The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-31
How HuntoOn Street Has Been
Transformed.
Was Not Long Ago an insight
~ Mud Hole.
is A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE
City Engineer Barnes Inaugu-
rates Some Reforms.
Circular Park Relieves MOnOt-
ony of Pavement.

with the completion Of the paving on
Huntoon street from Topeka avenue to
Fillmore street a revolution in street
Improvement has been made. Following
the plans of City Engineer w. H.
Barnes this street has been made one Of
the most beautiful drives in the city.
The people living along the pavement
have caught the spirit of the times and
they are now busy improving their
parks and lawns to complete the effect.
The most noticeable feature on the
newly paved street is a circular park
at the intersection of HuntoOn street
and Western avenue. The park is sew
eral feet higher than the pavement and
is carefully curbed with the same ma
teriaI that is used the entire length of
the street. Vltrlned brick blocks 1t
has been sodded and in the center is
round plat filed with towering ANNALS.
1t is the pride of the people living in
the neighborhoOd and they contributed
the money to buy the flowers which or
nament its center. They also look after
the watering of the freshly placed sod
This beautiful little park was an at
terthought of City Engineer Barnes. In
making the plans for the paving he
found that the intersection at this place
would require a great deal Of pavement
and as the city at large pays for paving
the intersections Mr.. Barnes at once
became interested in the situation. He
has an eye for the beautiful and has
made a careful study of landscape gar
dening and the idea OF filling a part OF
the wide and ugly intersection with
circular park suggested itself. The more
he thought about 1t the more taVOraDly
was he impressed with the plan and
when the committee on streets and
walks met to consider the petitions for
the paving Mr. Barnes presented his
scheme. 1t required some argument.
Some of the members thought that the
park would obstruct the street. but Mr..
Barnes explained that it would be back
far enough to not interfere with travel.
The committee finally accepted the rec
ommendatiOn.
The result has been most gratifying
to the committee, for the city saved $3.50
by building the park and a permanent
Improvement that greatly enhances the
appearance of the street has been made.
The park is 40 feet in diameter. On the
HuntOOn street side the drive way is IS
feet wide and on the Taylor street and
Western avenue sides the driveway is
Is feet. This leaves ample room for
driving purposes.
The HuntOon street pavement is only
80 feet wide, but it has the appearance
of being much wider. The pavement is
nearly fiat and this gives the wide effect
to the street. This is the first pavement
in the city to be laid in that manner and
this also was an idea of City Engineer
Barnes and was designed because the
street will be used almost exclusively
for driving purposes. Heretofore the
surface has been made COncaVe for the
purpose of adding greater strength.
This is also the first practical test Of
the vitrif1ed curbing. The blocks are Is
inches long and it was necessary to
place concrete behind them to prevent
them from being pushed back. The eff
feet is much better than sandstone and
it is believed for residence streets the
material will be quite durable. The use
of the brick curbing allowed the engi-
neer to provide for round corners at the
street intersections and this also adds to
the appearance of the street.
city stone crossings were prohibited and
cast iron was used instead The iron
is much heater in appearance and is
quite as serviceable as the stone and
the only drawback to its use is the ad-
ditional cost. Each of the iron eros
sings weighs 500 pounds.
The dirt from the excavation for the
pavement was used to fill the low lots
and streets in the vicinity OF Thirteenth
and Polk and Tyler streets and this has
added greatly to the appearance to that
portion Of the city.
The HuntoOn street pavement is a
pleasing success and if City Engineer
Barnes can locate more beauty spots
like the circular park at Western ave-
nue. he will have the gratitude of the
people of an almost parkless city.