The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-05
NORTH TOPEKA'S CRY.
That Part of the City Demand
ing a New Sewer.
Prominent Citizens Present
Reasons For 1t.
Committee on Health of the City
Council Listens to Them

The people of North Topeka are in
the throes of a sewer contest. The peo-
pie living in the two blocks bounded by
the Kansas river on the south, the IN
ion Pacific railroad on the north, jack
son street on the west and Kansas ave
nue. on the east presented a petition to
the city council some time ago asking
for a sewer. They did not intend that
it should extend north Of the railroad.
But the people living north of the IN
ion Pacific have been fighting for a
sewer for years and when they heard
that there was a proba bility that one
would be built to take in the two
blocks adjacent to the river they con-
cluded that it was time for them to
act.
Accordingly a delegation composed of
William Green, E. P. Baker, DR.. l. A.
Ryder, William Bergenthal and J. A
Lukens appeared before the committee
on health of the city council to request
that the proposed sewer district be ex-
teded north to Park street.
Fred Fensky, who was the original
protector of the sewer also appeared
before the committee to fight the pro-
posed extension.
Chairman Warner of the committee
on health presided and the full commit
tee which is made up of Councilmen
Skinner, Nettels and Drew, was pres
emit Councilman Skinner said that
when the meeting of the committee had
of the ward did not know of the meet
ing and they had made a request for a
hearing.
Mr.. FensIzy was the first to talk. He
protested against the extension of the
district beyond the two blocks first pro-
posed Tt was not our intention when
the petition was sent in said he, ito
include any of the territory north of
the Union Pacific. That matter was
fought over years ago and it was then
decided that it would not be wise to
build sewer in that way. It would be
too expensive. I own property in North
Topeka and I pay taxes and I object to
anything being done that would prevent
many people from holding their prop
erty."
Mr.. Lukens said it would be cheaper
to drain the territory west of Kansas
avenue straight to the river than any
where else. We have tried for years
to get sewers in our part of the city
said he, and have always been de-
feated- Our property has deprecated
as 1t is bound to, when there is no sew
er. There have been several plans to
put in sewers, the latest being to in
clude the whole ward in single dis
trict but that was abandoned because
1t was too expensive. It seems to me
that We are entitled to some cOnsidera-
ton Our business which is in North
Topeka suffers and our residences are
made much less desirable because of
the absence of sewers. I am willing to
pay my share and I want to see this
City Engineer Barnes said that on &C
count of the slope of the ground from
the river q sewer could not be put in
conveniently which would be a suf-
fcient depth under ground at Park
street.
William Green said the people of
North Topeka did not want to ask any
thing that was not practicable. I'VE
were never troubled with water in the
vicinity of Park street." said he ''un-
til the city had established grades and
put in the pavements. Since then the
water has been drained in front of our
houses and we feel that we have a
grievance"
Mr.. BergenthaI said that there ought
to be some plan by which the people of
the ward could secure relief. ''AIl we
ask" he said, is that the people south
of the railroad pay their pro rata share
of the expense of the sewer. We are
asking nothing unreaSOna BILE
DR.. L. A Ryder said ''AlI we want
is sewerage I would not want to live
in South Topeka with a place as near
as North Topeka unprOvided with sew
ers- The water runs off the payments
carrying the refuse and dirt before our
house where it stays and dries up. We
have a breeding place for germs and
We want relief. Give US some kind of
drainage besides Gums canal We ask
for justice, that is ALL
The committee took no action but
viii hold another meeting to further
consider the sewer question and form
ulate a report to the council.