The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-22
Begin Work Immediately and
Rush to Completion.
EXTEND II. 1. BRIDGE.
Railroad Promised Such Action
Last Fall.
Other Items of Interest in the
First Ward.

The fact that the contract Tor the
extension of Melan bridge has been
let is the cause for much rejoicing on
the North side this morning. Practi-
cally all of the business men feel
that it is one of the best things that
has ever happened.
A. D. johnson of Kansas City, to
whom the contract has been let, says
that work on the extension will begin
right away and will be pushed for
ward as rapidly as possible. This ac-
ton will probably cause the Rock
Island also to extend their bridge ac-
cording to a promise given by that
road at a meeting of the railroad men
and engineer last fall. At that time
the Rock Island men stated they
would extend their bridge as soon
as the Melan bridge was extended,
so as to make as much water way un-
der their structure, as would be af-
forded by the Melan extension.
The latter work will be a continual
ton of the bridge as it is at present
The additional arch will be 148 feet
long, to be added to the south end.
Mr.. johnson is looking for rooms
to be fitted up as his headquarters,
where blueprints, etc, are to be kept.
]. H. FOUGHT says that the first
part of March, 1869, when he first
came to Kansas, was like this wealth
er, but about March 20, a storm came
up from clear sky. BY March 25.
it had frozen so that ice four inches
thick was taken from the Kaw just
below where Melan bridge now is.
4 had been teaching school near
Tecumseh,' said Mr.. FOUGHT. Until
the middle of March. the weather
had been very much like it is today.
We had used very little fire. Corn
and oats which had been planted the
EnhrnaTV 7
her, a Mr.. Holingward of Tecumseh,
who was very proud of his prospec-
tive crop.
About March 10, came a change.
north. And it came from a perfectly
clear sky. By March % it had frozen
SO hard that ice. four inches thick,
was taken from the Kaw just below
the present Melan bridge
"A school mate from Ohio named
David Maxwell, had landed on the
day the storm struck us. The wealth
er was so warm when he started from
home that he took no overcoat, and
he nearly froze to death after he ar
rived. I had to hustle around and
md an outer coat for him."
E. w. Brown, an old resident of
shawnee county, who has been stay
ing with relatives in Milwaukee, Wis,
Tor several months, is visiting on the
North side. He says that in the north
ern city from December 1 until now
the streets have been filled with snow.
The snow has been piled on either
side OF the street railway tracks for
some time that passengers in the cars
could not see over the top of the
banks" said Mr.. Brown this morning
SNOW began falling there about De-
cember 1. Several hundred shovelers
have been employed to keep the car
tracks clear The thermometer regis
tered 20 degrees below for the coolest
the snow did not begin to melt until I
left few days ago. Then it would
be so sloppy that I was glad to start
for sunny Kansas
The big fire cistern on Kanss ave-
nue.. just north of Norris street, is said
TO be leaking as badly as ever after
Just having been repaired. The els
tern for the past several years has to
be filled every few days on account of
the water seeping out. Recently it was
ali pumped out and repaired, but the
leaking is reported to continue.
Fred Voiland. ]. A. Lukens ard Fred
O. Morns, who were appointed a COM
mittee from the Civic club to investi-
gate the condition of the Granville
road, and other business men went
over the road in autos this morning.
The condition of the highway is re-
ported to be very bad. almost impassa-
Bile in places. The committee intend
20 take steps toward lettering it.