The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-09
TRIED TO CUT BANK.
Citizens Indignant Because North To-
peka Water Is Restrained.

An attempt was made Friday night
by North Topeka citizens to cut the
Santa F'e embankment east of town,
which acts as a dam and holds back
a large body of back water from Sol
der creek During the early part of
the evening an opening between the
ties was made in the embankment by
unknown parties, and by means of this
opening, the depth of the backwater
was lowered about 5 inches.
Today North Topeka people have
been bringing great pressure to bear on
Mayor Bergundthal to have him in
struct the city street commissioner to
cut the embankment and let the water
out. The mayor refused to do this. In
stead ne went to see Division Superin-
tcndent Mcclellan of the Santa Fe, and
Mr.. Mcclellan agreed to put in a large
box drain under the embankment to
let the water out
II am not going to cut that embank-
ment and run the risk of being sent to
the penitentiary,' said the mayor to-
day. Nor will L permit anybody to
cut it surreptitiously, if I can help it,
If that embankment should be cut,
there is grave danger that a train would
be wrecked by going into the weakened
place in the track. Mr.. Mcclellan has
agreed to fix the box drain to carry off
the water, and that is the best we can
do"
There is considerable strong talk
Topeka,
of which is that unless the box drain is
put in some time during the day today,
a. big force of men will cut the embank-
ment tonight, and let all the water run
through.
This morning Mayor Bergundthal.
City Engineer McCabe, Agent Sherburn
of the Union Pacific, and some others
went on a special train to point west
of town near the I5pdegraff farm. Mr..
McCabe makes the following report of
the findings:
I'VE discovered that the river had not
cut over the bank at the Updegraff
of lakes from Menoken, just as it did
last year. This is exactly what l have
cOntended all the time. We round that
but cutting a ditch feet wide and 10
feet long we could connect that chain
of lakes to a ravine which would lead
the whole body of water into the river
instead of allowing it to come down
through town. Last year it took the
water from these lakes a month to
drain away through town, and find its
way into Soldier creek. a much better
way would be to send it directly into
the river at the point have mentioned
near the Updegraff farm. This does not
involve cutting down the river bank at
all to construct the ditch.
IF this ditch is dug, and if drain
is built under the Santa Fe embank-
North Topeka will be entirely free from
water within three days. Otherwise it
may take a long time. / am afraid that
unless this water can be very quickly
disposed of. the health department will
have a hard time averting a serious
condition of things in North Topeka.
CITY NOT MUCH DAMAGED.
NJ. W. Gilmore has just completed
contract in North Topeka for repair
ing all the sidewalks which were dam
aged and washed out by the 1903 flood.
1t was feared by the city street Off
Gals that all this expensive work
would be undone by the recent high
water which covered North Topeka. An
examination made of the condition OF
the sidewalks indicates, however, that
the damage done is very slight. 1t Will
probably not be necessary TO make any
repairs to the walks, unless they
should settle later on This fortunate
condition is probably due to the fact
that the water had very little current
The absence of current also accounts
for the fact that the streets are not
washed. out to any great extent. 1t is
not going to be a very big job, it is be-
lieved, to put North Topeka back into
as good shape as it was before the rise.