The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-21
. TO BOARD IT Up.
Councilman Nipps' Plan to Treat
Kansas Avenue.
He Says That the Street Is Not
Safe.
BRICK CONTRACT LET.
Hanley & Richie to Complete
Sixth Avenue intersection.
Anti Ft. Scott Curbing ResOlu
ton Fails.
BRICK CONTRACT LET

Kansas avenue narrowly escaped be-
ing boarded up and closed to traffic
last evening. Councilman Nipps of the
streets and walks committee at a meet
ing Of that body proposed that meas
ure in all seriousness. Anxiety on the
/ part of other members of the commit
tee to adjourn was the only thing which
prevented the matter from coming to
a head.
The proposition was made during
| discussion over the advisa Utility of let
! ting a contract to Hanley & Richie for
completing the repaving of the inter-
section of Sixth and Kansas avenues
with brick
Il would like to know why we can't
! close Kansas avenue asked Nipps.
+ What is there. to. keep us from doing
/ it? It's dangerous and We have had
already a number. of law suiIs because
of the holes there"
4 would refer you to the city attor
/ ney," replied Chairman SWendSOn.
I am really serious in this matter;
/ am not joking. I would really like to
/ know what there is to prevent us from
! taking such an action. I really think
that we should close it, it's becoming
! dangerous"
IF you want to prepare a resolution
/ to that effect we will consider it, said
! Councilman SwendsOn.
Cries to adjourn became so insistent
| at this point that the chairman of the
committee was compelled to take
/ action.
By resolution the committee has
recommended to the city council that
/ the intersection of Sixth and Kansas
avenues be repaved with brick with an
| asphalt filler, the contract to be award
| ed to Hanley and Richie who submit
/ ted bid FOR the repaving of Kansas
| avenue at S1.03 a square yard.
A sample piece of this pavement, to
the extent of one-quarter of the inter-
section, was put down by Hanley &
Richie before the council advertised
for bids.
q don't see what's the use in doing
| this" said Nipps. kansas avenue
probably will never be paved with
brick and in that case it will simply
mean money wasted, as it would have
to be torn up
sWhy it viii help on this repaving.
Put a piece like this down and maybe
when some of these property owners
see what it looks like they will go
ahead" said Councilman Rice
''What do you think of 1t, Mr..
Mayor" said Councilman SWendson-
Il am in favor of it, said Mayor
wen. I don't believe that it will
mean a step forward at all, said
Nipps.
On a vote the resolution to recon-
mend was carried.
About so often an effort vs. made by
the city council to tie a bowknot into
the curbing monopoly. An effort was
made last evening, but failed on ac-
count of lack of supporters
Fort Scott blue sandstone is the
curbing which is used in Topeka almost
to the exclusion of any other. The
curbing is of good quality but all the
sales are handled through one agency
in Topeka, Webter & TullOch, and GER
tain members of the council believe
that the price asked is higher than
would be the case if competition ex-
listed.
was introduced by Councilman Green
and referred to the treets and walks
/ committee that all petitions for paving
and curbing which ask for Fort Scout
blue sandstone should contain the
words, cor other curbing equally good
or better" leaving the council to NIX
the charac ter of the curbing-
The contention was set up by Web
ster, who appeared before the COM
mittee that the council had no right
to state what character of cUrbing
should be used, that the petition ask
ing for the curbing should state TINS
and that the council must follow the
wishes Of the petitioners To sub
stantiate this he introduced legal
opinion handed down by judge T. L.
Hazen. Though IN pegltlons Tor paw
ing curbing is not definitely stated
Judge FIazen states that curbing is
meant to be included in the words
having and that It is broad enough to !
cover this Interpretation, he therefore
takes the stand that the people have
the right to specify the kind of curb
iner wanted and that the council must
abide bv their request the same as 1t |
does with regard to the character OF
paving material.
The members of the committee
apreed that to follow out the terms of
tI7e Greer. resolution would lead prob /
ably into legal difficulties for Whicn
they were not prepared.
at haven't any fault to find with
any attempt to bring in competition |
don't think it is right though to act
on these petitions now and make TINS /
resolution reach back to petitions that
have already been passed, said Coun- t
Gilman Swendson.
ssT think that We should open TINS
curling up to competition. NO,
don't think we should act on the
resolutions already passed, SAID
Councilman Rice: 81 believe that
the curbing is good enough and cheap I
enough. I move that the resoiuuoh
be placed on file.
on the whole the committee seemed
to prefer to let the council many
6eht over the Green resolution though
recommending that 1t be not passed
The committee recommended that
new street signs be purchased 1or lIle
..e--77-