The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-13
1T SHOULD STOP.
An Excellent Suggestion Con-
corning Topeka Paving.
Should Be Limited to Amount
Of Bonds Paid Annually.
BURDEN is TOO GREAT.
Mr.. Macferran Says Ia Blocks
a Year Is Enough.
Major Anderson Replies to State
Board of Charities.
BURDEN is TOO GREAT.

Board of Charities.
William Macferran, cashier of the
State Savings bank, read significant
and interesting paper at the regular
meeting of the Topeka Commercial
club, Wednesday evening; his subject
was, SHOULD Additional Paving Bonds
Be Issued?" and the sentiments con-
tanned in it received not only the APP
prevail of all who expressed themselves
before the club, but likewise a number
of business men whom Mr.. Macferran
was able to see Wednesday afternoon
after the preparation of the paper.
Mr. Macferran took the position that
while the city must keep up its i'm
provements and should continue new
ones, he believed that some caution
should be exercised in the expenditure
or money in this direction. His position
was that the amount of paving costs.
should be not more than equal to the
amount of bonds paid off from year to
year. Mr.. Macferran said:
-"The credit of the city is good and
doubtless a good many paving bonds
can still be sold, but the question is
continually arising in the minds of the
people as to whether or not any more
~N--@t
what extent
1.-THE present bonded Indebtedness of
this city, including the debt of the board
of education, is according to the figures
of the city clerk, substantially as fol-
lows:
Long time bonds. $4,000
Paving bonds -.-.-.--.-.------- 4sS,O0o
City of Potwin bonds. ..-....... $4,000
Board of education bonds.....- $1,000
Total .......... .....-........:s1.2 PSI. 900
IF the school and waterworks bonds
that are being talked of shall be voted.
the municipal debt will be increased to
approximately 81, 000, 900, or not far from
20 per cent of the assessed valuation of
the taxable property subject to the pay
@The taxpayers have observed and
generally complained of the increased
levies of late years and any increase in
our bonded indebtedness will necessarily
mean still further increase in these
'6The natural tendency of municipal
governments is towards increased ex-
penses both in the salaries of officers
and in the number of offices to be nlled.
consequently we may expect that To-
peka will be no exception to the rule
and the expenses of our city govern
ment and the cost of our schools will
naturally increase.
tTopekas present levy is approx
mately so mills. This includes state.
city and all other taxes. Two and one
nalI mills Oh IQlS amount LOT Inc
terest and maturing principal of the
$472,0 900 Of paving bonds already issued.
This two and one-half mills pays 40 per
cent of the paving tax and interest on
same and the remainder is supposed to
be paid by the abutting property
owners.
The taxes levied and collected within
the city of Topeka now amount to $43S,
600 per annum, and this is barely enough
to meet its expenditures. We should
bear in mind that we must exchange
some day our present prosperity for
hard times again. A poor crop or two
will hasten this. Some New York finan-
ciers are already predicting that the
crest of the wave has been reached.
Iron, that never failing and true indica-
tor, shows it already. When this comes
Topeka does not want to be debt-ridden
to the limit; 1893 is not such ancient
history that we can be excused for blum
dering again so soon.
THE need for additional pavement does
not arise in the business portion of To-
peka as it is entirely paved and farm
ers can strike a main paved thorough
fare upon entering the city from almost
any direction There is no occasion to
shorten a pleasure drive for lack Of
paved streets upon which to travel Any
additional pavement win accommodate
the property owners thereon and but
few others. 1t does, however, tend to
beautify and greatly improve the APP
pearance of our city and in this con-
tically in favor of paving and all other
municipal improvements that tend to
the advance of our city so long a they
can be afforded
Probably no city of our population in
the United States can outclass US in the
nature or extent of pavements laid. The
past three years have made a wonderful
change in the appearance of our city
and the DaVements laid have added
greatly to the convenience of our peo-
pie, and the travelling public in general
These pavements were generally needed
and our tax payers are willing to pay
for them. but the burden can be made
too heavy in this direction as we'll as in
others.
ITO the ever increasing expenditures of
q city must be added the cost of repair
and maintenance of its improvements.
As yet the expense of repairing our
brick pavements has been practically
nothing. The cost of repairing the as
phalt pavements is heavy and some of
these must be replaced in the near flu
cure. Inc paving on West Sixth street
will have to be torn up and replaced
very soon. It would seem that the
cost of repairing important thorough
fares like Kansas avenue and West
Sixth street should be borne by the
city. BY paving a large number of the
streets of the city at about the same
time the expenses of repairing and re-
paving Will come close together and a
load is being prepared for the CITY to
take on at some future time when it
may not be in good condition so to do
Municipal economics are based upon the
same fundamental principle as private
affairs. It would seem to be wise not to
incur further expense until the present
debt is reduced
LAS the paving bonds already issued
mature annually to the amount of one
tenth of each issue the number of bonds
being paid off is now approximately
$4,000 per year. Would it not be wei
therefore for our city council to limit
the amount Of future paving to be don't
in one year to the amount of bonds paid
eff in that year. or approximately $780,
600? This would pave about II block;
with vitrified brick according to the
arices now Maid Tt would seaun thai