The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-22
CUT 1T THROUGH.
Excitement About Water in
North Topeka.
Channel Cut to Release Water
West Of Taylor.
SNYDER INTERPRETERS.
Fills Up the Breach and Sta
tiOns Guards.
Question About What to Do
With the Water.

People in North Topeka were terror
lied Saturday evening by an attempt
made by people living west of Taylor
street to cut a channel and release 400
acres of wafer, from two to six feet
deep, which has collected west Of Tay-
lor. and which is only held back by the
width Of Taylor street from sweeping
down St. John street.
The rumor was started in North To-
peka Saturday that heavy rains up the
river had started another rise, and that
a solid wall of water six feet high was
rushing down stream. And in the north
part of the town, the water was actual
~ rising. Pools which had nearly dried
up were filling up and water was
eoursing down St John street in a small
torrent. People at once attributed this
rise as preliminary of the supposed six
root rise, and commenced to make prep
arations to get out Of town.
The rise, as q matter of fact was due
TO the channel across Taylor street
which H. E. Gaines and other people
living west of Taylor street had cut to
drain their 400 acre lake
Gaines had applied to Street Commits
sloner Snyder on Saturday morning for
permission to cut the channel across
Iaylor, and had been promptly refused.
shy NSl lOtd MIN tnaI the water was
nearly all outside of the city limits. and
that it was the business OF the county
commissioners. or the people interested,
10 chg a channel from the west end OF
the lake and drain 1t back into the river.
He absolutely forbid Gaines from drain
ing the water down through North To-
peka and again filling up all the low
ground north of St. John street.
Apparently Gaines went back to
North Topeka, and cut the channel re-
gardless of the street commissioners
orders. The channel is said to have
been cut through late Saturday after
noon.
Sunday morning, Street Commissioner
Snyder took gang of men to North
Iopeka, and damned up the channel
which had been cut.
Ifoube ensued. The people living west
of Taylor street gathered en- rnasse and
We're going TO prevent the street COM
missioner from doing any work
There was a whole lot of argument and
one man named Deppy. who was a
leader of the crowd from the west OF
Taylor street, was showed into the ditch
and came out in bedraggled condition
The street commissioners men COM
pleted the job of building the dam, and
stopped the water from flowing down
into North Topeka
Mr.. Gaines threatened to cut out the
channel again at the first opportunity
so it is claimed. Guards have been sta
toned on Taylor street to prevent any
In order to make a water way for the
water which lies west of Taylor, it is
only necessary to cut a channel across
that street, and the natural slope of the
ground VIII carry the current the rest
of the way The channel which was cut
Saturday was about 3 feet wide, and
crossed Taylor just south of St. John
street. It was about so feet long. and
bad it been allowed to remain. would
have soon spread out into a small river
Until last Wednesday. the water was
still flowing from the river into the low
land which formed part of the channel
which the river cut during the high wa
ter from the Updegraf farm to Soldier
creek This low land extends over all
the northwest portion of North Topeka,
and it was in this valley. that the
greatest depth of the current was at
tained and the most complete wreckage
Of buildings accomplished. The Skunk
Wiler house was in the path of this cur
rent Taylor street, being higher than
the territory which joins It both east
and west, formed a natural dam, which
checked the water when It ceased to
flow in from the river.
When the people living west of Tay-
lor found tnat they We're stopped from
further drainage. they at once decided
that Taylor street would have TO pc eur
to allow the water to continue to pass
through But the city authorities con-
Guided that they did not want the water
and told the people to send It back into
the river where 1t came IfoIh-
There is only a block or so Of tire
inundated territory inside of the city
limits. The rest is under the jurisdle-
ton of the county commissioners ne
people living outside of the city li'5l3ts
say that it would be very expensive
undertaking to drain the water back
into the river.
city Attorney Spencer has held that
the city has a right to stop water from
cutting across the town. He says that
the water is vagrant, and has no rights
as a watercourSe which anyone IS pound
to resnect He holds that the city can
head off the water at the city limlFs,
/ and tell the county to look after us
own water
Councilman Jack Blossom mixed up
in the controversy about the channel
Sunday. and took the part of the people
living west of Taylor. He thought thas
/ the street commissioner had no Ilent
to dam uD a WatercOurse-
This afternoon the streets and walks
committee Of the council viii pay VS.
if to North Topeka. and see what mas
been going on. They will try to straight
en- out the fuss in some way
Street Commissioner Snyder said TO-
dav. Il simply did my duty in turning
hack that water Mr.. Gaines told me
he cut the channel,and that he would 90
ii again if necessary. There are plenty
of witnesses to this.
Mayor Bergundthal will have war
rant issued for Gaines arrest, or the al
rest Of anyone who cuts A channel
There is also talk of an injunction suit
to prevent Gaines from cutting a new
channel