The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-02
How Location of Reform School
Is Being Improved.
Soldier Greek Channel Straight.
ened to Prevent Floods.
JAMES OBSERVATIONS.
Tells of Visit of Louis AgaSsiz
to Topeka.
Glacier Here Once-Like Flood
May Not Come Again.

Important reconstructions of the
course of nature for the purpose or
making Soldier creek flow in straight
line through the State Reform school
farm are to be undertaken in a short
time by the people living in a new
benefit district which has been created
for the purpose of paying the cost OF
the improvement.
In its natural channel, Soldier creek
doubles back and forth half a dozen
times in passing the Reform school,
and these bends and twists are one OF
the things which makes the bed OF
of the stream choke up with fallen
trees and sand. and thus checks the flow
of the water and causes trouble. The
water isn't able to get out of the way
fast enough, and the stream overflows
its banks. This has happened several
times, to the sorrow of people living
near it.
The overflows of Soldier creek are
being urged as one of the reasons why
the state should not buy additional
farming land in that vicinity for the
state industrial school. In writing to
the State Journal about these matters,
T. NJ. James of North Topeka says:
THE last time Louis Agassiz was
here, we walked out to Burnetts peak
together; and while sitting on top of
that butte eating a frugal lunch we
had carried along, looking at the ket-
tle-holeS, glacial debris, terminal ana
medal moraines, and discussing the
power of the ice sheet and running
water on the contour of the whole
area in view. he pulled out a note
book and after a little figuring gave
me the maximum thickness of the ice
al one time over the site of the capitol
as $40 feet. This condition, he said,
was some time ago, but it makes clear
the proposition that all elevations and
typographical conditions sometimes
have their little drawbacks; the gla-
cier, the deluge. the hot wind, the biz
gard. the disruptive agency, and we
must do the best we can with them as
they come along.
major Tom Anderson and myself.
with Col Alexander, who is now an
swering the roll call of the Grand
ARMY above were in the Kansas house
of representatives when the bill for the
establishment of the present institu-
ton was introduced The controlling
consideration with this bill was, fol-
lowing the model of eastern schools. to
create an institution where object les
sons and practical instructions along
lines like general horticulture, dairy
ing creamery practice. gardening.
stock feeding and judging, insect pests,
stocks diseases or mechanical lines.
like carpentery blacksTnithing, harness
and shoemaking; or business forms.
commercial usage. penmanship, and
bookkeepfng, should be adopted and
practical information drilled into these
social unassignables, so as to be of
Immediate value to them as farmers
or mechanics, every boy OF some use
to business, to society and to himself
and giving as well to the public at
large a conclusive demonstration of
how high priced land could be made
to pay a profit under modern systems
of treatment.
.'This is what the state is for, and
proving this, it does us all a service.
and makes everybody's land high, and
profitable too. OF course, you can't
deny that land in some spots will get
high.
fT3ut this land where the Industrial
school is located ought to be cheap
enough because it didn't cost the state
a cent And if the state wants more
shelter for the increase in this petty
SHINING element and a wider area for
its experimental operations the addi-
ton of a few acres more at the high
est prices mentioned ought not to
make, as a whole, any burden or extra
ordinary load for Kansas.
1.-The underlying purpose of the state