The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-04
FOUR new BRIDGES
They Will Be Erected at Once
in Shawnee County.
Two OF Them Have Already
Been Located.
OTHERS ARE IN DOUBT
ROssvfIIe and Oakland Two
Places Agreed Upon.
One Will Probably Be at Valen-
cia, Another at Gage Park.

Shawnee county is to have four new
bridges across the Kansas river. The
legislature passed an act authorizing the
county commissioners to expend $4,000
on four bridges 10 be built this year.
The four bridges are to cost not to ex-
coed SsOO0O The scramble for bridges
was started by the talk of the Rossville
bridge and the bill for that. Then other
bridge agitators got in their work ana
the result is that the county commission
ers will locate and build this year the
four bridges.
The greatest difficulty confronting the
commissioners is the location of the
bridges Two OF the locations have been
decided upon. One bridge will be built
across the river near ROsSV1lle and the
other east of the Santa Fe shops between
SardOu street on the south side ana Cor
don street on the north side The Ross
vile bridge will be of five spans, zoo feet
long and 16 feet wide.
The Sardou street bridge will be of six
spans, IS feet wide, 800 feet long with
some treStle work in addition to the
bridge and a sidewalk. This bridge will
cost about the full $4,000 expected. The
cost Of the Rossville bridge will be con-
siderably less.
The locations of the other two bridges
have not been decided upon but one Will
probably be built near Valencia and the
other somewhere west of Topeka and at
a convenient point for people living only
two to four miles from the city. Mr..
Rodgers mas MADE plans TOT a DTlQB0 u
go near Valencia 760 feet long, of five
spans. Another plan is for a bridge near
the vitrified brick plant, west of town
two miles, 600 feet long of six spans
1t has been suggested that if the site
near the brick plant is chosen that the
Sixth avenue road will be paved with
brick from the end of the pavement in
the city to Gage park The proposed To-
cation for the bridge is on line with
the east boundary Of the park The
residents and property owners ag1tated
the question OF paving some time ago on
the Sixth avenue road 1t is understood
that if the paving is done that the To-
peka Vitrifed Brick company will burn
the brick and furnish them at the actual
cost to the company. The brick company
uses the road in hauling their output to
town and the pavement would be a boon
to them.
The bill of Representative Sims for a
two and one half mill levy for road
purposes in the county will give the COM
nissionerS an additional 1000, or more,
a year to expend for road improvement.
With help from the city the aid of the
brick company and the share of the ex-
pense borne by the property owners the
pavement can be built. The pavement
will make Gage park a hundred fold
more popular than it will be without
the pavement and it will not be amiss
for the city to lend some aid The pave
ment would be Of brick 16 feet wide.
With the bridge located near the brick
plant and the pavement to Gage park
Topeka could boast Of a. drive along the
river on the north side, across the bridge
to the park and the pavement on the
pleasure seekers as well as for the far
mers and teamsters whose loads would
be lessened by the pavement and the
bridge across the river.