The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-14
CITY COUNCIL MEETS.
The Question of Settling the Sewer
Case Comes Up
THE COUNCIL DEFERS ITS ACTION.
TIE CIty's FInances-The Mayor says
Expenses Nus< Re kept WITHIN
5000 a 1Eonth-Other Matters

City Clerk McFsdden reported that he
had not yet advertised for bids for the
IS. so or sewer district No 10 bonds,
but that he had a buyer for the bonds At
par with accrued interest He was In
structed BY a unanimous vote to sell
them without advertising. The buyer Is
the Central N ational bank Of this city.
The committee on finance reported the
tax levy for the ensuing year - follows:
General revenue fund, mlils5 genera
Improvement fund, b mills; water supply
fund, / Clio mills; library Iuno o-1O
mills; jud sment fund, DO millsi CITY
props. tiOn Of paving funds, o-2O mlls'
city's proportion Of interest on paving
bonds, 1 1-2O mills; paving Oapl.oI
square. 7-2J of mills interest On Inc
same, 2-2J of / mill; principal ana inter-
est for paving aud sewers At city Duild-
ing5, parks aud the postothce Duhoihg'
3-xU mill
Councilman Ettlin ger inquired il there
was any Change IN the levy from that OF
last year and UPON beng tod that the
general Improvement levy ~as raised
from ) to 3 mills, promptly n~ved 10 re-
duce it To mills
Councilman Bradford said: 'sThe levy
for the general improvement Iund last
year was mills aud as there Is no levy
for a sinking fund 20 pay the Donu7
amounting to over 81. OOO which fall due
next wear We will meet a deficit there
unless sumo arrang cement is made to re-
fund tie bonds II we cut OF that one
mill it reduces the levy $J,5JO and while
! do not want to see taxes made any
higher and feel that this Is bad time
to increase the levy still we must lace
the fact that We Will experience the
hardest YER in the history OlTOpek L II
we have "A fund u drop hack on o Iced
the poor II necessary, it Will be "A good
thing. We are now $25,OJO or $4,000
short and do not think we should re-
duce he levy"
Councilman Stephenson-"I think that
this is the time for retrenchment II We
are $25 OOO short now. how Will II be In
1897 We Will ild ourselves worse OH
than ever l d. not think this is the right
way 70 economlze We should reduce
cur expenses"
The Alayor-"We have not an actual
deficit A he taxes were not paid
Councilman BradfOrd-"M will have
to meet that condition every year"
The MayOr-"If we limit our expenses
to $g.JSO month we can get through
win a mill levy"
The mayor then presented a communi-
Gallon On The CONDITION Of the city hnan-
cea.
The vote on placing the levy for the
general Improvement fund back TO FIVE
mnls was then taken and resulted in its
adoption BY the following vote: Ayes
PattisOn, Stevens. stephenson, Ettlinger.
Nays # Bradford, Burgess, GrIggs-
Ths sewer Case
City Attorney Tillotson said that 1t had
always l. cen the custom for the CITY at
tOrney 10 appeal any lawsuit decided
against the Guy when in his lud xmenL it
was best 10 do So Il do not feel how
ever" said he. that in the Decker, Null
Inns & Berry sewer case 4 should use my
own judgment alone when SO much is at
Sake aud / VIII wait for instruction from
the council If the judgment il affirmed
by tire supreme court II would cost the
city So Z day interest instead OF SO. /
have consulted Alr lseuhart about the
cost Of a case made aud he says il viii
not cost more than 500 TO take the case
to the supreme court
"N have good case for appeal and
! ain satisfied that it Will be reversed or
the udgmeut reduced In the first place
there were 40 plans On lie Wleu The c0u-
tract for the sewer was let Then the
legislai ure has said that the city is not
han4e for anything beyond the contract
pr.ce. Tine judge also admitted the CON
versatiOn Of cOuncilmen all along the
line and it IS serious question Of law
how far an agent can bind tile principal
/ feel that il the case IS appealed we can
get reduc ION Of from $%U,00O to $7O,UUO
in the judgment"
Councilman Stephenson thought that
the mater.a al bills should be paid If it
could be done without recognizing the
rest OF the judgment
Councilman Bradford said that as all
members Of The council were not present
the matter should be deferred and this
was agreed 10.
OrdTnancsa-
Councilman Ettlinger introduced an
ordinance 20 prevent the carrying Of adj
verlising banners on tile streets The
rules were suspended and the ordinance
was passed without opposition. This is
20 suppress the men vino walk about the
sidewalks boxed up in a gaily decorated
advertisement for 'tire sales" etc.
An ordinance making he tax levies as
agreed upon by the council, was adopted.
The ordinance TO govern the use OF
bicycles ia the City as outlined in the
Journal was Introduced by Councilman
Stephens and re ferred to the committee
Oh stree and walks.
An ordinance opening Garfield street
in North Topeka, was Introduced by
Councilman PattisOn and passed under 4
suspension Of the rules on the first read
ing.
The ordinance creating the Christ hos
pital sewer district was introduced and
passed without opposition.
Other Matters.
W. ". Smith petitioned the council Il
release lots 1868. 1910 1912, 1874 ant
1875 on Polk street from the require
ment TO build new sidewalks. and the
request was granted
DIR. Henry VI. ROby asked for a street
lamp at the corner Of Kansas avenue
aud Twenty-Sec0nd street and the re-
quest was referred to the committee on
lights.
Tim Donovan and nine others asked
that a sidewalk bs built on the east side
o. 81 adIson street. between First and Sec
Ond street. and the request was granted
john L Guy presented communities