The Topeka state journal., 1903-05-29

The Rock Island railroad bridge is in
q dangerous situation The south
abutment is likely to go out, and a bis
gang Of men is at work trying to
save it.
DANGER FROM SEWERAGE
The water IS so high that the sewers
are pouring their contamination fluids
out into the streets, both in North To-
peka- and near the City park on this
side OF the river.
The City park is a lake. where the
sewerage which is belehed out of the
sewer manholeS collects and swirls
about with the eddies The foul smell
IS even at this time very apparent. ana
when the water goes down, it will re-
quire good work by the city authori~
ties to prevent i'll effects from the re-
1use which viii be deposited.
The North Topeka sewer is very low.
and is full of water from the river 1t
is emptying its contents into the streets
throughout North Topeka.
WASHING MELAN APPROACH.
An ominous crack has appeared in
the earth composing the north ap-
proach to the Melan arch bridge on
Kansas avenue, the structure hitherto
believed to be impregnable against the
assault OF the river which it spans. The
approach may be washed away cutting
off North Topeka
Street commissioner Snyder and City
Engineer MeCabe are watching and
working to save the approach frOm
washing out.
Street force men with wagons are
nauhng crushed stone and are dumping
It over the bridge to let it settle around
tne ripraps where the water is tearing
at the weakening earth. One can lock
over the chains which form the guara
ran along the approach and see just
pehlnd the stone facing which reaches
% the water long. narrow, horizontal
cracks in the dirt. They reach from
the stone of the ripraps, back fifteen
feet toward the bank
hese insignificant appearing assures
teii OF the settling of the earth and OF
the Undermining which the street COM
missioner is working so hard to prevent
1ney were discovered about 10 o'clock
by Mr.. Snyder. The washing away
was most noticeable on the east. the
down stream side of the bridge and it
was there Snyder first began filing
With the stone hauled from the city
jail Men have been kept throwing stone
over against the base of the riprap
ever since.
A similar fissure was noticed on the
other side of the approach where the
approach recedes from the abuttment
ana IS part of the filed ground which
reaches under the north three or fouf
spans Of the electric car bridge along
side But as the west side is so deeply
Hiied IL was not believed to be in dan
ger until investigation showed a decided
GuttihS out below the waters surface
Ihls afternoon the filing with broken
stone was begun on the west side of
the approach
expressed the hopeful opinion thar the
approach would not be washed out. but
the dlticulty of estimating the amount
OF cutting being done makes any opin-
ION very uncertain. Around the north
end of the car bridge the rapidly rising
water is swirling and is unquestionably
eating away the made ground Just
above the two bridges.
SPREADS INTO A LAGOON
Above the bridges the river spreads
out into a great lagoon extending two
blocks into North Topeka on Jackson
street and this terrific head of water
in escaping follows the north bank of
the river Under the car bridge it is
gradually gaining momentum and is
cutting a channel against the bank.
TIE approach itself is composed sim
ply of filled earth and If the water once
is allowed to gain a headway into the
it. The alarming reports from the west
indicate that the water will be a great
deal deeper within twenty-four hours.
The entire street force will be put at
work to save the approach if necessary
and work upon it will doubtless be con
tinued through the night
Street Commissioner Snyder did not
venture an opinion upon the probable
effects of the water upon the bridge.
although it is unquesti0nably perfectly
safe vet. His vigilance in watching
the bridge indicates his uneasiness
about it.
No EltDGk ISLAND IN<AI4NRe
All tracks in the Rock Island yards
are under water. and switch engines
only are in service. Not a train will go
out or the track either east or west to-
day. A large crew of laborers spent the
night irving to rfp-rap the tracks west
of the brick kiln with sandbags, but
got no visible results and gave it up.
The basement of the Chesterfield hotel.
Just south of Rock Island depot. IS full
of water The basement was occupied
Slac.ro-hT1f it is NOT at pres
ent The BARRIERS spent the forenoon
vading out with their tools and chairs
The water came in from a sewer
WOLFF A LOSER.
One of the heaviest losers in Topeka
nv the high water will be Charles WolT,
whose packing house is flooded
A big force of men were at work IN the
basement of the packing house al night
last night taking out the immense
quantities of salt meat which IS stored
there. Three elevators and hundred
men were utilized to move the meat, ana
if is stated by Mr.. Wolff that most of 1t
was taken to the higher noorS OF the
one Of the men who worked in the
basement said this morning:
we only succeeded in getting out
about one-third of the meat stored IN
the basement We worked there until
the water came rushing in through
some hole in the wall I think 1t must
no that a part of the basement wall
gave way, Dul 1 hlI AAOA HC1 AA9 DRN'
The last men to get out had to wade
with the water up to their necls.
During the past year Mr.. Wolff has
had placed in his building a good equip
menf of pumps to take out water and
he is said to have been well prepared
to handle any ordinary freshet- He
stated this morning that the pumps are
able 10 get out the water so that the
machinery can be kept running.
Il can't estimate what the damage
is" said Mr. Wolff. L do not think
there is any danger to the walls of the
buildings We moved out cattle and
hogs to place Of safety. and got most
of our meat out of the basement. OF
course the plant is not able to do any
wo..--
Weekly Bank Statement
New York May 29.-The statement of
averages of the clearing house banks
of This 1.itv fnr. the .raal. : DIS sl,a,.-s..