The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-22
HAVEN'T GIVEN UP.
People OF North Side viii Again Try
for Drainage District.

Not dismayed by their first failure,
the people Of North Topeka and the al
joining territory who want protection
from future foundations from Soldier
creek and the Kaw river Monday pre-
scented another petition for the creation
of a 100000 benefit district The coun-
ty commissioners examined II, and
found that it had the equisite number
signatures Of resident taxpa yers. There
upon a hearing Of the matter was set
for May %. one week from yesterday at
which time any persons having ob1ec-
tions to the matter, must appear ana
file them. If none Of the objections
are valid, then the organization of the
district win be ordered.
A total Of 604 names were signed to
the petition. According to the law, two
ffths Of the total number of resident
taxpayers must affix their names to the
petition. In order to make petition
valid fer the proposed district there
would have to be 48S signatures. But
there are 604 names to the petition filed
today, and every one OF them IS &C
ceptable in the eyes of the law.
7 think every signature on the petit
ton is good, said Commissioner Sterne
this morning. I'VE made a very care
full examinations going over the petit
ton with the most minute scrutiny. I
can see no fault with it at all. I do not
know whether any objections viii be
raised to it."
Once before a petition was filed by
the people who wished protection from
inundation, but it was knocked out upon
objection that it did not contain the
names of two-ffths of the resident tax
payers. It was shown that quite a
number of taxpayers who lived on the
south side Of the river signed the pc
tition. The law specifically implies that
the signer must not only be a property
holder but he must be a resident
So the promoters of the new petition
avoided that error this time. They
examined the tax rolls of the county
and saw to 1t that every name on the
petition is perfectly valid. Judge 4.
T. Hazen and John Schenck were en-
ployed as attorneys by the objecting
parties against the former petition.
Neither Of them has anything to say
about the present one, whether objec-
tiOns viii be made, or whether they
have been retained to make them.
The proposed district contains about
80 whole sections. It runs from a point
east Of Silver Lake to point just east
Of North Topeka. In width it extends
back from the river distances varying
from three to seven miles. It IL the
plan to run a chain of dykes along Sol
der creek to prevent that dangerous
little stream from inundating the neigh
boring land. But the main scheme is
to build ditch about four miles in
length. just west of North Topeka, be-
tween Soldier creek and the KaW river.
1t is thought that this additional outlet
from the creek, will prevent the trou-
BILE which has always been occa stoned
by the overflow from the arm of the
creek as it bends in a southeasterly
direction around North Topeka. Levees
and dykes are also to be built at low
places along the KaW river.
A second drainage district was also
set for hearing on next Monday. It
lies east OF North Topeka and embraces
about L sections. The board found that
the petition contained a requisite mum
her Of taxpayers, as we'll as the larger
petition. II both of these districts are
created, then about q sections Of land
which have suffered from floods during
the past few years viii be protected
u Ie MANNED to spend about $500 900 on