The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-01
SOUNDS WARNING
South Side Drainage Board Face
a Problem.
Can't Construct bikes on Ac-
count of Sewer Back Water.
ROGERS SAID BEWARE.
City Engineer Saw Predicament
Two Months Ago.
May Be Necessary to Resort to
Original Spillway.

The South side drainage board is
beseiged by first one dilemma and then
another. The fastest problem to come
before the board came through the
startling discovery of City Engineer
Rogers, who has been kicking on the
dikes and walls this side of the river
ever since the matter came before
the city. Unless some new inventor
comes upon the scene and points out
way around the matter there Will pc
no dikes built upon the south SIDE OF
the Kansas river this springer any
other spring. City Engineer Rogers
saws that the city sewerage system can
not be taken care of If big dikeS OF
walls are erected and the engineers IN
charge of the dixie proposition ADMIT
that the city engineer is right
A few months ago the State journal
published an article with drawings
showing a spillway system suggested
by City Engineer Rogers in whlch tndI
gentleman advised a cut IN polnl
in the river Just above the GURUS cen,
etery and grade out a ne 1870 raver into MO
running north of North TopekA lntu
the original bed again near the oaruo s
avenue bridge, east of the FIRST warn.
This idea was Matched with the new
sewer trouble in mind ana the CITY
engineer told the State journal re-
truoble would soon become apparent
1t has developed now that the 1ore,
thought Of the city ofhclal was wen
founded and the south side dikes are
as far away as they were long before
the food. .,v.,o
Here is the trouble-every time
there is a big rain in this city the
sewer heads in the vicinity OF City
park blow out with the rush OF the
immense amount of water ana tney
through the City park into the river:
There is not a sewer in TINS city tnaI
can take care of the big drainage ois-
trict which feeds these holes at the
time of a heavy rain ST..
If the stone walls or earth dikes
we're constructed on the bank of the
river where would all of this surplus
water go? This is the question that
is bothering the drainage board ana
will hold up the building OF the dlkes.
for this surface water and lake
would be formed on this side or the
river in a very short time. Even DUR
ing a heavy rain the food of water
would drench the business houses ana
factories located in the vicinity OF
First street and the Rock Island yards.
These people would never stand for
such a condition of affairs-especlally
since it has been through their intlu-
ence that the dixie idea was carried
out. s.,,
City Engineer Rogers has carried forth
this idea all the time. He has given IN
terviews to the newspapers in connection
with this coming trouble but some way
or other the proper officials have never
realized the condition until lately. En-
gineer Parkhurst admitted to the city en-
gineer that the question would be both
ersome one and from the present outlook
the bikes would have to be planned diff
ferently.
The sewers of this city drain such a
large territory that it is absolutely I'M
big rain storm trenches the city. The
city park is covered with a foot of run
ming water from the sewer manholes dur
ing these rains. This is not only unsani-
tary but it is dangerous to the property
in the vicinity. A system of dfSes would
cause a flood every time an April show
er fell over the city. Nothing has been
done so far to solve the problem.
James Jesse, who has been council stem
ographer for a number of years. has re-
signed to take up the hardware business
in Auburn, Kansas. c. D. Wellman, a
general reporter, has been appointed by
City Clerk Burge to fill the position. Mr.
Jesse was a valuable reporter.