The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-25
CITY is HELPLESS
Defeat of Bond Issue Worries
the City Hall.
No Money for Rebuilding of
Weak Bridges.
CRIPPLE USE OF STREETS
Span at Seventh May Be Con-
demned at Once.
Impossible to Raise Building
Funds by Levy.

AS a result of the special election
Tuesday defeating the proposition to
| rebuild fourteen bridges in Topeka, in
all probability the city will condemn
and close the Seventh street bridge
! across the Shunganunga. And this
isn't all. The budget for 1913 has
been spread on the tax rolls and the
weakening of a bridge cannot be re-
paired out of the regular expense
the failure of the voters to support
the bond issue rebuilding Topeka's
bridges may result any day in a Grip
pling of the city's thoroughfares.
A half dozen bridges inside the city
limits are standing only on a series of
props that in a time of high water
would practically dam the Shunganun-
ga creek. If these props were washed
away or if the structures weakened
despite their support, the city has
very little money to spend on repairs.
1t would be impossible to rebuild a
bridge.
City Hasn't the Money
One more alarming situation:
Unless bonds are voted the city
never will be able to build concrete
bridges in many parts of the city. It
has been suggested that a bridge be
constructed each year. According to
the city commission law, this is i'm
possible.
The commission law allows only
two mills for general revenue pur-
poses. Every cent of this levy is as
signed for running expenses. The
city commissioners admit it might be
possible to build a small bridge now
and then but when presented with the
problem of an expenditure of $4,000
they throw up their hands.
This means that the Sixth street
bridge over the Shunganunga, swaying
and rafting as the traffic weighs it
down, never can be rebuilt with con
crete unless a bond issue is favored.
And today this bridge is propped and
braced until a miniature dam is built
across the creek. In high water with
drift wood, this bridge would cut the
East side from street car traffic and
from all the main wagon and pedes-
trian traffic to the other parts of the
city.
Mayor Would Condemn Bridge.
The Seventh, street bridge may be
condemned. Mayor Billiard stated this
afternoon that he was in favor of it.
Other commissioners admit it is a dan
gerous span. The Lake street bridge
crossed by the street railway is mass
of braces. The city couldn't afford it
the street car company built the
props for their own protection.
The defeat of the bonds has sent a
wave of worry over the city hall. In
the past only the city officials have
realized the danger connected with the
use of many of the city's bridges Ev-
cry effort will be made to keep a rigid
inspection on the spans-every cent
that can be found will be used
1t will cost the city $4,000 a year to
keep the old structures in repair This
is the conservative estimate made by
Mayor Billiard this afternoon. The re-
pair bill alone each year could build
bridge-but the bonds have been de-
feated and the taxpayers money will
keep on draining through the leaky
wasteful repair trough
The city is facing a serious situa-
ton" Commissioner Tandy said this
afternoon. "A breakdown of some of
the spans or a flood would cost the tax
payers in one day nearly as much as
the entire bond issue"