The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-24
THIS IS THE time.
Norris L. Gage Discusses Repair
of Kansas Avenue.
Thinks That Property Owners
Should Stand Expense.
CITY BUILD A PLANT.
Then the Money Will Be Spent
at Home.
Writer Gives Some Early Paving
History.

Norris L. Gage has written the fol-
lowing letter to Mayor Davis from his
home IN Ohio:
Ashtabula, o., Aug. 81, 1905.
To the Mayor and City Council, To-
peka, Kansas:
over twenty years ago, before any
paving was laid in Topeka, the owners
of lots on Kansas avenue held a meet
ing and elected Ex-Governor Osborn,
c. w. Jewell, Albert Knowles, Howell
Jones and myself as a conf nittee to
investigate and report on the entire
subject. # Af9 - <@a -ssi
We visited number OF western
cities, consulted with the best paving
engineers, spent several weeks in in
veStigatiOnS, all at our own expense,
and reported in favor of sheet asphalt
on a concrete base for level streets,
and Colorado sandstone where the
grades were too steep for asphalt. At
that time paving bricks were not in
use, the machinery for making and the
ovens for baking the same not having
been invented. 1t required a great eff
fort on. our part to prevent the streets
from being paved with coal tar prepa-
rations or limestone blocks, both of
which we had found to be absolute
failures, and lasting only about five
years. A combination of spectators
and grafters were urging their use on
the plea that they were "home prod
ucts.' Later on limestone blocks were
on exposure to the weather. The Colo
RADIO sandstone paving is still in a good
state of preservation and will last for a
generation longer, though perhaps it
will need to be relaid in some places.
The sheet asphalt would have lasted
about ten years longer If the sand
which is such an important element in
the mixture, had been good, sharp
sand, taken from the bottom of the
river instead of the wash sand mixed
with soil, which was scraped up from
the river banks.
The lot owners on Kansas avenue
were willing to pay for paving that
street providing lot owners on other
streets did the same when their streets
were paved and that plan was incor-
porated in the law. The city has kept
the pavement in repair for some twenty
years and now that the asphalt surface
| is worn out there is every reason why
these lot owners should reSurface the
street at their own expense, provided
other lot owners repave their streets
when their pavements are beyond rea-
sonable repair.
am the owner of fifty feet 'front.'
age on Kansas avenue between Fifth
and Sixth streets, and control thirty
seven and one-half feet more. I will
| gladly sign a petition for the street to
| be resurfaced with a good well tested
quality of asphalt at our own expense,
| provided the city will erect an asphalt
plant to do the work for US. The plant
need not be expensive. Most of the cost
will be for home labor. and the principle
involved is a correct one if carried out
throughout all the city paving in the
| future The cost of paving the streets
a second time, after they have been
worn beyond reasonable repair, should
/ be levied in the same manner as the
cost of the first paving. Lot owners on
| Kansas avenue should not only be will
| ing that this rule prevails but it is for
their interest to insist upon it's enforce
ment. NORRIS L. GAGE.