The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-06
Councilman Snyder Would Sup.
plant It With Brick.
HAS BECOME A BURDEN
Property Owners May Have to
Have Streets Repaved.
Asphalt Trust Appears to Have
City In Its Power.


Councilman E. B. Snyder thinks that
the city is being held up by the Bar
Der asphalt paving trust. and will pro
pose to the city council that no further
repairs be made on the asphalt pave
ment.
Instead of contracting an annual bill
of several thousand dollars for repairs,
Mr.. Snyder thinks that the worst holes
in the pavement should be patched with
puiverized limestone and that each year
a portion of the wornout pavement
should be taken up and replaced with
vitrified brick, which of course the peo-
pie would regret to see done.
Mr.. Snyder'S scheme is one of Inn
mense proportions. and involves replac-
ing 1913, 900 square yards of asphalt,
which cost about 100000 to lay. 1t also
involves a great many legal questions,
and may require an act of the legisla-
1t is estimated that the total cost of
replacing the asphalt with brick will be
in the neighborhood of $3.50, 900.
Among other momentous questions
which will be raised by Mr.. Snyder's
proposal is this: Who shall pay the bill?
Some claim that the city at large will
be liable on the ground that the work
constitutes repairs. Others assert that
the property owners on the streets af--
fected must pay for the work. because
it is really repaving the streets, not re-
pairing them. Incidentally, it might be
mentioned that the same question is up
in connection with the proposed replac-
ing of the cedar block pavement en-
West Sixth street with vitrified brick.
Topeka's asphalt pavements are al
ready a municipal white elephant. and
promise to become more and more of a
burden as years go by. Since the pave
ment was laid IL or Is years ago. $40
233 has been paid out for repairs. It Is
now costing from $1,000 to S.. 900 a year
to keep up repairs. The expense Will
increase as the pavements grow older.
So far this year, s., 283 has been paid to
the asphalt trust for repairs. and no
attempt was made to repair any except
the worst holes.
In contrast with this. the vitrif1ed
brick pavements. when laid with good
material, are in as good shape now as
when laid. and the city has expended
for repairs practically nothing. which
from a purely financial standpoint is
unsatisfactory
1t is not much wonder that the city
council, in its efforts to stop uD the
leaks in the .citys finances. is inclined
drain which the asphalt pavements con-
tinuaIly make upon the excheouer.
AT MERCY OF TRUST.
One of the chief objections urged to
the asphalt pavements is the fact that
they place Topeka at the mercy of the
asphalt trust. This was clearly shown
when the council solicited bids from all
the paving companies in the United
states on asphalt repairs, and got only
two bids. Five years ago the city paid
in one lump $4,000 for asphalt repairs.
and 81, 900 year for five years for more
repairs. Now it has contract with the
same old trust by which it will pay $1.58
per square yard for resurfacing, and
81 80 per square yard for concrete re-
pairs. These prices are higher than
Kansas City pays, and much higher
than is paid in eastern cities. but To-
peka can't help itself.
Having the field to itself. the trust
takes it's own time to make repairs
when: called upon. and laughs at threats
tions to asphalt paving is that the COM
pany which lays the pavement is the
only one which can be induced to re-
pair it. A city is never independent Of
the help Of the trust as long as 1t has
asphalt pavement
Excavations can be made in streets
paved with brick, if necessary. and the
pavement quickly restored to as goou
condition as ever. 1t is usually neces-s
Sary to wait for months Tor cut in the
asphalt pavement to be repaired
The asphalt trust even makes its
boast that asphalt pavement can not be
replaced with brick, for the reason that
the sheet asphalt is only three inches
To make the change will necessitate
lowering the cutters, SO that the brick
will not come too close to the top of the
curb.
AS TO THE COST
To take up the asphalt and lay brick
would cost about Is cents per square
yard. In some places new curbing
would have to be set.
The brick would be laid on the con-
crete foundation used for the asphalt.
Enough sand would be spread on the
concrete to level it. Only one course of
brick is necessary on concrete.
In most cities one course of brick on
concrete is preferred to two courses Of
brick on sand. It is believed to be a
more durable pavement.
CITY AT LARGE NOT LIABLE.
According to the opinion of the city
attorney the city at large is not liable
for the cost of the change from asphalt
to brick. He also holds that under the
existing law, there is no way to compel
the change to be made. The matter
must come up in the form Of a petition
for pavement.
The city can of course practically
force such a petition by refusing to
make any repairs on the existing pave
ment, but if the pavement gets in bad
condition, and damage suits result, the
city is liza BILE. For. this reason, it is be-
lieved that about the only way Mr.. Sny-
der's plan can be carried out is to in
woke the aid of the legislature. and
have the present law changed so that
the city council can at it's discretion or
der streets to be repaved. This is the
law in Nebraska
According to supreme court decision.
the city is liable for the cost of general
repairs on pavement" Also, under the
law, the taxpayers on the streets af-