The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-28
Offers Assistance to Solve the
Dyke Problem.
TO CONSULT MR.. STORY
Santa Fe Engineering Force
Will Study the Situation.
May Evolve q Plan to Protect
Entire kaW Valley.

Fe, the citizens of Topeka, Shawne,
county and in fact the entire Kav
river valley will be saved thousand
of dollars in the matter of gettins
expert advice on the subject of way.
and means for the future protection
| of the valley against damage by
| floods.
Mr.. Ripley has addressed a letter
to w. S. Bergundthal, the mayor OF
Topeka, volunteering to place at his
disposal the advice of w. b. Story
the chief engineer of the Santa Fe, OF
| James Dun, the chief engineer of the
santa Fe system, or. both if neces-
1 Sary, who may also be called in for
consultation with the city engineer.
Mr.. Ripley also suggested that il
| might be well to have the advice OF
the chief engineers of the Union Pa
/ cffic and the Rock Island railroad
| systems, and volunteered to take up
the matter with the presidents OF
| those companies, and ask them for
their assistance in the work, provid-
ing, of course. if it would be agreea BILE
to the people interested in this ter
Mayor Bergundthal has already
anwsered Mr.. Ripley, and has accept
ed the generous offer made by the
Santa Fe.
IT am not advised as to just what,
if any, plan you may have in mind -
said Mr.. Ripley, but the question is
one of importance, and a proper solu-
ton of the problem will require the
best though of the engineering pro-
feSsion.''
The Importance of this offer cannot
be grasped at first thought. The ex-
perience of the past two years leaves
but one conclusion to draw. that is
that the Kaw valley is not safe from
danger from high water at any time.
The indications are that the high
waters will be of frequent occurrence,
and thousands and hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars worth of property is
at stake.
1t is very likely that the only way
to protect the valley will be to devise
a plan which will include improve
ments up and down the whole valley.
The citizens of North Topeka have
already under way a plan to dixie for
a short distance up and down the
river bank to protect North Topeka
This work may be completed before
the winter.
One of the principal subjects which
will be before the state legislature
this winter for consideration and leg
islation of some character will be the
flood problem. State laws will have
to be enacted to provide for the wants
and needs of the inhabitants of the
valley lands, and each county 1t now
seems, will present bills hitting their
own particular needs.
The help of the chief engineers of
the railroads will be of vast assistance
to the people of the state. These men
are among the best in the United
States and it is their work to meet
a problem and conquer 1t, no matter
what the obstacles.
w. B. Story, the chief engineer of
the Santa Fe- is one of the foremost
engineers in this country. He has
Just returned from California where
he completed the preliminary surveys
for a line of railroad northwest from
San Francisco, through some of the
most mountainous and rough country
the road has ever had to contend
with.
James Dun was formerly chief en-
gineer of the Santa Fe at Topeka, but
about five or six years ago he was
taken to Chicago and given the title
of the chief engineer of the entire
Santa Fe system
To Mr. Dun was assigned the task
of working out the problem presented
the railroads entering Chicago upon
the passage of an ordinance requiring
the railroads to place the tracks
above the street level withiT certain
limits.
It was an enormous proposition
which confronted the railroads, but
the task was assigned to Mr.. Dun,
who was given carte blanche by each
interested. He was told to
go ahead and work out the problem
for all the roads and each road would
stand their proportionate share.
This of course has nothing to do
with the matter of making improve
ments along the Kaw river, but is only
mentioned to show the kind of talent
which is placed at the disposal of the
citizens of the Kaw valley. These men,
in whom the utmost confidence is
placed in regard to judgment and the |
matter of devising methods to over |
come any obstacle, will be allowed to |
work in conjunction with the city en- |
gineer of Topeka, the county surveyor
and the surveyors in the other coun- |
ties interested in the proposition, with |
the view of arriving at a decision as
to the best method to adopt to protect |
the valley from the floods
Mr.. Dun has had a great deal of |
experience in the matter of working |
out drainage problems" said w. j.
Black, general passenger agent of the |
Santa EFF today. Mr.. Dun is a man |
sixty years of age, and he is thorough |
y familiar with the entire western |
He has tramped all over this
and knows it thoroughly. 1 |
remem Der one trip nad the OppOr- |
-unity of making with him on one of |
the western divisions of the Santa Fe. |
A bridge was being planned to span |
to place it and the amount of drain |
age to provide for it was necessary |
to tramp for miles and miles in every |
direction to get all the information |
necessary to arrive at a decision. Mr..
Dun has had the practical experience |
With drainage matters and will prove |
valuable help in the work planned for /
the Kaw valley. He has the kind of /
which it is almost impos- |
Sible to buy"
Union Pacific and the Rock Island |
viii detail engineers to assist the To- |
oeka city engineer and the engineers |
IF the Santa Fe, and that a thorough |