 Omaha had terrible streets through the late 1880s , which caused many residents to believe the city was not progressing appropriately . This lack of <unk> by the city government was caused by property owners throughout the city who did not want to pay for improvements . On rainy days stagecoaches would sink up to their <unk> , and residents wore knee @-@ high boots to <unk> through the mud , and at times rivers ran through the streets . 
