The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-25
KILLED IN SENATE.
Bird Bill for Resurfacing Streets
Meets Its Fate Today.

The senate committee of the cities
of the first class this noon recon-
mended against the Bird bill passed
by the house calling for the resur-
facing, repaving, regarding and regut-
tering cf streets by action of the
mayor and city council irrespective of
petition which might be fled by the
property owners liable for the i'm
provement. The Bird bill is the one
which was drawn up at the instance
of the city council and which was pri-
marily intended to take care of a re-
paving of Kansas avenue or rather a
reSurfacing of the present asphalt. AS
the law now exists the mayor and
council may order in such a pavement
the same to be charged up to the abut-
ting property owner but the owners
have recourse by petition which must
be filed within twenty days; or the
mayor and city council may order In
the resurfa cling and repaying and pay
the same from out Of the general i'm
provement fund
The reason for the introduction of
the Bird bill is that it, was known
that a number of property owners are
against the resurfacing Of Kansas
avenue and as the general improve
ment fund of the city is not healthy
enough to take care of such an ex-
pense the only recourse to be had in
securing the needed I'esurfa cling was
the Introduction of the Bird bill.
The senate committee, however
stated that they had had Tumberless
protestations from the citizens of the
city against the passage OF the bill and
could not afford to pass over those
proteStations as against the feeling
and representa- tions of the mayor and
city council of Topeka Senator
Belts of Shawnee county led in the
fight against the bill. Belts stated to
the committee that he had been the
recipient of the protestations.
Representative Bird stated in de-
protestation from property owners in
the city at the time that the bill came
up both in the house committee and
on its final passage before the house.
A number of the city officials were
present to argue in favor of the bill
including Mayor Bergundtl1al. City
Attorney Spencer and City Engineer
McCabe. City Engineer McCabe stated
to the committee that the life of the
asphalt pavement in the city was at
stake. He states that there are 193,-
600 square yards of pavement in the
city and that if something is not done
soon in the way of resurfaciIlg a. large
part of this viii be ruined as the paw
ing is r0ttening away and exposing the
binder which in places itself is giving
way. The attempt at repairing each
year is not much of success, the
pavement is deteriorating more rap
idly than it can be kept UP though it
is costing the city about $4,000 a
year with the Barber Asphalt COM
pany.
Two other bills of particular i'm
pOrtance were considered by the COM
mittee and passed. The first of these
is the bill providing for the taking
over by cities of the first, second and
third class of waterworks plants, cleo
trio light plants and other public
utilities and their management under
municipal control.
The other bill recommended to the
senate for passage by the committee
was the one enlarging the scope of the
public utilities bill it applies to
cities of the first class having a pOpu-
lation of under so, 900 by introducing
the words crematories and desiccating
plants and providing that such cities
may issue bonds calling for their erec-
ton, the plants to be under municipal
control.
The city council has been awaiting
favorable action from the legislature
before going ahead and voting on the
proposition. Since the house has
passed upon it and the senate COM
mittee it looks as if the matter is
about to be favorably adjusted. The
city council have expressed them
selves in favor of the erection of a
plant to cost in the neigh
borhood of SIS. 900 and with this ac
tion of the legislature about to be
the proposition to vote
the bonds for such a utility will prob
ably come before the citizens of the
city in the near future.