The Topeka state journal., 1905-09-08
FIGURES THE COST
Engineer McCabe Has New Esti-
mate on Pavement.
This Is for Putting Down Brick
On Kansas Avenue.
WOULD SAVE MONEY.
But Concrete Base Would Have
to Be Destroyed.
Plan for Municipal Asphalt
Plant Not Given Up.

1t will cost $63,533.OS to pave Kansas
avenue with brick from Gordon street to
Tenth avenue, according to an estimate
made by City Engineer McCabe. The
estimate has just been completed and
supplements the former estimate which
the city engineer made according to in
structions from the city council. The
estimate which was made in the first
instance gave in detail the cost of as
phalt, natural rock and sheet, and Bit
ulithic macadan. Brick was not given
because the city engineer maintained
that the concrete base of the present
asphalt pavement would have to be re-
moved from two to three inches and
that in so doing the base would be ma
terially weakened and also the pave
ment in conjunction, since the life of the
pavement is dependent upon its base.
The city council, however, at the last
regular meeting, Monday night. in
structed the city engineer to prepare de-
| tailed estimates using brick as a ma
terial, though for what purpose in view
| of the report is not clear.
| The estimate for the other material
| was based on an estimate of $1.75 per
yard in each instance. If there is vari
| alton in the prices of the material it
| will show itself in the bids and by plac
! ing the price at S1.75 this gives such
| of $1.75 per yard for bitulithic and as
phalt makes the cost of paving approx
mate $S1, ,140.10. The cost of brick
pavement as shown is 63,533.03, this
so7. S1e 81. '-e OsA'se - ''ieA '' 49,
/ Brick is figured at s135 per square
| yard This includes the removal of the
asphalt surface from Kansas avenue it's
removal to the river, the cutting down
of the concrete from two to three inches
and the employment of an asphalt filler
over the brick. The latter gives a dead
finish to the brick and renders it noise
less.
The cost to the property owners of
this pavement would be $50, 3,412.41
and to the city $10,12O.62.
Considerable of new curbing will
have to be laid. This is included in
the estimate.
city Engineer McCabe explained the
several features of his estimate: Il
think that 1 have figured this pretty
! close. This figure of $1.35 includes
everything. 1t provides for the brick,
the sand, the laying of the pavement,
| the removal of the sheet asphalt from
| Kansas avenue and carting it to the
river, the cutting down of the con-
crete from two to three inches and the
| asphalt filler. l think that the cost
of the asphalt filler will run close to
20 cents yard. We put a filler on the
brick pavement over the new spans of
the Melan bridge and now it acts just
, like an asphalt pavement. There is
not bit of noise there. 1 am think
ing of specifying the large sized paw
ing brick for Kansas avenue when l
draw up the specifications. The local
brick companies are not manufactur-
! ing this sized brick but they can pur-
chase the proper sized die for them
for from $75 to 500. l presume there
will be a big roar come up from the
brick companies when they learn of
this. They manufacture this kind of
brick at Pittsburg and Coffeyville.
The life of one of these sized bricks
is longer than the ordinary size. You
! take the large brick and when the
sized brick left. It's the other way
with the ordinary straight brick. The
edges chip off and wear away and not
much of a brick is left
The detailed estimate per block for
brick follows:
: Laurent st. to Gordon. 81, ,S85.22
U. P. Rly. to Laurent. ..--- 81 51 SO 3
Curtis ST. to Railroad st.. 1,57S.72
Melan bridge to Curtis St.. 2,267.67
: IsCrane st. to First st ...... 6,4S1.02
First to Second st. 4,802. 9S
Second to Third st. 4,913.17
; Third to Fourth SITS, stone
: pavement will not be replaid
II Fourth to Fifth st. 5,707.26
Fifth to Sixth St 5,643.46
{ Sixth to Seventh st ...... 5,707.26
Seventh to Eighth st....... 6,5SS.1s 8
r Eighth to Ninth st. 6,969.04
/ Ninth to Tenth st.. 6,465.42
: John Bradley, the paving contractor
: who handles natural rock asphalt, Wis
} tied Mayor w. H. Davis this noon.
l Bradley will present letter to the
$ mayor in the near future showing up
' the good features of his material. He
: expects to enter bid.
Incidentally, he believes in a munic-
: ipal plant He said: THE best thing
/ that the city could do would be to
purchase city asphalt plant. 1t need
not cost much, about $4,000. All this
talk of a $4,000 to $4,000 plant is fool
t ish You can get as good plant as
: you need for $4,000 or $1,000. City At
: torney Drenning is off 1t will mean a
great saving to the city to have plant.
: You can find plenty of use for it. At
: ter Kansas avenue is paved it can be
employed in patching up some of these
5 other streets
j. "And as for that talk of $4,000 which
will have to be invested which City
Engineer McCabe has given out, that
| is way, way off. A municipal plant i-
| all right
!; II don't think there is any hope for
= paving Kansas avenue if we have to
y pay $i.75 per yard. No one is going to
: sign a petition at that price. 1t will
: | have to come below that. OF that feel
: assured" said Mayor w H. Davis
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