The Topeka state journal., 1902-01-07
Sliding Scale According to Term
of Service Adopted.
HELP FOR MR.. SPENCER
w. A. S. Bird Employed to
Assist in VinewOOd Case.
Barber Asphalt Company Ques-
tiOn Left Undecided.
Contract For City Park Sewer
is Awarded.

AS a result of a compromise, the
council last night passed two importa MT
measures; first, the building of a sewer
through the city park, and second, the
increase of the pay of all the policemen
and sergeants on the Topeka police
force. 1t also voted to hire City At
torney Spencer another assistant-this
time in the Vinewood park case
The contract for building the city
park sewer wasalet to Wall & Hanley
for 81 213SO. The other bidders were p.
L. Wise, s.. 2.SS7.SI; Winans & Morse, ST.
S79; James Ramsey, $2.STS; Ed Hawes.
g. 81 90 The work of building the
sewer will progress as fast as the
weather permits.
Councilman Troutman introduced the
resolution to provide for an increase IN
the pay of policemen. 1t provides lns:1
from and after February 1, 1902, patrol
men shall be paid $50 month for the
first year of service, $55 month for the
second year of service, $50 a month Tor
the third and subsequent years of serV-
ice. Sergeants will be paid $50 for The
first year of service, $65 for the second
year and $50 for the third and suDse-
quent years The city attorney Is m
structed to draw up a suitable amend
ment to the salary ordinance of the city
to cover these changes. 1t was stated
by Councilman Troutman that the be-
ginning of the time of service should De
understood to date back to the begin
ming of continuous service OF each pa
trolman-
without a dissenting vote on either,
though both have been stubbornly OPP
posed ever since they first made their
appearance in the council arena The
admins stration portion of the council
fought the sewer and favored the IN
crease in pay, and vice versa 1t was
rolerably certain that either both meas
ureS would die or both succeed, and 50
the councilmen rolled logs and passed
both measures.
BARBER COMPANY ON CARPET.
There was an animated discussion on
the subject of asphalt pavement repairs
by the councilmen last night, in which
several members took occasion to tell
why they were in favor of compromls-
ing with the Barber Asphalt company.
Councilman Warner started the dis
cuSSion, after Mayor Hughes had urged
that something ought to be done to
bring the question to an immediate
focus
Il see," said Councilman Warner,
that some intimatfons of fraud have
been made concerning the attitude of
some members of the council on this
subject Of asphalt paving I have been
in the council for several years, ara 1
would like to know just what truth
there is in such rumors- If necessary,
would like to have an investtgati ton
made, to determine whether or not any
improper methods have been used by
the Barber company
have no sympathy to waste on the BAR
Der Asphalt Paving company, but /
want the city to get out of this difficulty
in the best possible way. If the Bar
Der company has two or three thousand
dollars worth OF work to do here to
complete it's contract, I am opposed to
talking compromise. But If in a lawsuit
we would be unable to recover anything
but actual damages I believe that We
would do better to deduct from the
amount due the company the actual
damage which we have suffered, and
tender the rest as a compromise
Councilman Snattinger also spoke on
the question. He said: ''Mr. DemareSt
comes here and says he is willing to
do anything we ask him to do. But he
does little or nothing. 1 admit that
there IS something in this that I can't
understand. Perhaps the Barber com
pAny has a good excuse for not working
just now but it at least should answer
our letters, and endeavor to explain it's
action"
Mayor Hughes stated emphatically
that the Barber company is still owing
the city repairs which it will cost four
or five thousand dollars to complete,
and that he believed that a fair chance
had been given the company to fulfill
sts contract He was in favor of taking
legal steps.
City Attorney Spencer made a state
ment of the legal phases of the case.
Councilman Weber moved to lay the
matter over till the next meeting for