The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-01
ON THE NORTH SIDE
Work ON the bikes Win Soon
Be in Full Swing.
The Storm Put a Stop to the
Grading.
USE OF WATER TRAPS.
Arrangements Made to Prevent
Trouble From Sewers.
High Wind Played Havoc With
Farmers Sheds.

Unless another storm develops, the
work On the bikes. which was delayed
by the storm Friday. will be in full
progress again this week The camps
which were blown down by the wind
were reconstructed Saturday Today
the work of the driving Of the piHng
and putting in the riprappiug along
the south bank of Soldier creek north
and east of the Central avenue bridge
is nearly completed This pIEng ex-
tends about 400 feet east and 900 feet
north along the bend in the creek This
work has been going on about three
weeks The next underta king VIII pro-
baby be the construction of a concrete
wall on the north bank of the Kansas
river near the MeIan and Rock Island
bridges At the latter bridge the earth
work Will be filled in between the bank
and the wall after the latter IS made,
as on account Of the contour Of the
bank. il is thought by the men In
charge that this course IS the easier
TO follow The wall viii be IL feet high
5 feet thick at the base and ~ feet
at the top In length it will extend
500 feet east Of the bridge and over
15o feet west Three weeks VIII pro-
baby be required for the completion
OF the wall here At the Nelau bridge
the concrete wall will be about the
same height and thickness as the 9TH
er one mentioned It viii extend west
from the bridge about 400 feet Work
on this wall viii be started as soon
as the little grading which remains TO
be done Is completed
Many farmers in the vicinity of To-
peka report that considerable damage
was done to property in the vicinity Of
North Topeka by the storm Friday
Barns We're unroofed. sheds were blown
down and trees in orchards were torn
up Among those who suffered from
the wind is s. NJ Harper, who lives six
miles northwest Of Topeka Several OF
his sheds were unroofed and partially
destroyed His apple orchard was also
known here. He used TO drive a gov
ernment mule team through Kansas
before the days OF railroads. His terri
tory extended down into New Mexico
Excavations for what Is known as a
'-backwater trap are being made by
the city in the alley between Kansas
avenue and Jackson street just south
Of the Gem steam Laundry The device
is a sewer connection to keep the wa
ter from the river from rising out of
the manhOles in flood times Then the
river. by rising above the level Of the
sewer mouth. fills the pipes and forces
the water cut Of the mauhoIes- To
prevent this, a square hole is dug down
to the sewer. d section OF the sewer
Is removed In the opening q casing
Is lowered until one end rests on the
bottom This end Is curved TO 1T in
the trough formed by removing the
sewer section On the side of the cas-
ing which rests across the sewer OPEN
ing nearest the river. * 4 groove. In
this is fitted an iron gate which can
BE- raised or lowered over the opening
by a cable extending TO the top of the
casing BY lowering this over the sew
er opening below in time Of food the
water can be kept from entering the
sewer further than the groove side Of
the casing
These back water traps cost about
$50. The city has one already con-
uected with the East F'airChiId street
sewer Wherever the sewers pass
through the bikes the city must pay
for the construction Of these traps. -
but wherever the drainage board ex-
| tends the sewer through the embank-
meut this body must pay for IT.
J NurreI. OF 1928 Harrison street.
who is employed in the coach depart