Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-08
Street Work of City Being
Done Economically Under
Methods Now in Vogue
OLD BRICK PILE NOW
THING OF THE PAST
Problem Solved BY Making
Crossings; Catch Basins
and Tops Are Cement

The street department Of the city
is quite busy at present improving a
number of the streets about the city
and laying brick crossings that re-
place the old plank type for many
years in vogue.
The work of this department Is to
a great extent responsible for the fav-
orable condition of the city's finances
work when it can be done most cheap
ly and with little labor or material OK
pense. This is' evidenced in the street
work along East Second and Locust
streets and on Bismark avenue. Dirt
that the paving company is taking
from North Ash street in grading for
the paving, Is being hauled without
the regular expense to the city to the
above mentioned streets. AS result,
bad spots are filled, narrow places
widened and the roads brought up to
a better state Of efficiency.
For several days past Street Com
missioner Stocker has had force Of
men and teams employed on East Park
avenue between Court and Jefferson
streets. Cuts and fills have been
made, the road widened and bad
spots improved. The grading of this
street will require few more days to
complete. A force of men are also at
work on North Green street and High
land avenue in the vicinity of Park.
improving the roads there.
Make Catch Basins.
One of the practical things being
done by the street department and
one which saves the city considerable
money in material and labor Is the
making of concrete catch basins and
tops for the same. These substitute
the brick basins and are deemed more
lasting and cheaper. Rainy days and
during bad weather when the street
forces cannot do work on the streets,
a number Of the men are engaged in
making the catch basins and tops Of
concrete at the rear of the city hall.
Forms have been purchased for this
work and supply of them are thus
kept on hand. One of the new type
catch basins is said by Commissioner
Berry to cost but one-third the sum
that the brick basin costs and where
tops for these basins, they now make
them with reinforced concrete for 81
and have constructed about 100 Of
them this summer
The immense pile Of old brick that
for years kept growing In the rear Of
the city hall and was problem for
the commissioners to dispose Of, has
now practically disappeared. Instead
of trying to get rid Of them, the city is
now buying even old sidewalk brick
from persons who are putting in new
cement walks to replace the brick
type.
The brick thus obtained and such as
comes from the resurface paving work
about the city, is all being used to a
good advantage Most of 1t finds
places in crossings about the city
where old planking was formerly used.
Street FIusher Saves Money.
"The street flusher that Ottumwa
wanted for so long before It made the
purchase, has been one Of the best
investments and money savers that
the city ever had" said COMMISSIONS
Berry today. He and Street Commits.
sioner Stocker were being quizzed
about the activities of the street de-
partment. They claim that the flusher
has saved the city considerable in
money while 1t more than doubled
the service of street cleaning since it's
purchase. Two shifts are being work
ed on the fusber. One working nine
hours during the day on the paved
streets in the residence districts and
a night shift Of the same length in the
business districts. Both are getting
more cleaning done and better.
The result has been to cut down the
white wing force to three men and
only few brooms for this work are now
needed by the city where a large
quantity were used before. Labor is
the especial saving. When there is
plenty of rain the use Of the flusher
is lessened as only little washing
away of debris that may be left after
showers that failed to carry off the
dirt, is needed. The cost of the
flushing service In June was but $167
and this figure was considered low by
the officials. "A