The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-26
TIE BRTDGE.


While the citizens of Topeka are busy
securing dam across the Kansas river,
wooden mill, new court house, high
school building and new railroads they
are neglecting a matter which is in some
respects more important than any of
these things. Reference is made to a
new bridge across the river on Kansas
avenue.
For about twenty five years the pres
ent structure-has done duty, and during
the latter half of its history has been
constant menace to the lives of the per-
sons using it. It has not only been
menace to their lives, but to their pocket
books also, because If it ever goes down,
which it must do some time unless re-
placed by new one, it will certainly
carry some one down with it and there
will be large bill of damages for some
body to pay.
Attention has been called to this mat
ter many times in various ways, and
number of efforts have been made TO Sc
cure a new bridge, but the propositions
have always been loaded down in some
way or had suspicious look about them
and have been defeated. Sometimes the
amount asked for has been thought too
large. The last proposition carried with
it the erection of two other bridges and
was defeated, as it should have been.
Another strong point against the voting
of funds for new bridge, in the minds
of some people. has been the idea that it
was in the interest of the city railway.
This objection is now removed, as the
company has a suitable bridge of its own.
1t seems there should be some way OF
getting at this matter now and it Dug ht
to be done at once. It is estimated that
the city of Topeka pays about three
fifths of the taxes of Shawnee county and
hence contributes that proportion to the
building of an the bridges of the county.
1t would be but fair and right therefore
that new bridge on Kansas avenue, the
one thoroughfare from North to South
Shawnee county, should be built by
Shawnee county. Many Of the heaviest
taxpayers outside the city have been
willing at any time to support any prop
osition to this end that looked fair and
straight but the country people do not
intend to be robbed if they can help it.
We must have better business manage
ment on the part of the county commits
sioners.
A number of plans for a new bridge
have been made and are doubtless on file
somewhere, from which good selection
could be made. Let this be done and
let a proposition be submitted to the
voters of Shawnee county for the issu-
ance of su fficient amount of long time.
low rate bonds to pay for it and it would
carry. This should be done in to be
voted upon at the fall elections at the
farthest
The country people would favor it not
only because it is right that they should
do SO but because that they realize that
if the present structure should go down
they would probably be called upon to
pay their proportion of the damages.
The city voters would favor it on the
ground of both necessity and economy.
The expense of maintaining the old
bridge would pay interest on a good
round sum. A new floor has been neces-
sary about once in four years entailing
an expense of about $4,000 each time.
Besides this, repairing of some kind is
going on almost continually. 1t needs
rehooring now. It is suggested that the
Commercial club at its next meeting
take up this matter, get it in shape and
prosecute it vigorously to a consumma-
ton. The work would go a long way
toward furnishing labor to the unem-
ployed Of the city.
Let us work for this necessity now
not wait till the present bridge falls
and makes a never to be forgotten hOr-
ror.