Wichita eagle., 1889-01-19
KANSAS CITIES.
DELEGATES FROM THOSE OF THE
FIRST GLASS
In Session Yesterday-The Work Ac-
complished Here by This Body.

of the first class met pursuant to adjourn
ment Of the preceding night yesterday
forenoon with Alderman Tillotson in the
chair. The Fort Scott delegation had fail
ed to put in their appearance and the con-
vention proceeded with delegates present
from Topeka, Leavenworth, Atchison,
Kansas City and Wichita
AN act to incorporate and regulate cities
of thefirst class to repeal all prior acts re-
lating thereto" was read and the provis-
| ions discussed in full The act as printed
occupies forty-eight pages, has seven ar
ticles and one hundred and twenty-eight
sections The first and second acts relat-
| ing respectively to general provisions"
! and to boundaries of cities and wards and
how changed" was adopted without much
dissension.
| The other articles as follows were then
taken up:
| Article third, powers and duties of the
mayor and council.
Article fourth, police judge.
| Article fifth, election Of officers, their
duties and compensation.
| Article sixth, miscellaneous.
The afternoon session opened in pursu-
ance Of adjournment, and the provisions in
article ILL., pertaining to the building of
| sewers, was taken up and discussed at
| length. The main points in the revision
are in section IS; 1.-The mayor and council
shall have power and authority to con-
struct outlets for sewers and comet the
| same with any creek or river at any point
within five miles of the corporate limits Of
the city, and for this purpose the right of
| eminent domain is hereby granted TO cities
of the first class"
| The provision relating to the right of
way was also revised, removing various
little technical and obnoxious distractions
from the road leading to public improve
ments. A motion excluding bidders from
work of public outside of the county was
presented and lost.
A provision to issue twenty year bonds
for certain works of public improvements
bearing per cent interest, payable semi
annually, was introduced.
A provision. whereby a water works
| franchise may be purchased with but little
| legal difficulty, was introduced. A gen.
eral desire to reduce all interest on bonds
| to per cent prevailed.
The cost of any public Improvement that
might be provided for by the issuance of
bonds was unlimited.
In article ", regarding the power Of the
police judge, but little change was made
from the laws regulating his present juris-
diction.
The question of making the police judge
an examining magistrate was raised, but
deferred for later action, as it involved
some neat legal points. Section 81 of the
article provides that the marshal, in the
discharge of his duties, shall be subject of
the mayor only and the police to both
mayor and marshal only. Any marshal
assistant or policeman may be suspended
or removed by the mayor.
Article V, treating of the election of
officers their duties and compensations,
was next taken up. A motion to appoint
an assessor for each ward, instead of one
assessor for the entire city, was presented
and lost it being considered that such a
recommendation was beyond the munich
pal jurisdiction.
The limit of the salary of the police
judge is placed at SIS per month and the
police at $50. The salary of the mayor
was fixed at $500 and the councilmen at
$500.
Article VI, Miscellaneous. The fiscal
year, according to section 104, shall COM
mence with the first day of April each
year. The punishments and penalties at
taching TO misdemeanors by the city Of
ficers were also treated under this article.
Afterwards followed a lengthy treatment
of the rules and regulations governing the
routine work of the council and city Of
ficers.
After the reading of this act Mr. Mar
tin, of Kansas City, referred back to sec
tion thirty-one and asked the insertion of
the word males" thus making men who
frequent houses of i'll fame equally culpa-
BILE with the women. This measure was
ably supported by Mr.. Buckeridge and a
provision covering the point was inserted.
The poll tax question was brought up
again by Mr.. Peavy, but was voted down
again.
Mayor Harmon and Alderman Peavy
went on record as strongly opposed to
the question.
Mayor Harmon argued that the proba-
bility of the abolition of the poll tax. in
serted in the associated press dispatches
would mean over $4,000 emigrants for
Kansas in the spring, and that he had been
creditably informed that Mayor Allen, al
though opposed to it's abolition, had re-
marked that he was not sure regarding its
expediency.
A few more unimportant changes were
made and the business of the convention
closed with many votes OF thanks. The
following was one of the most enthusiastic
resolutions unanimously adopted 1t was
introduced by Mayor Harmon, Of Kansas
City:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN:-Before we leave this
city we wish to say truthfully that we are
agreeably surprised at the magnificent
residences, the mammoth business houses,
the churches of all denominations, the
school houses, colleges, academies univer-
sites, railway enterprises, opera houses,
hotels, car works, packing houses and the
other vast industries OF the Peerless
Princess" and are well pleased
with what we hear and see
in the way of all improvements Of gen.
eral nature; that your people and the
press work in harmonious ''stroug pull
and long one" in the doing and building
up of your wonderful city We desire TO
wish you success in your future undertak-
ings and we further wish to thank the
mayor and council for the many favors and
hospitality received during our stay, and
we further predict that you viii have
population of 10000 before five years
shall have elapsed.
This was followed by many expression.
Of good feeling on the part Of ali.
On motion a committee OF two from
each city to look after the bill and put it
safely through (the same TO be appointed
by the respective mayors was advisable.
4 vote of thanks was presented to Clerk
Tauber, OF Topeka, who responded in an
appropriate manner. 4 vote of thanks