The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-15
TO CUT IT DOWN.
State Can't Pave All the Walks
Now.
Not Enough Money Appropriated
to Complete Work.
PART OFT MUST WAIT
Rest Will Be Fixed With Some
Kind Of Asphalt.
Faulty State House Arches Are
Also to Be Rebuilt.

When the last legislature appro-
priated $4,000 with which to pre-
sumabiy complete the work of paving
the state house drives and walks, it
probably thought it had disposed for
ever of one source of possible expendi-
ture.
Consequently the next legislature
will be somewhat surprised to receive
call for about $4,000 more to again
complete" the work of paving the
drives and walks.
The completion of this paving job is
as hard to bring about as is the COM
pletion of the state house itself.
The fact about the paving PROPOSE
ton is that the ways and means COM
mittee of the last house, being in an
economical state of mind when it fin
ished recommending all the things
Speaker Stubbs wanted, cut down the
$4,000 estimate which State Architect
Stanton made on the cost of paving all
the remaining walks and drives, and
allowed $4,000 as compromise.
There remains unpaved about 5000
square yards of drives and walks. 1t
is all curbed, and so the cost of laying
pavement is considerably decreased.
The asphalt which has already been
laid in the state house square cost
$1.65- per yard, and it was laid during
the "hard times when prices on
everything were low. Mr.. Stanton has
estimated that the cost of asphalt now
will be about $1.75 per square yard.
1t viii therefore be possible for the
state to pave about 5000 out of the
remaining 5000 square yards.
Thursday the executive council will
meet to let the contracts for this
work. It will also be decided at that
time what portions of the remaining
of the $4,000 appropriation. 1t
seems to be the general opinion that
the north and south approaches and
the narrow walks on each side of the
macad dam drive around the building
should be the first to receive a coat
of asphalt. The macadam on the re-
naming drives is in fairly good shape.
and will last for couple of years
more
The advertisements for. bids are
open to any kind of asphalt pavement
or to bitulithic, the new pavement
which seems to be better than the old
asphalt. It is expected that there will
be three bids, one from the Trinidad
asphalt trust, which paved the streets
of Topeka, one from the natural rock
asphalt people, who laid that portion
of pavement already laid in the state
house square, and one from the
bitulithic concern, which is very anx-
ious to get a sample of its work down
in Topeka, as it expects to make a
hard fight for the job of repaving
Kansas avenue.
The Trinidad asphalt is probably
better now than it was Is years ago
when it was laid in Topeka, but the
condition it is in on the city streets
here will not recommend it very high
ly to the executive council.
The natural rock asphalt, which comes
from Kentucky, Indian Territory and
California, seems to be much superior
to the Trinidad, and the pavement now
in the state house grounds is in excel
lent condition.
Bitulithic pavement is said to be a
wonderful substance and to possess al
the virtues and none of the vices OF
pavement. It is composed of various
sizes of stones cemented together with
bitumen so that the whole is like rock
1t does not get soft in summer or crack
in winter, it is claimed.
Rebuild the Subways.
In addition to paving the state house
drives and walks, the last legislature
made provision for rebuilding the north
and such steps, which were improperly
constructed, and which have become
dangerous.
Many who have driven through the
carriage ways under either the north ol
south steps have doubtless supposed
| that the rock overhead was crumblins
| to decay because of inferior quality. Th'
! fact is. according to State Architec
| Stanton, that the fault was not witt
the rock, but with the construction. Th'
landing of the wide granite steps owe
these subwayS should have afforded {
water-tight roof for the stones in th'
arch of the subway. Instead, the Gov
ering seems to have been made of ;
very inferior kind of mortar, though
which the rain has soaked, and trick
ling down through the. stones of tn
arch, has frozen in winter and thaweC
in summer, causing the big stones t
| crack all to pieces.
In reconstructing this work, it will b
necessary to partially tear down tn
north and south steps, back as far a
the great stone pillars. New stones viii
then be put into the arches, and tn
covering be made water proof.
The amount appropriated for thi
work is $4,000. but the plans and speci
fications for the job have not yet beei
drawn up. If there is enough money
provision may be made to rebuild tn
| arches of granite instead of limestone.