The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-29
a Few FLOOD RRMARKs.

North Topeka last night in Hanley' 5
hall. In view of the unprecedented work
and aid extended the North Topeka peo-
pie through this organization. it is al
most inconceivable that the reported &C
ton should have taken place. The meet
ing was under the auspices Of the North
Topeka Flood club. This meeting
demanded a full statement of all that
was spent" 1t also demanded that
whatever was left of the money in the
hands of the Commercial club should
be turned over to North Topeka parties
for further distribution"
T. NJ. Hanley. the president of the
club, was instructed to appoint a COM
mittee for this purpose. 1t was sug-
gested that IAN attorney be employed
and the Commercial club legally forced
to say what it had done with the re-
lief fund" A report of the meeting
says that 1.-The unanimous opinion of all
present was that fraud had been prac-
ticed and the matter should be investi-
gated" Some of those present stated
that they had been charged up with
$3.50 worth of goods when the stuff
they had received was very dear at
$500" And further that they could
duplicate the goods at an expenditure
of from $500 to $1,000" Again, that
many of the flood sufferers testified
that they had applied for aid to the
Commercial club and that any assist
ance whatever had been refused"
Some of these things are quite inn
portant if true. In the first place. this
North Topeka flood club should re-
member that four weeks ago $4,000 was
appropriated to render special aid to
North Topeka sufferers in the way Of
giving worthy and needy people spe-
cial means to assist them in making
their homes habitable and enabling
the heads of families to pursue their
voca lions.
This money was turned over to a
committee composed of North Topeka
people. If any one should be criticised,
and this paper is not now offering any
criticism this North Topeka flood club
should criticise the committee composed
of it's own people, for this committee
for nearly a month has had the $5,-
900 in cash and has not yet expended
a dollar. The committee has gone very
carefully to work to relieve the dis
tress along lines pointed out in the
resolutions passed by the Commercial
club when the money was appropriated.
The committee announced that it would
receive applications. would investigate
the same and would appropriate the
funds at it's disposal to the worthy and
needy people
Some seven hundred applications
have been filed. 1t has been q task of
some magnitude to classify and prepare
the list. The State Journal under
stands that this has now been done.
that the names have now been put in
order by streets and other classiica~
lions, and that the committee will, at
an early time. proceed to investigate
each and every case and make the dis
tributions; we hope with all due speed.
This paper has endeavored to secure
the list of the applicants, their addresses
and the nature of their requests for
assistance needed or desired. We believe
the list should be published as the mon
ey appropriated is public money given
for purpose and it is only right that
the public should know Just where the
money is expended, to whom and for
what purpose. The publication would
undoubtedly prevent some imposition.
While the great majority of the appn-
cants are beyond a doubt needy and
worthy. there are known to be some APP
pications which should be rejected.
Indeed. the committee has absolutely
refused to consider some requests. Cases
have developed where people owning
north side property have filed applica-
tions for assistance. and on the face the
cases have appeared to be urgent, but
upon careful investigation have been
shown to be unworthy of attention. Two
individual cases of this nature will be
cited as an illustration:
A widow owning North Topeka prop
erty made application for assistance to
rehabilitate her home. On the face of
the application she seemed to be en-
titled to relief funds. but upon search
it was found that she owned 100 acres
of good farming land in Wabaunsee
county upon which she could easily Sc
cure additional funds to be used in re-
pairing her flooded property; that she
was the owner of some other unincum-
bered property in another part Of the
city, that she had already received $50
in cash through Rev. c. NJ. Sheldons
fund.
Another instance is one of citizen of
the North side who is in fairly good
circumstances and who has five differ
ent properties, several valuable. 1t was
suggested to him that he might dispose
OF one of the properties and fix up the
others.
Some of the applicants desire money
to re-paper the rooms in their houses;
others to fix their porches; others to
paint; others to rebuild foundations.
The committee thinks it win have to
refuse appropriations for walI-papering
OF course a hundred thousand dollars
could be distributed by this committee
to enable sufferers to restore their prop
erty but in view of the limited funds
available it is imperative that the
amounts distributed be to those people
who cannot otherwise secure assist
ance.
1t should be borne in mind by these
North Topeka people who met last night
t0