The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-15
Paving Brick Prices to Be Ad-
Yanced $40 Per Thousand.
City Engineer McCabe Specifies
New Kind.
THEY ARE EXPENSIVE.
will Be Round Corner and of
Greater Thickness.
Different Kind OfMachinery Has
Been Ordered.

In ali probability It viii cost more
to pave this year than it did last. The
bids which viii be entered for paving
the 8O15 blocks on the schedule for this
year win take a swing backwards to
the prices which prevailed previous to
1906 when they touched the lowest fig
IRE in the history Of brick paving in
Topeka.
The increase IN the bids will result
from an increase in the cost of paving
brick, the local brick manufacturers are
contemplating increasing the price of
PAYERS SO a thousand. These brick
men are commencing to grOwl about
increasing the price Of the brick" said
City Engineer McCabe. Il am specify
ing new kind of paving brick, it is
to be two and one-haIf inches in width
with rounded corners. The paving brick
which has been always formerly used
here had the sharp corners and was not
the full two inches and a half in width.
In condemning some Of this brick for
being overturned or for other causes II
Is impossible to use them for building
purposes as they have done because the
brick has rounded edges and can't be
used for building purposes. This viii OF
course render the condemned brick use
less and 1t is on this account that the
brick men claim that they viii have to
make an increase in the price Of brick
THE new PAYERS will have advantages
which the old style of brick do not pos
SEES. They have the rounded edges ana
this will eliminate the chipping off OF
the edges, the greater width will also
increase the life of the brick. The pave
ment should not wear rough so quick
THE cost of the brick last year reach
ed the minimum. In order to do the
work and make any money the paving
contractors must have paid as low as
IS or 80 cents for their brick"
TT costs US more to MANUFACTURE the
new kind Of payer than it did the old,
said Willis Edison of the Capital CITY VIZ
rffed Brick company. I'VE haven't de
100 vet to incTesse the price of brick,
though there is some talk OF II. Ihe N
crease in the cost of manufacture and the
fact that we can't find any use Tor the
brick condemned by the city paving IN
spector when some Of the brick does MOI
meet the qualifications, is the reason why
it Increases the cost to US.
A A. Rodgers. who is running the old
Earnest brick plant, is installing macnln-
erv for manufacturing the new PAYERS
These are The only local companies man
ufacturing brick and by far the greater
part of the brick used in Topeka for paw
ing is of local manufacture.
Last year the bids for paving ran from
81 O956 to 81. a yard and In one ms lance
for an alley the bid entered was So Ohe
dollar nine and half cents IS the owes
bid ever entered for brick paving IN TO
peka- In 1904 the bids ran from $ll4 70
81 10 in 1903 from $1.16 to Sig, in 4SOz the
hie-hest bid was for 81 &C. and from that
scaled down to S1121z in 1901 the bids
were fairly uniform at the good figures OF
S123 and SIPS.
-Four per cent for incidentaHs and engi-
neering which is always attached TO the
engineers estimates for paving will be
cut out this year. This is the first time
the four per cent has not figured IN the
estimates since paving was commenced
instead of the four per cent, estimates
must be returned on a close figure Tor
these incidental expenses and engineering
bv the city engineer. Il was informed
/ through the city attorney that the invest
ors IN the city's bonds would not stand
for this four per cent; they wanted the
estimates as exactly as possible enter In
to the total estimate for the paving They
won't take the bonds unless it does. That
/ is the reason for the change.
'Tf it's five per cent of the total esti-
mate. why It VIII cost the property own
ers fve per cent; if It is less It viii be
/ less. I don't think, though, that the &C
tual estimate viii find that the four per
cent IS much of"
! The engineers estimates for the paving
/ has been set at SIS a square yard and
/ the estimates in full will be turned into
/ the council at the regular council meeting
IN March. The bids viii be let soon after