The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-05
City Council is Economical and
Extrayagant in One Night.
City Physician Judd Deprived of
$50 a Month.
NO MORE EXTRA PAY.
The Smallpox Allowance is Cut
Of.
Free Dispensary is Given $25
Per Month.

| 1t seems to be made up of alternate
layers of economy and extravaganza.
At the meeting last night it passed
! resolution cutting off the $50 a month
| which the city has been patiently pay
ing to the city physician for the care
| of smallpox patients, when there were
no patients. and left the physician
without extra pay for smallpox work
| just when that disease is starting up
in business again. That was economy.
1t then passed a resolution giving SIS
a month to a free dispensary'' estab-
| lished to distribute medicines to the
| poor of the city, when at the same time
| the city is paying $40, 900 a year towards
! fund which pays the county physician
| for doing exactly the same work. That
| looks like extreme iberality.
1t approved the report or a committee
! recommending that the pay of five en-
| ployes at the city electric light plant
| be raised from $50 to $3.50 a month.
and it killed a proposed raise of $40 IL
month for special policeman petit
! toned for by a dozen coal dealers who
are troubled by track thieves
As sort of an antidote for hberality,
| it transferred $1,000 frorn the paving
| fund to the general Improvement fund.
| The significance of this move is that the
| city has exhausted it's money for cur
rent expenses, and will be obliged to
call on the banks for help to pay its
| October bills
| The members of the board of health
are greatly aroused by the action of the
council in cutting off the smallpox Zee
which has been paid to the city physi-
clan. They say that they believe that
City Physician Judd will resign rather
than attend smallpox cases without
extra pay. DR.. Judd gets $50 a month
as regular salary besides the smallpox
fees. His official duties are such that
! he is obliged to spend only a few min
utes every day or SO in his office at the
city building. DIR. o. P. Davis, one of
the members of the board, says:
"Dr. Judd jeopardizes his practice by
attending smallpox cases. He should be
paid that extra $50"
DR.. L. NJ. Powell, the other member
of the board, says: "Dr. Judd will like
~ resign. I am in favor of paying a
man 5000 month to attend to smallpox
cases."
At the next meeting of the council,
which will be held, pursuant to adj
journment, on November IS, there will
undoubtedly be a fight made for the
restoration to DR.. Judd of the $50 which
the council took away last night
The new free dispensary which the
council has voted to subsidiZe to the
extent of s25 month is backed by sew
eral doctors who are members of the
faculty of the Kansas Medical college.
They deny that the proposed dispensary
has any connection with the college.
The request for aid was presented to
the council in the following words:
e,
sicians of Topeka believe that a free
dispensary established economically and
properly conducted is a movement much
needed for the humane care of the poor
of this city.
1--WE would therefore most respect
fully petition your honorable body to
appropriate an amount not to exceed
$25 a month to defray the necessary ex-
penses of conducting such an enter
prise.
1T is agreed by the undersigned
physicians to render their professional
services free of charge.
IN. r. MITCHELL.
''F. H. MARTIN.
III. L. ALKIRE.
40. P. DAVIS.
IF. G. LAGERSTROM."
The expenditure of the money is left
wholly with the five doctors interested.
The city has no voice in the regula-
ton of the proposed dispensary. Some
time ago the city used to pay $50 a
month to the Kansas Medical college for
a free dispensary. Later the sum was
reduced to $25. Then it occurred to
some councilman that the city was pay
ing twice for the same service; once by
means of special tax, and again from
the general revenue fund of the city. So
the appropriation for a free dispensary
was cut off, and the poor of the city
have since been receiving free medicine
from the county physician. All that is
necessary is that they get an order from
Poor Commissioner Hale, and the coun-
ty doctor does the rest.
VICTORY FOR PARK PAVEMENT.
The proposed pavement on Clay street
along the western boundry of Central
park was officially Endorsed by the
council last night, though there was a
hard fight made against it by Council
man Miller.
A resolution was introduced instruct
ing the mayor to sign the petition, as
representative of the city, for the pave
ment of Clay, between Thirteenth and
Fifteenth. Councilman Miller called
for-e r,,,fr,
ion as to whether or not it was neces-
sary for the mayor to sign the petition.
Il can't see why it is necessary for the
city to sign the petition said Mr..
Spencer, though 1 can see no objection
to so doing. If the council grants the
petition, of course the city will have to
pay its share of the cost of the pave
ment. Whether the mayor signs for the
city or not is immaterial.
But evidently the council thought, af-
ter hearing the question discussed, that
and so instructed the mayor. This
practically assures the Clay street pave
ment.
AN IMPORTANT RESOLUTION
Councilman James S. Warner intro
duced an important resolution, which
was passed. 1t provides that in the fu
ture the particular kind of pavement
material called for in any pavement
petition shall be allowed, and that no
subsequent petitions calling for some
different material shall be considered
unless the subsequent petltlon contains
the names of a majority of the resident
property holders in the territory liable
for taxation
1t is thought that this resolution will
do away with much petty chickering's be-
tween rival contractors concerning the
kind of material to be used.
WANTS DEAD BEATS REMOVED.
Councilman Joseph Griley is after the
dead beats in the city's employ. He in
troduced a resolution, which was passed
making it an offense punishable with
dismissal for a city employee to refuse
to pay his debts Some employees of the
city seek to hide behind the provisions
of law prohibiting garnishment of wages
of a city wage Garner. It is this class