The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-31
OPENS 1T TODAY.
Branner Street Viaduct Is
Formally Dedicated.
Cost of Structure Fifty ThOus-
and Dollars.
MAKES NEW ROUTE.
Street Railway Will Enter Oak
land by This Way.
Will Be Ready for Teams and
Vehicles Next Week.

The Topeka street Railway COM
many today opened their new viaduct
over Branner street, running the first
car over the big bridge at 1890 this
morning. A score of prominent bust
ness men and a number of city Off
Gals made the initial trip in this car
as the guests CT the street car com
many and expressions of admiration
were heard on every hand as the car
ran I'D the incline from Lake street
and came to a standstill just beyond
the curve on Branner street. Inc
passengers alighted from the car ana
spent several minutes inspecting the
II is notable piece of engineering
work is this new viAduct and dls.lhct-
~ an Improvement and beneht Tor the
city of topeka. The Viaduct begins
AT Lake street Just south OF the renee
that cuts off the Santa Fe yards and
proceeds west to Branner street where
1t turns due north and crosses Bran
ner street over the. Santa re tracks,
ending at a point on4v lew teee
south Of Seward avenue. 1t is ~ feet
high in the clear and is 1,4OO feet
long The contract price for this
bridge is $4,000 but extras VIII run
the total cost to a round $5O,OOO- Inc
grade at the inclines at either END is
only y per cent which is less thah
that at the Sixth street viaduct and only
one-third that of the Allen street VIA
duct in Kansas City. work on inns
structure was begun last June and VIII
be finished next week when the three
inch flooring is all put in place. The
Blodgett Construction company OF
Kansas City are the contractors. In
uassing 1t should be stated here that
the Santa Fe railway will pay Tor halt
the cost of this improvement.
If YOU want to get a clear idea of the
magnitude of the santa FEES work here
in Topeka take an Oakland car ana
alight on the viaduct just beyond the
turn into Branner street. From this
point a fine view is obtained of the
santa Fe yards and nine of the COM
pany's big shops, extending east and
west on both sides of the viaduct. If
YOU want to show visiting friend To-
peka's resources at a glance take MIN
10 the Branner street viaduct. The
view is not much from a scenic stand
point but it is unsurpassed from the
view of a bucket brigade Instead of
green hills and pleasant valleys there
are piles of brick and the smoke from
a score of flaming FORCES. The shops
lock pretty big from the new viaduct.
Few. if any. cities in the west can
make such a showing of wealth invest
ed and men employed from one view
point.
Hereafter in making the trip to
Oakland catch a car at Seventh street.
proceed east on Seventh to Quincy,
thence north on Quincy to Sixth,
thence west on Sixth to via the Sixth
street viaduct to Lake street. thence
north on Lake to the approach to the
Branner street viaduct west to Bran
ner. north to Seward avenue mad then
along the old car line to Oakland. The
return is made along the same route
except that the car enters Kansas ave-
nue. al Sixth street and makes the loop
by way of Seventh and Quincy back to
Sixth on the return trip. The old line
TO Oakland along the river and under
the Santa Fe bridge was abandoned
today. During high water this line
was always out of commission.
This viaduct is a great improvement
for the city in many ways and one to
be proud of. The only objection that
has ever been raised in connection
with It is the fact that the provision
for foot passengers is arranged by
means of stairways up and down the
viaduct at either end on Branner
street instead of inclines. The con-
tention is that old people and children
and ladies with baby buggies cannot
use the viaduct at all.
The following composed the party
that enjoyed the cigars and hos
pitality of Messrs. Patten, Kelly and
Flowers of the street car company
this morning:
Mayor VIM. Green, NJ. A. Low. A. B.
Poole. Thos. Page, W. H. Davis
Mayor Brigham of Oakland and his