The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-07
CALLED A HALT.
City Shall Share in Expense of
New Streets.
Attorney Spencer Decides That
Assessments Are Unjust.
R0NDS STILL, HNS0ID
BONDS STILL UNSOLD.
City Has $l22,O0O Worth
Awaiting a Purchaser.
Three Democrats, Three Repnb-
licans, Give Capital Printing.

At last nights meeting of the city
council City Attorney Spencer exhumed
an interesting fact, which many people
around town who are paying for open
ing streets and alleys for which they
have no urgent need, would like to have
known about long ago. When a street
is opened a benefit district is created
and tine residents of the district are
taxed to pay for the work The law
provides that the city at large shall
also be taxed something for its share
of the benefit. 1t has been the custom
to assess the city the nominal sum of
one dollar. This is morally wrong.
Judge Hazen has pronounced it legally
so. The city ought to pay a much larger
share of the cost of opening streets and
alleys On Mr.. Spencer's suggestion
last night the council instructed the
mayor to notify the assessors to fol-
low MIR. Spencer's ruling in the future.
City Attorney Spencer also called to
the attention of the council the matter
of the disposal of $4,000 worth of i'm
provement bonds which have not been
sold. The bonds were issued to pay for
this years paving An unexpected
made it difficult to dispose of them.
They are in the vault of the city clerk $
office Mayor Bergundthal, incidental
ly, has objected to dating the bonds
january 1, 1903 which is recommended
by the bond buyers as it gives them six
months extra interest for nothing. 1t
makes bonds more salable to be
"sugared.''
Presently the city will need to pay
estimates on paving work and may
have to pay them in bonds. City Clerk
Suuires saws that although no bids for
the entire lot have been received, ne
has offers for the purchase of $4,000 by
the State Savings bank, which was at
first expected to have taken the entire
lot, and for $4,000 more TO private
parties
The council turned over the matter of
getting the bonds onto the market or
otherwise providing for a realization OF
their face value, to the ways ana means
committee and the mayor
A resolution to let contract for paw
ing. with a provision that it be execu-
ted next year, went through the counclL
This is the first time the council mas
ever let a contract in such manner.
The pavement is to be laid on Kansas
avenue, between Thirteenth ana seven
tenth streets. a petition for II having
been approved and an assessment OF
the adjoining property having peen
made. Councilmen Sinner, Swendson'
Griley. Nellis and Tincher signed the
resolution to let the contract for next
wear. it having been laid over this year
on account Of the financial stress which
confronts the city on account OF the re-
cent flood. ~
When the resolution came up for DIS
cussion Mayor Bergundthal OBJECTED 70
it. He said he considered 1t PAD dust
ness either for the city or paving
contractor to enter into a contract 10 ne
Dostponed so long He also called atten-
ton to the difficulty the city Is having
in disposing of the bonds 1t mas areduy
voted for pavements. 1t Is lkeiy 70 D ,
necessary to pay contractors IN Such
bonds City Attorney Spencer question
ed the Judgment of the counch III
making of such contract
There was no opposition vote oH w
resolution. Mayor Bergundtnal sdlu
that unless the vote favoring the letting
Of the contract was unanimous he woulu
proba bly veto the resolution ordering
the contract. That vote will be by roll
call. ,, VT,
unarth the council passed new ordl-
nance regulating the membership OF the
fire department. The old ordlnahce
fxed a limit to the membership Oh the
department. For years the couhcll mas
oIrarstepDed that limit. Now the coun-
cial has discretion over it. The new
/ ordinance authorizes the appointment o.
assistant foremen, one OF Wnom shdA
have charge of the new aerial truck.
petition for the opening OF Seconc
street between Fillmore and western
avenue. signed by T. F. Doran ano
tvenfv-fve other residents OF the
Fourth ward, was presented to the
/ council. ...,
The collections Of Food inspector
Farms worth. for June. were $24490- LII
/ cense collector H Ward Page took II
5000 The amount of fines collected II
nolice court in June was SAL
In the city printing resolution, tnt
three Democrats in the council united
with the Republicans Weber, Tinche'
and Kutz. electing the Capital Coun
Gilman Howe voted for the Stat
Journal: Swendson, Wolf, Sinner an
Neal for the Herald. The action of tn
council on this subject is given oe4oV
| in detail 80
The offer of Thomas Kennedy OF 800
! for the purchase of the ten acres o
! land which the city owns on Deer creek
I east of town, was accepted.
nnrn III VI G DOME