The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-16
Councilman SwendsOn's Sixth
Ward Sewer Project Waivers.
People of LOWman Hill Are Up
in Arms.
AMAZING
ACT.
Sixth Ward Alderman Has Evil
IDENTIFY FIODped.
IneseSewer Primer Advocated
an Entirly Different Course.

Opposition to Councilman S. A
Swendson's proposed sewer system in
Lowman Hill, Tennesseetown and
neighboring territory, seems to be com
ing from two directions. There are two
kinds of remonstrances being circula-
ted. One is a remonstrance against the
whole project of building a sewer at
this time; the other remonstrance is
merely against the kind of a sewer Mr..
-Swendson proposes to have built.
A. Bishop is circulating the anti-sew-
er document, while William Bolinger
is in charge of the protest against the
small and inadequate sewer which
Swendson has proposed Mr.. Bishops
paper has already been signed by more
than 100 resident property owners, and
Mr.. Bolinger who has not done any
active soliciting for signatures, also
has a long list.
Mr.. Bolinger sets forth his views of
the case in the following communica-
ton to the State Journal:
ITO the Editor of the State Journal
1.-THE Sunday paper contained an ar
ticle headed, The Council VIII Have to
Say stating that there were objections
raised in the Sixth ward to the con-
struction of a sewer. There are no OBJ
jections being raised to the right kind
of a sewer but to the present make
shift plan, as introduced by Councilman
S. A. Swendson. In the early part of
the year the question of sewer was
raised and the natural outlet said to be
in line with the main POtWin sewer. At
that time the whole cry of Mr.. Swend-
son and his friends was that the Pot
win sewer was not large enough to
take an extension from the south end
OF the Sixth ward. Now it is proposed
not only to attach the south end of the
Sixth but a part of the Third ward as
we'll What the majority of the people
OF the Sixth ward want is not this tenn
pOrary affair which in few years will
have to be replaced, but a permanent
system which will be of some value for
the future One of the main objections
to the sewer at present, aside from it's
proposed manner of construction is the
absence of city water, either for fire
protection or sewage purposes. In a
recent fire in this part of the city Chief
Wilmarth laid 2,100 feet of hose to get
water to the fire, and had the night
been windy would have been absolutely
unable to save any part OF the proper
ty. We feel that this important matter
should have first attention
IF the Potwin sewer was not large
enough last fall, as Mr.. Swendson and
his supporters stated, it is so now, I'M
less it has increased in size during the
winter. The proposal to turn the sur
face water into the alleys, and have
the sewer without eaten basins Is very
unacceptable. When the streets in the
west end are paved, it would make the
alleys, which are now in a terrible con-
dition, absolutely impossible. The sup
pOrters of the small sewer say that in
many towns the sewers, latest of con-
struction have no catch basins, but the
surface water is turned into the alleys.
They forget, however, to add that the
alleys and areaways in such towns are
paved, a condition which win not pre-
vail in the west part of Topeka for 20
years to come.
sThe kicking petition which the
morning paper complains of reads as
follows:
We, the undersigned property own
ers of the Sixth and Third wards pro-
test and demonstrate against the con-
struction of a sewer in and through
said wards as proposed in a certain or
dinance presented by Councilman
Swendson at meeting of your honor
able body on May ?, and then and
there voted on and passed.
3" We protest that a sewer as pro-
posed is not needed and would be OF
little benefit to the residents of said
wards, which are as yet neither thick
" populated nor enjoy complete
water service.
. Further, we protest against the
construction of such a sewer as pro-
posed in that it excludes from partici-
patton in payment for the same own
ers of property in that portion of the
Sixth ward known as Potwin.
= Therefore we respectfully ask
your honorable body to grant US relief
from what Will be at this time ar
unnecessary and unjustihable ex-
.pense.
that we protest against the sewer as
proposed. We merely do not wish