The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-19
TO CROSS TRACKS
City Railway Proposes to Build
a Viaduct.
Would Reach Oakland by Way
Of Branner Street.
A NEW STEEL BRIDGE.
One Will Be Built to North
Topeka at Once.
Council Meeting Tonight to Con-
slider Situation.

There will be a special meeting OF
the city council this evening for the
purpose of considering a proposition
from the city railway management that
a viaduct be built across the Santa Fe
railway tracks at Branner street, to
| cost $4,000, the cost to be borne equal
ly by the Topeka Railway company,
the Santa Fe railway and the city of
Topeka.
This is for the purpose of giving the
city railway new line to Oakland, via
East Sixth avenue. instead of around
the north end of the Santa Fe railway
yards. The present route passes along
the river bank, under the Santa Fe
| bridge, and is subject to serious inter
/ ruptionS and waShOutS whenever there
is a heavy rainfall as the railway
| tracks are four feet lower than the
roadway.
The proposed Branner street viaduct
would also be open for the use of pc
destrians and vehicles, and would avoid
what is now a dangerous grade cross
ing over the numerous tracks of the
Santa Fe yards. For the purpose of
getting rid of this dangerous crossing,
the Santa F'e railway is interested in
having the crossing built.
The city will have to vote bonds to
take care of its share of the expense
of the viaduct, which will be $4,000.
The calling of a bond election would
the time the Santa F'e shop bonds were
voted.
Mayor Bergundthal is friendly to the
project, and will call the special cleo
ton when the necessary petition is pre-
scented.
New Kansas River Bridge.
Mr.. Myers announced today that the
work of constructing new double track
steel bridge across the Kansas river
will begin at once.
Ia fn he Iaf
he said to a reporter for the State
Journal. and we will begin on the
work as soon as possible. The bridge
will be pony truss structure, built on
tubular piers. The construction of this
bridge across the river has no connec-
ton with the proposed viaduct, except
that we think that if we put in this
bridge, the city ought to be willing to
viaduct proposition. The constructing
of the steel bridge across the river
means the redemption of North To-
peka.''
The proposed new bridge will cost
in the neighborhood of $4,000. The
pony truss" method of construction
means a truss which rises to a medium
height, but which is not connected
over the top
1--WE considered the construction of
bridge without any overhead trusses,
but were obliged to abandon that plan
because it would have brought the
bridge too close to the water. We did
not want to build a through truss
bridge. because its high trusses would
have shut off the view of the Melan
bridge. So we compromised on the
pony truss BRIDGE
Councilman Are Friendly.
Mr.. Myers has interviewed all the
members of the council who are in the |
city, and states that they are all in
favor of the plan to construct the
Branner street viaduct.
The decision on the part of the street |
proposition to the city was reached at a |
of the directors of the COM |
pany held Saturday night. B. E. Sun |
ny, E. w. Wilson and l.. E. Myers, the |
three principal owners of the road, were |
all here Mr.. Sunny went back to Chi |
cagO Sunday, but Mr.. Myers and Mr.. |
Wilson will be here for the council |
meeting tonight Mr.. Myers will |
leave for Chicago Tuesday, as he is |
obliged to be there on Wednesday to |
attend a meeting.
struction of the viaduct, however, has |
been under consideration for a long |
time. Several months ago Mr.. Myers |
talked it over with a number of the |
but the plan has been kept |
secret pending the final decision of the |
street railway owners.
The proposed new line to Oakland |
will cross the Sixth avenue viaduct and |
run east on Sixth as far as Branner. |
1t will then run north to Seward ave- |
nue., where the present line exists. The |
work of rebuilding the East Sixth ave-
nue. line has been delayed because of |
the proposed change in the Oakland |
line The street railway wanted to find |
out what would be the outcome of this