The Topeka state journal., 1906-04-24
START new PETITION.
North Topeka VIII Make Another
Effort to Build bikes.

The people Of North Topeka and the
adjoining territory are not discouraged
by the denial of their petition by the
board of county commissioners for the
creation OF a benefit district to defend
themselves from further oyerfiows from
the Kaw river and Soldier creek. With
in a few days they will commence the
circulation of another petition, and this
time they are sure that they viii get
the requisite number of signatures,
which is two-fifths of the resident tax
payers of the proposed district.
We learned something this time, .
said Thomas Page this morning. Mr.
Page is one of the chief promoters Of
the Improvement, with J. B. Billiard.
I'VE know now what to do. There are
several things we found out that we
before did not know. We have a COM
mittee looking after the matter, and it
will hold meeting in a day or two and
then the work win commence over We
can get the requisite number of names
now right here in Topeka. The matter
is thoroughly stirred up. The majority
of the people over here want the district
created to protect US from future in
undations. Within a few days we will
be able to announce something definite
Iy about our future plans. We will do
something all right
Some fear is expressed by North To-
pel1a signers that a second petition,
even though il had the required number
of names, might be knocked out Oh the
proposition suggested by Judge Hazen,
who with John J. Scherck is represent
ing the objecting parties. It was Judge
Hazen's contention that two streams,
the Kaw river and Soldier creek, were
to be taken care of. and that the law
requires that a separate petition he
made up for each separate stream
q
said w E. Sterne, one of the county
commissioners, this morning. 'Th5t
didn't strike me very f9rcibly, and ]
do not believe that it would stand
Before another. petition is circulated
in North Topeka and the adjoining
territory. it is the plan Of the pro
moters to thoroughly protect them
selves on all such points as this one.
For that reason the petition will not be
circulated for several days After the
committee has thoroughly satisfied
itself on all different matters, the work
will be pushed ahead rapidly It is
desirous of having the work done this
summer, or at least before the bad
winter weather sets in again.
Over 100000 will be spent In the
defense A chain of dikes, running
from Silver Lake to a point east of
North Topeka is to be built along Sol
der creek. A number of weak places
are to be especially strengthened. A
big part of the proposition is to dig
spill-way between Soldier creek and
the Kaw river, about four miles west
of North Topeka. In this way it is
planned to divide the water of the
stream before it gets to North Topeka
The ravages of recent floods have in
many instances been mainly due to the
inability of Soldier creek to hold the
great volume of water which come
down after a series of heavy rain
The petition which was presented
two months ago has been knocked out
by the commissioners. It lacked by SO
signatures the requisite two-thirds Of
all the residents taxpayers of the pro
posed district. Part Of the district at
the vest end was left out of calcula-
tion because It was shown that It does
not need defenses, inasmuch as it has
never been subjected to overfiows or
even seriously threatened. At first
the petition was deemed good. Henry
Monroe. duty county clerk, examined
it and made a report to this effect.
Then County Treasurer Bowen went
through the list and he found that
while a good number were taxpayers.
they were not resident taxpayers. The
law is very explicit on this point But
Mr. Page feels that sufficient names
can now easily be secured. and just as
soon as all preliminary matters are out
Of the way, the new petition will be
cfrc44Iafed