The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-05

MAYORS
It DID Not Bend Percsptib1y Last
Evening.
I'H MAYOR OF ALL TIE PEOPLE

When the hour for the city council
meeting arrived last evening, the mayor
wac absent and President Fellows called
the council 20 order Those members
who answered to the roll call were
Stevens, Stevenson, Ettlinger, Bradford
Fellows, Burgess, Fulton and GriggA
The mayor came in later and took the
chair.
The following resolution was read by
the city clerk.
Resolved, That we hereby earnestly
protest against the appointment of Rich
ard Hargraves as sidewalk inspector and
this position and appoint by and with
the consent of the council good Repub-
licau to I'LL this lucrative and responsible
position"
The resolution was signed by the fol-
lowing cOuncilmen: p. W. Griggs. J. 7.
Fulton, J. D. Pattison, ". c. stephen
son, s. Ettlingor, S. B. Bradford, +. L
Stevens c. A Fellows, James Burgess.
The resolution was received silently
until the mayor said.
"A political resolution. What will you
do with itr''
Councilman Fellows: IT move it be
referred to the mayor with power to
act''
The Mayor: II feel that an explana-
ton of the appointment should be made
sidewalk inspector arrived I consulted
the city engineer about the appointment
Of who could act as sidewalk
inspector and sewer Inspector as well
and thus do the work of two men, He
said that Hargraves could do the work
and I appointed him at $50 a month,
when the sidewalk Inspector alone has
always received 500. l did not inquire
what his politics was, but understood he
has been independent"
AT r~~e
the city engineer and he told me that
Hargraves has done nothing but inspect
sidewalks since he WAS appointed and
there has been a great deal of complaint
about his work. The engineer says he
knows nothing about sewer work.
There are enough good Republicans to
I'LL the place, and besides the council
should be consulted about the appoint
ment The mayor did not bring his name
up for condemnation
The Mayor: "While I am a Republi-
can Of the most rabid kind, I won't allow
any one to dictate to me whether I shall
appoint Republican or q Democrat. It
is the qualifications which concern me,
and L nave the interest Of the city at
heart am mayor Of the whole peO-
pie"
Councilman Burgess: "Does the may
or mean 10 say that no Republican in the
city can do the work."
Councilman Bradford said he did not
understand that the resolutio was to be
made part Of the minutes Of the coun-
ell or be would not have signed it and
Councilman Stevens said thar the may
or's explanation was satisfactory to him.
A motion was made to adopt the reso-
luton. Before the vote was taken the
mayor announced that he would not BE-
governed by the action Of the council
but would remove Hargraves if he was
convinced he was incompetent
The resolution was adopted By the fol-
lowing vote: Ayes-Stephenso Ettling-
err, Burgess, Fellows, Fulton, Griggs.
No-Stevens, Bradford
A New scavengor Ordinance.
The new scavsnger ordinance was
presented which simply re-enacts the old
ordinance but gives the mayor the pow
er to appoint At once. The ordinance
was made satisfactory to the opposing
members BY making the number to be
appointed two or more instead of one or
more and the ordinance was passed with
out opposition.
The question Of appealing the Decker,
Mullins & Berry sewer case was to have
been decided, but when The mater was
reached it was so late that it was defer
red to the next meeting.
A New station.
The Vinewood Park Land and I'm
provement company asked permission to
build a station house at Ninth and Quin-
cy streets. Col JetmOre was present and
stated that il was the intention of the
company to build q station similar to
that built by the trolley line on Eighth
street The request was referred to the
committee on streets and walks with
power to act
c. A Fellows, chairman Of the COM
mIttee on ways and means. made q re-
port on the right Of the city 10 use the
coal hole fund for pros ecting for coal
outside Of the city. The committee held /
that the money cannot be used outside Of
the city but may be used within the city
limits The report was adopted but no
action on the expenditure Of the money
was taken
The Kansas Avenue Bridge.
The mayor reported that he had ex-
amined the Kansas avenue bridge and !
found it in very poor condition and that |
q new bridge is very much needed. The |
piers will soon require repairs aud the /
stringers are decayed and split on the /
top BY repeated mailing Of plankA He |
believed that strips might be laid across
the strinEsrs and 2-inch plank put down !
without putting in new stringsrs. He |
thought it would not cost more than |
$1,000 The city engineer was Instructed /
to prepare an estimate in accordance |
with the suggestion Of the mayor
City Finances.
The city treas urer's report shows the /
following balances in the city treasury:
General revenue. $40, 674 g. /
General Improvement. - 1858 so |
Interest fund .. 2,704 81 |
Water supply fund. 1885 "A |
Library fund .... 1889 70 |
Sidewalk fund. . $50 50 |
metropolitan police fund $500. $50 % |
Street paving bond fund ... 14,S47 40 !
Alley paving bond fund. 6S2 80 |
Sewer bond fund. 7,O35 90 |
Elr,~- arrf