The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-19

area. It forms an outlet for all the
waterfall for several miles to the south
southeast of the city where the natural
divide between the Kaw and Wakarusa
rivers is located. The water comes
down the many hifsideS to innurerable
and this water is scattered promiseu-
ously over Parkdale and has sever al
times reached as far north as the old
starch factory OF East rourth street.
It Is Biddle creek which heads near
Vinewood and is crossed shortly be-
fore the park is reached. There are
several thousand acres Which are drain
cd by this stream and the eastern sec
ton Of the city gets al. the benefits
this area.
This is the situation which con-
fronts the residents of the east side and
which they are planning to alleviate.
OF The several plans which have been
2ad under discussion for several
months the most feasible IS hs'lev I'd
to be the one which calls for a large
dam to be built at Thirteenth street
At this place there is large hill
VT ich divides the watershed from the
two creeks. To. the east of Bfddle
creek there is another hill which
slopes down from Topeka cemetery
Between these two hills there is an
area of bottom land about five hun
dred feet across. 1t is a this point
where the dam Is proposed to be
southwark for over half a mile or past
Eighteenth street. would be the loca-
ton of the lake. This will keep the
water from OVERLOOKING the lower part
of Parkdale and would do a great
deal towards improving that portion
of the city.
Chris Roof the chairman of the
Commercial club committee and one
81 the most enthusiastic promoters of
the lake, has succeeded in interesting
some CT the city officials in the matter
and has taken a great deal of his time
to show many of them over the pro-
posed site. A few days ago he showed
City Engineer James McCabe over the
territory. Mr.. McCabe stated that in
his opinion the plan was a very prac-
titable one and he will probably in
sncrt time draw up plans and speci-
fications which will be submitted to
the city council and to the CONNER
cial club
Tuesdav afternoon Mr.. Roof. ac-
companied by City Attorney Dreaming
and a State Journal reporter, went
over the territory and made a very
careful examination OF the proposed
plan Mr. Dreaming was favorably
IMPRESSED with the plan and Will
probably make a favora Bile recon-
mendation Of the plan to the city au-
th"rities- He sisnified his intention of
making further Investigations along
the line of the proposed plan and will
consult with several of the leading
gard tc the matter and some definite
plans will probably be announced in
the near future.
The great drawback as is usually
the case in all public improvements. is
the financial consideration which
would be involved in an affair of this
klnf. According to a rough estimate
which City Engineer McCabe placed
upon the cost of this undertaking it
will involve an expenditure of about
eight thousand dollars. This estimate
calls for the construction of an earth
en- dam. If 1t is decided that a dam
CT masonry would be more desira bl
the cost would of course be much
greater.
The plan which would be usually
followed iii such cases is to create a
hene fit dis trict but owing to the mar
rOM confines of the laws creating
such districts the cost upon property
owners in the district which would be
beI Gifted would probably be too great.
An issue of bonds is .Rete-looked. On
viii much favor as ? tn e schances- of
getting bonds votedyat a general cleo
ton are too slim. There is sundou BIT
ecly a good deal of favorable. senti-
ment among the property owners of
the Second ward but it is feared that
Ill the event of an election the bonds
would lose out in the rest of the city.
The only plan which has yet been
suggested that has met with any favor