The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-22
T0PEKA'S MENACE
John A. Daley Says North Side
is in Danger.
The Kansas River viii Change
Its Channel.
CAUSED BIZ BRIDGES.
Thinks Water Way Is Too Much
Restricted.
Ice or DriftWood Gorge Would
Form a Dam.
River Would Then Sweep Down
Kansas Avenue.
CAUSED By BRIDGES.

night club in which he asserted that
the time will come when the Kansas
river viii leave its channel and sweep
through North Topeka, cutting a new
channel down Kansas avenue to Sol
der creek.
Mr. Dailey's paper was illustrated by
sketches of surveys showing the level
Of the territory which he says is threat
ened with inundation.
Mr.. Daley ascribes this menace to the
restricted water way caused by the
Melan arch bridge and the street rail-
way bridge
The subject of the paper was Some
rected attention to other things which
require attention, including parks, opera
houses and waterworAs.
Concerning the Kansas river he said:
zone of the menaceS to a large part
of our city and to the so-called City
park, is the miserable abortion upon
which the street railway crosses the
kaW in Kansas avenue, said John
Daley in his paper on Some Municipal
Matters" read before the members of
the Saturday Night club upon the event
of Stebbin & Evans. And continuing he
said: The matter of providing some
means for the connection of the dis
tricts north and south of the Kaw is
worthy of serious and attentive thought.
THE calamity that may occur and
that is imminent at any high water is
the formation OF q QdIn DY TIE
lodging against the street railway trestle
and the consequent injury to property
and indeed possible diversion of the
KaW itself.
THAT you may the more readily. see
the probable effects of an obstruction of
the river and the natural flow of the
water / show you here a profile of part
of Kansas avenue On the south side Of
the Kaw the lowest point is at Crane
street falling hence through Crane
street, Quincy and Monroe and via the
Wolff packing house. On the north side
a point of the same elevation as Crane
street is the Union Pacific railroad
crossing but from there north and west
the ground falls until at Garfield park
the ground is five feet lower than at
Crane and Kansas avenue. There seems
to be a natural depression raising but lit
tie IN the direction up the river to say
half mile above the Rock Island bridge
where the river will in all probability
break through and following through
the center of North Topeka again re-
sumo its channel at the mouth of Soldier
creek, which viii then be absorbed in
the KaW. In event of this change of
channel it is quite probable that a part
of Oakland will be seriously iInperilled
We have had no serious freshet Since the
erection Of the Melan arch bridge. On
Sunday, April IA, of this year the river
was high, but practically clear of drift
1t was within one foot of what l call
danger line, that is, the springing line
arches are segmental and a segment
with very short ordinates, so that the
waterway diminishes very rapidly i'm
mediately the springing line is passed.
and once passed with rapidly rising
river, the bridge will be practically
dam, and if the bridge is not totally de-
stroyed there is every reason to believe
that North Topeka will be.
THE bridge is badly cared for and for
lack of proper painting of the iron work,
is defaced by iron stains that are well
nigh non-erasable.
I'm my opinion the Street Railway
bridge should be Immediately condemn
ed and its removal be required at the
earliest practicable moment. What pro-
visions should be made for replacing it
is one of the problems on which wise
heads should consult, and able hands
devise. No new bridge for the street
railway should be allowed within one
square of the Kansas avenue arch, nor
should it be one that would obstruct the
flow of the river by short spans. While
this may seem to be asking much of the
Street Railway company, it must be re-
membered that in the contingency
have set forth the Street Railway COM
pany will have little use for its north
side track. and have serious doubts of
the ACCESSIBILITY Of the continuance of
the present menace for the maintenance
of its one mile of track on the north side.
Tt may be claimed that even with
the street railway bridge removed, great
we shall at least have the satisfaction
of knowing that we have not sat idly
by without making an effort to remove
structure that plainly invites disas-
ter
In speaking of the parks of the city
Mr. Daley declared that if they be des-
ignated by such title they are q dis
grace to city of the size and general
good taste of Topeka. These consist of
the SO-called City park, a few trifling
triangles and Gage parp.
THE City park should be sold for
railroad or manufacturing purposes and
the money invested elsewhere. The cost
to reach it and leave it safely via an
over crossing of the railroads would be
n ore than it is worth. Our south bOul-
evard should not therefore pass north OF
Second street until it reaches Western
avenue to First street, thence on First
street to and through the Keith tract
skirting the kieth tract on it's west side
or passing through PotWin, and via
Willow avenue to West street, thence
by Tenth. Eleventh or Twelfth to Wash
burn avenue, thence to TWenty-first
street, thence to the ideal tract for the
park of Topeka, where let US pause
awhile and consider what a park we
might have
"a running stream and a body of wa
ter for its beautifying effect and for
These can be provided on the S1unga-
nunga west of Polk or Taylor street
and in connection with the old county
fair grounds and the requirement of the
heights south of the Shunganunga. The
Bradbury farm has one of the most
and the KaW valley anywhere within
the city, and in conjunction with the
fair grounds and other available prop