The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-25
BRIDGE is OPEN.
Street Railway at Last Has
Reached North Topeka.

The new street railway bridge which
has been in course of construction across
the Kansas river for the last two months
was completed today and this afternoon
the North Topeka service, which was
stopped at the time of the flood last
summer, was resumed. Since the old
bridge was washed out the cars have
only been running to the south end or
the bridge, but hereafter it will no
longer be necessary for people living in
North Topeka to get transfer and
walk across the bridge" If they wish
they can ride as far as Garfield park
without leaving the car.
In order that any defects in the bridge
might be discovered before the car SER
vice was resumed a load of rock weigh
ing 60O 900 pounds was taken across and
back this morning. The big motor car
belonging to the railway company, and
weighing 80 900 pounds, was used to pull
the load and the two cars made a load,
the total weight of which was about
$4,000 pounds-over AZ tons. This test
proved to be perfectly satisfactory and
peka City railway, who accompanied
the car, made the statement that in his
opinion a Santa Fe passenger train
could be taken across the bridge with
perfect safety. Mr.. Kelley said:
q myself have heard no one say that
they did not think that the bridge was
safe, but several cases have been re-
ported to me where some citizens of
North Topeka were not satisfied with
the looks of it. Consequently I or
dered this test to be made. and 1 think
that we have proved beyond a doubt
that the bridge will stand all that is
required of it. It is narrower than the
old bridge and only has one track. and
that is probably the reason that these
complaints have been made. One
would naturally feel safer on wider
bridge, but when we get the cars to
running I think the people of North
Topeka will find that this bridge is
just as safe if not safer than the old
one, despite the fact that it is mar
rover.
AT the time I heard these rumors in
regard to the safety of the bridge l
was a little worried about it myself,
and Just for my own satisfaction L
asked J. NJ. Meade. chief engineer of
the eastern grand division of the Santa
Fee. to examine the bridge and then
make report of any defects that he
found. According to this report Mr..
Meade found the bridge to be perfectly
satisfactory. and l think that this fact
should put at rest any fears which the
people may entertain in regard to its
safety. Mr.. Meade is a fine engineer
and certainly knows what he is talk
ing about when he says that the bridge
is all right"
The following is the report which J.
NJ Meade submitted to Mr. Kelley after
making his examination of the new
Topeka, Kan, Feb. IS, 1904.
F. G. Kelley, Treasurer, Topeka City
Railway, Topeka, Kan.
Dear Sir:-Agreeable to your request
have examined your pile bridge over
the kaW river, which 1 find composed
of four stringers, 6 inches by 80 inches
in a panel with caps 12x14 in and six
piles to a bent. I find the panels vary
in length ,One of them being So feet
This of course would be the weak link
in the chain and on this basis 1 have
figured the load for this long panel
taking the figures that you gave me
this morning, Is tons for the weight OF
an empty street car, loaded with 60
people at an estimated weight of 15C
pounds, we would have a weight OF
1874 tons. Using a factor of safety OF
6, I find that your four stringers for
the long panel mentioned above,
would carry 27 tons for a center break
ing load deducting 1912 tons would
leave TX tons, but as your load would
be a distributing load, the figures show
Is tons margin of safety or in other
words your bridge would carry Is tons
more to the panel than you can get
on 1t by the figures you have given me
Yours truly. J. M MEADE.
Engineer e G. Division.