The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-21
WORK TO Be SLOW
Year and Half Needed To Per-
feet City Water Service.
That Is Statement Made Today
by City Officials.
TROUBLE BEGAN IN 1915
Since That Time Little Real
Action Has Been Taken.
Newland Denies He Did Not
Approve Kiersted Plans.

Both Commissioner Newland ana
superintendent Shaw denied this
morning the report that they had not
supported Wyncoop Kiersted in his
recommendations to improve the serv-
ice of the city water department Both
men were firm in their assertions that
they have held the same views as did
Kiersted and have hoped to be able to
develop improvements from the rec
concentrations which were suggested
by the hydraulic expert
However, since 1915 Kiersted's report
has been on file in the city offices
and construction of the Improvements
recommended have been only partially
carried out Two low duty pumps
which Kiersted recommended as a
temporary measure have been ordered.
But the pumps are not in yet. Com
missioner Newland said this morning
that when the government took Kier-
sted away from the city and later the
demands made by the army reduced
the labor supply to practically nothing,
it was then impossible to go ahead
with any work of improvement, and
that it was only with the greatest diff
ffculty that it was possible to get to-
gether enough labor to complete the
daily routine work at the plant.
Wells Cost 500 Each.
Following Kiersted's early recon-
mendations. test wells were dug-ten
of them, at a cost of about 800 each.
They run in a line north across the
river valley from the water plant and
record of the material taken from
these test wells indicates the variety
OF strata to be found in the valley
North across the valley were found the
proper sort of gravel beds 1t is now
question as to how far these gravel
hn de-
the north and south line of test holes
III 1t is decided upon to go ahead with
k1ersted's suggestion to get on the
north side of the river, it will then be
necessary to make the additional tests
Presumably they will have to run west
for to the east sewerage from the state
hospital is dumped into the river
making it impossible to use water
f. I'm that locality, it is said. On the
outcome of these tests it will be pos
sible to prove whether or not water
can be obtained north of the river in
Il rye enough quantities to be of actual
value. according to city officials Pro.
viding, of course, that the test prove
satisfactory plans would tken have to
be worked out for a tunnel or a pipe
line to be constructed under or over
the river. Kiersted favors the tunnel
Take Year and a Half.
A bond issue would follow the com
pletion of all these data and then actua
work could be started Somethins
over year and one-half will be re-
quired before any definite work, car
be started, it is asserted at the city
hall.
Other commissioners say they dc
not feel that either Newland or Shaw
has backed up Kiersted's opinions ii
the way that would have been done
nad he possessed the confidence in the
expert which Newland stated today h.
had in Kiersted's ability.
They feel that they might have tax
en- more action in seeing Newland into
the pr POSITION but held that they
were not running the water depart
ment and would not voluntarily mi,
| into the problem unless they were
asked by Newland to come on in ant
get their feet wet also.
They claim they were never surg o.
just what the water commissioner haC
in mind and waited until he decided
after consultation with his experts, OF
some definite course of action.