The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-28
He Superintended Construction
and Ought to Know.
OPPOSES ANOTHER span
Says 1t Is Not Necessary for
Ordinary Floods
And Would Be Inadequate for
Such as Late One.
Declares Against Any Other Per.
manent Kansas Ave. Bridge.

H. V. Hinckley is in Topeka for a
few days. He was superintendent of !
the construction of the Melan bridge
and to his careful and conscientious |
work in seeing that the bridge was
erected of honest materials and work |
manship in accordance with the speci- |
fcations is largely due the fact that
the structure withstood the greatest |
food Kansas ever had or is ever likely |
to have.
In view of a difference of opinion on
several points concerning the bridge
Mr.. Hinckley was asked by a State
Journal reporter to give his views. He
also covered several new points. The
article gives new views to many peo-
pie and is worthy of careful thought
and attention.
| Mr. EIinckley was told that North To-
peka was greater and better than ever
and that it's only drawback was no
street car connections; that we were
all proud of his bridge, but that the
prevailing opinion was that there
should be another span and that the
public seemed to be against permitting
car tracks on the bridge.
He put his matter in writing as fol-
lows:
In compliance with your request
give you my opinion as to certain dis
puted points pertaining to the Melan
bridge.
EXTRA SPAN.
A sixth arch has been suggested to
be built at north end of bridge. Such
an arch would be wholly unnecessary
for ordinary fioods-as has been suffi-
GENTLY demonstrated-and would be
entirely inadequate to relieve 1903
leo do v1-f1r raf tod
l I recommend that the north embank
ment be rebuilt and rip-rapped to the
top instead of the old high water mark,
| as before. I see no possible use or adj
vantage to be gained by the construc-
ton of a sixth arch.
ARCHITECTURAL EFFECTS.
l When the Melan bridge was COM
l pleted the people very properly COM
. Railway company's pile bridge and
n patiently awaited the time when it
should disappear It was a menace to
n the safety of the Melan bridge and it
was an eye sore. The Melan bridge
in plain view from the city park and
from two railway brfdges-should be,
A as originally intended, an architectural
E characterization. When the Melan bridge
was nearing completion the county
: ! commissioners and light committee OF
: city council agreed (as matter or
economy that the twelve ornamental
lamp posts, designed to be placed over
the six piers and abutments and to
! carry thirty-six gas or incandescent
a lights, should be cut out and arc light
/ poles by substituted
a AS superintendent of construction /
= reported that las matter OF looks the
J. final arrangement will not bear COM
parisOn with the arrangement called
for by the original plans and specih-
cations" Now that the park is being
beautified 1 appeal to the county and
IF city authorities to give the Melan
30 bridge fair chance She has baffled the
r flood. pile bridge and drift combined
( Now treat her like the heroine that she
10 is and not like a mud bridge. rake
down the bear poles and give her the
- thirty-six small lights per original de
u sign and never under any pretex1
= whatever allow any other perntanen
= bridge to be built across the kansa:
h liver on Kansas avenue to detrac- IRON
&c the beauty OF the five arches
1r STREET RAILWAY TRAFFIC..
i I have heard people say that tn
X street cars should not be allowed upo1
as the Me1an bridge for two reasons; ROAD
4 way too narrow and bridge not stron
enough The numerous bridges over tn
Chicago river are narrower than GU
~ Melan bridge yet they carry dou Iod
Id complains that there Is not roof
al enough.
leave room for a load of hay each sld
% between cars and curbs, but the great
81 est good to the greatest number is tn
as proper policy and this means doubl
lis track so as to avoid running the gaun'
let-waiting at one end of the bridg
for car to come across from the othe
en- end. With good car service the cal
,is will carry the people and the people al
m / entitled to quickest double track trar
nm sit Loaded teams might OCCASIONAL
delay car as much as one minute
getting over the bridge. The cars woul
not interfere with team travel in II
least. A double track electric railwa
-, on the bridge-of proper steel-concre
III construction-will not detract from II
safety of the bridge and the movlr
It cars on the bridge will heighten rath'
ds than lessen its architectural beauty
The cars. of course, might be pr
tie hibited from going over the bridge at
in sneed say any faster than walk Z
av a matter of practice, with douo
We track the cars could not go faster tina
loaded wagons which would be golr
TO- over. each way just ahead of the car
* practically all the time. An ordInan
he or rule could make this specific A slov
he " moving car would not scare hors
le and would not endanger traffic on Il
bridge A double track, rather than
10 single track. would be more sausfacto
1 Q11 - both the public and teams.
w. RAILWAY COMPANY SHOULD "a
ey; I am not acquainted with Mr. Mye
an and have read but little of the newsp
as per controversy upon this subject.