The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-30
An Immense Sum Expended to
Make City Better.
MUST BE RENEWED
Cedar Block Pavements Should
Be Replaced.
Would Have Asphalt Contract
Renewed on New Basis.

easLs-I, lhh1sils OF ens CITY Tor the year END
Ang Decemper q, isoo- In II ne says.
The past year has been a very busy
one in the engineering department,
there haAstng been much larger
amount or street paving, sidewalk lay
~ 9 sewer work ana pubic building
tnan IN any previous year IN the his
tory Of the city But Notwithstanding
this and the fact that labor and ma
terlaI nave been hard to get, the con-
tractors for the city have completed all
their contracts substantially on time,
in addition to having completed
twenty-three blocks Of paving and sew
eral miles Of sidewalks left over from
last year
The Following is a statement OF the
cost OF the various improvements com
pieted curing the last year bills Tor
Whlch nave peen approved oy TIE
council:
city pudding .......s--. $Sz,o3z.O
jail .-....-. --..-.-....-..... I222-55
Smallpox hospital --..-.---.-... 493.a5
Sewer in district 13---.-..-...- 43,1l5-69
Pavements. .------. .......-.-. 226, $50
In addition to this there has been a
large amount OF surveying, mapping
ana once work tnat mas not been con-
nected with contract work at cost OF
at least $1,000 The total expenses of
the engineering department has been
So, 066.
The engineering work of the city has
been cone Tor Id per cent OF the cost
ofthe construction during the year l9oO
as compared with Q per cent during the
years 1883, 1870 ana 1891, the only Years
for which nave complete records.
In speaking OF the payements of the
city he says:
4 would recommend that when the
present contract for repairing the
asphalt pavement expires, that the form
of contract be changed SO that the con-
tracing company in future Will be paid
for what they actually do IN square
yards OF paving, making Two prices one
fr9 ant r.GlN
material and one price for burning off
and resurfaclng, ana tnat the character
OF the work done pc leIt with your en-
glneer ana street committee
He further recommends that the
streets paved with cedar blocks and
native limestone be repaved with
asphalt or brick; that it will not be
profitable to attempt to keep the
streets paved with native limestone re-
paired. He also recommends that no
more streets be paved with Colorado
sandstone
Topeka" he says, has thirty-fOur
bridges and large cu1vertS inside the
city limits. There are also several
maintained by the county just outside
the city limits. I think that there
should be some arrangement made
whereby the city authorities could see
that these bridges were kept IN better
repair.
OF the Melan arch bridge he says:
There are no signs of settlement and
the bridge is apparently good to stand
for ages to come There should, how
ever, be few minor repairs made
Where few Of the ornamental mould
lngs have fallen of l would ADVISE
that this be done during the coming
spring, as this bridge IS visited and eX-
amined by many engineers and parties
interested IN bridge building
- of the sixth avenue vladuct ne says
this bridge. and have to report that the
iron work. especially the floor beams
and lower chords and laterals are very
Dady fusled, anu tndt II something y
fecfinp The bridge It will soon be in a
-7......-,,1,-r, oa-,l7f+;o,, 4x1,a,, 4Io-o 80
PAIRS are mace ! eHink llsal a. q co aI
pafaIlVely sngnL addltlonAi expense the
bridge can be 50 strengthened and rein
forced as to be able to safely carry
permanent pavement. thus doing away
1,1i+b +I7a e,acessifv Of refIoo1.inp everv
49,, = -. ~ - 81
year OF 50.
Ihe great majority or the city
bridges are small wooden structures
these li BRIDGES We're once built in a per-
..4 = -,,,.o,, i - --+(,9a 49,, ~.
mahent Hai4hei u sumo, Aon u
cement or IN Talay cases feplaced with
large size vitrifed pipe, it would in a
1 e, ~ b7.idya ranairs
49,. Ill ~ +f1,e,. e v,-a1l 81 +ba
-SOeAa y -. 60 = - -
I'll 80 49, - ,Il., e 80 SO
buildings and DrldSes punt Dy the city
are in need Of a coat of paint or pre-
sentative. notably the Sixth avenue vi
aduet all Of ~, the iron and wooden den
outer wall Of the auditorium. a small
amount OF money spent N TINS manner
viii add materially to the life of the
structures -
Mt wise reports mat t.e seWt.s' II
cIudlng the new one IN district 10, are |
all giving entire satisfa ction.
SUMMARY.
OIf n 3npOT-