The Topeka state journal., 1901-06-21
Mr.. BAKERS SIDE.
Says That Street Car Company Ex-
poets to Pave.

Says Ihae Street Car Company Ex-
poets to Pave.
To a reporter for the state Journal
President Baker of the Topeka Rail-
way company. made some statements
today relative to the paving required to
be done by the company under petitions
already granted. and relative to the
action of the city council in passing a
resolution which grants the company
an extension of time in which to per-
form it's obligation to the city.
Mr.. Baker said: college avenue viii
be paved Immediately. The cinders
which have been hauled there were for
the purpose of making a first class road
bed, they being used to tamp the ties,
but not as a substitute for brick. There
won't be a cinder in sight. The conn.,
pany is required to pave not only the
space used by its rails. but also a space
eighteen inches outside each rail. The
contractor, Mr.. Ritchie, will pave to
the rail to avoid joints, and the COM
pany will pave between the rails. keep
ing up with the other work, 50 that all
of the paving on College avenue will be
completed together, just the same as
Tenth avenue was done.
mo immunity has been asked of or
granted by the city council. 1t was
found that the public had petitioned
for eighteen blocks of paving on streets
traversed by the railway, which is prob
ably four or five times as much as any
one expected the road would be caught
for in any one year. Paving, for the
railway company. means not only brick
and sand and labor in placing them, but
also grading, which the individual does
not have to do. but also the procuring
and placing of new sawed ties and bed
ding them below the new grade, and
placing cast iron chairs on each end
of every tie to support the rail and
leave room for the brick. So that paw
ing" to the company. means vastly
more outlay than it does to the private
citizen. and it should be remembered
that the railway company cannot take
advantage of the privilege accorded to
the citizen of ten years in which to pay
for it. The reason for this is that the
law permits the issuance of bonds for
paving only where the abutting prop
erty becomes the security for the pay
ment of the bonds. The railway COM
pany pays for it's franchise by this
paving and its care of the portion of the
street which it occupies"
would you wish to be. permitted to is
sue paving bonds as individuals are per-
mitted to do ?' was asked.
Certainly we would" was the reply.
sAnd when the era of paving began our
attorneys and the city attorney were con-
suited to see II a way could not be found
to make that possible, but it was out of
the question because there was no abutt-
ing property.
Continuing, Mr.. Baker said: There is
no way of comparing the situation of the
railway company with that of the poor
lot or two, or even ten lots, but he can
not be caught for eighteen blocks, and as
pay or dispose OF his property We have.
to pay our labor bills weekly and our ma.
freezes next fall, If we have done all that
we are caught for we will in that time
have paid out $34 900, sum that it is i'm
possible for US to earn in any year above
operating and maintenance accounts and
the proposition is that we earn 1t In about
five months instead of year.
1T should be understood that our right
of way is not to be opened and then filed
with cinders. That will avail nothing. In
such blocks We can not reachs the
track will be on grade and can be crossed
safely and all intersections and paved
streets will be paved 1t will have prac-
tically the same appearance as now, as
it will be undisturbed until such time as
are able to pave it completely, except
that we shall endeavOr to keep it filled
with maca dam so to afford a safe
crossing. In St. Louis there are miles of
street in this same condition. and in some
cities it is practically permanent mat
ter. We do not ask to be relieved of
our obligation to pave, but have asked
and obtained necessary extension of
time in which to do it. and it will be done
as promptly our resources will permit.
Il am sure that the situation will not
be nearly so serious as perhaps it is nat
ural for some persons to fear that it may,
and there will be no unnecessary delay.
We shall keep up with all the paving
nearly we can, and College avenue
will be paved before many days are past.
At least 1 can say that our part of it
will be done soon as or before the rest
of the street is paved