The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-21
CAN'T Be FIXED.
Street Commissioner Snyder
Gives Up West Sixth Ave.
No Use to Repair the Cedar
Block Pavement.
, ASPHALT MUST WAIT.
Council Thinks IL Will Have to
Be Resurfaced.
Bad Places Patched With BrOk-
en- Stone.

Street Commissioner Snyder's "offi-
cial attempt" to repair the West Sixth
avenue cedar block pavement has
been made. and has proven failure.
1t is likely that before long petitions
viii be coming in asking that this
long avenue be resurfaced with brick.
When the council was talking about
abandoning all attempt to repair this
worn out pavement, about a year ago,
a petition was received from West
Sixth avenue property owners de-
handing that the street be repaired
at the city's expense, and not allowed
to remain in its present deplora Bile
condition. The city engineer and
street commissioner gave it as their
opinion that repairs could not be sue
cessfully made; that the cedar blocks
were too far rotted out and worthless
to be patched NeVerth eless the CITY
council, in order 10 set doubts at rest.
instructed the street commissioner to
go ahead and repair part of the street
as a sample.
Mr.. Snyder repaired as best he
could the Topeka avenue intersection
of the West Sixth pavement, and was
going ahead with the work when the
committee on streets and walks came
out to see how he was getting along
They found things not to their liking.
and decided that the work should be
stopped.
LII Ills CollQAllOll the case stands at
present. and 1t is, almost certain that
no further effort win be made to save
the West Sixth cedar block pavement
1t viii be allowed to peacefully rot
70 pieces, and when it gets so bad
that the people can't stand it any
longer. they will either sue the CITY
TO compel it to make repairs or else
VIII petition for a requirement. of the
street in either case the question of
who shall pay for fixing UP Worn ont
pavement viii be settled
Inc CITY railway company has al
most completed its pavement of its
w est Sixth right of way with vitrifjed
Drlck. mis- was done by the COMPANY
after considerable protest. but ii was
thought at the time that it would not
be very long until the entire street
material.
No Asphalt Repairs.
In order to come out even financially
on Its $4,000 fire engine deal the citv
OF Topeka will in all probability omit
doing any repair work on its asphalt
paVements this year. In this way it is
thought that the city may get through
the year without a financial deficit as
asphait repairs would cost from IS 900
to $4,000.
BY emitting making any asphalt re-
pairs this summer, the city practical
" checks it up to the property owners
70 resurtace the asphalt paved streets
WIN something-e asphalt 81
viii be in such bad shape that it would
cost about as much as repeair as it will
to resurface.
s A Swendson. the new chairman
or the streets and walks committee
which may have considerable to do in
day.
Il have not heard anybody say any
tilhS about asphalt repairs, and don't
knew as the matter Will come up.
peheVe that in the past committees Of
the city council have some times taken
up matters which We're a little ont ~
their line, and I do not think the street
ana walks committee will have anv-
thing TO DO with the asphalt question
unless it is referred to that committee
10y the council.
There is no doubt that the asphaJt
paTements are in bad shane bnt II Is
doubtful whether it does any good 70
repair them. 1t looks like a waste 81
money to patch one hole. and have tyv5
more Just ike II wear out within a few
days Sooner or later the city has got
to take q stand on this question of re-
pavement or repair. The question viii
have to be fought out, and 1 supposs
one time is about as good as another 2
Mayor Bergundthal takes a strona
stand against further asphalt repairs
He says:
The city IS just about the same as
throwing money away in attempting Il
repair these asphalt pavements. ii
seems to me that we might as vel
continue to I'LL UP the worst hol - witt
crushed stone. until such time as tn,
streets can be resurfa ced."
City Engineer McCabe says: NV ad
vice has been to quit wasting any NOR,
money for patching, and resurface TIL
asphalt streets either with brick or nev
asphalt The asphalt is now in sucl