The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-13
NOW IS THE TIME.
John Elliott Advocates Chang
ing Channel Of River.

tNOw is the time" said ex-Council-
man John Elliott today, for the city to
change the channel Of the river, and
send the water down through the CEN
tral arch of the bridge, as has been the
original intention ever since the Melan
bridge was built"
A few teams and scrapers,a a few days
work and the feat of changing the riv-
er channel could be accomplished. It
would cost only a small amount of
money, and it would improve the gen
eral appearance of the river front very
greatly, besides being of great practi-
cal benefit to the many large manufac-
tories and business houses which are
crOWding each other for space along
the south bank of the stream
The river has never been lower than
it is now, even in the memory of the
Oldest inhabitant.''
7 remember that in 1867 said John
Elliott, we drove across the river with
loads of hay. But there was more ex-
panse of water than than there is now.
But it was not quite as deep as it is
now"
Excepting a space of about 20 feet,
the Kansas river bed makes an excel
lent pasture, and many people living
along the river are actually picketing
their COWS and horses on the grass
covered Sandb bars which are usually
submerged five feet deep with water.
have ever seen-the Kansas river bed
turned into a COW pasture. The her
bage on the sandbars has been growing
and thriving all during the hot July
days, because it had plenty of water.
Since the rains have fallen. everything
has taken a wonderful growth and it is
hard to believe that such rank foliage
is trespassing on the precincts of what
the United States government declares
is '-navigable stream
the river does not belong properly to
the city, or to the county, or to the
state The river bed is the property CT
the government. But if the river chan
mel is changed it viii have to be done
by the city. Uncle Sam will not object
in the least.
street Commissioner Frank Snyder
says: 1T would be very easy to change
the channel. We would dig a shallow
ditch ten or fifteen feet wide and
about three blocks long, down through
the central arch Of the bridge Then
turn the river into it, and the water
would do the rest. The channel would
be in the center instead of at one side"
At present, the river is cutting in
close to the south bank. This is a bad
thing for the south bank, but a good
one for the north side. The north side
is growing quite rapidly along its wa
ter front, from accretion. People living
near the center of the north side, on
the river, nave from 10 TO % rect more
real estate than they had ten years
ago On the other hand, the river is
slicing off big chunks this side of the
river. and will do so still more when
the high water comes. The costly pill
ing which the city put in on the park
front is in danger of being washed out.
The city. Wolff's Packing house and
all the other institutions owning land
on the water front have been filing in
vast quantities of dirt to try and stop
the robbery of the river. But the chan
mel still stays by the south side. and
will stay there till it is started down
the center of the stream.
The only people who object to chang
ing the channel are the owners of the
big sand dredge located a short dis
tance above the Kansas avenue bridge
If the river channel should be changed
it would make it necessary for this
concern to move its cable pier further
toward the north side of the river But
the sand company has only nominal
rights to locate its pier in the river
and could offer no valid objection to
having the channel of the river put
where it belongs, If the city decided to
do so
It is even claimed by some that the
sand dredge is what is responsible for ]