The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-23
PEOPLE AROUSED.
They Take Hand i'm Fifth Ward
Sewer Scandal.
VIII Demand a Thorough In
Vestigati0n by Council.
PETITION is SENT IN.
Call Special Attention to Faulty
Construction.
Discrepancies Which Indicate
Fraud and Graft.
PETITION is SENT IN.

Property owners living in the Fifth
ward viii appear Thursday evening be-
fore the special investigating comn:it-
tee of the council which is looking into
the charges of bad construction of the
Fifth ward sewer and alleged graft or
the part of James McCabe, city engi-
neer, and demand that the city council
personally see If stone underlies thu
sewer at the depths claimed. Further
than that they want an explanation
facts why the sewer was raised in a
number of instances throughout the en-
tire sewer district.
A petition signed by 81 property own
ers has been left with the council ask
ing that special attention be devoted to
street north of Douthitt avenue where
the sewer fails to drain the cellars OF
the abutting property.
Here are two conditions which the
committee should thoroughly look into
At Thirteenth street just east of the
Santa Fe tracks the profile of the three
ring sewer shows a depth of 14.8 feet
The sewer here connects with the old
sewer which has depth of 1875 feet.
The actual difference in depth between
the two sewers would make the odd
sewer 18 inches higher than the new
sewer and the sewage from the new
sewer is supposed to run into the old.
ming up hill. The superstition is that
the contractor profited by the difference
between the actual depth and that
shown by the profile. On Huntington
avenue between Polk and Tyler streets
the profile called for depth of 1915 feet,
depth of feet, while the sewer running
into at the alley is still four feet higher.
Still the contractor was paid on the
basis of 10 and a half feet.
The contract was let on the basis of
the showing made by the profile. The
profile showed deeper cuts than was
required by the city engineer. These
are two main facts which should be
personally gone into. Testimony VIII
not bring actual conditions to light but
an excavation will.
Property owners living near Polk
street and Douthitt avenue state they
never saw any evidence of extensive
stone deposits during the construction
of the sewer-some even go as far as
to state that they never saw any stone
at all. Wells which have been con
structed near by don't strike the stone
about 90 feet. The sewer did not go
down any further than eight feet and
the lateral running up the alley Is
about six inches above the bottomSof
the cellars and still closer to the sur
face than the branch of the sewer into
which 1t runs.
= 1t is to be regretted that there ap-
pears to be a disposition to whitewash
this Scandal. The people should see
that it is not whitewashed. No city
can afford to close it's eyes on such a
condition. Agitation of graft charges
may be a bad thing for a city but it is
not half so bad as the fostering sore
itself, The only method of treating it
is to cut it out. The Fifth ward sewer
scandal must be probbed. The city
council should not sllirk its duty. 1t is
the representative body of the city.
It's obligation is to the municipality
and not to any contractor, city official
or Individual.