The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-17
MANY BILLS FRAMED
City Attorneys and Mayors of
Kansas Municipal League
MEET HERE YESTERDAY
They are Preparing for Next
Session of Legislature.

lbers Of the Municipal League for Kan
sas a month or SO ago and the purpose
Of the meeting here was to arrange bills
for presentation TO the next legislature.
This work was taken up yesterday and
carried out. A number Of bills which
are OF importance 10 the cities OF the
state were arranged for and these will be
discussed before a meeting of the league
at Topeka December 5 and 6.
The attorneys and mayors were taken
in charge yesterday morning BY Mayor
Ross and City Attorney Helm. After
having seen the city they repaired to the
Office of City Attorney Helm in the Seds-
wick block and at that place the work
Of the day was done.
At the last rneeing a number of things
were outlined for the attorneys and
among these was a bill for the municipal
ownership Of public properties. To pre-
pare for this ownership, a bill was mace
up yesterday. It is to empower the cit
les Of the state Of Kansas Of the first
class to condemn or purchase water,
light and gas plants. It has a number
of provisions and is in realty one Of the
most important general matter discussed
by the attorneys.
Another bill was drawn I'd which auth
orizes cities of the hrst-class to compel
the planting Of shade trees along the
streets. The provisions state when tho
planting shall be done, should it be IN
der the direction of the city officers
This raised discussion among the at
torneys, but the bill was finally left to
the next meeting Of the league.
The taxation Of franchises was discus
ed and bill drawn up for that purpose
in the cities of the frst-class. The idea
which was brought forth is that a fran
chise is property and is worth much
money and for these reasons the city
should have the power Il tax them. This
matter was thoroughly looked into and
the bill which is already prepared met
with the approval OF every attorney here
yesterday.
A bill empowering the cities Of the first
class to control and fix their boundaries
was formed and should 1t pass in the leg
islature, would allow the matter to be
settled by ordinance and not by the
courts as at the present time.
The matter of weed cutting and the re-
moving Of snow from the walks came up
suit OF the discussion was that a bill was
drawn up The cutting Of weeds shall
be after the property owners have been
notified and the cist for the labor is to
be charged to the aoutting property. The
snow question is included and is that the
owners are to remove the snow from the
walks within a reasonable time and if 1t
it not done the snow is to be moved I'M
der the direction of the city and the cost
charged 10 the property. This was one
Of the things which has troubled all Of
the cities and the senti1eent was practi-
cauy unanimous for the DILL among the
attorneys.
Another measure was talked Of and
bill prepared. This is to compel the
counties to pay the expenses of all cpl
denies within their boundaries. This
is one of the things in which Wichita. and
Sedgwick county is interested in at the
present time.
The taxing Of telephone telegraph and
electric light poles caused bill to be
formed and this idea has been agitated
for some time. The attorneys argue that
on account Of the companies coming to
the different cities and having plants
that it should be right for them TO pay
a portion Of the expense The only way
in which they can be regularly taxed,
the attorneys argue, is by some measure
Of this kind and for that reason the mat
ter was arranged.
The street sprinkIing question which
has probably bothered every hrst-cIass
city in the state, also came in for a p0r-
ton OF the arrangements. A bin was
drawn empowering cities OF the first
class to sprinkle the streets and have
the cost charged to the abutting proper
u. This would then do away with the
private sprinkling business and the city
would take charge OF letting the con-
tracts. The spr1nkling would have to
be done by the requirements Of the con-
tract and this matter arranged as the
city council thought best.
One OF tbe questions which has con-
fronted every city which has opened
streets ard alleys IS the apportiOnment
q the taxes. Heretofore when some
street was opene every portion Of the
city was u pay a share Of the expense
To eleminate this matter the attorneys
have prepared a BIZ whereby benefit dis
tricts may 30 formed which shan pay the
apportionment Of the taxes for the open
the portion u tbe city not deriving any
neneat from the opening Of the various
streets.
The matter Of charge o. the gas com
panies. electric light companies, water
companies. telephone companies IN the
city OF the 6rst-class OF In fact public
corporations OF any kind a2s caused
more comnlitfon among the officials q the
cities q tia frst-ciass than any other
question I'D for cons dera tton- ID idea
a the city regulating the prices de not
take very favorably with TIE corpora
lions. bat 90 SET at ma bottom e tns
matter. the attorneys yesterday prepared
a blu to regulate l. Il WI Be fully dis-
cussed before the members - ire Muli-
cl7al League 81 the Topeka meeting Tas
attorneys agu-e that L VII 5e MEASURE
which wlu cause much comment IL sue
leziz,stare Z presented
A bib empowering ths ctT - create
sub park districts Eas made FeatsrdaT.
The park question vas thoroughly Es-e
through With ard this iii was r1e -
sult II case Il q CITY - re drse-c azs
vaen G. porlloa q the ely e-o1l1 desire
a park @ desire . have rrz already
e--ab-.ehe6 ka7t ~. the cuara cod
create t5is PARK clst-act aa1 tae eazas
for keeping 90 q tee pax a7pozttg1ed
70 THAI district TIE pr1' name r.
CURES tl1o entire 9tv g aaT s4ze-s foT sAe
keeping I'D q al parka SD soEae x rs
parks n - clties 60 ncz se1asit p-7rtsa1s
q TIE city ~ al bit yst re Tez,aerts
are taxed to- ssse ruziussnazcs f1ue-
The elimination * pre7srT zEur1 IRE
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