The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-14
Council Reduces Hucksters' Lii
cense from $50 to $50.
Fight of GrOcerymen for Pro-
hibitiVe Fee Lost.
BONDS AUTHORIZED.
Final Step to Legalize Issuance
for Special improvement.
Protests by Residents Of Second
Street Benefit District.

Councilman W. F. Weber's gallant
effort to prevent the inroads of the veg
etable huckster upon the business OF
the groceryman was thwarted Monday
night when the city council reduced the
huckster license from $35 a year down
to $50 year and made it possible TO
secure a license for a period of six
months. which is as long as the average
huckster is in business each year. the
ordinance was passed and, as a final
fling at his victorious foes. Councilman
Weber introduced a resolution directing
the license collector to make them pay
up Immediately, and had it adopted.
Councilman Weber has been the chief
exponent Of high license for vegetable
peddlers and was instrumental, in be-
half of the grocerymen of Topeka, in
getting the license fixed at S35 when the
new license ordinance was drawn up
last year. But the hucksters objected,
saying the $35 fee was so high as to be
almost prOhiblttVe of an honest DuSl-
ness activity. The final decision of the
matter waited until last night when it
was brought up by Councilman Swend-
son who wanted the license settled so
that the city collector could gather his
revenues.
There was division of opinion about
the proper amount of the license but it
didn't take Councilman Weber long to
discover that he was on one side while
all the rest of the council was on the
other. The reduction of the fee went
through without any delay. Ten dollars
a year is about all that any huckster
will pay as his business season need not
extend longer than that.
The new bond ordinance, authorizing
the issue and sale of the $4,000 worth
of special improvement bonds to pay
for this years paving, was passed by
the council last night. An option for
the sale of these bonds has been given
William Macferran, of the State Saw
ings bank, for thirty days The bank
will buy $4,000 worth of them There
is some difficulty about floating bond.
of this character upon the market at
this time. and it may be found neces-
sary to turn some of them over to the
paving contractors in payment for
work. They are twenty year bonds
drawing . per cent. interest, and VIII
be a good investment for bond buyers.
In order to prevent fast riding OF
driving over the new wooden approach
to the Melan arch bridge, the council
passed an ordinance prohibiting ii amt
imposing a penalty of a fine of from
five to twenty-five dollars for the
offense.
Trouble over the hack and express.
wagon stand ordinance which passed
the council a week ago, appears to be
brewing. The council ordered the ex-
press wagons off of East Sixth street.
At Monday nights council meeting Il
petition signed by Clay Odeu and II
others was received asking that the or
dinance be reconsidered. It is a case of
whether or not the expressmen who
have occupied the streets for years. or
the city which really owns them, will
control their use. +. J. Lynch appeared
before the council in support of the pc
tition. Captain Dunlap. a property own
er in the block, was present and denied
the authenticity of the petition. He said
the bulk of the store keepers in the
block approved the ordinance and didn't
want the expressmen on the street.
The council ordered the petition re-
ferred TO the streets and walks commit
tee where the real condition of affairs
on Sixth street will be investigated.
Judge George Huron and Judge J. G.
Wood appeared before the council to
protest against the including of their
property in the benefit district laid out
for the opening of Second street, be-
tween Fillmore and Western avenue. At
their request the consideration of the or
dinance was laid over until the next
meeting. This will probably result in
the killing Of the whole proposition to
get at the opening of the street this
year for the delay viii probably hold it
too late to get the assessment of the
benefit district upon this years tax rolls.