The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-14
Invention of H. f. KelInel
Solves Serious Problem.
Steel Jetty Turns Current From
One Bank to Other.
FACTORY STARTED IN Topeka
May Be Starting of Huge In-
dustriaI Enterprise Here.
J. E.. williams Takes Position
With New Firm.

The steel jetty invented and pat
ented by H. F. Kellner, a Silver Lake
man, is solving serious problem for
Topeka in obtaining an adequate
water supply. BY means of a jetty or
sixty units, the main current of the
Kaw river is being turned from the
north bank to the south bank at q
POINT along the city water plant, east
of the BRICK yard bridge.
Owing to the need of the buildings
already there, it was desired to locate
the new filtration and publication
plant on the present site of the city
waterworks. One great obstacle was
the fact that the deep, main current
of the river flowed along the north
bank, leaving a wide sand bar on the
south bank. along the water plant IL
the current could not be changed. it
would be necessary to tunnel under
the river. at tremendous cost, in
order to lay mains from the deep
channel on the opposite side.
Jetty Solves Problem.
The steel jetty was seized upon as q
| means of turning the current. The
sixty units were strung along down
stream, extending from an island in
| the middle OF the river. under the
| bridge, to a point just above the water
| plant. The units consist of three
| steel bars, bolted together at an angle
| calculated to break the current and
cause dead water WHARF, silt and
sand is deposited. During the recent
rise of the river the jetty caught a
| huge amount of drift and already
| continuation of the island from the
| bridge southwark is forming in mid
| stream. This is gradually changing
| the current to the south bank. SO that
| it will wash out the sand bar along the
| water plant and replace it with a deep
current from which an adequate sup
ply of water can be pumped into the
| filtration basins.
Jetties have also been placed on the
north bank of the river just west or
| the bridge. The current was rushing
against this bank and cutting in un-
| der the bridge so that the north APP
proach must eventually be washed
/ cut.
| Becomes Very Popular.
Kellner's steel jetty is becoming
very popular wherever bridge and
river bank protection is needed. The
practicability of the jetty is evidenced
by the steadily increasing demand
| from railroads. A system has been
installed at the south approach of the
Rock Island bridge, west of Topeka,
ialong the Kaw near the Union Pacific
railroad tracks at Lawrence, for the
Santa Fe at c|eedles, Calf, and for
other railroads at various places. A
large number are in use on Shawnee
county farms.
J. E. Williams. former county en-
gineer of Shawnee county. is now
/ chief engineer of the Patent Steel
4 Jetty company, with offices in the
Mulvane building. Williams was so
impressed with the effectiveness OF
the device that he resigned as county
engineer to become associated with
4 the firm. At the present time the
jetties are being made in Topeka by a
local foundry. With the world as its
field, the industry promises to become
one of the greatest in the country and
| Topeka has a good chance of being
its headquarters and perhaps the To-
| cation of a future huge factory de-
voted exclusively to making this
simple device that is outwitting the
| flood demon.