Pueblo chieftain., 1921-08-12
Messages From
the People
EIyER IMPROVEMENTS


To all interested.
Mich has besn said pro and con q,
regard to the improving OF the Ar
kansas river in Pueblo. have had
much TO do with the Arkansas river
for a number OF years FOR 500 miles
and l know what is The only logical
way OF taking care OF the river p-o.
tsct Pueblo and the valley. Tn. river
should be opened not less than 500
ieet wide Commencing at III. hiuff
south OF tn. Union Depot one hum
ared feet OF the bluff should be cut
sway TO make Amore room for the
river The north bank should b.
protected with 4 levy. made by dr.y-
Ing hardwood piles every six feet
These piles should be steel pointed
and be driven 10 bed rock. extended
up ten feet about the surface Of the
ground Of the river. Board up these
piles with heavy timber No stone or
slack should be used in this levy.
After the levy Is once constructed in
that way no power on earth would
shake II The difference in the cost
between the pie work and masonry.
such A. we have now. loaned AT per
cent the interest would renew The
piles every twelve years however
this would not be necessary. With
the river as / suggested with proper
levies above, there will BE- no more
danger OF damage by flood We do
not expect 4 river big enough to carry
all the water that was here June
but we do expect and must have opened
enough to take care Of the water a. II
comes This will protect the valley
below. as the wafer will not be turned
out in such enormous bodies as was
the case June 3 A. you all know
Pueblo acted dam holding the
water back until the dam gave vrss.
turning in on the valley II Ie not
necessary 20 have all the engineers
In the United States come TO Pueblo
TO pass on river Improvement ".
should have one man with three as
. sistents TO superintend this work 4
man that knows when work is done
according TO specifications We only
want one engineer. His duty should
be to make the proper survey FOR the
river channel and make proper esii-
mae from time to time as payments
are to be made. We had an engineer
In 1894 that planned the present river
Improvement We have two stone
walls In the levy each nine feet thick
A. was a member Of the Pueblo CITY
Council al that time and I was np-
posed 70 the present plan with All
rs power II was a case ~ sixteen
to one Fifteen aldermen and the cts,
engineer oppoEsd me I answered by
saying thai I knew whaf | was fzig-
Ing about and they didn't Opening
UP a channel for The river. building
ievies to force the water into that
channel vouid protect the valley
and Pueblo After the beginning Of
the work it should not take more than
eighteen months until if is completed.
In regard to the estimated cost. that
IS entirely unknown. a. no living man
can tell within a 100000 what the
cSEt will be. We must not stand back
same Fays this is hts property. but we
must have some plan that will show
20 the world 'ha, Pueblo and the val
ley aiil have absolute protection In the
future. ofhsrwf- capital Will never
Invest in this city The law provide
a way 10 acquire property for public
benefit The railroad yards are not
nearly 70 valuable as other property
will be FOR a river channel The river
mus. br strsiEhtensd above West
FOURTH and all Stag dykes removed.
J. ". WOODWARD.