The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-28
1t Is Causing Mayor and Coun-
Gil Some Worry.
They Want the Company to
Bury 1t.
WASHED OUT OF SAND.
Flood Carried Away Seven
Acres of Land.
This Left the Big Pipe Exposed
to Air.

When the fractions Kacw washed out
seven. acres of land near the water
works last June, and dumped the big
water main leading to town into the
excavation, it created an obstacle in
the way of a harmonious transfer of
ownership Of the waterworks property
from the company TO the city of To-
peka.
Mayor Bergundtha1 and other mem
bers of the council are of the opinion
that the water company must fill up
enough of this great cavity to cover the
big water main which is now carried
across the hole for several hundred feet
on an exposed trestIe work of piling.
J. W. O'Neill, receiver and manager
of the water company, intimates that
the company has no intention of cover
ing up the exposed portion of the main.
He says it is not necessary; that the
main is just as safe as ever, and in no
danger Of freezing. Jesse Shaw, super
intendent Of the plant, concurs in this
opinion.
Mayor Bergundthal says: II can see
no reason why the water company
should not restore this water main to
the condition it was before the flood. 1t
was unfortunate for the company but
I don't see why the city should have to
stand the loss. When the company
fixed its price on the plant it is as
Eumed that they agreed to deliver the
property in the condition it was at that
time. If it has deteriorated since then,
the company should either make good
that deterioration or make a conces-
sion in the price sufficient to cover the
loss.''
Several councilmen expressed similar
views to those of the mayor, and if the
city should adhere firmly to this posi-
ton, serious hitch in the negotiations
might. ensue.
When asked this morning if the com
70. x1rffh n frf
It's exposed main, Mr.. ONeill said:
What? Fill in seven acres of land?
Why that is preposterouS. It isn't nee
essary, and even if it was. we have no
right to do the work. That is not our
land. The washout occurred on land
owned by the state. The hole there is
even bigger than it was when the river
left it for the Rock Island railway
scooped lot of dirt out to use in con-
structing their embankment Some time,
perhaps, this exposed pipe should be
covered. We have already covered quite
q lot of it. But we don't expect to cover
that portion which we have built on pill
ing. 1t might be necessary in a small
town where the water consumption is
small, but in Topeka there is so much
water going through the main all the
time that it is kept warm, and is in no
danger of freezing. For years we have
had a 1O-inch pipe across the bridge to
North Topeka and it has never frozen.
The main at the waterworks Is much
larger, and is consequently in less dan
ger Down at Kansas City they have
a main across the river on a pile bridge
Of it's own, and it never freezes. What's
the use of going to the expense of Gov
ering this main2 If we were to continue
as owners of the plant we would not
cover it. It is well built on piling, and
will not sink
Jesse Shaw, superintendent of the
WaterworkS company, who has been In
active charge of much of the work of
reconstruction, says: There is no
danger of freezing, and the present
method of carrying the main is very
substantial All that is necessary is
to dump in lot of rock for riprap
around the piles"
SAYS STATE IS TO BLAME.
Councilman George Tincher holds
that the state is to blame for the dam
age done to the water MAINS Some
years ago the state board of charities.
In an effort to acquire few more
acres of bottom land for garden, Or
dered all the trees on the river bank
at the asylum for a distance of per-
hapS a quarter of a mile, chopped
was thereby denuded at this point of
the heavy growth of timber which ma
lure provided to protect the sandy
river banks from washing out
AT no place along the river" says
Mr.. Tincher, except on the ASYLUM
land, and other points where the trees
were cut out, did the water of the river
wash out great gulches like the one
Which caused the damage to the water
main. II the state had left the trees
there, this catastrophe to the water
mains would never have occurred
A held representative of the United
states forestry commission is coming
here to investigate the situation, and he
may secure authority to plant a lot OF