The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-11
AT The POST
Fulton Doesn't Get Position OF
Assistant City Engineer.
Result is 3 Middle in the En-
gineer's Department.
MIR. MILLER is WROTHY
Says Facts About Salaries Were
to Be Kept Secret.
Makes an Attempt to Justify
the Increases.
MIR. MILLER is WROTHY

The council committee on ways and
means. while it was fixing up the pay OF
the city officers to suit Aforesaid off,
GERS, dipped into the city engineer mud
die. and adopted a plan for fixing up
the difficulties which have existed in
that Office
There has been some animosity dis
played in the engineers Office. w. S.
Fulton, who is something of a ward
politician, works in the engineers
office. He thought that his 'fluence
ought to win him the preference over
Ed Smith. the other assistant employed
in the Office. Mr. Smith is not profess
siona1 politician, and was obliged to de-
pend on merit for his advancement
Mr.. Smith was employed under City
Engineer Wise, and is thorough,
painstaking and competent civil engi-
neer. He has not mixed up in the fuss
for more pay, but some of his friends
who appreciate his merit, have seen to
it that his interests were protected.
AS soon as the talk of more pay for
city employees was discussed, Mr. Full
ton laid his plans to capture the job Of
assistant city engineer and a raise
in pay to correspond with the new dig
nifty.
Under the old ordinance there has
gineer." The ordinance provides for
assistants" for the engineer. Mr.. Full
ton started in to work the ways and
means committee to create the job of
assistant city engineer, and a fat sal
airy, for his especial benefit.
His success in this endeavor was not
wonderful The ways and means COM
mfttee failed to see the force in Mr.
F'ulton's argument about 'huence
When the action of the committee be-
= Iii
pay had been raised from $50 to $65 a
month, and that he had been made
second assistant city engineer" while
Mr.. Smith, who had no f1uence, had his
pay raised from $50 to SIS month. and
was given the official title of assistant
city engineer.
The ways and means committee of
the council Is much distressed because
the schedule of salaries agreed upon
was given to the public through the
State Journal. Chairman s. c. Miller
says that it was agreed among the
members of the committee that nothing
should be told about what action the
committee had taken. He further re
marked that if he knew who had given
out the information he would take con-
siderable pleasure In kicking that per-
son down stairs.
1.-The statement that I was in favor
of paying the mayor 50. 600 a year is
false said Mr.. Miller. Il was in favor
l..
marked to the committee that the city
of Wichita paid its mayor 50. 600, where
upon Mr.. Clancy said that Wichita had
$4,000 revenue every year which Tope-
ka did not have. suppose that he
meant licenses from saloons and broth
els. Mr. CLANCY did not oppose the sal
airy schedule at the meeting of the com
mittee as he said he did He voted for
it. The only one who spoke against it
was Councilman Neil. and when it came
time to vote, I don't know how he
voted He was IN favor of paying the
mayor $1,000 year. Councilman War
ner was the only member Of the COM
naittee not present at the meeting, and
had a talk with him a short time be-
fore we met He said that he was too
busy to come to the meeting. and ask
ed him what he thought about the sal
airy for the mayor He said that he
thought 1900 was all right. So that ex-
elusive of Mr. Clancy. who says he was
opposed to the ordinance. and Mr.. Neil.
who spoke against It, we had a major
ity of the members of the committee
in favor Of the advance in pay propos-
ed for Mayor Hughes.
zone member of the committee was
in favor of paying the mayor 1000 a