The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-23
Censured for Activity in Circu-
lating asphalt Petitions.
Committee Appointed to Con-
slider His Action.
Also Has Tilt With Holiday
Over Curbing Question.

For the first time in years public
official was openly rebuked before the
members of the council by the city's
mayor. f. G. Dreaming city attorney,
was given a scoring in no uncertain
terms by Mayor W. H. Davis last
evening at the conclusion of the reg
ular business session of the council.
1t is the climax to the tension which
has existed between the city attorney
on one hand and the mayor and a
majority of the cOuncilmen on the
other.
Indiscreet action on the part of the
CITY attorney which has tended to
embarrass the city council and the
city officials is the claim which is
made and upon which the admin
istered rebuke is laid. The rebuke
was an imprOmptu one as far as the
writing of it in advance IS concerned;
the determination to give out such a
statement, however, had been dellb-
Grated on by the mayor for several
days.
Mr.. Dreaming was sitting within a
few feet of the mayor and just be-
meath the desk of the executive when
the latter delivered himself of his
criticism. Mr.. Dreaming, who had
been worked up to degree in pre-
Vious passages at arms with certain
mem ers of the council in the curb
stone controversy, flushed up as the
first few sentences were uttered
Then rising from his chair he strobe
out of the council chamber, slamming
the doors after him, and went into
his Office down the corridor. Shortly
after that he left the building He
said nothing.
The mayor stated that he wished
TO secure closer relations of harmony
between the legal department and the
council than had existed. and he de-
sired to have committee appointed
for this purpose. The committee is to
consult with the city attorney. Should
the results be unsuccessful the mayor
lntimated that other steps might be
resorted to. This latter is taken to
mean the appointment of a counsellor
who will outrank the present city at
torney.
Mayor Davis Reprimand.
Mayor W. H. Davis said: "I would
like to make a few remarks in the in
terest OF hamony- 1t is an open secret
that the council and the city attorney
nave been working at cross
purposes over the repaVing of Kansas
avenue. When I first came into the may
or s chair the repaving of Kansas ave
nue. was one of the pressing needs We
started to cast about for ways and
means to do the repaving, learning that
II would probably be possible to more
cheaply repaVe Kansas avenue with a
municipal plant. We had several talks
and when Mr.. Dreaming took his trip
east I asked him to stop off at Detroit
ana investigate into the municipal
plant there. I thought at the time that
MI Dreaming would take an unpreju-
diced stand but he seemed to think
lnaH ne mad been sent with the purpose
OF promoting municipal asphalt plant
and has been hot in it's favor ever since.
1nougn when we found it would cost
from $4,000 to $4,000 we dropped it.
We have been harassed and troubled
by his attitude on this paving question
and without our knowledge or consent
he got up a mass meeting for the pur-
pose of agitating an asphalt plant. The
first I knew of the meeting was when
he presented bin for some expense
which ne had incurred in connection
with the meeting and when refused to
y. K IL he got huIy. Probably then we
we could have gotten together on this
paving if 1T hadn't been for that meet
ing; He went on as an obstructionist
and did everything possible that he
could do to obstruct. The council went
on record and stated then that they
would do everything that they could to
bring about the paving of Kansas ave
nue., that we, however, were not able to
90 anything without some action from
the property owners. Mr. Drenninp has
gone out OF his way to criticize the
council recently and that was with re-
gard TO nntshtnp the repaving of the
intersection of Sixth and Kansas ave
nues. He came in my office when I
] told him Of it and told me of his meet
ing with Mr. Hurd and others and that
he had secured their signatures to a
petition for asphalt When I asked him
he said that it was on a basis of a
municipal plant. He said that If we
attempted anything Of the kind that we
had contemplated that he would enjoin
he.
He has not seemed at any time to be
On a position to give us an impartial
opinion. He has been so warped by
the idea Of a municiual plant that he
could not consider any other scheme.
II think that if it is possible in
some way this matter ought to be
stopped. If he had used the same
vim and methods to help the mayor