The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-29
Councilman Green Would Have
4 City Auditor.
BIG PAVING BILLS.
Nearly Thirty Thousand Dollars
Allowed by Committee.
Contractors HanIey < Richie
Get the Lions Share.

Topeka's paving bill for last month
was S29.602.81.
The claims and accounts committee
audited the months bills Friday after
noon and recommended to the council
that the paving contractors be enrich
ed by the small sized fortune named.
over half OF the $4,000 went to the
Parker Washington Paving company
for repaving Kansas avenue. This is
the first payment made by the city on
the Parker Washington contract
$16,0S6.41. 1t covers the repaving Of
the west half of the street. The next
estimate which the council will allow
viii probably cover the entire remain
ing portion of the contract, as the
repaving viii be completed by the end
of October.
Hanlev & Richie. brick paving con-
tractors. scored next highest with en-
CHEERS estimates. aggregating So
41G.45,
The following are the estimates al
lowed
avenue from Lane street 70 the alley
west of Spruce street, S366.6e-
Webster & TullOch, curbing Clay
street from Tenth avenue to Thirteenth
street. S1,466.7S.
j. H Maxwell, grading western ave
nue. from Eighth avenue to Huntoon
street, S1s002.54.
j. II. Maxwell. grading Lincoln
street from Eighth avenue to Ninth
street. $651.S7
J. II. Maxwell. grading Eighth ave
nue. from Lincoln street to West street,
S1,974.42.
]. Fl. Maxwell, grading Tenth avenue
from Lane street to alley west OF
Spruce street. $S63.9S.
Hanley & Ritchie, paving western
avenue from Eighth avenue to Hun
toon street, s1,8I5.S5.
Hanley & Richie, paving Tenth ave.
nue. from Lane street to alley west OF
Spruce street, $3,540-6O
NJ. W. Gilmore, sidewalk contracts
s1.6S3.72.
II. L. Cofran, crossing plates, $50
The apparent absurdity Of council
committee auditing $50 600 worth of bills
within two hours of time was forced In
upon Councilman William Green, chalL-
man Of the committee when ne sala .
s4The more have to do with TINS the
more I believe that this should be done
in & different way. The city should
have an auditor to 60 over these plils
carefully as they are presented. f-aeIs
day he should make an examination o.
the days bills. It's impossible for a
committee like this to pass carefully
over such a mass of stuff ana auait II
like it should be audited.
AS a general rule each city depart
nent acts as its own purchasing agent
to the head of the department for the
necessary purchase but in number OF
instances it is impossible for him per-
sonally to inspect the requisition care
fully. The bills contracted by the De
Dartmeuts are presented to the claims
and accounts committee which meets
the last Friday In the month preceding
the regular monthly meeting OF tne
council In one afternoon it attempts
to pass on all the bills Of that month,
rejecting or recommending to the coun-
ell the bills to be paid In turn the
council passes on the bills as read by
the city clerk. This part of the pro-
gramne has resolved Itself into mere
matter of form for the council relies
on the claims and accounts committee
recommendation and half the time the
rouncilrnen vote in the council on bills
that they really don't the character Of.
Should the council while in session at
tempt to pass separately on each bill
again Il would take them three nights
to transact city business. For all Of
these various reasons and with the be-
lief that the city would save in its bills
the ohice of auditor Is wanted