The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-14
demonstrating.
Comm ssieners Listen to Pre-
tests Against bikes.
Even Signers of Petition Are
Scared at Cost.
SPEECHES ARE MADE.
Real Difficulty Appears to Be
Melan Bridge.
SPEECHES ARE MADE.
Can Flood Water Be Choked
Through Arches.

| The Shawnee board of county COM
missioners opened their doors to the
general public for a hearing of all pro-
! tests against the construction of the
South side dixie this morning with a
good attendance.
How will the volume of water such
as came down in the general direction
taken by the submerged kaw river in
1908 ever get through the Melan BRIDGE
Will it not break the bikes and fall in
one great sweep upon the town with
great calamity"
What are you going to stick a few
of us down along the river for $117,00U
for one mile of dixie for, anyhow, when
$4,000 built seven miles on the North
side?"
These are a few typical questions be-
ing hurled at the commissioners who
have asked consultation in going over
the reviewers report.
In many cases it is the signers of the
petition who are now coming in to state
objections. The fact of the matter is
that they thought the city would build
the bloomin' dixie and they would get
good benefit free. The benefit district
strikes them as an innovation rather
than the rule.
That the price estimated for the
building Of the dixie may be too high is
not denied by the commissioners and
yet it is a usual thing that the view
ers' report is taken as a basis of these
things. That the benefit to such dis
trict as the river front is incalculable is
evident. Such locations are even the
choice spots for factories and ware
houses-provided they are protected
spots-and not likely to ride off on the
next flood.
A long line OF matrons were first
granted hearing by the board. The
tedium of the increased tax was their
burden. Taxes are too high now
was the recurring statement and it is
the prevalent one throughout the state
at this time. There is no doubt that
the drainage district would work a
hardship though it is proposed to is
sue the bonds for ten years and thus
divide the payments over the ten
Mike Heery:s Speech.
An elaborate speech was made by
Mike Heery. one Of the men who car
ried petition to the county attorney
to GUST the commissioners after the
Pacific stock transaction.
advised freely. He has lot within the
benefit district.
IT am glad, gentlemen" he said, ito
learn that that lot is so valuable, II
did not know it until read the valua-
lion of the viewers in making the tax.
Il do not see how you can make the
few people along the river dig up s127.-
700 for a starter on one mile of dixie
when North Topeka completed one
seven miles long for $4,000. I believe
that $4,000 will build as good dixie
as is necessary to protect against all
ordinary floods.
This thing is worse than the bridge
which is the rOtteneSt to
date. If you build this great dixie here,
the heavy rains unable to drain into the
river, will cause greater floods behind
the dixie than would result from the
river were they not built"
Hiram Root. who owns tract of ID
acres along the river front, was of the
opinion that his land was worth $1,000
AT acre, though the viewers had valued
it at a fraction If that amount. He
however. r. L. Cofran objects to be-
ing included in the benefit district in
asmuch as the highest water had never
reached his lots.
AS a matter of fact the line of bene-
fit boundary was paced at a level one
foot higher than the 1903 flood by the
seeking to protect against any
possibility of still higher water.
Trouble Is at Melan Bridge.
The most difficult questions appear |
to be in regard to the choking of the |
river at the Melan bridge. 1t is the |
plan to Iengthen this bridge $50 feet |
but still the vast expanse of water
which spread out over three miles |
width of territory in 1903 would hard
ly be crowded into so narrow a space |
and shot through the arches of the |
concrete structure.
Engineers have supplied informa- |
ton to the commissioners to the eff |
feet that the narrowed river would |
soon scour out the channel, but the |
truth is that the sand fills in as fast
as taken out. For an example the |
sand dredges and pumps dig out the |
same hole every day. There is no end
to the sand foe down the Kaw river |
to be appreciated this century.
The commissioners will continue |