The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-02
Sixth Ward People Have an
Interesting Meeting.
Col. Hughes Raids One OF OPP
ponent's Meetings.
MUCH SEWER TALK.
That Is Bone Of Contention in
This Ward.
Active Opposition to Hughes
Nomination for Councilman.

Col. ]. ". F. Hughes and some OF his
Potwin friends attempted to raid an
an anti-Hughes meeting held Tuesday
night at Aliens store in Auburndale-
One OF the raiders tried to get a mo-
ton adopted declaring it to be the
sense of the meeting that the sewer
question should not be allowed to en-
ter into the contest for councilman,
but this was voted down. The sewer
fight is the basis of the whole struggle
in the Sixth ward. and if Col Hughes
could get rid of that, he would win in
a walk. About so were present at the
meeting.
Not only was Col Hughes present at
the meeting without invitation, but he
made a speech, as did half dozen OF
his followers The people of the
Hughes raiding party were James A
Troutrnan. w NJ Forbes, c. P. Boil
mar. a B. Poole, c. L WOrley, J. W.
Tucker, James Brier. Mr.. Funnel and
Mr. cottrell
According to the original plans. the
meeting was caH=d for the purpose of
hearing a speech by Councilman s A
Swends0n in defense Of the proposition
to include P0twin and all of the Sixth
ward in the proposed sewer district It
was advertised by means of paper
asking Mr.. SwendsOn to make such an
address, and those who signed the pa
per were thereby invited to be pres
ent-
Councilman Swendson and Council
man Tincher have united in the cam
paign to beat Col Hughes and elect ".
A Myers. and they want to make it
appear that the only question is wheth-
er or not Potwin should be allowed to
escape taxation for the new sewer.
You are d lot of tax dodgers" said
8Ir. Swendson last night, addressing
the Potwin delegation You may try
to call yourselves by some other name,
but that is what you are trying to do.
You are trying to dodge the sewer
taxes which you ought to be willing to
pay.
The sewer which you have there in
POtWin is inadequate to your present
and future needs, as the city engineer
has declared. You organized your city
of the third class for the purpose of
floating sewer bonds and then unloading
the whole thing on the city of Topeka
POtwin never paid a special sewer tax.
The city Of Topeka is paying for your
sewer. Colonel Hughes says that a Is
inch sewer is all that Potwin needs, but
the city engineer says that a So inch
sewer is necessary. Which will you be-
lieve, the city engineer or the candidate
for councilman?
Whoever is elected to the city coun-
Gil now viii in all probability be re-
elected two years hence The sewer
question is certain to come up for set
Element some time within those four
years therefore II Is important TO our
people that we should elect the right
kind Of man. It is too early for the
construction OF a sewer now, but it
won't be too early a few years from
now. and then is when we want our
friends in the council
c. P. Bolmar and Councilman G. w
Tineher had pretty hot argument on
the question, and several other speak k
ers on the rival factions mixed things up
some.
w Myers tba cs,5i7a+a ,s~4
Colonel Hughes, said he was not in IA
vor of building a sewer now, but when
It was built. he believed that Potwin.
as well as the rest of the ward, should
help pay for it.
Colonel Hughes also made a speech.
IN when he referred to the things which
ne mad done while in the mayors chair
he hedged on the sewer question.
Inc Potwin people say that when
their sewer proves TO be too small they
are willing to pay their share on the
construction of a new sewer but that
for the present, they want the city to
tx up what remains Of their old sewer
Col Hughes stated to Councilman
Tlncher few days ago: Before we
will pay a special tax for the con-
structIon of a new sewer, we will carry
this case to the supreme court
The people present at the meeting
adopted motion setting forth that #
was the sense of the meeting that no
sewer at all be constructed for the
present Neither of the candidates ad-
Vocate the immediate construction of
the sewer, but Myers friends say that
now is the time to prepare for trouble
in the future
In addition to the $4,000 Potwin sew
er bonds which the city is carrying
and which are now being refunded
there are outstanding $1,000 more in
bonds which the city will have to re-
fund before long. This 81. 900 issue was
to build sewer in Auburndale. About
S4,5Oo OF the amount was used for that
purpose and the rest was put into the
general revenue fund of Potwin All
that part Of Auburndale south of Iau-
rel avenue and west Of the creek never
has had saver. The city of Topeka
Is therefore paying not only for Potwin
and Auburndale sewers, but it is pa
ing about $500 which Potwin simply
used for its general running expenses