The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-31
FOR A new WARD
City Council Will Soon Create
One.
Second Will Probably Be Cut in
Two.
is NOW TOO LARGE.
New Additions Increase PopuIa-
ton 5000 More.
Plan Is to Leave the Other
Wards Alone.
Is NOW TOO LARGE.

Next spring may see the city council
increased by the addition of two new
councilmen, making that body compos-
ed of IA members instead of u. The
new territory which is being taken into
the city is accountable for this situa-
ton. A new ward, the Seventh, will
be created. The two new councilmen
will come, one from the Seventh, the
other from the Second, Councilman
Griley going into the Seventh The re-
adjustment Of the wards of the city on
account Of the absorption by the city of
the Heery and Norton additions is caus-
ing considerable Speculation.
The major portion eli the sentiment
seems to be in favor of leaving the
ward boundaries Of all but the Second
ward unchanged. The Second is at
present the largest ward in the city and
if the additional square mile of the two
additions is to be added to it it viii
make it most unwiedly ward.
I am greatly against any plan which
has to GO with the change of any eft
the ward boundaries other than the
Second ward" said Captain c. H. Ii
tus, commissioner of elections. Its
this way, as soon as you commence to
NEEDLE with these ward boundaries YOU
are going to runsap against the great
est sort of trouble It is going to com
pIicate matters and it viii be almost
impossible to FIX things SO that you can
please those who are interested. AS
soon as you start to fool with the
boundaries you bring on friction The
less you do of that sort of thing the
better. am in favor on the surface
now of creating a new ward east of the
shops, taking in Heery and Norton ad-
dltIons ana making that the Seventh
ward. The Second ward as it is now
is really too large and should be cut
down 1t extends from Kansas avenue
east to the city limits and north of
Eighth avenue to the river. a great
mass of territo-y. The logical boundary
line fer the new Seventh ward on the
west IS the Santa Fe yards and tracks.
That district east of the tracks there
should be included in the new Seventh
ward which would take in those two
/ additions. Three precincts would be,
. should think about right lisht. two for
the additions and the other one in that
shop district. / don't know what Il
be done There is some talk of adding
it on to the Second ward without max
ing any change at all In this event
one precinct in those two additions
would be all that would be necessary.
This would give the ward. six pre-
cincts."
q don't care very much what they
do" said Councilman Joseph Griley of
the Second ward. IF they are going to
do anything would rather have that
north district than any other. That s
really my district, live in that part
of the ward. The whole of that part
of the town east of the shops is really
in my territory and I would hate to
loose out on any of it but if it is a
1 case Of choice and be content I think
I would take that north section I don't
know how Councilman Holiday would
/ like it."
That would be just the thing to do, -
said c. K. Holiday. 7 didn't know
that the city could add on another ward.
I thought they were limited to six but
since Mr.. Spencer states that that is a
/ mistake I am certainly in favor of Civ
ling those people down there adequate
I representation. The people down in that
district pay one-third of the taxes of
/ this city and they certainly are entitled
/ to get as full a representation as possi-
4 BILE. 1 am in favor of it. I think that
( the Santa F'e tracks should be the west
( ern boundary OF the new ward
"The city charter act does not place
4 the maximum on the number of wares
which a city of the first-class may Gre
ate but it does state tfat the number
/ shall not be less than 9our," said Chas.
4 Spencer. former city attorney"