The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-19

At a rate which averages about two
miles a week, the sidewalks of Topeka
| are being condemned, and this appar-
emily with an utter disregard of locality
or traffic upon them.
When Sidewalk Inspector c. D. Bruss-
man made his return to Street Commits
siOner D. c. Naylor last night, it showed
been served. Each of these notices con-
dennis from one to six or more lots. 1t is
| believed that three lots to each notice is a
| fair average.
These $40 notices represent only that
| portion of Topeka south of the river and
west of Jefferson street. Parkdale and
North Topeka have not yet been visited
by Inspector Brussman. BY the time he
has made his rounds in these districts,
Mr.. NaylOr says he would not be sur
prised if the total number of notices ex-
ceeded 800.
Think Of it! Eight hundred notices.
or 2,4O0 lots, or $4,000 feet, or over Ii
miles of side walk condemned, which
must be rebuilt at cost Qast year, of
$1O.O0 per lot number for a six-foot
walk wal g., or IN all an expenditure exceeding
$4,000 We can't afford to spend more
than 800 repairing the asphalt pave
ment but we can spend So, 900 for side
walks.
Eleven Miles of 1t.
Topeka has the misfortune to be
than the needs of the city demand, but
even supposing that all the "heights"
and additions" within the city limits
were thickly settled, it is unreasonable to
imagine that there is need of this indis-
crImlnate cOndemning of IL miles of side
walks of Topeka's 80 miles of streets.
The law provides that after a sidewalk
has been condemned, new one must be
built by the owner or it will be done by
the city and charged to the owners tax
walks shall be permanent" which
means brick, stone or asphalt Brick
is used by the city contractor and is the
most general among those who choose
to build their own walks. This is very
well to provide for permanent walks in
the heart of the city, but it is the height
of folly to ouild a vast expanse of expen-
sive brick sidewalk in the suburbs where
travel is almost nothing.
Hore's "a Sample OF 1t.
There is one place in the Martin & Den
mis- addition where brick sidewalk two
blocks in length along vacant lots has
been built 10 accommodate one family.
Street Commissioner Naylor is familiar
with this case.
Not only the Fifth ward but all of the
other wards have many such cases, where
4 substantial wooden sidewalk would be
just as desirable for many years to come,
and much cheaper.
Another great obstacle in the way of
laying permanent" brick sidewalks
arises in the matter of grades. When a
new sidewalk is laid it is put down to
the permanent grade of the street, which
IS frequently eighteen inches or more
above or below the street and crossing
level. The city intends to grade the
streets down to that given level, some
time, probably in about twenty years.
The result is IL sidewalk useful more for
irrigation pur poses than traffic; long
can2l-like hole that fills with water at
every rain, and with dirt and weeds the
rest of the time. 1t must be raised either
to the level of the street, thus mourning
additional expense, or remain SO until
the street is put to grade
Had to Dig Them Up Again.
Already this season Street Commits
sioner Naylor has raised a number of
brick sidewalks from the technical grade
to the practical street grade. A notice
able job of this sort has been done at the
corner of Ninth and Fillmore streets.
along the courts of the West End tennis
club, where the walk was eighteen |
inches lower than the street.
There are many other cases whore the |
brick sidewalks should be restored to |
grade, noticeably at Eighth and Van Blu |
rem streets; at Euntoon street and Tope- |
ka avenue along the old Ryan property, |
and on the east side of Topeka avenue |
between Eleventh and Twelfth streets.
The 600 sidewalks that Inspector |
enough, and from now on he should con-
denim only those walks that are beyond |
repair, and in localities where traffic de- |
mands a permanent sidewalk. A great |
many com plants are made to Street |
Commissioner Naylor regarding Bruss-
mans arbitrary rulings, and in |
some cases the action of the in |
spector is overruled- Not only poor |
people who cannot afford the ordered |
improvement, but prosperous citizens
claim that their notice of condemna- |
ton is an outrage, as repairs would meet |
the demands of the pedestrians and |
protests and objections and skicks' into |
the ears of Street Commissioner Naylor |
the livelong day and almost persuade |
that officer that Maybe Inspector Bruss-
man is overzealous!
The notices of condemnation read on |
their faces as follows:
ssTo - The sidewalk - of lots |
No. - on - street is this day marked |
for condemnation and the sa me must be |
replaced by new walk of material as |
designated by existing ordinances gov
erning the same On the reverse side of |
the notice is the following:
Note-Notice of intention to lay walk |
by owner of lot must be left with the |
clerk, and notice that the same has been |
built must be filed within twenty days
after the publication of the ordinance |
condemning the same.
All walk laid by owners of lots must |
be done under the direction of the city |
engineer, and of materials satisfactory to |
and approved by him when complete, |
and accepted by the mayor and council
of the city.
The Topeka Grocery Company are do