The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-02
FEAR dixie is BAD.
County Commissioners Order an
Investigation.
Claimed That Material Used Is
Below Standard.
CRUMBLES IN HAND.
Indications That Concrete Is
Not Properly Mixed.
South Side May Have No Pro.
lection After All.
CRUMBLES IN HAND

Complaints that today reached the
board of county commissioners have
led to the issuance of an order for an
expert examination of the new kaw
river dixie. Statements made in the
last few days have pointed to the
theory that the new $4,000 bikes
may not be worth single dollar to
Topeka in case of an emergency.
In case the new dixie is found to be
unsafe the blame for the trouble may
be laid at but one door. That is the
office of the county engineer. In a
statement made today, Parkhurst
stated that the plans and specifica-
lions for the bikes had been drafted
in his office. He also stated that since
the work was let that he has kept an
engineer and two inspectors on the
job and that, so far as he has been
able to learn, every detail has been
followed by the contractors.
But this does not appease the prop
erty owners in the new dixie district
1t is these men who must pay the
$113,00 They want a good job. Not
only that, but they insist they shall
get it. There is no uncertainty in the
defects pointed out by persons who
have watched the work. Samples OF
the concrete brought to the commits
sioners court this morning, was decid-
6QlX INFERIOR 10 the regular SIdHudFu.
Many pieces of concrete, picked up
at the dixie are porous, crumble under
the pressure of the fingers and show
that the material in the work has not
been properly mixed. Men, who are
acquainted with concrete work, de-
clare that the waters from the Kaw
would eat away this material and a
flood such as the waters of 1903,
would leave the great concrete wall
wreck and the north bottoms at the
mercy of the flood.
When it was decided to build the
new bikes, a levy was made against
the property owners in the affected
district. Some of these men have been
assessed as high as $4,000 as their
proportion of the expense. When one
of these property owners visited the
dixie this week, he declared that he
would never submit to the payment of
his assessment until he was certain
that the work was properly completed.
Before 1 pay dollar" said this
man, they must convince me that the
concrete is properly mixed and that
the materials used are not of an in
ferior quality L think when this job
is completed, that I shall demand the
privilege to investigate the wall with a
cold chiseL 1t won't take very long
then to Determine whether the work
win stand"
There were similar complaints from
others. These complaints reached the
county commissioners. At present
none of The commissioners wish to
place the blame for the construction.
Locate the Responsibility.
If the official investigation finds
that the dixie is not properly built,
| that committee will also tell where
who have watched the work, it is
stated that the contractors have been
| too generous in an effort to save ce
| nent. Others have conteaded that
the cement is of a low grade. Then
| too there are statements that Park
hurst has not given the job proper At
| tention. Still others state that the
plans are not properly drafted and
that the inspectors employed by the
county engineers office have not
shown the proper diligence on the job.
But these are matters for the com
mittee to decide.
The face of the dixie is covered with
q neat coat of pure cement, but this
outside covering does not appease the
wrath of some of the property owners
in the north bottoms. They declare
that the inspectors and county en-
gineer should have insisted on the BAN
| ishment of the gravity concrete mixer
which is used on the job. This
| seems to be one of the real sources of
! trouble. The mixer, it is claimed,
does not mix at all, but merely separ
ates the materials used and with every
scoop full of concrete, there is certain
to be certain spots in the dixie that
show an unusual amount of cement.
yhile others have not enough sand and
are merely great chunks of sand and
| grit thrown in a hopeless pile. With
| the use of q rotary mixer, contractors
! claim. the concrete would be evenly
mixed and every foot of the great dixie
would Withstand an equal water press
| ure. But every day the gravity mixer
| has been busily dumping great heaps
| of sand, cement and Joplin grit in the
massive forms of the new wall.
Several days ago a Topeka man who
! is familiar with the process of mixing
concrete, visited the job In state
| ment made today. he said that he saw
| a. gang of negroes and Mexicans fill
! ing the big gravity mixer. One man
stood near the mixer and dumped a
quantity of cement into the big pan.
| Others were busy shoVeling sand and
grit in the mixer and still other men
| " ere throwing buckets of water in
| the mixer. No concern as to proper
proportions of either material was
| shown by the men. Yet all the time
| the county engineers office had two
| inspectors and an engineer on the job
| Complaint was made of this ancient
| method OF concrete mixing and a
change was ordered. Now the inspec-
| tors have ordered the building of boxes
| for the purpose of measuring the ce-
ment, sand and grit used in each load
/ of concrete.
Use of "Grit" Criticised.
But there are OIher Complaints From
concrete men in Topeka come state
ments that the county engineers Office
again erred when it permitted the use
of Joplin grit in the construction of
the dixie. This grit, it is claimed. is
| at least partly responsible for the porous
condition of the concrete. These men
state that Joplin grit makes a very
satisfactory walk, but that it is de-
| MED recognition by modern construc-
ton men and is not used on dikes
| bridges or large public buildings. Yet
Joplin grit is permissible under the
provisions of the plans and specifca-
tons.
These conditions, it is claimed, may
render the dixie useless in case of high
water. As soon as the thin outer coat
| of cement is Clipped away. it is said
| that the millions and millions of pounds