A brief history of Peoria - University Library

16. PEORIA
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
BY \V. O. CLAKK, COM. OF PUBLIC WORKS.
While many cities during the past few years have done but little^
if anything-, in the way of the making of public improvernents (owing
largeiy to the depressed condition of business throughout the
country) Peoria has made rapid and substantial progress in that
direction.
Believing that in order for a city to be prosperous, the labor of
that city must be employed, our city, by making these various improvements,
has given employment to thousands of our laboring
people, that otherwise would have been unemployed and as a result
we have today one of the best, if not the best paved and sewered
cities in the country.
Previous to the present year the city had some twenty-four
miles of paved and several miles of finely graveled and macadam
streets. This year contracts have been let and the work is now in
progress, for the paving of six miles of additional streets, of which
about four miles will be paved with brick, upon a six- inch concrete
foundation, and the remainder with Pitch Lake asphalt. During
the present year the city will also gravel some twelve miles of side
or cross streets. When these improvements are completed this summer,
Peoria will have upwards of thirty miles of asphalt and brick
paved streets and over twenty miles of finely graved roadways.
In the matter of sewage our city is remarkably well provided
for. Every street and alley in the city (with Ihe exception of those
in the extreme Eastern and Western parts of the city, and which
will be provided with proper sewer facilities next year, plans having
already been drawn for the construction of these two systems.) is
provided with both storm and sanitary sewers. Work will be com-
pleted next month upon one sewer system alone (which has been in
progress for over a year) thirty-three miles in length and costing
$311,139.00. Few cities have the natural drainage that our city pos-
sesses. Located as it is on a gentle slope beginning at the Illinois
River and gradually rising towards the bluff^s, its drainage is perfect,
and by combining- what nature has given us in the way of
drainage with the most modern systems of sewer building, is what
makes our city today one of the very best sewered cities in the
United States.
CITY POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS
The Fire and Police Departments in Peoria are thorou,(hly
modern and most efficient. The value of city property in use by the
Fire Department is over $100,000.00. In seven first class brick
houses are stored hose wagons, carts, trucks, steamers, to the number
of fourteen, and are housed forty-seven paid firemen, who, with
the Fire Marshall and Assistant Marshall make up the working
force of the departtnent.
The Police Department is composed of the Chief, Captain, Sargeant,
two detectives, fortv-aine patrolmen and the police matron.
The city ambulance service is under control of this department-
Cooperating with and forming part of both the Police and Fire