The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-25
PECK OF TROUBLE.
New Benefit District Source OF
Many BlHnders.
City Officers Hear No End Of
Complaints.
INVOLVES $500 LOTS.
Will Probably Get Into the
Courts in End.
Means an Expenditure Of Over
$4,000 in Money.


izing seventeen benefit districts for
opening streets, involving a special tax
on about 500 lots, and total expendl-
true of 81, 013, there should have been
are now getting the full benefit of the
mistakes.
There is a procession of Indignant or
inquiring taxpayers constantly headed
for the city building, and the city at
torney and city clerk are kept busy ex-
planning and conciliating. Usually the
taxpayer is satisfied, after investigation.
that he is not being robbed or victim
lied, but occasionally there is an excep-
ton.
The biggest exception SO far is in the
benefit district known as district Tor
opening Second street from Western
avenue to Fillmore. Third street from
southeast corner of Fernald tract to
Fillmore, and to widen Fillmore from.
Third street to the south line of the
Bromich tract" 1t will cost $6,445 to
make these improvements, according to
the appraisers report, and the people l1v-
ing in the district are preparing to hold
a meeting for the purpose of taking q
concerted action to smash the whole
proposition. 1t is practically certain
that a suit will be filed in the district
court to enjoin the collection of the spe
cial tax. and thus test the validity of
the organization of the district.
The district which is planning to
make this fight in the courts involves
larger expenditure of money than any
other one district. 1t covers a territory
bounded on the north by the city limits
on the east by Polk street, on the south
by Fifth street. and on the west by
Buchanan street. The people living i'll
this district make two principal objec-
lions to the collection of the proposed
tax.
First, they maintain that the district
should have been made a great deal
larger, SO that the cost to each lot
would have been less. To raise the &c.
To I11vy he ,arfU ooT
demned it will be necessary to tax every
lot about $40. The average for all the
benefit districts in town is only about
So, rs per lot.
Second, it is claimed that the apprais-
ers were unjust in their appraisement,
and have made it necessary for those
who live at some distance from the pro-
posed Improvement, and who are not
benefited thereby, to pay the same as
those who live in the immediate vicin-
ity. The appraisers were r. M. Spivey,
Samuel Dolman and Fred N. Miller.
They insist that they have done the
work according to law.
1t may be that the city has made mis-
takes in handling the vast amount or
business required to create seventeen
benefit districts for opening streets. The
responsibility for the mistakes is prob
ably divided between the council, the
appraisers and the taxpayers. The
council may have made mistakes in de-
termining the boundaries for the dis
tricts and in ''railroading'' through the
appraisers reports without knowing
what they were doing; the appraisers
may have erred in their judgment, and
the taxpayers are no doubt at fault for
failing to protect their interests by keep
ing their eye on both the council and
the appraisers until too late.
The excuse for all these blunders Is
not hard to find. topeka simply tried
TO handle more of this sort of business
this season than its official facilities
permit. In common slang. it bit off
more than it could masticate 1t tried
to do so much that it has to rush things
through without due consideration.
One of the biggest benefit districts in
the city, for the opening of Morse
street, was officially buried by the coun-
ell after the appraisers had made up
their report, because Councilman Ber
gundthal, who owned property in the
district, was not satisfied with the
amount of damages allowed him by the
appraisers, and threatened to start a
suit unless it was rectified. 1t would
perhaps have been good thing if other
districts had been similarly buried
Creating benefit districts for street op-
ening, and appraising the property in
those districts, is bitter sort of pill
and involves an immense amount of
work, to say nothing of expense. The
council has for year after year delayed
taking this pill. and the clamor for the
opening of certain streets especially in
North Topeka, has been growing louder
ana lOuQer. his year, the council grit
ted its teeth. and decided to finish up
everything in sight at one gulp. The
result is that the rush of work is big
ger than the city is prepared to handle
with ease.
The following is complete list of the
II districts which have been created,
and the amount which it will cost to
make the specified Improvement:
| Opening Second and Third and
widening Fillmore ..................$ 6445 90
| Opening alley in rear of Spruce
street Observation-Disclosures. 1850
Extending Twelfth street from
BeaIs addition to Chandler.. 161.OO
Opening and extending Laurent,
Norris. Polk and Taylor ...... s.12s. 90
Widening Fifteenth between Clay
and Buchanan ..................... 250.c0
| Mulvane -. ..................... $500
| Opening alley between Garfield and
West ...................... $500
| Widening Van Buren, between Bea-
con and TWenty-third ........... 10000
Lane .......... -... 10000
addition ............-........ 10000
streets 49,. observation-disclosures. $500. 90
Widening Jefferson street. .......... 10000
| Opening West street .-..-........... 600.0O
| Opening alley between Madison
| and JEFFERSON 5000
| Opening alley between Monroe and
| Opening Chandler ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. ]. 30O.O C
! Opening Fourth street ............ 260.00