The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-23
BRICK OR STONE.
People Can Choose What Side
walk They Want.
Two City Contractors Will
Divide the Work.
BRICK COSTS SIX N
Price of Stone Tagging Is
Considerably More.
Thirteen Miles of Walks to Be
Built This Year.

The Topeka city council shows a dis
position to free itself from the local
brick combination.
For h first time in many years bids
We're received last night for other than
brick walks. The specifications called
for artificial stone, asphalt and tagging
as Well as brick, but tagging and brick
were the only materials that received
attention from contractors. AS the mat
ter now stands the people may have
their choice between tagging and brick
though the stone will cost about SIG per
lot more than the brick.
The cost of brick to the city has been
gradually pushed up and the city engi-
neer's estimates this year were higher
than ever before and the consequence
is that the lowest bid for brick side
walks was higher than the contract
price for the past three years.
John Richie is the representative of
the Capital City Vitriied Brick com
pany and his bid was the lowest. He
secured the contract last year but two
years ago L. Blackman stepped in and
Snatehed the prize from under his nose.
Since then Mr.. Blackman has been sub
dued by some means and he submitted
no bid last night.
The bids were as follows:
M. F. Wall and J.. D. Hanley, brick
6.48 cents per square foot.
o. Swanson, brick, 81 cents per square
foot.
John Richie, brick, 6 cents per square
foot.
R. B.. Kepley, Fort Scott stone flag
ging, six feet long and not less than two
inches in thickness, IL cents per quare
foot.
A motion was made to award the con-
tract for brick walk to Mr.. Ritchie and
the contract for stone to Mr.. Kepley.
City Attorney Bird said that the coun-
ell might get into trouble by such a dis
position of the contracts.
Councilman clancy said: TT seems
TO me that something ought to be done.
assurance nave we that these
walks Will be built this year. l under
stand that there are about 10 miles to
be built. I have a memorandum here
which shows that there are % blocks
of paving contracted for last year which
have not been put in. There are also
six blocks of alleys contracted for but
not laid. The people are complaining
and they have good cause to complain.
I think that we should take such steps
as would insure the people their side
walks and we have no assurance that
these brick walks will be put down this
year We might let the contract for
stone walks to Mr.. Kepley and allow
the property owners to put in brick if
they want to do So"
Councilman Elliott am afraid the
people will not want to go to the ex-
perse of putting in stone. 1t will be
quite an additional burden, and I would
no like to force it upon them, but I can
see no reason why they should not be
allowed to put in stone if they choose
to do so.
Councilman Mergan-I think tina the
whole trouble is that the city engi-
neer's estimates are too high. Three
years ago the contract was awarded for
walks at five twenty. Two years ago
the price was five fifty. and last year
it was five seventy and this year the
lowest bid is six.
Councilman Weber-Some of the
property owners might want stone, and
I think it should be arranged so that
they can have it.
Councilman Miller-it is plain to me
that if any one wants to build stone
walks they can arrange with Mr.. KEEP
ley and build them within so days after
the contract is awarded. A person can
build any kind of walk he chooses. We
ought not to be tied up to the home
companies, and if they cannot put in
the walks let US enforce the forfeit OF
SO a day, and they will get a move
on themselves.
Councilman Snattinger introduced q
resolution providing that unless other
wise specified by the property owner
brick walks should be put down. He
said that undoubtedly a majority OF
the property owners would want brick
and that would enable them to take
their choice.
Mayor Drew-It seems to me thai
this resolution pulls US out of a pretty
bad targle. This would allow people
to pay for stone walk by scrip whereas
if they put in the walk themselves
within so days they would have to pay
cash.
The Snattinger resolution was de-
feated.
The time for the completion of the
sidewalks was then fixed for December
80, after it was found that if the mini
mum provided for, $1,000 lineal feet PEI
month, is laid it will take till the mid
die of February to complete the work
There are thirteen miles of walk t.
be laid.