The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-16
TRIP over Topeka
1t Is Weekly Occurrence With
Street and Alley Committee.
WOrkingmen Swarm Like Bees
on North Side bikes.
WORK GOING AHEAD.
About the Central Avenue and
Melan Bridges.
Mnc,cp.eS
WORK GOING AHEAD.
Messrs. Jordan and Rodgers
We're in Their Glory.

Three members of the streets and
walks committee of the city council,
Chairman c. E. Jordan, w. G. Tandy
and c. G. Blakely accompanied by
Street Commissioner Snyder and City
Engineer Rogers took the second of a
series of Seeing Topeka" trips yester-
day afternoon from to 5 o'clock, and
looked over the dixie, paving and thor
oughfare conditions of the city at the
present time. The party made the trip
in the police patrol wagon.
The Central avenue bridge and North
side paving were the first places visit
ed by the committee. The pavement for
block south of the bridge has been
torn up and laid aside until the seven
loot d1kes can be constructed through
the scene. The Central avenue bridge
is still on its own moorings and will
remain this way until the coming
spring when the pavement can be. laid
to the entrance. In looking over the
bridge, City Engineer Rogers came to
the conclusion that 100 foot span will
have to be constructed on the south en-
trance. But the expense of raising and
remodeling the bridge will solve an i'm
portant flood question. This bridge has
always been menace with its inverted
trusses which form regular dam for
the oncoming floods. Mr.. Rogers plan
is to pull out these miniature dams
span, the south side resting on the
bikes and the north end on the original
bank. This will widen the bridge, in
crease the water course, make the
structure safer and diminish the danger
of further floods. At the present time
the bridge is in bad condition. 1t is
resting on an infirm foundation and the
recent floods have played havoc with its
steel work. The ratings are torn and
broken from the sides of the bridge,
making it dangerous place at night.
The work on the bikes is progressing
quickly. From the Central avenue
bridge west to the curve of the treach-
erous Soldier creek the ground is alive
with men and teams Parts of the dixie
are finished. The dirt for their con-
struction is being scraped out of the
bed of the creek and when the work is
finished the bed of the creek will be
a regular abyss. nearly IS feet from
the top of the bikes. This is an i'm
mence amount of room for the flow of
water but the water shed will demand
such a course. When the dixie is built
across Central avenue and reaches the
high banks about 200 feet east they
will be finished as far as Garfield park
and then the work will commence again
just west of the park. 1t is a huge task
and is well conducted and managed.
The council committee was we'll 0atis-
fled with the course of the work but
shuddered at the thought of the ex-
pense. Both the city and the North
topeka drainage BOARD Will be made TO
suffer on account of this Central avenue
problem as it will be necessary for the
drainage board to fill in under the pave
ment and the city has the expense of
tearing up and relaying the pavement
and cons tructing practically new
bridge. But this matter will teach both
parties a lesson. For instance, when
the north span was added to the Melan
bridge last year the city forgot to
figure on hauling the dirt away from
under the span and thousands of dol
lars was used for this purpose. This
year when the city engineer figured on
the new spans at each end of the
bridge he allowed an extra few thou
sand for the hauling of the dirt. It
would be useless to add the span if the
terra firma underneath was not remov-
ed and this has but recently dawned
upon the builders.
On the way back from North Topeka
the sight seers stopped near the Melan
bridge to inspect the proposed new 100
foot spans which have been advised
by the city engineer. The south span
will come out as far as the curve in
the street car tracks and will cut nice
slice off from the north edge of the
city park. Since the proposed addition
has been made public many have in
quired concerning the Wolff packing