The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-13
ON THE NORTH SIDE
Drainage Board Discusses Flood
Situation.
Plan to Add an Extra Span to
Each Bridge.
THE GOHNTV I0 pEAnV
THE COUNTY is READY.
Commissioner Simms Says Melan
Will Be Heightened.
DISTINCTIONS Will Also Be Taken
Out of River.

At the joint meeting of the North
Topeka drainage board and the corpor-
ations concerned in the further food
protection measures. at the Shawnee
State bank yesterday afternoon the
railroads practically agreed to increase
the waterway capacity of their bridges
across the Kansas river. to make il
equal to the waterway which would be
afforded by the Melan bridge when it
was heightened $50 feet. The length
ening of the Melan bridge was recon-
mended in the report of V. r. Park
| hurst, engineer for the drainage board,
to that body, and endorsed by the coun-
ty commissioners. There was some
contention as to the correctness of the
basis for this report, but this was laid
aside, when a letter from Captain Ed
win H. Schultz, of the government en-
gineers, was read, stating that Mr..
Parkhurst's report recommended the
most feasible measures for flood protec-
tion with reasonable expense. The re-
port was endorsed by the drainage
board. The recommendations of the re-
port for increasing the waterway un-
der the Central avenue. Kansas avenue
and Granville road bridges were also
adopted by the county commissioners.
F. B. SimmS, their representative, said
that the commissioners would comply
with the recommendations of the
drainage board.
]. NJ. Mead, chief engineer of the
grand eastern division of the Santa Fe
said that he thought that the railroad
company would be willing to increase
the waterway capacity of their bridge
across the Kansas river in order to
make it equal to that of the Melan
bridge when heightened. He also stated
that if it was necessary to lengthen the
bridge in order to effect this, 1t could
be heightened on the north with com
paratively little trouble. In addition ne
suggested that the sand companies had
no more right to obstruct the waterway
with piling than the railroads did IN
other ways. In reply, ]. B. Billiard,
president of the board, stated that the
sand companies and street car com
pany would be asked to remove the oD-
jectionable piling.
In regard to the Melan bridge Mr..
Simms gave his opinion that the coun-
ty commissioners would see that the
bridge would be heightened and that the
debris would be cleared from under
meath the arches.
J. Peterson of Chicago, and ]. G.
Bloom, bridge engineers for the ROCK
Island said in regard to the lengthen-
ing of their bridge across the Kansas
rivr. that extending it $50 feet on the
south would be interfered with the
switches on the wye. TO TINS Mr: Bilo
lengthened. Then Mr.. Peterson said
that he would have to consult with his
superiors before he could say whether
or not the bridge would be lengtheneo
the required extent. Hereupon motion
was made and carried that letter con
veying the results and outcome OF the
should be sent to the general
of the railroad companies
The meeting was adjourned.
After this the drainage board, at
short meeting at the office over the
Citizens State bank. decided to ask
Rock Island to lengthen their br1dge |
100 feet and also to raise it above the
high water mark of 1908. The city was
by Councilmen Jordan and
Tandy, and City Engineer Rogers.
Mr.. r, L. Huntley, of Omaha, chief en-
gineer of the Union Pacific, represented
mat railroad. He said that the COM
oany was raising the track and also
the Soldier creek bridge as recommend
I'd by the drainage board. At first ne
,ontended that Parkhursts figures for
+he amount of waterway necessary Ior
Soldier creek and the Kansas river We're
based upon a table computed by the
santa Fe relative to the Kansas river
and should not be used for Soldler
,reek. However, he was SHOWN tnaI
he figures were based more upon the (
government report and dropped the ar
sument. /