Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-19
DODGE STREET
GRADING CHIEF
REALTY TOPIC
Realtors Say Job Will Increase
Values Of Dodge and Far
nam Street Property
Alike.

The chief topic in realty circles
the latter part Of the week was the
acceptance by city council of the pc
Triton to correct the grade of Dodge
street from Seventeenth to Twenty
second street.
This improvement, which has
been sought for years by the more
progressive realtors, is regarded al
most universally as one of the most
needed single Improvements in
downtown Omaha.
Those interested in the broader
development Of the city, from un-
selfish viewpoints, have considered
the Dodge street grading project
ais necessary to insure metropolitan
growth Of the business section Of
Omaha.
No Zone Street" City.
In the eyes OF city planners and
other students of municipal growth
this movement will put an end for
ever to any probability of Omaha
becoming Tone street" city.
A few years ago, when Farnam
street property was rising in value
at literally 500 a front foot over
night and when investors were max
ing tens Of thousands in a few
weeks on Farnam property, many
feared Omaha was drifting towards
zone street" development.
It is pointed out that the Dodge
street project will make this street
as desirable for traffic as Farnam.
Relieves Traffic Congestion.
Those interested in both Dodge
and Farnam street properties, be-
lieve that the Dodge street improve
ment will be of benefit to Farnam as
well as to Dodge street, because it
win relieve what is rapidly becom-
ing an unhealthful congestion of
traffic on Farnam.
Among these men is Fred d.
Wead, with both Farnam and
Dodge street property. Mr.. Wead, |
as aNDodge street property owner,
is one who will pay for the Dodge
street grading.
1T will make my Farnam street
property better" Mr.. Wead said,
Much Of the traffic that is now in
the way on Farnam street, will go
to Dodge as soon as the new grade |
is established"
John L. McCague, president of
the McCague Investment company, |
is generally regarded as the father
Of the Dodge street grading pro-
posal.
Began Work 80 Years Ago.
Mr.. McCague began working for
this improvement so years ago,
about the time the McCague build
ing was erected at Fifteenth and |
Dodge streets.
That was even before the present |
Farnam street grade was establish
ed. Hills at that time were higher
than any of the present Dodge
street hills.
i give the Farnam street people
credit" Mr. McCague says. They
saw their opportunity and acted.
Some of the Dodge street property
owners were asleep.
Though we were 80 years late in
getting the work on Dodge street
the benefits will be almost as great |
as they would have been so years
ago.
This improvement will take-t
away the hill from Seventeenth to
Twentieth, from Farnam to Dodge,
and from Capitol avenue to Dodge"
Proof Of the fact that the Dodge |
Improvement will benefit Farnam |
rather than injure it, is the fact that |
a deal for a piece of Farnam prop |
erty east Of Twenty-fourth, on the
south side Of the street, was practic-
ally completed about the same time
that the Dodge street project was
finally accepted by the city council.
Cost to Exceed s12s,o0O.
1T is roughly estimated by the city |
engineering department, that the
Dodge grading, with the subsequent
paving. RutteFing, and sidewalk lay
ing, will cost more than Sl25,000.
III willie be necessary to move no. |
600 cubic yards Of dirt and to lay |
10000 square yards Of paving.
John "A. Bruce, city engineer, ex-
meets 10 make railroad hauling job |
out Of removing the dirt. Cars for
carrying dirt will be built, according
to his plan, to run on street railway
tracks to the steam tankage district |
then transferred to steam roads |
that will carry them to other various
destinations.