The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-05
Only One Third Contracted For
Is Completed.
General Brick Famine RespOn-
sibIe For Conditions.
NONE TO BE FOUND.
Topeka Plant Can Only Supply
$4,000 a Day.
Work Be Continued All Win ter
If Possible.

Topeka is in trouble about her paw
ing. Tt now looks as if she has little
more to look after than was bargained
for. It is doubtful if half the paving
contracted for can be completed before
the season closes.
The cause of this condition is a brick
famine. The contractors have been
compelled to rely entirely upon the To-
peka. plants and the capacity is much
too small to supply the demand The
contractors have made efforts to Sc
cure brick from out of town factories
but the famine seems to be general and
there is nothing for the people to do but
wait.
Nearly all the brick used in Topeka
are manufactured by one plant, that of
the Capital City Vitrified Brick COM
pany. The capacity of the plant is 25,-
600 brick per day. That would appear
to be large output but when it is con-
sidered that it requires from 10000 to
2sO,OO0 brick to pave single block the
output dwindIes somewhat in the
minds eye.
The city has contracted for 50 blocks
Of pavement and less than 20 have been
completed. The people are clamoring
for the pavements and Mayor Drew and
City Engineer Barnes have been over
Whelmed with inquiries from people
who want to know why the pavements
in front of their places have not been
built
The property has all been placed on
the tax rolls for the special paving tax
and this furnishes another cause for
complaint from the property owners.
They will be compelled to pay the first
1nstallment of taxes in December with
out seeing the paving for which they
pay.
There is. however, no help for the
condition. The brick are not to be had
and the paving can not be put in. Con-
tractor Richie says that he is ready to
push the paving to completion but he
has been baked in every attempt to get
the material.
Baker & Bradbury, who have the con-
tract for most of the grading are also
impatient They are not allowed to
work much faster than the paving
gang because of placing the streets in
a bad condition. Nearly all the curbing
has been delivered and it is now being
dressed so that there will be no delay
SO far as it is concerned.
City Engineer Barnes says that with
an open winter the work on the paw
ing can be carried on practically with
terfere with paving.
The Tenth avenue paving on the
south side of the street railway tracks
IS completed to Clay street. The grad
ers are now working on the block on
Tenth avenue, between Harrison street
and Topeka avenue and that will be
put III next 44l4S paving was contracted
for in May.
The paving on Twelfth street and Ty-
Ter and the HuntOon extension may be
reached this fall. It is believed that
Tenth avenue can be completed before
cold weather.
The Taylor street paving will hardly
be reached until late in the season and
the same thing applies to the PotWin
paving. The alley paving is practically
completed.
Mayor Drew said today: 81 am sorry
for the conditions. but I do not see
what can be done. The contractors
have telegraphed every where for brick
but without results. The brick are not
to be had.
Il hope that the winter may be open
so that the paving can be continued
and by that means it can be practically
cleaned up by spring. OF course if the
weather is very cold the brick makers
can not work"
The Capital City Vitrifed Brick COM
pany is increasing it's capacity 5000 a
day by building one new kiln but that
will have very little effect upon the IA
mine in Topeka