The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-01
START A BRICK FIGHT.
East Sth Avenue Property Own
ers Object to Blackman Brick.

As a result OF protest filed Thurs
day by the people living on East
Eighth avenue, it il possible that q
quarter OF a million vitrified brick fur-
nished by Lew Blackman for the paw
ing of East Eighth from Jefferson street
to the Shunganunga creek bridge may
be condemned. Seventeen property own
east of Jefferson street, signed the pro-
test, which is now in the hands of the
city. engineer. 1t il claimed that the
brick are too brittle to stand traffic.
The city engineer says that nothing
can be done. He says he has inspected
the brick complained Of and they are
las good as any he has Of the Blackman
brick" and that they come up to the
sample on exhibition at his office.
Blaeklnan brick seem to be getting
into bad repute. Though not generally
known. it is fact that the people liv-
ing east of Jefferson street on East
Eighth made such a strong protest to
Wall & Hanley when they found that
Biackman brick were to be used in
filing the contract that Mr.. Blackman.
avoid an injunction suit which was
threatened by M. Oswald. and other
property holders who objected to Black
Brick company to furnish all the brick
for East Eighth from Quincy to Jeffer-
son street: total Of three blocks.
The protest which has been filed
Eighth street Is as follows:
I'VE, the undersigned property own
ers on East Eighth street between JEFF
ferson street and the Shunganunga
delivered from Quincy to Jefferson
street. and also from jefferson down
toward the creek. respectfully protest
against the quality Of brick that is in
tended for paving East Eighth avenue
| toward the creek It is a very inferior
quality compared with the brick above
Jefferson and as we are taxed the same
rate as other property owners we pro-
a quality OF brick as the other part of
| East Eighth avenue. We therefore re-
quest you to have said brick examined
| before being laid"
lows: Mary D. Holiday w. L. Nagel,
A. T. Hughes. A. M. Bell. Viola p.
Langston, J. w. Belknap, Mrs. NJ. Fin
ME. A H. Johnson. H. o. Austin, Chas.
M. Fisher. w. H. Eyer. Mrs. M. Boyd.
o. A. Peck. Mrs. M. Gandion. John p.
Leonard, o. w. Blood, ]. B. Raber.
1t is a big question which the peo-
| pie on East Eighth avenue have raised.
and is likely to produce considerable
contention in the council. City EnEi-
neer McCabe said today that he could
| do nothing but refer the matter to the
council for settlement.
Blackman's brick have been found
unsatisfactory in a good many places
| in Topeka where they have been laid.
| On Jefferson street, between Fourth and
Fifth the city last spring compelled Mr..
! Blackman to take up a lot of bad brick
extending the entire length of the block
The brick had crumbled to pieces and
were almost worthless 1t is claimed
| that the brick which Mr. Blackman used
to replace these defective brick are
| crumbling to pieces just as the others
| did.
On Monroe between Third and Fourth
and on Madison between Fourth and
Fifth. both of which blocks are paved
with Blackman brick. the pavement Is
| judge to be in almost as bad shape as
| Jefferson street was before 1t was re-
paired. Mr.. Blackman may be required
| to replace the defective brick on these
streets.
| On the other hand. Mr.. Blackman
seems to have a strong pull in some d.
rections. for only a few weeks ago
| when it was announced that arrange
ments had been made to pave East
Fourth street with Lawrence brick.
| which are generally thought to be the
best brick used in Topeka. the people
on East Fourth got up q petition and
| asked the contractor to use Blackman'S
brick. and this was done. Mr.. Black
mans brick is also used on West Eighth
| lege pavement and SO far as known is
i giving good service. There have been
! no protests. However. there Is no heavy
| traffic on those streets.
| Mr. Blackm4Q also mas some Staunc0
friends in the council. who are certain
| to help him retain his right to furnish
] brick for the East Eighth street pave
| ment. He is a big taxpayer. and the
council will try to keep his good will If
| possible.
City Engineer McCabe does not deny
| that the brick complained of on East
Eighth street are as good as the sample
| brick which Mr.. Blackman has ION
| file'' with the city engineev.
1T might be said,' remarked Mr. Nc
! Cabe today, that the council should
| have refused to accept this sample of
| brick which Mr.. Blackman filed. The
! councilmen generally understand the
nature of Blackman brick. think and
| when we have been awarding contracts
| for paving 1 have been careful to have
would get by giving the contract to GER
1 tain contractors.
st have been told by a gentleman who
| has had twenty five years experience in
| the vitrified brick business. a man who
| does not live anywhere near Topeka.
that the trouble with the Blackman
! brick is in the manufacture and not
| in the character of the material used.
| This party says that the shale is not
| ground fine enough, that 1t is not COM
i pressed enough, that the bricks are
| made too wet and are not allowed to
dry enough before being placed in the
| kilns This makes them brittle. The
making its brick. and the Capital City
| plant mixes sand with the shale. The
| sand adds toughness to the brick
| Not all Of the brick for paving East
Eighth from Jefferson to the creek have
| been hauled to the ground, but about
| 25e 600 are stacked up along the road
| waiting for the grading to be done. The
4fo1 f<llx hoe