The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-16
THEY OPPOSE IT..
Fight on North Topeka Drainage
District organized.
Lawyers Employed to Resist in
the Courts.
OBJECT TO THE COST.
Say That the Assessments viii
Be Too High.
j. B. Billiard Says the Project
win Win.
OBJECT TO THE COST.

protest is being framed against the
creation Of the North Topeka drainage
district fin which the sum of 100000 or
more Is to be spent to prevent such dis
astrous results as accompanied the
great overflow Of the Kaw river and
Soldier creek in 1903.
A very vigorous and in some instances
drastic fight is to be waged against the
carrying out Of plans submitted recent
~ by a large number Of taxpayers to
the county commissioners.
The schedule of plans provides for the
cutting of a channel between Soldier
creek and the Kaw river, about six miles
west of North Topeka. The channel is
to be about four miles long and 30 feet
in width Into this ditch would nat
urally be dumped most of the 500, 600
which it is planned to spend A chain
Of dykes. south Of Soldier creek. begin
ming at a point near Silver Lake and
bending in an arm around North To-
peka, is the other big portion OF the
plans. Some minor checks of various
designs are also suggested to be placed
a especially dangerous places.
The petition for the creation Of the
district was fled several weeks ago and
contained long list of signatures. The
law says that the district should be
authorized in case tWo-fifths Of the resi-
dent taxpayers of the proposed district,
sign a petition asking for it. The coun-
ty clerk is now busy in going through
this list to see II it meets the require
ments OF the law. 1t is a very long
and tedious task, for It requires close
scrutiny to determine whether each
signer IS a resident taxpayer" A man
may be a taxpayer IN the district but
not live there This excludes him. Such
instances to quite q number have so far
been found in the investigation. When
the clerk has finished his accounting Of
the list. he submits q renort TO the coun=
~ commissioners, and they set date for
"a public hearing, at which time any in
terested party can come in and discuss
the matter.
The date Of this hearing viii be an
nOunced by the commissioners as soon
as the county clerk issues his report.
At that time the persons who are
framing a protest will present their
side Of the case in a written statement.
Judge y. T. Hazen and John j.
Schenck are the attorneys for the peo-
pie who are objecting. They are now
at work making up the protest.
what is the objection 2" was asked
OF Judge Hazen this morning.
quite a number of people are not
willing to stand for the big assessment
which this benefit district IL created
will place upon them. This is the
prinninal. matter, others do not like
the idea Of having q new channel cut
between Soldier creek and the KaW
river. Especially is this true or people
whose property Will border on it. They
fear that they viii be in more danger
OF disastrous overflow than before"
"Can you give a list OF some of the
people who VIII sign the protest?" was
asked Of Judge Hazen.
NO" he replied. 'T am not yet
ready 10 do that for have not made
up a list myself. John Schenck will
assist me in this work We will get our
protest ready and file it with the board
Of county commissioners on the date
which they set for the hearing Of the
entire matter I have nothing in par
ticular to give out further on the mat
ter at his time"
J. 3. Billiard, one Of the most pr0mi-
nent North Topekans interested in the
proposed Improvement. said this morn
ing. eyes, there are q few people
kicking about it. Some don't want to
be assessed and some 9th ers fear that
the cutting Of the new channel viii be
apt to damage their property. But we