The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-03

a contract with the city for doing the
asphalt pavement repairs which Is
good two years yet. You win have to
expect that"
I'VE can't DO anything y said Goun-
Gilman Green. THAT street viii have
to remain as it is or until it gets worse
We can't do anything until they petit
ton There is no money and no law
under the sun by which we can do
anything unless they petition"
On motion from Councilman T. q.
Nipps committee consisting Of C. K.
Holiday and City Attorney Dreaming
were appointed to draw up the resolu-
ton stating the councils position.
Engineer McCabe's Estimate.
City Engineer McCabe returned his
estimate of the cost of a municipal
asphalt company together with the
cost of laying of an asphalt pavement
on Kansas avenue. For a plant Of
1000 yards capacity daily the cost is
given at SIZES. In addition he figures
that it would take S2,059 for the pur-
chase of rollers, tools, etc. The asphalt
Will cost $21,216 if S32 tons of Ber-
mQdez or Trinidad at $3.50 a ton is
used If California is used, the cost
VIII be SIS a ton The cost of the
other ingredients utilized in preparing
The pavement, sand aSphaItic oil,
stone, etc. and the coal and wood for
the heating is estimated at $34,543.
Ihe cost per yard counting in simply
the material would amount to 1873
cents, the cost of labor amounts up to
rs additional per yard and the re-
moVal OF the present asphalt surface
and the other incidentals in preparing
the present paving for resurfacing is
estimated at 10 cents per square yard
additional The grand total is given
at 96.3 cents and if the plant is not
worked to its full capacity but merely
at an average of 500 yards per day the
cost would be still further increased
to Sl-055 per square yard. The city
engineer of course advises strongly
against the city purchasing a munich
pal asphalt plant though at the same
time recommending a small repair
plant
The city engineers further estimates
of the cost of repairing Kansas ave
nue. using brick, asphalt and bitulithic
which have been published from time
to time, were approved and placed on
hie. The city clerk has been instruct
ed to advertise for bids on the basis of
the city engineers estimate.
In presenting the adverse opinion
against the purchase of a municipal
asphalt plant by J. G. Slonecker. W.
Whiting, the executive committee ap--
pointed by the citizens at the mass
meeting a week ago Thursday. It is
claimed that the attitude of the COM
mittee has been brought about through
personal selfish reasons. Tt is stated
by a number of the city officials and
others who are interested in the local
paNing situation that the committee
when it discovered that the public
would not stand for including the par
ticular brands of sphalt-Bermude
and Trinidad-in the petition. The
public objected to specifying particular
brands and when such an opinion was
delivered by city. Attorney Dreaming.
and others, it is claimed that the com
mittee suddenly grew lukewarm in
their efforts to boom the resurfacing
of Kansas avenue.
Report in Full.
The report follows in full. signed by
the committee:
Topeka, Kan, Sept. 80, 1905.
To the Mayor and Council of the City
of Topeka.
At a meeting of resident owners of
called about ten days ago. the under
signed were appointed committee to
represent such owners in connection
with the attempt to remedy the pres
ent depl0rab bic condition of the pave
ment on that avenue.
This committee has had several meet
ings and discussed the matter at con-
siderable length and they desire to pre-
sent to the council their views on that
subject.
In the first place we believe that the
owners of the property fronting on the
avenue and who paid for this paving.
have not received proper consideration
from the city authorities. For nearly
20 years narrow-tired heavy-trafflc We
hicles were permitted to cut up the
pavement. In the second place, for a
number of years past the city has had
or shall have had a contract for the
repair of this pavement but instead of
repairing the same has permitted the
pavement to become continually worse.
by either failing to make any repairs
or filling up holes with broken rock
which tended to increase the area of
disintegration. It is now claimed by the
city authorities (as d result of this neg
lect) that the pavement is in such a
condition that it is no longer a proper
subject for repair and it has become
necessary to repaVe. To this the pro-
perry owners are unwilling to agree
The cement base to the present pave
ment, paid for by the property owners
at a large expense, is still in good con-
ditiOn. AS long as that is true We in
sist that the pavement can be repair
ed. It is possibly true, at least as to
some of the blocks on the avenue, that
the present pavement needs to be re-
surfaced but we still insist that it is
not necessary that the avenue be
repayed.
The property along this avenue has
paid into the city very large amount
in taxes levied under the head of "A
general Improvement fund" If the
amount thus secured from the proper
ty owners had been used in the re-
pair of the pavement on Kansas ave
nue., the conditions now would be very
different. Instead of that. however,
this general Improvement fund has been
diverted to other parts of the city and.
we are informed, in some instances the
fund has even been diverted to other
funds of the city not of a general i'm
provement" nature.
AT the meeting of property owners, to
which reference has been raade. a ma
jority of those present indicated their
wish that the city should purchase a
municipal asphalt paving plant at the
proper expense of the entire city, and
use it in repairing all streets paved
with that material. This committee not
being a unit upon that proposition
makes no recommendation as TO the
course the city should take in repair
ing either Kansas avenue or any other
l.. =.