The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-03-31


referred to the streets and walks COM
mittee- LATER the Howard ordinance
covering this point was given the
highest honored place.
The ordinance introduced not long
ago by Alderman Fraser making it
necessary for the Consumers Heat,
outs on all their pipes leading into
public buildings and the like was pass
ed by the city council last night This
ordinance has been explained fully in
the state Journal number of times
but will be repeated in condensed
form-it is for the purpose of reduc-
ing the danger of fire and giving the
firemen chance, when during a fire
the gas supply is pouring into the
building and can not be shut off, with
out risking lives by working towards
the cellar where the present form of
valves is situated. The new ordinance
requires the company to install cut
offs in some standard position in front
of house or building and this cutoff
can be regulated by certain keys car
ried by the firenen on their runs. A
chart of the location of each cutoff
and a record of the cutoffs and their
installation is. to be kept at the Office
of the fire marshal.
There was some discussion last
night concerning the limit of dwelling
houses. Alderman Hughes seemed to
eiAAAtA SAioe CNSly 10 USE ana
within the fire limits should be equip
ped with the valves. In taking a
favor1te shot at the gas company he
said:
The old gas company installed
these cutoffs at every house and there
is no reason why this humbug COM
pany should not do the same thing.
Not only this but the new company
mas taken out a big bunch of the old
company's cutoffs saying they were
useless. This ia tho he do
ness
Councilman Stanley, the colleague
OF the general from the Sixth ward,
rose and said something about "our
This was like a red rag to Hughes. He
roared: SO
Look here. Professor Stanley
what in the blazes do you mean by
company's franchise. They can do
anything they want to in this city and
we SIT around and watch them do it,
The only thing we can do is to kill
that franchise of theirs and finally kill
the company. They are making mon
keys out of Topeka people-we are
easier on them here than any place on
their circuit. I am in favor of making
them install this cutoff in front of
every house and we should make them
do it,
But the council voted to limit the
| rule to two-story dwelling houses-all
three-storfes and above shall have the
| cufoffs. Also every public building,
school, college and the like. But the
general had another longed for chance
| to give his sentiments on the gas COM
pany which he has been fighting with
tooth and NATL at every chance
one amendment was made to the
ordinance that was suggested by Cen
eral Hughes. The ordinance specified
| that all gas stoves should be connected
with a fiue. 1t is pointed out that it
| is dangerous to use the stoves in any
other manner. But Alderman Hughes
| told of the wash boiler burners, etc,
| and made an amendment to read that
all heating stoves should be connected
with the family chimney.
Tne ordinance as a whole is well
liked by the council and by the fire
marshal, George O. Wilmarth. Gas
| has been the direct cause of all of To-
| peka's big fires lately. and there have
been many movements to increase the
water pressure and the fire equipment
but this one gas eproblem will solve
| the whole matter, Nothing can fight
gas-and it has cost a human life to
save few old brick walls. The gas
| company is not complaining about the
ordinance and this will make it ali the
more satisfactory.
In the estimation of many of the
counc1imen it is one of the most valu-
| able ordinances passed by the city
council this year. 1t is of great value
to property and human life and will
tell its story in the future.
The weight and measure ordinance
| introduced at the last council meeting
giving the City Weight Inspector C. b.
| Hamilton, more power to prosecute
| those who have been giving short
| weight and then Dragging of it, was
brought before the council for the
| second reading and referred to the
| license committee for final supervision.
This ordinance was also explained
/ fully in the State Journal last week.
| The streets and walks committee are
| the recipients of the ordinance pro-
viding for the widening and lengthen-
| ing of Sixteenth street out near Cen
trail Park. The city attorney has
drawn up the ordinance in correct
quick as possible. It has been en-
| during stormy sea and has been
| tossed around on the waves of differ
| ence of opinion until it almost COL
lapsed but 1t will receive prompt at
tention from the new committee
/ Councilman Howard gave the coun-
ell to understand last night that the
| newspaper reporters who yawn and
wreathe at the long tedious council
meetings made mistake in their last
reports giving out the impression that
| CeTIdiu OIuludnCe IdIneTeQ Dy. n1In-
| self was referred back to a committee
| of some sort or other
| The city will take active steps to
| fix up the drainage trouble down at
| the Mulvane site at First and Kansas
avenue in order that Joab Mulvane
will fulfill his promise in erecting
| modern fire proof building
| The estimates and plans for the new
fire station to be situated at the corner
of Seward and Woodruff avenue on the
East side have been submitted to the
council and they were entirely approved