The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-28

TO ASK FOR HELP
City viii Appeal to the Rail-
roads.
Want Them to Assist in Re-
building Yiaduct.
OBJECT TO BOND ISSUE.
Councilmen Fear That 1t Would
Not Carry.
Street Railway Company May
Also Help Out.
OBJECT TO BOND ISSUE.

Confronted with an all but empty
poclxetboolx and the belief that the ex-
penses Of repairs of the Sixth avenue
viaduct should be prorated In part pc
tween the Santa Fe and Missouri "a
cinc railroads and the street railway
company, the ways and means com
mittee recommended to the council lass
evening that a committee be appointed
to walt on the above three interests
and secure their cooperation.
T. r. Doran, attorney for the street
railway company, was present and OF
4ered to take the matter up with me
board Of directors. I'VE have not had
this up with the company, SAID
,Doran. but they are always willing to
do the right thing. They are not IN
der any legal obligation to help main
tain the viaduct, not even so Tar as
renewing the flooring between their
tracks. But I think If something Is
done from both sides we can come %
some agreement. 1t is next 10 llnpos-
isf0ae to vote bonds. I shall be gao 10
submit It to the board Of directors.
II am not here representing the
missouri Pacific this evening, explain
ed Councilman Nipps. II think N
expense should be prOrated among the
what the Missouri Pacific might DO
but they viii do the right thlhg / oe-
1iave."
s4The Santa Fe is especially respon.,,
Esflo1e for the condition Of the NladuCL1
said James NTcCabe, city engineer IL
was the smoke from their locomotives
which disintegrated the iron.
When the viaduct was constructed
in 1889 the city waived the right 20
compel the railroad companies 70
maintain the viaduct in return for as
EistinE in the cost Of the construction
Legally therefore the railroads can
refuse to accept the scheme or pro
rating tn q expense Of repairs
An attempt to tie the committee TO
a recommendation which would call
for an appropriation from the general
Improvement fund Immediately upon
the failure to secure the railroads TO
contribute was made by the minority
force of the committee. COuncilmen
Swendson and Simms considered in the
interests of an early opening Of the
viaduct that the committee should
provide at once for an appropriation.
Councilman SwendsOn introduced a
motion which looked to this end but
an amendment proposed by Council
man Green, simply calling on the
council to appoint a committee to wait
on the railroads and leaving it 10 the
council to provide for further meas
ures in the event that the railroads re-
fused to assume a portion Of the re
pairs, carried.
Councilman Holiday endeavOred to
persuade the council to go ahead and
assume the expense of rebuilding the
viaduct and trust to the future for Sc
curing the money. Mr.. Holiday de-
clared that it was an emergency and
that the council should so treat 1t.
Something ought to be done at once
70 open UP that bridge" said the Sec
ond ward councilman LAS 7 under
stand 1t the city has contractual rela-
fions with the Santa Fe and Missouri
Pacific to keep UP the bridge. One
thing is certain instead Of tearing
down that viaduct more viaducts
ought to be built. We can't afford to
take backward step
o. Purdy and W A VOight bust
ness men on East Sixth avenue, pro-
tested to the council against tearing
down the viaduct and also asked that
the bridge be opened as soon as posi-
Bile to traffic. THE business on East
Sixth has been cut down IS per cent
since the viaduct has been boarded up
It's detriment to close It up and I
don't believe that there is a person
that wants the viaduct taken down"
said Mr.. Purdy.
To judge from the drift Of the CONVEX
sation last evening. the councilmen are
inclined to think that a bond issue for
the repair Of the viaduct would not
carry.
On the other hand. with a deficit Of
about $4,000 facing the city by January
I. which Councilman Howe said he
1nOuSnI would exist, due to the pay
ment of 500 600 Of natured bonds the
city cannot make an appropriation from
the general Improvement fund without
mourning a floating Indebtedness.
It's a question whether the people
will vote bonds" explained CounciInnan
Swendson. Il don't like the bond pro
position myself" If the railroads agree
to help the city out in making the re
pairs the problem will be easy Of eoIu-
ton for the cfty's proportion of the ex
pense In that case would not exceed
$4,000 with the city engineers estimate
for repairs at S5,9SS.4Z An approDria-
tion Of $1,000 could be made from the
general improvement fund without in
curing the difficulties which would he
brought about with the entire expense
loaded upon the city.
The estimates Of the city engineer for
repairing the spans which have disinte-
grated the worst follows. Remoyine
the nrst east span 800. salvage on the