The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-04
kept in place by retaining walls o,

kept in place by retaining walls of
stone. The structure will be 80 feet in
width, giving enough room for a dou-
BILE street car track If the company de-
cides 1t is necessary to construct one
and yet leave plenty of room for a
wagon road and the six foot walk which
will extend the length Of the structure
on the west.
The contract will be let as soon as
the ordinance is passed though 1t is
not likely that active work on the steel
structure will be commenced before
spring owing to the inability of the
foundries to turn out the material nee
essary on short notice. The street rail-
way company has purchased the ad-
jacent property on Branner street
which will be damaged by the construc-
ton of the approaches. This consists of
six residences and it was deemed adj
visable to purchase the property rather
than to pay the damages which might
be asked.
The construction of the viaduct will
do away with one of the most danger
GUS railroad crossings in the city though
IT is protected by a flag man all the
time. Passenger trains entering and
leaving the city make fast time at this
point and the view is always INSTRUCTED
by long strings of box cars on the num-
erous switch tracks
Numerous accidents have been mar
rowly averted at this point and only on
account of the diligence of the f1agnan
stationed at this point, and 1t is gen.
orally dreaded by the hundreds of Santa
Fe shop men who are compelled to cross
the tracks daily at this point in going
to and from their work.
The construction of the viaduct also
means that nine blocks IT new track
will be laid by the street car company
and a portion of the city now removed
from the lines of the company will be
given car service. The new route t.
Oakland will be over the Sixth street
viaduct to Lake street, then four blocks
north on Lake street to the Santa Fe
right of way which will be skirted for
two blocks, then north on Branncr
street for two blocks when the new line
will connect with the old on Seward
avenue and the route to Oakland pro-
per will then be the same as it is now
from this point and the old route VIII
probably be abandoned
The change which is. proposed Will
give car service to over a thousand peo-
pie who are now required to walk a
number of blocks to. reach either the
Seward avenue or the Sixth avenue line
The time necessary to make the trip
will be reduced correspondingly and
the service will not only be better put
considerable quicker.
OF the new track to be built four
blocks will be on Lake street me
estimated cost of this work is about
$1,000 to the block which will bring
the cost of the contemplated improve
ments to omething like $4,000 The
Santa Fe is anxious to avoid the posi-
bility of accidents at this crossing and
for this reason will stand their proper
ton of the cost of the construction of
the viaduct.
While the street railway company
will not admit that such is the case, it
is more than likely that within short
time after the iaduct is completed and
the new line in operation that all Oak
land cars will return over the Sixth
avenue line to Kansas avenue and tn en-
20 one block south to Seventh street.
Then follow Seventh street east one
ELK over the Vinewood line to
Aflfncy street and connect with the
1fece of track which is not being used
at this time. This would make a loop
at this end of the line and do away
With the necessity of turning at cars at
seventh street and Kansas avenue.