The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-26
COULDN'T FIND IT.
Council Seeks in Vain for Some
thing to Quarrel About.
Water Company Allowed to Put
Main on Bridge.
FOR A FIRE ENGINE.
Preliminary Stems Are Tskan
Il A FIRE ENGINE.
Preliminary Steps Are Taken
to Secure One.
Course of instruction in Par
liamentary Law Is Needed.

~ poahu copy OF Roberts Rules of
Order. Without such a guide it is Ii
| able to have to suspend business alto
gether.
1t managed, however, last night after
trying vainly to get into a fight with
Itself. to allow the Topeka Water COM
pany to lay its new ten-inch main
under the pavement of the Kansas ave-
| nue. MeIan bridge; to pass resolution
looking to the purchase of a new steam
fire engine; and to make a preliminary
| step toward careful investigation of
the necessary enlargement of the water
| plant.
| Councilman Swendson introduced the
resolution instructing the fire depart
ment committee and the fire marshal
| 70 investigate the cost of steam fire
engine and the probable expense of
maintenance, and this was passed I'M
animously.
| Councilman Weber then introduced
one pledging the city to purchase a
steam fire engine. ana instructing the
proper officials to ascest ain the cost
If we take such action as this said
Mr.. Weber, II am Informed by several
insurance men that the 20 per cent in
crease in rates which has been made
! will probably be recalled. This is what
the business men want, and I demand
a roll call. l want to get it on record
who is opposed to the business inter-
ests here and who is for those inter-
eSts.''
This raised a protest, and half a doz-
en- councilmen told why a roll call was
unnecessary. Councilman Howe moved
to refer it to the fire committee. Coun-
Gilman Ryder finally rose to point of
order.
Councilman Weber's resolution is
out of ORDER he said, because it COW
erS ground already covered in Council
man Swendson's resolution
Looks to me as though the doctor
was right" said Mayor Bergundthal
doubtfulIy.
Il demand a roll CALL" said Weber.
Lets vote on Howes motion" sug-
gested some councilman.
We'll, all right" said the mayor.
HAll in favor
Hold on there exclaimed Mr..
Weber: "I want roll call on that
Didn't you say that resolution was
out of order?" demanded Councilman
Ryder.
Eyes, I don't hardly think that reso-
luton is in order.'' said the mayor
We'll why don't you decide the point
of order then?' said Councilman
Swendson, fdgeting in his chair.
T did, said the mayor. getting des-
perate.
.AThen let's have that roll CALL" in
sisted Weber.
"You can't call the roll. There isn't
anything before the house" declared
RYDER.
Everybody looked blank for a min
ute. Then two or three councilmen
| jumped I'D and tried to talk about the
war in Korea. or something else.
Meantime Councilman Howe told
Weber that he had the right to appeal
from the ruling of the chair. 1t was
bold and naughty thing to do, of
course. but Mr.. Weber bravelv arose
and said. "Mr. Mayor. I-I-believe
want to appeal from that"
| nxoifan1Anf followed The
mayor grasOed one end of his table
| in each hand and steadied himself. He
| looked like a man who has sold short
thousand bushels of wheat and was
about to be forced into liquidation. It
was the first time in his entire term of
| office that he had been confronted by
such complex parliamentary propo-
sition as an appeal. He got out large
sheet of greasy pasteboard. used by
every mayor since the days of Tom
Anderson. and supposed to contain
some sort of parliamentary inspirat ton
in the form of Rules of the Council
He read slowly down to seventeenth
ly'' while the counci1men darted about
the room, encouraging each other 10
stand firm. Observing that the mayor
was in a desperate position, and might
be obliged to resort to habeas corpus
proceedings to get himself out. Coun-
Gilman Ryder threw himself into the
rauidly widening breach and filed 1t
completely. He whispered to the mayor
and a CLEAN of hope lightened the lat
s.Gentlemep. the decision of the chair
has been appealed from. All in, favor of
sustaining the chair say onosed a sas
no" .Weber voted "no.") THE ayes
ne That's At all right; that's all right" said
Mr.. Weber, his voice quivering with emo
ton "but I want a roll call. move TO
ree9nsld ean Nh have wan roll cali exclaimed
Councilman Swendson, who sometimes
acts as spokesman for the chairman IN
az weber eiIner got his roll call however: He
had pursued it relentlessly and it Hire,
and Examined its contents. He and Coun-
Gilman Kutz were the only ones VINO were
chaiked up in favor of reconsideration
There was quite an effort made in the
early part of the meeting to find some
thing to quarrel about in the proposition
~ How fbe water company the right to
mt its water main under the pavement
of the bridge. instead of laying II on 5,,, TOP
The objection seemed to be based prlncl-
paIly on the theory that because the wa
The naVement. there was certainly some
thing subtly concealed in the plan Whicn
" the council referred the whole matter
to the judiciary committee, the mayor.
city engineer and e ocias viii tell " the
romnany TO go ahead with it's work
The question of having an expert MAKE
an examination of the waterworks plant
10 determine the need of enlargement was
discussed at some length. The council
men seemed inclined to have the lnvestl-
cation made provided it will not cost
much Councilman Howe thought it would
| cost $500: Mayor Bergundthal guessed 500
a day: another councilman said it would
| be at least 81 eco The following resolu-
| tion bv Mr. Howe was finally referred TO
/ the waterworIs committee:
| Ttsyyhereas, There is much dissatisfac-
ton among the people of the city grow
/ ing out of the supposed inability of the
waterworlzs company to furnish suitable
pressure so that property may be pro-
tected and saved from damage or loss IN
.sxNheraas. me contemplated early tax