The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-07


and stated that thss-wasn't the first
time.
The ayes We're: Holiday, Howard.
Blakely, Jordan, Kutz, Montgomery,
Stanley, Van Ness and Tandy. No
Councilman Horn.
| not present at the time the vote was
| taken which was the first thing that
came up for consideration.
The resolutions introduced follow:
Whereas, The official family of the
| council necessarily includes reporters
| for the daily papers, and
Whereas, 1t is importan that the
| facts and the truth should always be
given to the public in the report of the
proceedings of the council written up
for the papers by the reporters of the
council, and
| Whereas, An article in the Topeka
State Journal of Friday January 8.
1908, relating to the council proceedings
is so full of gross errors and misleading
statements as to be absolutely I'M
worthy of the reporter who wrote it,
and far beneath the dignity of the pa
per that published it, and
Whereas, The public has been greatly
imposed upon by said article inasmuch
as the facts were not given at all as
they existed; therefore be it
Resolved, That a committee of three
be appointed to investigate the entire
article in question, city weak
ems. Changes the Specifications
for Sixth avenue viaduct.> Loses pen
atty provided for and the contract, etc. :"
Resolved, further, That the commit
tee report it's findings as to the truth
and veracity of said article compared
with the facts as they actually existed
to the council at it's next meeting.
| Resolved. further. That; when these
finding shall have been reported to the
council that the council take such ac-
ton in the premises as may be deemed
necessary both for the protection of the
public against Misrepresentation and
for the upbuilding Of the dignity Of the
council. fr-+ -'...I3-4s1 49,
Councilman Howard and Councilman
Holiday in open council last evening
thus severely criticised the State Jour-
nal for an article in last Fridays issue
wherein it was stated that the city
weakened and changed the speciaca-
lions of the Sixth avenue viaduct.
The resolution was apparently intend
ed by these two councilmen as a vote
of censure, but the State Journal does
not so regard it as the article is not
$50 full Of gross errors and misleading
statements as to be absolutely I'M
worthy" and 1t is. not true, as the in
vestigation wilf bring out that 1.-The
public has been greatly imposed upon
by said article inasmuch as the facts
were not given at all as they existed
In order that the, readers may be re
minded anew as to just what the ar
ticle complained of was it is herewith
reprinted on this page verbatim, head
lines and all, with the parts doubtless
complained of by Messrs. Howard and
Holiday reprinted in black type
The State Journal agrees emphatical-
ly with the statement in the resolution
which says: 1T is important that the
facts and the truth should always be
given to the public in the proceedings
OF the council written up for the papers
by the reporters of the council"
This is just what the State journal
tries to- do, and is the reason that it
details one of its most careful and con-
scientious reporters5fer this work. The
paper has confidence in the reporter
and we believe that-the councilmen in
the main have such confidence like
wise. 1t is an injustiea to the paper
and Mr.. Shultz to- de held up, before
the council, charged with publishing
false statements. This, however, will
probably be righted zaa -
Before going into details, and to show
how easily some times it is to misrep-
resent, possibly without intention and
possibly, due to an oyerheated imagina-
reader right here that Councilman Hol-
liday was severely called to task by
Coupc Gilman j Jordan aStevening for max
ing. a plain misstatement wherein he
said that Councilman Jordan was away
enjoying himself when North Topeka
paving contracts were let. Mr.. Jordan
showed that he was right on the ground
in the meeting and at the work
Councilman Howard said last even
ing that the State Journal in the article
acted against the advice of the city at
torney. By referring to the article in
question, reprinted on this page, it will
be seen that this paper did not say the
council acted against the advice of the
city attorney.
The State journal said in this artf-
Gle that the resolution of Councilman
Howard providing for a change was
examined by the city attorney and In
sertion made that no extra charge
should be exacted by the bridge COM
pany for the work as specified in tn e
amendment.
The State Journal did say that the
council changed the viaduct contract
against the advice of the city engineer
and at the request of the contractors
On the very afternoon Of the meeting
Of the council at which the. contract
was changed the State Journal printed
a statement from the city engineer
wherein he said that he refused to
change the specifications, was OPP
posed to making any changes; that the
floor should not be laid horizontally
on the approaches; that If you change
the specifications you affect the con-
tract and that he did not consider it
good business.
Here is just what City Engineer Rog-
ers said in opposing the change after
wards made by the council:
1.-The bridge company wants to alter
the specifications so that they can use
some fourteen foot lumber in place of
the sixteen foot. The specifications pro-
vide that the first floor shall be laid in
horizontal position, then a covering of
tar paper with the top floor laid tran
verse. This distributes the stress and