The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-05
Salary Ordinance Is Reconsider
ed and Revised.
City Council Raises Salaries Just
a Little.
THAT ASPHALT PLANT.
City Attorney Dreaming Tells o
His Investigation.
Engineer McCabe Advises COun-
ell to Go Slow.

The salaries of the police department
were readjusted again by the city coun-
Gil last night
The latest action of the council makes
an increase of from $12O to 5000 per
year in each instance. By this move
the council reconsidered the increases
voted for at the last meeting. The sal
aries of the police department. under a
vote to reconsider the action of the
council taken at the last meeting, are as
follows:
Chief of police, $1,000 per year;
sergeants, 5000; patrolmen and plain
clothes men, $40.
The increase represents one of 5000 a
year in the salary of chief of police,
$120 in that of sergeants and the same
amount for the patrolmen and plain
clothes men. The previous action of
the council in making the raise was as
follows: Chief of police, 81, 500; sergeants,
$1,000; patrolmen and plain clothes men,
$40. The assistant city engineer was
given $1,000 year and the office man
$500. The former is raised from $500
and the latter from $720
1t took two considerations of the mo-
ton and four roll call votes before the
ordinance was finally adopted as such.
Councilmen Green and Howe main
tanned the position that they took in the
first instance, that of opposing any in
crease. L am against any increase for
the reason that 1 believe that there are
other employees who are as deserving of
an increase a S these which we are rails
ing tonight" said Mr.. Green.
The motion to reconsider the action of
the previous meeting was made by
Councilman Simms
The second reconsideration of the
ordinance came when the ordinance
failed of passage Councilmen Green,
Rice, Howe and Horn voted against the
passage of the ordinance while Coun-
cilmen Simms. Holiday. Nipps, Swend-
son and Sinner voted aye
Rice and Horn thought that the sal
aries of the assistant city engineer and
office man should be reduced from
$1,000 and $S40 to 81 900 and $500 respec-
lively.
When the supporters of the ordinance
saw the position of Rice and Horn they
agreed to make the reduction desired
and asked for a reconsideration. The
reconsideration was accepted. 4
I'm order that we may purchase one
of these asphalt plants 1 move you
that we reconsider the fees and salaries
ordinance said Councilman Simms. I
therefore move you that the salary of
the chief of police be 1920, the
sergeants be paid 5000 a year and the
year. he continued.
Councilman Green. asked that the or
dinance be referred to.sthe proper COM
mittee. His motion was voted down.
Brick will be considered as a paving
material in the bids which will be asked
for for the paving of Kansas avenue.
Bids will be advertised for after the
next regular meeting of the council next
month. Il don't see the use of asking
for these BIDS said Councilman Will
lam Green.
Mayor W. H. Davis came to his res
cue. THE reason for this is that it will
probably be pOssiDIe to induce some of
the property owners to petition if they
see how low it can be contracted for
The estimates already prepared call
for sheet asphalt, natural rock asphalt
and bitulithic.
Emmett E. Roudebush wants to pur-
chase the city electric light plant
Roudebush says that he can promote a
company which will take hold of the
sale Of the plant at a reasonable sale
price.
He claims that upon the purchase OF
the plant he will agree to do the light
ing of the city at lower price than
it is now costing the city. In addition
he desires franchise to engage in the
heat, light and power business on as
liberal bases as the Edison company
which was recently allowed a franchise
ordinance. The gas and electric lights
committee will consider the commune
cation of Roudebush.
City Engineer McCabe and City At.
torney Dreaming divided over the ad
visibility of the city purchasing {
municipal asphalt plant. City Attorney
Dreaming landed up the purchase of al
asphalt plant by the city. City Engi.
neer McCabe deprecated such a contem
plated purchase.
Dreaming made a report to the council
of his investigation of the municipal
plant at Detroit. Dreaming said that HI
had an estimate from the Warren Paw
ing company as to the purchase of {
plant giving $11, 900 as the price of {
plant capable of furnishing from 1900 t.
1000 square yards annually and $500
for plant of one-half that size.
From his Investigations the city attor
ney concluded that the asphalt could b,
laid at about II cents per square yarC
or about $660S for each lot on Kansas
avenue.
1T will take from four to five months
to get your plant built after you orde
1t and it will take about four additions
months to lay the asphalt 1t will b.
almost a year at the earliest opportuni
ty before the paving can be completed
said the city attorney. He stated tina
he had come to the conclusion tina
there was nothing to prevent the cit,
from going ahead and repaving; tina
the present contract for repairs with tn
Barber company cannot interfere witt
any other contracts which may be lie
for repaving. With this as conclusion
Dreaming sat down and City Enginee
MeCabe arose. Il have seen an esti
mate of the cost of operating that pIan
at Detroit and the price given is 8
cents. This doesn't take in account tn
cost of maintenance and other items
That plant has cost Detroit $50 600
tell you the council wants to go might,
slow before it buys an asphalt plant
The city council delayed action o.
forcing the payment of forfeit O
$3.50 from the Marsh Bridge company i
exceeding the time limit set on the con
tract for the construction of the Mela
arch bridge. The whole matter has bee
referred back to the ways and mean
committee together with the city attor
ney and city engineer The committe
on ways and means was to hav
presented a report but failed to do Sc