The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-04
MUST ALL PAY?
PerpIexing Question Concern
ing Use of Auditorium.
City Must Not Charge Visitors
For Use of Hall.
LOCAL PEOPLE TO PAY.
A Uniform Rate win Be
Agreed Upon.
Smallpox Situation Receives
Attention From Council.
LOCAL PEOPLET PAY.

There was a great deal Of discussion
last night by the councilnen concerning
the rules to be adopted governing the
Auditorium.
Councilman Myers. who is chairman
Of the committee. suggested that all par
ties using the Auditorium should be
charged SIS, as that amount would cover
the cost Of light, heat and janitor ser
vice.
This at once started a discussion. City
Attorney Bird leading OF with the state
nent that the Auditorium had been
built with the idea. in view OF attracting
large meetings, such as conventions
grand lodge meetings and the like, and
that if they were charged for the use
of the auditorium they would be sore
Il never heard such a raking given any
one as was given the city of Topeka,
because some of the grand lodges We're
asked to pay $25 for janitor fees and
! lights when they held their meetings
here in the state house. The city in
yites the large gatherings because they
benefit the town, and If We charge them
for the use Of the Auditorium We will
get no more state meetings in the fu-
ture than We have in the past"
Councilman Hughes agreed with Mr.
Bird and added that Topeka has the
| reputation over the state of being q
hog in such matters and If we charge
for the use of the Auditorium the repu-
tatiOn VIII be sustained think it would
be an outrage to charge invited guests
anything for their place of meeting. The
city is benefited by their coming here
as we all know those who attend state
gatherings are bound to spend some
money in the city and what they spend
should satisfy US without making any
direct charge"
Councilman Snattinger said that
charging outside people for the use of
the Auditorium looked very much Ike
inviting a guest TO visit your house and
then charging him for his meals and
lodging. he favored q charge for local
organizations. but considered that S15
was too much when the Auditorium was
used only during the day when lights
and fuel would not be needed, and too
little when the meeting was held at
night and fuel was required. In the
first instance the cost to the city would
be about Sc and in the latter instance
about $24. He said that all the city
wanted out Of local organizations was
the money they were actually required
to spend in keeping the building in read
mess for the meeting
This seemed to be the general opinion
Of the council and the mayor was also
in favor of it. So the matter was re-
ferred back to the committee, which will
draw up another set of rules In the
meantime all local organizations which
desire the use Of the Auditorium Will be
charged SIS.
NORDICA MAY COME
All Of the applications were granted
for the use of the Auditorium The La
dies Music club requested the use Of the
Auditorium for some date in the near
future for the purpose of giving Topeka
an opportunity if possible Of hearing
/ Madam Nordica, the greatest dramatic
] soprano now on the stage The club
/ viii make the charge of hearing the
/ great singer much less than the usual
price in order that the greatest number
of people may have the privilege of
! hearing her
The Democratic state committee was
/ granted the use Of the Auditorium Oc-
1 tober 8, at which time Bourke Cochran
viii be here and deliver political
! speech.
! The Fusion county committees were
given the use of the Auditorium for No
( vember 3, and Marshalrs band for Tues
| day evening, October g.
I The Young Peoples Good Citizenship
Z federation was granted the Auditorium
( on November g.
SMALLPOX SITUATION.
/ City Physician Hogeboom was present
I last night and said that there had been
no provision made for furnishing coal
and provisions for the pest house The
[ county commissioners had refused to
foot any of the bills incurred by the city
I in caring for the smallpox patients, and
there was no provision made whereby
/ the cit yshOuld pay the expenses.
He also said that the officers Of the
health department were doing all they
could TO prevent a recurrence of the
smallpox epidemic. but that the cpl
lELELG WQul4 come QnleS1 extreme meas
ures were adopted, and to- that end he
asked the hearty cooperation of the city
council He also asked for an ambu-
lance as the city has no way of taking
patients TO the pest house. Last year
the undertakers did this work but they
refused to do so any longer. The COM
mittee on health and sanitation was en-
powered TO purchase a horse and wagon
TO be used for that purpose It will be
kept at the fair grounds under the d.
rection OF the health department
A I'll -
had no right to pay for the maintenance
Of the pest house out of the city funds
as the city had paid taxes to the county
for that purpose and the county COM
they refused to do it they should be
prosecuted for malfeasance in Office
Mayor Drew said that the county com
IllsSlonerS had repeatedly refused and
neglected to look after smallpox cases.
and ne considered that they were crirni-
nally responsible.
HACK PASSENGERS PROTEST
4 petition signed by 134 taxpayers was
presented asking that the council take
some action to relieve passengers from
the eNorbiEant charges and fees exact
ga from passengers by the owners and
drivers OF certain hacks, cabs and other
public conveyances used for passenger
service within the city It is well known
that II is the practice of owners and dri-
vers Of said public conveyances to ex-
tort from passengers unreasonable fees.
therefore, we pray that all such public
conveyances be properly regulated by
licenses and other municipal ordinance
which VIII place their service unques-
honably on common carrier basis and
thereby render relief not only to your
petitioners but TO the whole city"
The petition was referred to the coun-
ell as committee Of the whole The
city attorney has prepared two ordinan-
ces to meet the request of the petition
one ordinance provided for the levying
and collection OF a license tax upon
hackmen, carriages IN the city OF To-
peka and fixed penalty for violation of
not less than s. nor more than S25. The