Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-04-14
DRY RUN WORK
NOW UNDER WAY
Council Let Contract Last Wednes.
day Night to Have Survey Made
in Preparation OF Final
Work on 1t.
SURVEY WILL TAKE
ABOUT THREE MONTHS
A. n. Hanson and Chas. Alltisfich
are the Engineers Who Wnl
Make the Survey of the
Creek,


Al meeting of the city council
last Wednesday night contract wa
awarded to Messrs. A. N. Hanson ant
Chas. Alltisich, engineers, to max,
a survey of Dry Run, and get The
matter in shape to make the neces
sary improvements, this contract t.
be let when the engineers get theil
work done, which, we understand
VIII require several months.
Mr.. Hanson is Decorah boy, sor
OF Mr.. and Mrs. Berger Hanson. He /.
q thorough, first-class engineer an6
has had a large amount of expert
ence. 1t is said of him that when he
graduated from Iowa City that he
was one of the most proficient and
brightest graduates that had left
that institution in many years. His
partner in this proposition, Mr.. AL.
ltisfich, is.well known here, also, and
is a young man of much ability in
the engineering world He spent a
year and half on the flood proposi-
tion at Dayton, Iowa, that city being
affected by periodical foods, and con-
sequently he has fine working
knowledge of what is to be done
here.
As there has been more or less
confusion about Just what has been
contemplated in the proposed fixing
OF Dry Rum" and just what this
work includes, especially the engin-
eering portion of it, we give an idea
of what is at present intended, in
the following.
The method of handling the floods
that menace the city was the subject
of a report by Alvord and Burdick of
Chicago. Their recommendation was
for an impounding reservoir to be
located UP above the old Standring
arm. While this method alone would
insure complete protection to the
city, 1t was decided that as the cost
was prohibitive, the next best thing
&c do would be to increase the capa-
city of the present creek bed by
Strengthening, widening, and clean
ing, so as to take care of such floods
as the one experienced in 1919. This
is the work that is contemplated at
the present time, although a more
thorough investigation than has been
so far, may make radical changes
in these plans.
In order TO gather the data re-
quired to formulate plans and speci-
fcations for this work, it is necessary
to have an accurate typographical
nap of that part of the city of De-
corah most directly affected This is
done by means of stadia survey
starting at the mouth and working
towards the source Every change in
alignment. grade. ETC., is taken in
this work, as well as the location of
all buildings, street corners, lot cor
ners, etc. This part of the work will
require about three months work in
the field and about the same amount
of time in the office, computing and
plating the notes as they are taken.
Orr by having two men equally fami-
liar with the work, it can all be done
in the period of time. mentioned. In
this connection, 1t might be we'll to
mention that some two hundred lots
win have to be surveyed and large
percentage of them divided to show
exactly that portion occupied by the
creek bed.
AS to the quantities of materials
involved in the work proper, it is at
present merely a matter of conject-
ure. although a rough investigation
shows something like the following
as being necessary:
10000 cubic yards of excavation.
10000 cubic yards of fill.
II, 900 cubic feet of concrete.
These quantities are in no case to
be taken as authoritative, as the pre-
sent plans may be changed entirely
later on. However they do give an
idea of the amount of labor actually
involved in the construction part OF
the work, and show definitely that 1t
is not merely a matter OF placing
few teams and scrapers at work. as
has been suggested by certain resi-
dents of the city.
As for the engineering portion OF
the work. the short statement made
regarding the stadia surveys, gives a
very Inadequate idea of the total
amount of work involved, as there
are specifications to be gotten out,
assessment rolls to be made up from
the assessors books. construction