The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-19
NORTH SIDE NEWS
Dixie Contracts Will Be Let
Saturday Afternoon.
Cost of Work to Be Seventy Five
Thousand Dollars.
MAKES PEOPLE SAFE.
Means That Floods Can Never
More Sweep Over Property.
Items OF Interest Concerning
This Wide Awake Section.

- AOoL Their HIVES III tuc
! dy current. Gone forever is that an
nual period of anxiety when every per-
son in North Topeka must be prepar-
ed to man the stream and seek safe
ty on the south side of the river.
And for all thistle business men
| and residents of this hitherto Inflated
section must receive the praise.
| Within a very short period, likely
within week or two. gangs of men
| will be at work building costly improve
ment which will keep the surging cur
rent, augmented by spring freshets,
within the river banks.
! The contract for building the much
! talked of bikes along the north bank
of the river will be let by the North
| Topeka drainage board Saturday after
| noon Bids have been advertised for
| for some time and many leading con-
tractors of this section of the country
| have submitted propositions to the
board. These viii be opened Saturday
and the most satisfactory bidder will
get the job.
The bikes will extend from a point
about two miles and half west of the
city, where the water always breaks
through in times of floods, to the mouth
of Soldier creek. This will effectively
shut off the overflow of water and pre-
vent the breaking through of the river
overflow which always connects with
viii require a height of only a foot
two while in many places entertainments
| must be built 20 feet high.
This work will cost $4,000. North
Topeka ard the country adjacent which
lies in the path of the overflow or is
affected by it has been created bene-
fit district and a tax levy made suffi
cient to pay for the improvements. This
is, known as the North Topeka drainage
district. and which was duly authoriz-
ed by the county commissioners. The
details have been worked out by
drainage board of which ]. B. Billiard
is president and S. r. Kutz, secretary.
The board has been, busy for several
months making the plans for the work.
An engineer, V. r. Parkhurst, is en-
ployed and he has, spent the greater
/, portion of his time during the past few
months figuring the grades and other
details of the work.
Mr.. ParkhurSt is now in Omaha where
he is comforting with the Union Pacific
engineers with a view of securing as
sistance from the road in helping with
the work.
In addition to the building of the
bikes, there will be many other inn
provements made which will be of great
aid in keeping back the waters. The
construction of the bikes will mean
slight widening of the river channel.
The dirt for the large entertainments
will be taken from the river bank and
this will of necessity widen the chan
mel.
Another feature of the plans is the
addition of another span at the south
end of the Melan bridge, across the
river at Kansas avenue. This has been
examined by the government engineers,
and Union Pacific engineers, and has
been found a barrier to the driftwood
and force of the water. With an extra
span the water will find less obstruc-
ton at this point. The city and county
would help with this work if it is ever
done.
The Rock Island bridge will also like
ly be heightened. A new span viii be
built on this bridge at the south end.
A few years ago. the approach was
damaged and a stone embankment was
built in the place of one span.
Much work has already been done in
improving the flood conditions. During
the latter part of October, gang OF
men cleaned out the channel of the
Kaw beneath the Melan bridge. Drift
wood and other Instructions had ac-
cumulated there for several years The
city council has passed ordinances MAX
ing it a misdemeanor. to dump tin cans
and other rubbish into the river and
this will tend to keep the riverbed
clear.
Just how long it will take to complete |
the work is hard to tell. A good deal
depends upon the size of the force of
men which can be worked and the con- |
ditions of the weather. The work,
however, will be completed in time for
the floods next spring-should any |
come.
That some definite work will soon be
started is good news to the people of
this section. Ever since the disaster |
of 1903 different schemes of flood relief |
have been planned and talked of, but |
nothing definite had been done. The
people in North Topeka and the flood
district were beginning to despair of
the dilatory working of the officials,
and as result property greatly de- |
creased in value. Residence property in !
North Topeka isn't as high as 1t was six
wears ago and new corners to Topeka |
shun North Topeka. In fact the fire. |
quent recurrence of the Hoods has in !
large measure deadened the growth of
this part of the city. But with the re-
lief from flood conditions so near at
hand property and real estate on the |
business which has failed to assume |
large proportions will again be restor- |
ed to the same standard as OF old
when floods in North Iopeka We're
known only in Indian legends.
A Growing Industry
A North Topeka industry only year |
and a half old that caters entirely to /
fancy and first class trade of eastern |
markets is the Topeka Produce Co.. ON |
West Laurent street. Every week from /
three to five carloads of fancy poultry
butter and eggs are shipped 70 the Dig
markets such as New YORK FhlIaoel-
phia New Orleans and San francisco
The company is backed by North To-
peka business men. 1t was organized
in March, 1907, for the purpose OF tur-
nishing the North side farmers with a
market for their produce and did only
a local retail business Today it handles
goods only in carload lots and when