The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-09
KEEP OUT WATER.
Very Short Dykes Would Have
Stopped 1t.
That from River Came from
Narrow Channel.
TRIP OVER THE GROUND
Commissioner Haynes Finds
Where Dykes Should Be.
Hopes Government Will Help
With the Work.

This morning County Commissioners
Haynes and a State Journal reporter
made a trip west of North Topeka to
determine where the water which
flooded part of the North side came
from.
Part of the water came from the
river between the old stock yards and
the B street church. There the low
est part of the river bank on the
north side near the city is cutting
away. The low point is where the
force of the river current strikes the
bank before making a turn. The
water has cut the bank away and is
still cutting. The more the bank is
washed out the lower the ground is
that is left to keep the water out of
North Topeka. The water was kept
back for a time by the Union Pa
cif1c railroad grade, but when that cut
through the water flowed on Tyler
street to Gordon.
dyke not more than three blocks
long at this point on the river would
have kept the river water from
North Topeka. At the B street
church the ground is higher than on
Tyler and Gordon and other North
topeka streets, and during the food
of 1903 the water about the church
was but four feet deep. A dyke ten
feet high and so feet wide would have
kept the water from the river from
flowing into North Topeka from this
point even during last years flood
THE first place where dykes should
be built, said Commissioner Haynes,
is along the river bank for three
blocks in the vicinity of the B street
church and across Tyler and Polk
streets. If this was done no water
from the Kansas river during such a
flood as we have just had would flow
into North Topeka. At this point near
the B street church is the only place
where he J-ixr n ies
year into North Topeka
The water coming from the river at
the Street church was held back by
the Union Pacific grades for some time
but the grade are low and We're cut
away and a foot of water in one place
and two feet in another place, for short
distances, flowed through the embank-
ment.
Eost of North Topeka the Santa Fe
and Union Pacific railroad grades
would keep the water of flood such as
was experienced this week from back
ing into North Topeka.
The rest of the water in North Tope-
ka, and by far the greatest amount,
comes from Soldier creek west of town.
From point east of Cairo station on
the Union Pacific west to Menoken the
water from Soldier creek flowed south
across the low lands toward the river.
High ground west of North Topeka
kept the water from flowing directly
east over North Topeka until the water
reached a place where the Union Pa
cific crosses the Norris place east of the
Updegram farm At this point the flood
of last year cut deep channel from
the low grounds west of the Norris
place east through the higher ground.
The ground along the river west of
the Norris place and toward the Upde-
graft farm is high and the water flow
ing from Soldier creek, after it reach
ed a certain depth, took this channel
cut by last years flood and flowed
around the southeast corner of the Nor
ris place through Gordon and Jackson
streets, in North Topeka, to Grant and
Garfield streets to Soldier creek and
to the river.
A wide dyke near the Norris place
where the water swung around the cor
ner would have turned the Soldier
creek water and after the low ground
had been flooded the water would have
flowed south of the Union Pacific grade
into the river and would not have come
through North Topeka.
This water came from Soldier creek
eight miles above North Topeka, but
did not get over the Union Pacific
right of way except at the Norris
place.
This water from Soldier creek cut
through the Rock Island embankment
north of the Davis elevator, Joined
the water flowing from the cut in the
river bank near the B street church
Central avenue bridge.
By building a dyke on the river
bank across Tyler and Polk streets, |
near the Norris place west of
town and another from Harrison
street east along Soldier creek to the
high ground of Holman's addition
and from the east side of the high
ground of Garfield park east to the
railroad embankment, all the water
which flowed into North Topeka this
week would have been kept out, ex-
cepting the water which backed up
in the sewers, and that could have
been prevented by trapping the sewer
at the river.
Commissioner Haynes advocates the |
building of dykes at once before an |
other flood can come. eff the gov
eminent will not do this work and if |
the state will not take hold of it, |
Shawnee county must" said Mr.. +!
Haynes
Congressman Curtis thinks that
possibly the government may do |
something in the way of protecting |
North Topeka.