The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-01-03
DOUBLE BARRELLED.
Topeka Now Has Two Street
Forces ia Operation.
COMMISSIONER HOPKINS STAYS
yVnale enc Mayors Eeoree EsegEns Work
Today The M25or Anxious TO cut
Down tlae Expenses $3.50 a Month

yERzle enc 8Hay os--ss Esorce EsegIns work
sTOaag-The sEas-or anxious TO cut
Down tise Expenses $3.50 a Month
The merry war is on, between Street
Commissioner Albert Hopkins on one
side, and Mayor Harrison and Dave Nay
Tor on the other.
The mayor HAS given Naylor and East
man, the two deputies of Hopkins
authority To take charge of the street de-
partment Eastman on the north side of
the river and Naylor GA this side. With
tnia increase of authority however, their
salaries remain tine same.
This morning at S o'clock, Naylor APP
peared al the Office occupied by the street
commissioner in the city hau.
II have been authorized BY the mayor p
Naylor began, 'fg take charge of the Office
OF street commissioned. 1 hope that you
viii not feel hard towards me for this,
Hopkins, bot 1 must demand the books
and records and keys of the department.
I'll don't recognize the authority Of the
mayor in this case replied Hopkins III
am Still the legal head Of the street force
and I propose to keep the records and
keys and aIl tine property of the force
where they are.
~Do I understand you to defy the law
There are means for making you get out
Of Office
That's what I want replied Hopkins:
FL am willing t0 ret OUT uf office any
time they get me out right, but [ don't
propose t0 quit on the order of the mayor
alone I VIII stay here and fight it first
offered to resign next March, or do any
thing else decent, puS they wouldn't hear
to it.H
Navlor repeated his demands for the
records and property of the street de-
partment, which Mr Hopkins suddenly
refused TO give up.
Hopkins appears to have the advant-
f4f
70 all the property Of the street force.
The records are stored in his desk in the
city hail. and the tools and material are
kept in the Jail yard Of the police head
quarters OFF these old Waterman Boyd
mas exclusive care and no one to whom
he refuses admission can get any Of
THEM. Boyd believes Hopkins il the
legal and bona fide street commissioner
and proposes to follow his Instructions,
and n9 others
Carpenter Blazo, the sidewalk repair
an. was ordered 90 do some work this
morning. and refused to obey the order
OF HOpkins. He said rather CURLY that
Che mayor mad authority to remove him
from Office any time. and he proposed To
act upon Mayor Harrison's orders.
Hopkins ordered all the lumber. nails
and tools of the sidewalk repairing gang
locked UP. and when y aylor ordered the
sidewalk gang to go t0 work, and found
no material available he ordered a new
oAf 10y "a -NllANA ALDlll merry strong
and several kegs of nails from a hard
ware firm and set the men to work.
II am acting under the orders Of the
mayor, Naslor said to q JOURNAL re-
porter this morning, 'and I am Is do
what is proper under the circumstances.
look On Mayor Harrison as a much
bigger man than Hopkins
The object Of the mayors action IS to
cut down the e1penstas Of the city. Hop
kim salary is 500 4 month, and George
Goddard received 500. Naylor and
Eastman also get 500. In the notice of
removal received from the mayor by
Hopkins the mayor says:
~Ihe finances of the city are such as To
make the imperative necessity Of saving
All the expense possible and there is liz
tle or no money with which to employ
the labOrers IN the street department.
and hence no need al present for SO many
officers. The best interests Of the city re-
quire this action
Mr Hopkins says majority of the old
street force viii stay by him and work
under his orders. Those who don't he
says, he Will discharge and hire new
Den. Naylor. on the other hand. says he
viii have no trouble IN organizing a
street force equally as efficient as the
present one
The spectacle Of a double barreled'
tutional and legally organized. is the re-
and council Two street. commissioners
will present two payrolls to the city coun-
Gil next month.