The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-15
The AWFUL RIVER
Government Board of Engineers
II May Make Rep ort.
Problem of the Bridges to Be
Considered.
MIR. DE Wits WORK.
Necessity for a New Span in Me-
Ian Structure.
Would Force VOLTS Packing
House to Move.

board of government engineers
appointed under the authority of the
secretary of war to devise a plan of
river protection at Topeka is a proba-
bility
Mayor VIM. Green announced today
that he would take this up with Sem
ator Charles Curtis, on the latter's re-
turn to the city on Sunday. Senator
Curtis will then personally make a trip
to Washington and lay the matter be-
fore the secretary of war
board of government engineers
was appointed following the floods at
Kansas City to take up the question
which presented itself there. upon the
solicitation of the citizens of that city
and as the problem here in a way as
sunes as serious proportions there
should not be any difficulty in the APP
pointment of board for Topeka
Should no funds be available to pay
the expenses of the board the mayor
states that the city will agree to bear
this expense and take the chance of
having congress reimburse Topeka for
the money paid out. However, this
will not be any great amount as it will
simply cover the travelling expense of
the members of the board and cost of
entertainment, the engineers receiving
their salaries from the government
and will not expect remuneration at
the hands of the city.
The obstruction presented by the
Melan bridge. it was agreed by John
Rogers, city engineer, and W. r. De
Witt, government engineer who has
been spending the past two days here
one of the most serious problems.
At least one extra span will have to
be built at the south end of the bridge
and 1t was even questioned whether
this would afford sufficient relief 1t
| OF he fNara fI,o% 81.
Melan bridge was constructed consid-
erably shorter in length than the iron
bridge which it substituted. The old
bridge was 900 feet long with a water
way of $50 feet, while the present
Melan is S16.S feet long with a water
way of 800 feet or 100 feet less water
way.
The Rock Island railroad bridge was
also shortened. one span being taken
| out at the south end and an earth APP
| proach constructed. This offers OBJ
struction but 1t no way is comparable
to that of the Melan bridge was the
statement made after the city and
government engineer completed their
two days inspection this afternoon.
The suggestion of building a spill
way running from the west of North
Topeka and across the north neck Of
North Topeka connecting with the
Soldier creek was considered but it
was pointed out that great danger
existed of the river forsaking entirely
its present bed and sweeping through
the spllway utilizing that as its main
channel. A spillway was approved
only so far as it might be considered
as an adjunct for taking care of the
| flood waters in the main channel it
self. Some work of a very permanent
nature will have to be done in the way
! of riprapping the spillway IL 1t is con-
structed, it was stated, in order to
| keen the =
| larger channel -'
The main river improvement will
| have to be confined to the present
| river bed by charging it wherever it
is practicable, causing the alteration
| of the two railroad bridges and the
city bridge to as far extent as possible
so that the waterway may be appre-
Gladly enlarged.
| This means that manufacturing
plants which have been built upon ac-
creuons Will have to move. 1t will
cause the Wolff Packing company to
move over some of it's buildings which
| were erected on made land, 1t will cut
down the size of the city street de-
partment yards and may take away
! all of the yards, it means that the size
of the city park will suffer for a
| material portion of the land will have
/ to be removed. If the cost were not
too great it was suggested that the
Melan bridge be partially torn down
and built at a higher grade, at a
/ grade equivalent to that of the center
arch.
All recommendations which will be
made to the war department will be
at the hands of Captain E. H. Schulz
at Kansas City and the plans which
may be finally adopted must i'm turn
have the approval of the department.
| The plans IT is understood will be ac-
| companied by estimates of the cost of
/ the improvements so that the city
will know approximately how much it
will cost.
| Here is some OF the data that the
! city engineer has been asked to COM
pile for the use of the government:
Map showing Soldier Creek and In
! dian Creek, especial with reference to
! the water sheds; small scale map
showing water shed of Soldier and
| Indian Creeks; slope of Soldier Creek
! for ten miles above mouth: cross sec
| ton of Kansas river at each bridge
showing bridge piers and elevation of
bridge; general map of Kansas river
| from Updegraff farm to mouth of In
dian Creek. showing outline at bluffs;
profile of right bank for above dis
| lance; profile of Union Pacific rail-
| road tracks for above distance; an
early day map of Kansas river; cross
| sections of Kansas river near the old
sugar mill site. showing level of 1908
| flood: amount of damage done in 1908
and 1908 on the south side of river;
| discharge observations of 1908; show
location of city water plant with ele-
vations.