The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-13
SPENCER IS BUSY
Making a Compilation of the
City Ordinances.
This Is Done Simply for Office
Use.
MAY LEAD TO MORE.
Probable That There Will Be
Complete Revision.
City Enactments Are in Very
Bad Shape.
Y LEAD TO MORE.

BAD shape.
City Attorney Spencer is making a
compilation, for his office use, of the
city ordinances now in force and effect.
This is the work which the city has
for long time been wanting to have
done for publication, though Mr.. Spen-
| GERS work will not be as extensive
as that planned by the city 1t is
| likely, however, that this work may
| form the basis for a complete revision
and compilation of the city ordinances,
which has been delayed only because
| of the large expense attached.
The last city ordinance book, pub
lished in 1888, was compiled by City
Attorney w. A. S. Bird. It is possible
that City Attorney Spencer may be
able to extend the scope of his present
work so that it will be a complete
ompilation of all existing ordinances,
in which case the city would probab-
ly decide to have it published. The
cost of having the ordinances COM
piled and published is what has stood
in the way up to this time. If City
Attorney Spencer can compile the or
dfnances, there are about 125 law firms
in the city which would doubtless buy
copies of the book, at a good round
price, thus helping out in the cost
of publication.
Ex-City Attorney Bird compiled the
last ordinance book in connection with
his other official work, as is shown
by the following extract from the pref
ace to the ordinance book. signed by
Mr.. Bird:
1.-The preparation of the induces. and
in fact the whole work of compilat ton,
has been done under constant inter-
ruption from other official duties of
the most exacting nature, and this, it
is hoped, will in some measure excuse
whatever shortcomings may exist
ordinance h.
lished under the provisions of the fol-
lowing ordinance:
when published, the copies of
said revised ordinances shall be placed
in the custody of the city clerk, who
shall deliver one in sheep binding to
each of the following city officers:
Mayor, each councilman, city attorney,
city clerk, city treasurer fire marshal
city engineer, street commissioner, po-
lice judge, city marshal, (and an ad-
ditional copy to each of his deputies) :,
food Inspector, weighmaster and his
deputies, one to each of the three phv-
sicians on the board of health, one
copy for use at the police court room
one copy to the district court of Shaw
nee county, two copies to the state IL
brarian, and one copy in paper bind
ing to each and every other city Off
GER; and shall preserve the remaining
copies in sheep binding for future use
subject to the direction of the city
council. The remaining COPIES in ma
per binding shall be set apart for sale
by the city clerk, as they may be APP
piled for from time to time, at the
cost price of the same to the city The
city clerk shall keep a record of all
copies disposed of by him. and nav
over monthly to the city treasurer all
moneys received from the sale of any
copies, and the city treasurer shall re-
ceipt therefor. The copies presented
to the different city officers shall AT
the expiration of their terms of Office
pc turned over to their successors in
Office
Mr.. Spencer's plan is to comnile a
book for his own use which will. using
the 1883 ordinance book as a basis con-
tain all changes made in the ordinances
in that book since its issue, with either
copies of the ordinances or citations ia
them in the city records
An investigation would doubtless re-
veal that there are scores of conflicting
ordinances upon the books. Many an
ordinance has been passed, FORGOTTEN
and few years later a new one pass
ed on the same subject. Scores of or
dinances are dead letters and ought to
be wiped off the books. CounciImen
who have hobbies to ride frequently
have ordinances put on the books
which no one expects will ever be en-
forced. They are put there simply be-
cause the councilmen like to help each
others measures along when they can |
A vast quantity of this fool legislatio
is put on the books every year. If the
ordinance really conflicts with any
tHlLS anybody wants TO do, 1t is
promptly knocked out by the courts, |
but otherwise it becomes dead wood in
the city records.
G. c. Clemens says that there is no |
one in Topeka who does not violate $50 |
worth of ordinances every morning be- |
fore breakfast, and it is probably true |
No one pretends to know what ordin- |
ances are in existence and what are |
not. Only the very commonest ordin- |
ances, which the police are called upon |
daily to enforce, are kept fresh in the |
officers.
To give some idea of the vast amount /
of legislation which the city had en-
acted, consider these figures on the
number of ordinances passed during