The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-01

fOur asphalt pavement repairs cost
the city $4,000 since the expiration
of the maintenance bond which was
for five years. The city did no re-
pairing on this pavement last year as
the asphalt has become so rotten in
the majority of places, having been IN
use for Is years, that in the judgment
of the city officials it would be use
less expenditure of money to try and
patch UP the holes. It is of the utmost
Importance, however. that this rotten
surface should be removed and the
concrete foundation underneath be re-
surfaced with new material. What
material this surface should consist Of
should be left to the wishes Of the
property owners upon whose property
the street Adults.
zone course of brick with an as
phalt filler would cost about IS cents
per square yard, asphalt about $50
and Warren's Bithuithic $1.70. Using
brick as q basis of resurfacing the
cost per lot would be $10.45 for a
period of ten years for property own
ers along the needed resurfaced dis
trict on Kansas avenue. Using the
Bithulithic material the cost would
approximate $20.95 per lot for a
period of ten years. This of course
does not include the street intersec-
tions which under any circumstances
would have to be paid for By the city.
1.-THE city should make arrange
nlenrS TO take DeECer care OF DOLh It's
Davements and sewers in the future
than they have in the past. Under the
present mode of procedure the street
commissioner details men from his
force to do this work, taking them
away from other very pressing duties
to clean and repair the sewers and
pavements. This plan was all right
years ago when the city had but a few
miles of pavement and sewers. but now
with 40 miles of pavement and 70
miles of sewers including S12 man
holes and 564 storm water catch
basins which should after each heavy
rain be cleaned. there is absolute need
of a small force of men whose sole
duty should be to clean. flush and re-
pair both sewers and pavements. The
cleaning of the sewers especially has
been too often neglected in the past
on account of the inability of the
street department to attend to all of
its duties. If it was some ones duty
to take care of this particular matter
the improvements would be kept in
the state that they should be-
New Pavements Contemplated.
at seems to be the general feeling
that the city should go slow in the
matter of letting any further contracts
for public improvements, on account
of the present heavy bonded indebted
however, there has never been a time
in the history of cheap paving (and
Topeka gets her paving done cheaper
than any other city in the west) when
the prices for paving are as likely to
reach bottom rock as next year. This
year on account of a duel between the
two rival brick manufacturing con-
Germs of the city the paving was let
for S1.09 Y per square yard. The gen
eraI price per square yard for brick
pavement is from Sis to S1.25 in
Topeka, and in other cities through
the west from s1.40 to s1.75.
cit is very probable that the brick
will take a further drop next year
owing to the fierce competition be-
tween the two home brick companies.
In case it is deemed advisable to take
advantage of the cheap prices and do
considerable paving next year instead
Of paving long stretches in the suburbs
such paving as is petitioned for
I should be in the district where It con
meets pavements already laid. thus do
ing away with mudhoIes in the heart
of the city.
''I refer to such places as: Monroe
street between Second and Third