The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-31
WILL lK IL OVER
Another Attempt to Frame
Meter inspection Ordinance.
Much Needed officer May Yet Be
Secured.
OLD MATTER DROPPED.
Was Regarded as Too Cumber-
some for Use.
Man Hurt in Auto Accident to
Bring Suit.
Twenty-Five Tracts Are Taken
Into the City.

Another attempt will be made to frame
up a meter inspection ordinance The
city attorney by resolution from Coun-
Gilman S. A. Swendson has been in
structed to draw up the ordinance rec
essary to create a department of meter
inspection. An ordinance of this char
acter was drawn up two months ago
but it fell down by its own weight; it
was too cumbersome and complicated.
When it was presented to the members
of the council it was defeated by
large vote.
Another try at a similar ordinance but
which will be framed up on simpler lines
will now be made.
By way of introduction Councilman
Swendson said: Sometime ago there
was a movement in the council for the
appointment of a meter inspector but
it was lost sight of and dropped in some
manner. I think it is proper to act on
should be brought to a conclusion. 1t
is a matter which interests a great
many people and there are many in
quiries and complaints along this line
The resolution follows:
Whereas, In passing the Edison Elec-
trio Illuminating company franchise
(sectfon 701, revised ordinances), the
council provided for the creation Of a
department for the inspection and test
ing of heat and electric current meters;
Whereas, In passing the Continental
Oil and Gas company franchise (sectiOn
$50, revised oTdinances), the council
provided for the. proper inspection of
natural gas meters; and
Whereas, In passing the Excelsior
Coke and Gas company franchise (see-
lions I'll and TO revised ordinances),
the council provided for the compliance
by the gas company, with all reasonable
lot A.~r
ernment Of gas companies; therefore be
/ it
Resolved, by the mayor and council
of the city of Topeka, That the city at
] torney be and is hereby directed and
/ instructed, to prepare and submit to
| this council at an early date, an ordi-
nance creating a department for the in
/ spection and testing of heat, electric
/ current and gas meters and for testing
i the quality of heat electric current and
4 the proper Officers and appliances for
the use Of such depsfta1sIlt tsignse.d),
IS. a. zSWENDSON.
A damage suit Of $5,Q75 was filed
against the city last night BY T. F.
Smith, formerly a chef at the Santa
! Fe hospital who came into the lime
light of publicity by inheriting $4,000
from the famous Fair estate. Smith s
sister was the wife of Fair, the Cali
fornia millionaire. Both Fair and his
wife were killed in an automobile dis
| aster-
Smith almost duplicated his sisters
experience on January TO- Smith was
thrown from an automobile, the ma
/ chine having collided with a heap of
dirt at Seventh and Buchanan streets.
Smith contends that he was thrown
/ violently from the automobile and
| sustained a number of fractured ribs.
The claim is set up that no lights
were shown at the obstruction The
dirt was heaped from an excavation
| made for laying water mains down
i Seventh street. The claim has been
Preferred to the judiciary committee.
The publishing of the precinct
! boundaries once each week for four
4 consecutive weeks is held to be suf-
hcient by City Attorney Dreaming in
stead of publishing for 30 days as has
been the custom in the past. The re-
suit will mean a considerable saving
to the city.
Twenty-one tracts Of grounds. two
subdivisions and all of Quinton
Heights south of TWenty-second street
were taken into the city last evening
This will probably be the last ordi-
nance taking in territory to the city
Under the city charter act the boun-
diaries of a city can only be changed
every two years The territory taker
into the city last evening is limited t
the south portion of the city and the
east in the vicinity of the Santa F't
tracks.
A couple of citizens living in the
Ouinton Heights district appeared anc
protested against being taken in or
the grounds that they were unable to
/ meet the cost of increased taxation
! which would result from being takeI
into the city They had circulated {
petition demonstrating but it had beer
mislaid in some manner and they were
unable to present it.
The council, however, passed thu
ordinance over their heads. The fol
lowing tracts were those absorbed
Bowers subdivision, Curran subdivis
ion, Clement Jaccard tract, Jacol
Oberer tract, Joseph Millinger tract
Fnos Kisner tract, B. F. Cope tract
James DeBarr tract at Crane ant
north of Locust streets, Louis Olsdor
tract. IA unDlatted tracts north o
Locust street, and that portion o
Quinton Heights lying south of Twen
ty-second street.
An echo of the boom days wal
t brought up in communication of tht
l city clerk to the council. The city o
e Topeka back in 1886 issued q bond issu
OF 81. 600 for the purpose OF prospecting
2 for coal In the vicinity of Topeka TIL
! city never realized on its speculative
S venture and now has to meet up witt
2 the payment of the bonds which draw
r.