The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18
ROGERS HAS PLAN
Ex-City Engineer Believes City
Is Discriminating.
Would Change Scheme of Re-
surfacing Streets at Large.
HAVE EXPERT GANG.
Keep Experienced Repair Crew
Busy at All Times.
Thinks Property Owners Are
Not Treated Fairly.

That the citv is discriminating
against the properly owners along
some of the different streets that have
been resurfaced during the last few
years and that the people along other
streets Quincy from Seventh to
Tenth, for instancel were receiving
the benefit of the expense. is the star
Ting statement made by John P.
Rogers, ex-city engineer, in an inter-
view this afternoon.
Mr. Rogers believes that the prop
erty owners who paid for the resur-
facing of Kansas avenue, Tenth ave-
nue. Eighth avenue, East and West
Sixth avenues are now paying also for
the repairing and practically resurfac-
ing of other streets. In other words,
the asphalt and material taken from
the avenues was not saved as a sal
wage to the property owners and
turned to their benefit, but is now be-
ing used by the city asphalt plant at
| the expense of the city at large.
About year ago when Mr. Rogers
was city engineer he advocated a large
number of rules governing the repair
| ing of excavations made in the streets
| by the plumbers, etc. He made these
sary for the excavators to fix the pave
ment up in better condition than 1t
| was before. Mr.. Rogers has always
been an enemy of the city asphalt
at this time and in his interview this
afternoon he suggests plan by which
the city could remedy all of these bad
| pavements and protect the pavement
/ in the future.
| Topeka has always been noted for
| the beautiful paved streets and it has
been noticed that during the last few
years the plumbers and excavators
ing in the city While city engineer,
Mr.. Rogers solved some of these prob
lens by his new excavating rules. but
/ he was not able to get his asphalt re-
pair gang plan through the city coun-
Gil.
| The following interview explains the
theories expounded by the ex-city en-
| gineer. They are of vital interest to
the people of the city at this time.
Topeka is laying more pavement than
at any other time in the history of the
city and it's management and super
vision is a matter of public concern.
MIR. Rogers Statement.
Here is what Mr.. Rogers says:
1.-THE city is at the present time in
the inevitable position of having over
two million dollars worth of paving on
hand without a dollar in any fund
available for repairs-a situation truly
dep1orable in so much that much of
this paving is badly in need of renew
ing and repairing at least.
II would not in any manner dfscour-
Iage new pavements as this is one of the
foremost methods of upbuilding a city,
but do think that probably the n1odus
operandi of securing the funds to sub
stantially repair our present pavements
| is one of the most perplexing problems
confronting the commission form of
government.
Your columns would scarce suffice
| to enumerate all of the specific places
in which our pavements are in need of
repairs and in many instances when the
property owners have not yet finished
paying for the original cost.
while it may be legal it does not
seem equitable that the property own
! ers should be required to renew the
pavements at their cost when the
blame for poor material or improper
| repairs after excavators rests entirely
with the city.
There is scarcely a square yard of
stone block pavement in the city that
| has not become distorted from its
| original smooth surface and the lines
lof gas and water mains are easily
traced along our pavements by the de-
presSions over them.
81 think the method of repairing after
the various eXcavatorS could be i'm
proved by the city maintaining a per-
manent crew of expert pavement re-
: pairers to do all of this work and not
allow it to be done by inexperienced
lavorers whom the excavators are
forced to hire.
1.-THE actual cost should be charged to
| the parties responsible for the work
Another item that does not seem
equitable is that the city repairing Gin
| many instances almost to the extent OF
resurfacing) the asphalt streets in GER
tain localities with the city repair plant
at the expense of the city at large
F While the property owners on Kansas
, avenue, Tenth avenue. Eighth avenue
East and West Sixth avenues were
, compelled to bear the burden OF re-
! surfacing their streets.
ST think that a few intelligent expert
ments might result in securing ma
, terial for use in repairing our bricl
streets in the way of filler or surface
|, covering. This would suffice to Civ.
us a good smooth surface at a mu3l
less expense than a complete resur
/, facing with new material.
"It would certainly be desirable i
possible to place these streets in frs
: class order without placing the residen
property owners to a burdensome ex
. pense."
..Have a drink?" Thanks. but belong
\ to an anti-treat club" I'm going t
9 have one" "Then take this 10 cents ant