The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-27
IT'S A THORN.
A. Source of Great Trouble to
the City Council
Is the Present Premium Stamp
Ordinance.
is NOT SATISFACTORY
And No Ordinance Seems to Be
So.
Question Referred to the Judi
ciary Committee.
s NOT SATISFACTORY

The city council met Monday evening
for the purpose of allowing the salaries
of the various city departments to give
the employees money for this week, but
the meeting was nevertheless enlivened
by several discussions.
City Attorny Bird announced the rul-
ing of Judge Hazen in the McIlvreid
case. Mr.. McIlvreid gave the city
bond for SIX, 900 to guarantee the erec-
ton of a new gas plant and dollar gas.
Neither the plant nor the gas materi-
allied and the city sued on the bond
Judge Hazen has ruled" said City
Attorney Bird, that the city can re-
cover only the actual damage sustained
and as there are no atcual damages
we will get nothing. What want to
know is whether you want the case
taken to the supreme COURT
Councilman Skinner understood
that this man agreed to give the city
dollar gas and the city has surely been
damaged by the failure to do So
Mr.. Bird-Judge Hazen holds that the
city is not damaged by that failure 1t
is the inhabitants who are damaged.
Councilman Burgess move to in
stduct the city attorney to drop the
case.
The motion was adopted
Case of D. Nj. Mitchell.
The city council was in different
mood when the case Of D. NJ. Mitchell
was reached.
City Attorney Bird told of the re-
versal of the case by the appellate
court. Mitchell was appointed sanitary
sergeant by the police commissioners,
but the council refused to recognize him
and he sued the city for his salary in
the district court and lost The appel
late court decided that Mitchell was
right and therefore entitled to pay
Il want to know if you want the case
appealed?'' inquired Mr. Bird
Councilman Burgess said he wanted
the case appealed and Councilman Drew
said Mitchell had performed no services
and was not entitled to anything.
Councilman Skinner INQUIRED what it
would cost to appeal the case.
About $25," said Mr.. Bird.
The council then voted unanimously
to appeal the case.
Premium Stamps.
The frayed and worn premium stamp
question bobbed up again and was the
cause of a lively war of words.
City Attorney Bird read a lengthy
communication from G. c. Hume, the
premium stamp man. in which he said
that the new ordinance passed by the
council was unsatisfactory to him. He
said that a license fee of $3.50 on the
premium stamp agency and also on the
business men who used them made it
prOhibitive.
of changing it and passing new ordi-
nance.
Councilman Roundtree-If we should
reduce this to 500 we would get an
other letter saying that was not salts
factory. I am tired of fooling with
this.
Councilman Burgess-I am not in IA
vor of litigation. I know Fred is ex-
cited because he has twenty-five or
thirty merchants on his back. did
not understand that this ordinance we
chants who used the stamps.
chants who use dthe stamps.
Councilman SlIinner-It was distinct
ly understood from the first that this
ordinance acted both ways. We knew
it was double header, for asked the
question. I tried to have the license
reduced, but you wouldn't listen to me.
1 would like to know what is the use
of doing thing one day and undoing
it the next. We are making ourselves
ridiculous.
Councilman Mergan-I have heard a
great deal Of talk about the merchants
but I think that few people under
stand their true condition. Only a short
time ago a well-knOwn merchant came
to me and inquired if he could get a
place in the shops. He said he was
making nothing in his business. If we
put a tax on them they will have to
charge US more for what we buy.
Councilman Burgess wanted the ordi-
nance referred to the license commit
tee.
the license committee-Don't send 1t
back to US. We have had this ordt-
nance before us several times and don't
seem to be able to get it right.
Coucilman BensOn-I am a member OF
this license concern, and I have had
enough of this. For Gods sake, don't
send it back to US. We have had
enough of it I will tell you now that
1 was never in favor of this ordinance,
but all the merchants seemed to want
it and so I voted for it.
Councilman Benson's plea prevailed |
and the ordinance was referred to the |
committee on judiciary.
The Payroll.
The following amounts of pay rolls |
were allowed
Sanitary department ...........$ 250O0 |
department ........ 265.00 |
Commissioner of elections 1881 |
L. c. Bailey OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 50OO |
Nels Mcconnell .................s bOOO |
q A peck 1000 |
S. p. Hawkins ................... 4OOO
Members fire department ...... 1,9193 |
City officers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. oIS-do /
Electric light department 1890. 1888 !