The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-26
Road Built Through North To-
peka Death Gulch.
Water Still Eighteen Feet Deep
at ShOnkwiler House.
MUCH WORK is DONE.
Gigantic Task of Repairing the
Flood WashOuts.
Cost, When Completed, Will Be
About $4,000.

Across the great gulch which en-
quilted the Shonkwiler home at 1913
North Harrison street, and cost the
lives of seven people, a gang of city
Iaborers has for the past week been
building a bridge of brush. straw ana
dirt. Thousands of wagon loads of dirt
have been dumped into this fill. Right
through the center of the chasm' Where
the water still stands eighteen 1eet
deem the roadway has been pulIe -,,lv,
is IN fact u restoration OF La Sa 80 800
street for a distance OF apout Ioo
II is the masterpiece of work dccoAip
Ifsbed nv the men who for three anu q
half months have been pustiAs -
streets of North Topeka back Where
they were before the HOOD. 81, 90
At the north end of this new MI y
the wreck of the Shonkwiler mouse
half submerged in the water; It's sha Is
tered roof gaping rooms anu , phlleeis -
rafters show where for DAYS the S haSs
" search for bodies was IN progress.
rSSha cbasm which swallowed the
e;honISVviler house seems to be one OF
series of similar chasms, peglnIllnls
north of the Davis elevator ana eXtehu-
ing TO Garfield park Probably the one
at Shonkwiler's is the largest or them
ALI II begins 200 feet west of Harrl-
SON street and extends for 200 feet east
If IT. 1t is $50 feet wide at the widest
y,Iace and at least 25 feet deep. The
Syater stands IS feet deep, and will
continue to stand there. for the sanu
has been scooDed out down to the Nv
ing water. .
through the Shonkwiler chasm Is one
of similar engineering problems which
have confronted Street Commissioners
]. +. SNYDER.
There was a great hole in the ma
die of Tyler street. north of the Davis
elevator. which kept fifty men and
teams busy for a week, dumping a LOAD
of dirt every minute
On Kansas avenue. in front of car
field park, a gulch as wide as the street
and half a block long has been filled
on the west half of the street. 1t is the
business of the county to fill the east
half and their work has not yet been
done.
At Grant and Jackson there is a hole
full of water big enough to float bat
tleship. Part of this hole has been f1lieo
up-enough to keep the little prlck
Holiness church on the corner Ir1n
sliding in This church chung to the
edge of the UreeiDice for a month
There is a great cash in one corner
where the foundation gave way ano
allowed a large corner to slip dowl
into the hole. Next week the work OF
Filling this hole and making a way fol
teams to the north end of jackson
street will be commenced.
F" These are a few of the larger chasrns
There We're dozens of others. which nc
one would appreciate who did not visit
North Topeka during the week or two
following the flood. Street Commits
Eioner Snyder has been doing wonder
full work. With few exceptions, the
streets of North Topeka are all pass
able, and the more important thorough
fares are in as good condition as they
were prior to the flood.
It has cost money to bring about thi:
result. In June the payroll of the stree
force was SO, 900. In July it was $4,000
In August it was $1,000. That's $4,000
and September and October will brint
the total up to $25.O00 The worst il
over now. By November /, Street Com
missioner Snyder thinks the job will b
done. At present. about 800 men and To-
teams are working every day
There are two parts of North Topeka
which viii probably never be as goot
as they were before the flood One i
the part lying close to the river bank
where the soft white sand drifted in t
depth OF ten feet in many places Thi
sand will always be barren of grass
It will always be too soft for goo
roads. Another part of town which sus
tained an injury which is probably per
manent IS the old river bed southwes
of Garfield park. where the chasm
were cut The city is filling up thes
holes to the street line. but it will TAX
millions of loads of dirt and a vas