errors were never
mpensated. 80 that today we must de-
mine these various degrees OF mac
racy In order 10 conform TO the rec
d.: with the fact that a large porpor-
Of tire streets are not marked by any
mr. ~~as monuments. and that there
IL no adequate system for protecting the
that do exist. % that the
city often has no sure recourse against
AUDITING owners who have uninterfion-
ally eneroached upon the street often on
beth sides. the same being true OF the
....s "a al OF our down town
..st everywhere encroachments are
ound. and finally that no good offieial
Ipography OF the undeveloped areas. And
4 In many cases public improvements
re made year after year without 70
ard to the proper development OF these
.reas. 20 that somehow. somewhere.
ometime we must meet the expensive
nd unsatisfactory problem OF extensive
No criticism Of the present engineering
epartnaent. or Of its predecessors. Is In
nded In these remarks. The blame falls
on the whole system OF penny-wise.
Ound-foolish. hand-to-mouth procedure In
card 70 the city surveys that has been
Characteristic OF a large proportion OF
nerfcan cities in the past. and OF
maha with the rest. Omaha should take
y Its examples the cities OF Europe and
aany Of cur own larger cities which have
sretully worked out. adopted and are
row building upon comprehensive city
ANS. And because Of Omahs's peculiar
pportunities and the grave dangers which
laturaliy follow unprogressive medieval
Methods, Il should take pains to surpass
tiher than TO lag far behind In this re-
psct-
IN outline the objects to be secured are
hese;
tal An accurate framework Of reference
Olntz needs TO be established. including:
The gradual systematic setting Of per
aaent street monuments throughout the
lily TO serve as reference points TOR the
'efinite determination OF street locations
nd for all public and private local Sur
eyS. 2 The accurate determination Of the
-.ations and elevations Of these and
,her monuments and bench marks IN
eference 10 q single general system %
o-ordinates and IN reference TO the
United states government bench. 1 As a
peans % accomplishing these ends an
4~eerate seoeeie uiAnsalatlop Of the dis