The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-15
STORMY SESSION.
Council Played to Full Galleries
Last Night.
The Speeches We're Greeted
With Applause.
NAMING THE STREETS.
Cause of Troubles of City Fa-
theirs.
NAMING THE STREETS.
DOuthitt and Huntington Ave-
nueS We're Let Alone.

up by councilman bldhely- II COQIu DS
summed up as follows:
1.-The whole trouble is the selfishness
of the people residing on the streets in
question" said Frazier. They do not
have the interest of the city at heart
and they do not realize that this re-
port of the street naming committee is
for the good of the city as a whole.
The new additions that have been taken
into the city should not have their Old
names retained. They are taken in for
the good of the city as a whole ana
they should act as SUCH
This is the way the council felt last
night but not the way they acted.
The council chamber was crowded to
the doors and behind the railing sat the
wives of the councilmen. Every chair
in the room was occupied. AS CounclI-
man Jordan said at the beginning OF
the fight: This is fine chance to play
to the galleries." and his predictions
came true as the chance was taken.
The council failed to change the names
of the streets of Topeka last night ac-
cording to the report of the committee
selected for that purpose. A majority
of the changes were made but in the
southwest part of the city where the
real tangle needs Strengthening, moth
ing could be accomplished.
The report started off smoothly ana
the new street names were met with
general approval until the dreaded
Douthitt and Huntington street changes
came before the council. 1t was a sig
Stanley tried to say that the report
should be adopted as a whole at once
but this fed the flames and at a signal
from H. c. Root. strong supporter OF
the Douthitt and Huntington interests,
the battle was on. Mr.. Root said that
he did not believe the council had the
right to change the name OF the streets
He said he did not believe the taxes
could be collected If this was done. The
talk lasted Is minutes during which
time the councilmen sat in their chairs
and masticated the whole pill. 1t was
a pill that looked mighty yellow TO
some. Imagine the loyalty OF a crowd
of citizens who would refuse to pay
their taxes because the name of their
street was changed! 1t may have been
good dope for the so-called c1t1zens
but to the real public spirited councll.
men it sounded rather tstkiddish" as
member of the council expressed 1t last
night. 3Jhe1
Mrs. d. A. Noun, Day, the instigator
of the Douthitt complaint and the cause
of the huge petition against such
change, took the floor. next and walking
into the business chamber of the coun-
Gil she took the petition from the hanos
of the city clerk and spent ~ minutes
in explaining the pedigree. of every
signer. She told what a great help the
old settlers had been to the city of To-
peka. 1t was practically repetition OF
the fight used a few days ago. The
whole thing bOrdered on sentiment.
Councilman Kutz told in accents wild
of the necessity of the unchanging of
the streets. He initiated the Gaining OF
the street car conductors Wnen tney
pass Douthitt and Huntington avenues
and told again of the legal troubles
connected with the changing of alb
stracts, titles, etc. He said the councll
was stirred up to a turmoil and not
the people He received the first ap-
plause of the evening.
Then came the ever ready Colonel
Hughes. He started out by saying thar
in some places where the committee
had made changes a person would nave
to flip a nickel to see where he was.
Then Mr. Hughes became patriotic and
he told of the older days of Topeka
when the city was small and struggling.
He attributed his position in the coun-
ell to Judge Douthitt who made it pos
sible for Topeka to be Topeka instead
of Tecumseh. The colonel raved be-
cause some day the council m1ght
change Kansas avenue to "kaW Alley
or something to that effect. The 1rate
councilman wound up with a reference
he made to % cent gas not long ago;
During his few minutes talk Colonel
Hughes received by actual count nine
rounds of applause, each lasting from
30 to so seconds 1t was the biggest
hit of the evening and gave the kick
ing residents in the rear, plenty of cour-
age. In fact they received so much en-
enlargement that they had the councli
floor for the next hour and half and
overruled the councilmen themselves in
the actual business.
The next 80 minutes was devoted to the
chamber and talks. were made by E. !.
Evans, E. r. Cowgirl, ]. S. Snyder, o. L.
They ali threatened to use the law if the
council limited at a, change and some or
changes suggested by themselves. This
was proof enough that the law they used
The second act of the committee meet
ing last night could be summed up by
little three second speech made by Coun-
these quiet thoughtful men and when he
attempts to say anything In the council
interest. He always has something to say
and never wastes any words in saying 1t:
Mr.. Tandy had been sitting in his chair
during the whole performance last night
without making noise of any kind for or
But ii could be seen that he was watch
ing proceedings with disgust and during
storm stt9 nor Of applause given out to one of the
councilmen Mr.. Tandy arose and with de-
liberation he broke the quietness with this
IF you people in the rear knew that
every time you apRaHd rhes Is, not al ar AR
more, you would use a little common
sense and cut it out"
is too tame comparison to make. Mr.
Tandy had settled back in his chair as
marks could settle in the minds of the
astonished audience. Then like a squall
they burst out IN misses ana cries OF rot
ten. not much, back up" It was a warm
reception for the cold blooded councilman
but he stood it without any signs of rec
ignition.
knowing that he had struck the keynote
of the whole situation and his fellow
councilmen ION the sensible side of the
fence) realized the truthfulness of the few
well chosen wordSl 81
When the clock struck eleven the com
mittee became disguised with the slow
progress of their work and they voted to
allow Douthitt and Huntington avenues
remain as they are. The objections that
came from the southwestern part of the
city in reference to the changing OF