The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-27
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
Statement Concerning Reform School
and Drainage District.

| of Representatives
In as few words as may be employed
permit US to say in behalf of the pro-
positions affecting the boys industrial
school:
That the state itself, without cost
| selected the present site as the ideal
/ one of four or five offered. and having
in view quality of land, easiness of ac-
cess to the school for investigation or
! fixing the policies of its management
or even creating. if needed. certain IA
I cilities for irrigation, and is as abso-
| lutely free from danger as any other
locality in the world. any reports 10
| the contrary Notwithstanding: but
would be greatly benefited by straight
ening the creek directly through, in
| harmony with the plan adopted by this
board for the whole district. The mac
| adamized and cindered road APP
/ proaches to the buildings are without
cost to the state.
Heating the buildings by steam was
| first determined upon and the boilers
were placed al an elevation about mid
| way between the elevation of the sur
face shore lines of the creek and its
/ bottom on account of the economy of
gravity in returning the exhaust or
condensed steam from the radiators
| back to the boilers.
The high water from the Kansas riv-
er in 1908 did not extend to the build
| ings at all and the people from the city
whose first floors were partially food
ed went out there for a short time for
shelter, and the grounds were used by
the St Joseph people as base for dis
tribution of certain supplies.
| While the boilers were kept at the
elevation first noted some inconven-
| fence and loss were experienced and
normal rainfall of 1904 and 1905 along
the Soldier, but since the elevation of
the boilers to their present position
there has been no inconvenience or
trouble whatever.
During 4 8 years. or from the first oc-
cupancy and cultivation of adjoining
grounds no losses have been sustained
by the owners thereof on account of
high water from this stream, such land
now being devoted to truck farming
and producing a net profit annually of
more than $50 per acre, and the ex-
periments at the farm should be of
great value to these interests and to all
like interests in the eastern and CEN
trail parts of the state.
The present senate Joined in passing
the law authorizing the creation and
incorporation of drainage districts and
under its terms no tax can be levied by
this board upon the state to pay the
costs of Strengthening the creek across
the school grounds nor upon any area
except the limited one supposedly sub
ject at times to water damage.
The attorney general has approved
the substantial compliance of this
law leading up to raising the money
by private interests required to make
the necessary improvements of this
stream to prevent any overflow here
after or loss therefrom.
The state grounds are upon this
creek and about midway between its
outlet on the east and the upper end of
the drainage district on the west and
seem of necessity to be included in the
plans adopted for common protection
by this board.
The Union Pacific railway will have
far above a million of dollars of prop
erty within the district before the
close Of the year and its engineering
department approves the plans of this
board; the Rock Island has within a
year or two practically doubled the
value of its property in the district;
has its sidings for accommodating the
trade of the school. and its engineers,
as we'll as the engineers of the Santa
Fe, in behalf of the large interests of
that company, approve these plans.
The city railway, the Touring mills,
the elevators, the planning mills, the
wooden mills, the vinegar and picking
works, park commissioners and North
side members of the council and coun-
ty board approve them.
Every one of these interests. as we'll
as the general trade interests and
farmers. have labored to bring about
the present restored and improved
conditions of property and business in
the district, and have fixed upon these
plans as perfect protection in the
future for all concerned.
Under the plans of the board the
length of the channel. now % miles
Will be shortened to IL Ito miles and
will abandon nearly a mile of old
channel on the state farm. and they
have arranged for raising S125.OOO.OO
to pay the cost of the work through
the private grounds in the rest of the
district.
Under this drainage act no part of
any charge for improvements can be
taxed otherwise than to the property
of a district created in the way such
act prescribes. and the cost of
Strengthening. through the state school
the state should neglect or refuse to
pay its part
Wherefore from the foregoing facts
and in view of the determination of
the above mentioned interests to carry
out the plan of protection mentioned
herein. this board respectfully asks
the cooperation of the state in the
construction of the improvements
aforesaid. under such terms and condi-
tons and with such safeguards as to
the state may seem right and proper.
The matter of the relocation of the
channel might be left to the super
vision of the board of control or to
the superinten dent of the school and
the removal of the distractions from
the old channel done by the labor of
the pupils themselves. The abandon
ed channel will be silted full and made
first class land inside of five years
THOMAS PAGE.
T. z. COOPER
r. NJ. FORBES
J. H SKINNER
T. NJ JAMES
Board of Directors North Topeka