The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-11
People of East Side to Form a
Drainage District.
Question Is Discussed at Meet.
ing Last Night.
FIX UP BOUNDARIES.
When This Is Decided Sigma.
lures Will Be Secured.
First Move Clearing Channel of
the Stream.

I
| in connection with the effort on the
part of the East siders to form a Shun-
ganunga drainage district with board
of directors. This was decided a. a
meeting last night of the East Side I'm
provement association held in the old
ParkCale school house. There WSre 80
men present and the meeting was an
enthusiastic one. Among those who
were in attendance were CITY Clerk
Burge and City Attorney Ralston.
A committee of the association COM
posed of Frank Curry, w. J. Ricken-
hacker Lee Herring, and Charles
Darby made a report to the effect that
they in company with Engines. Park
hurst had gone over the ground of
the proposed district and had inyesti-
gated conditions in that territory. and
were inclined to believe that the first
situation in the flood area is to clean
out the present channel of the S-lupga-
nunga creek and possibly straighten
out some of the kinks in the stream
Attorney H. c. Root. who was one
of the first speakers to express an
opinion on the proposition, said that he
thought that the idea of cleaning out
the creek was an excellent one, but he
thought to extend the operations as far
as Tecumseh as had been proposed,
would be unnecessary and would IN
VOlVe more expense than the people OF
the proposed district are capable of
standing.
Mr.. Parkhurst was then asked to ex-
press his views on the question
went from Tenth street to the mouth OF
Shunganunga creek, said he. with III ,
idea of getting information. Several
propositions for relieving the food sit
uation have been suggested, but L can't
say without going into the matter NOR"
thoroughly whether or not any of them
could be worked out successfully. The
flood area contains about "A square
mile~ and at some places there is d de-
cided fall. This fact with the existing
surrounding grass lands is the cause of
the sudden rises. The only thing to be
done is to enlarge the carrying ca
pacity of the waterway. There is no
doubt but the clearing OF the creek
would be of value. What is wanted Is
the best results from the least amount
of money. The first thing to be done is
to get the boundary lines of your pro-
posed drainage district esta blished, ana
the cost of this work would come under
$50. In that way you will know who
to get to sign your petitions Ihe
methods of drainage should be decided
upon after a district has been formed.
There was opposition on the part OF
a couple of those present to the idea or
forming a drainage district as they
thought that it would mean that too
much expense would be Involved.
Frank Curry as chairman, in explain
ing matters said: with a drainage
district and board we would do bust
ness independent of the state and city
and railroads.
"Of course 1t is necessary to select
board that has sense and honor. We
have no plan as yet but it mas been
suggested that the first thing we clear
out the creek and see if that won't do.
with the existence of drainage
board the city of Topeka can, be made
to lengthen bridges at the c:ty's ex-
uense Neither the county, city, or
railways can stand in your way. II
vour engineer says that bridges are not
iong enough they must be heightened.
We want to be boss or that creek OF
else we will have floods
Action was taken and it was DECIDED
tn form a benefit district and circulate
petitions to present to the county com
rissioners. The committee was au-
thorfzed to employ an engineer to map
out the boundary of the district which
is to extend from Thirteenth street to
and including Seward avenue, taking Ill
the Santa Fe bridge, and to solicit
funds - carry on the work. 1t was
stated that the money donated would
be returned to the givers after the
board is organized, should the PROPOSE
ton go through.
A number of those present signed
one of the petitions for commission
form of city administration. including
two or three colored men who at first
hesitated not fully understanding the
general principles of that form of city
rule The meeting adjourned to come
together again two weeks from last
night at the same place