The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-19
City Council Decides to Improve
More Streets.
Total for the Year Will Be Over
Forty Blocks.
GOVERNORS MANSION.
State to Pay Part of Expense of
Improvement.
Mr.. Williams Appeal for Help
Is Declined.

IL was Held day Tor paVementS in the
city council last night All the pave
ment contractors had to do was to sit
back in the audience and look pleasant.
The council reconsidered its former ac-
ton and allowed four and one-half
more blocks of pavement. bringing the
total up to 4015 blocks which will cost
in the neighborhood of s175.Oo0. The
additional blocks allowed last night
We're as follows:
+ West Eighth, between Buchanan and
Lincoln. the block north of the COVER
nor's mansion.
Topeka avenue, Douthitt tract to
Huntington avenue, which brings the
pavement within a block of the fair
ground gates.
Tyler street. between Second and
Third.
East Seventh street, between Monroe
and Madison, to give better facilities
for quick runs out of the fire depart
ment headquarters, and from the hook
and ladder station.
Mayor Parker appointed the follow
ing appraisers for the first lot of pave
ment which will be let to the contract
Ors: G O. Knowles. Geo. H. McCOlliS-
ter and Fred n. Miller.
The first lot of pavement to be let
includes % blocks. The second lot of
paving, which win be let later on in
cludes the four and half blocks allow
ed last night, together with seven
blocks on Kansas avenue from Tenth
to Euclid avenue The Kansas avenue
pavement is held up pending the meet
ing of the street railway stockholders,
who viii decide whether or not the
company wants a double track line OF
single track line down Kansas avenue,
south of Tenth avenue. If single
track is decided upon, the pavement
viii be reduced in width by eight feet.
A special meeting of the council was
ordered for April 10 to hear protests
from property owners on the report of
| the appraisers appointed for the first
% blocks.
The city clerk was authorized to ad-
vertise for bids on an issue of SIS, 600
in 5 per cent Improvement bonds which
will cover the cost of this years pave
ment The bids Will be opened at the
meeting of the city council to be held
on May 4.
Instructions were also given to the
city clerk to advertise for bids on the
construction Of the first lot Of % blocks
of pavement
Official plats Of the first lot of pave
ment were filed by the city engineer
with the council and approved.
STATE WILL PAY CASH
The state of Kansas has appropriated
$500 to pay for its share of the pave
ment to be laid in the block north of
the governors mansion. To show its
generosity, the state win bear the extra
expense of a double line of curbing
which is necessary to carry out the plan
of leaving intact row of fine elns
which now stand in the center of the
street Tom Doran represented Cover
nor Bailey at the meeting last night, and
on behalf of the governor urged the
council to allow the petition for paving
the block in question. There has been
some question as to the authority of the
executive council of the state Of Kansas
to sign the petition for paving this block
but Mr.. Doran contended that the state
of Kansas is virtually a resident proper
ty owner, and that the executive coun-
Gil is the only body authorized to act
for the state in such matters. The fact
that the state has already made its APP
preparation to pay for its share of the
pavement in cash helped to carry
through the proposition.
Mr.. Doran's partner, L. S. Ferry, was
also on hand to boom paving PROPOSE
ton which the council had killed at d
former meeting Mr. Ferry wanted
pavement on lower Topeka avenue, and
he got it.
The pavement of the block on Tyler
street was allowed out of Difference to
Councilman Weber, who wanted that
piece of pavement for his constituents,
and who threatened to play buH-in-the-
china closet for the other pavement
hunters unless he should be taken into
the bandWagOn.
The block on East Seventh was or
dered paved by resolution There was
no petition for it. but the council thought
it was a good thing, and they puShed
it in with the others.
A NEW WATCHDOG.
Councilman Swendson of the Sixth
ward took his station in front OF the
city treasury last night and will play
the role of watchdog for the next two
years. He introduced a resolution which
if lived up to in good faith he says Will
enable the city to clear off It's HoaunS
debt of $50 600 during the next two years
while Mr.. Bergundthal expects to be in
] IL. -~4fr- ft01
Mr.. Swendson's resolution was a good
one, and was passed. 1t provides that IN
the future all propositions involving any
extra expense not provided for in the
shall be referred to the ways and means
committee for their diligent scrutiny
and ever ready pigeon hole
It rests with the incoming council to
make Mr.. Swendson's work effective A
majority of the council can always
muzzle the most savage watchdog.
/ WILLIAMS TURNED DOW y.
Election Commissioner 7. 5. Williams
plan to have a special deputy com
I missioner of elections appointed for
each precinct in the city to assist In
handling the vote in the coming city
election did not look good to the coun-
ell. and it was defeated by a vote of 8
to 2 Councilman Wolf being absent
Some of the councilmen thought they
! detected a deep dyed plot IN the plan,
and they told the council about It. Ihey
said that it seems to be a reflection on
the integrity and ability Of the election
board that it could not handle the work
cut out for them on April Z. The infer
ence was that either Mr.. Williams was
trying to corral lot of patronage, or
else that the Republicans were afraid
the Democrats would try to steal the
election. To refute the latter suspicion,
some Of the Republicans. including
Councilman Bergundthal, voted against
/ Mr. Williams plan.
LITTLE DEMOCRATIC BLUFF.
The discussion of the Williams propo-
sition gave the Democrats good
chance to talk about the registration
situation
MIR. Williams says, commenced
4 Councilman Csriley, Democratic mem
Der from the Second. that the vote is
going to be so heavy that the election
1 board will need help. I think Mr.. VIII