The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-06

which we are pleased to report there
was not
During our stay in ,vincennes we
visited the mayor and the several city
officials regarding the general satisfac-
ton given by this plant and we found
no one but was perfectly satisfied with
the manner in which the garbage was
handled. We also found that the city
Of Vincennes had no sanitary police
men, the contract with the garbage
company being such that they are
your committee, do recommend that the
city of Topeka take immediate steps to
install the system used at Vincennes,
Ind. Respectfully submitted,
H. S. NICHOLS.
JOSEPH GRILEY.
&C. V WOLF"
The new company wants contract
very similar in general form with the
existing franchise of the Topeka Desic-
eating company 1t provides that the
following shall be the maximum sched-
uie Of rates for disposing of refuse:
Horses and cattle ......-- $500
Hogs and calves OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 80
DOGS, fowls and cats -...--..:- ~
Rotten eggs, per barrel of cubic
leeI ---....--- 10
Cesspool contents and night soil, 40c
per barrel or per cubic yard. 2.10
Ashes per cubic yard. 30
Stable manure Observation-Disclosures so
Decayed straw hay, cleanings. etc,
per load of one cubic yard ..-..-.. rs
Refuse and garbage not specified,
per cubic yard --.-..---------- "a
House Stops and garbage per barrel
of two bushels Observation-Disclosures. IL
The most radical change in the char
acter Of the proposed plant is that IL
will, it claims. make . systematic effOrs
to collect kitchen garbage and Stop from
private houses. HOusehOlderS viii be
provided with a tin tank to hold refuse,
and when the tank is full it viii be
hauled away and a clean tank left in its
place. the charge for that service being
IS cents. This IS a reasonable charge
for q valuable service. and it would no
doubt prove very popular in Topeka,
where at the present time there is no
means Of dispcsing of kitchen garbage.
ANOTHER RAISE IN PAY.
Councilman Swendson, who fathers
most of the moves for Increasing the
pay roll Of the city, introduced an ordt-
nance last night increasing to S1.75 the
wages of laborers on the street force.
and to $3.50 the wages of teamsters. The
present wage is $1.50 and 50 respectively.
The ordinance was read and referred
to the committee on streets and walks.
Councilman SwendsOn wants to be a
candidate for mayor some day. and he is
not ayerse to accommodating campaign
thunder a the expense of the city.
I have found he said to a reporter
for the State Journal that the wages
of the street force have not been in
creased since 1885. I think it is time
that they were given a raise
1t IS not claimed that the laborers on
the street force are not now receiving
the highest wages paid in Topeka for
common labor The $50 wages is the
union scale. and the city requires eighr
hours q day. the union hours. 1t is also
generally admitted that a job on the
street force is a snap" compared Sith
working for private parties. and there IS
always q great scramble to get onto that
payroll.
1t would no doubt be a fine thing for
Topeka TO raise the wages of its street
force. They need it much worse than
do tie members of the city council and
the mayor. But with the city finances
in such shape that bonds are to be is
sued to pay current expenses, it looks
very much like unwise and extrava-
giant business policy
EXIT BELL PHONES.
The council took a right hand punch
at the Bell Telephone company last
night. and voted 10 nave taken out Of
service seven OF the ten Bell phones
now in use The six which will be re-
moved before February ] are these:
mayors office. mayors residence, city
clerk. city attorney, city engineer, cleo
ton commissioner and city electric
light plant The phones which will
stay in are the police department, fire
department and health department.