The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-06
Last Regular Session of Fiscal
Year Last Night.
Increase in Dog Taxes Discuss
ed by Aldermen.
PROPOSALS OPENED.
Mcclure & Stanton of Leayen-
worth Get Kenwood Sewer.
Other Matters Talked Over Last
Night.

Alderman Stanley from the Sixth
ward started a good hot fight In the
council chamber last night when he
rose and suggested that the dog tax
in the city be raised from 81 to $2 on
males. He said that this was the only
way the dogs could be thinned out.
Mr.. Stanley's idea was to make people
pay enough for their dogs, if the dogs
were really worth the price-if not they
should be killed. He said that there
were hundreds Of people In the city
who had rather pay a dollar for an OLD
yellow dog than have him killed and the
children grieved.
But the suggestion made by the pro-
fessor was not taken up very strongly
by the council-even though they DID
agree that there were too many oOss
in the city at the present time The
other councilmen did not think that 1t
would be right to work a hardship on
the poorer people by charging two dol
lars apiece for their male pets. The
matter was referred to the license COM
mittee.
Mayor Green brought out some i'm
portant points on the dog tax ordin-
ance last night. 1t seems, according
to the mayor. that there are two Dig
difficulties in the present ordinance. In
the first place people all over the city
are complaining because they have to
pay an extra one or two dollars, what
ever the case may be, when dog IS
born after the first of April 1t Is
really a hardship on the people TO pay
tax on pups which have been sent into
the world just after the dog tax limit
is passed. The other difficulty Is con-
corning the floating population OF the
city. People moving into the city AFTER
April find it necessary to pay ~ for
their dog tax. This is both unreason-
able and unhandy. All of these mat
tiers will be settled by the committee.
L, nod
er were opened last night and the con-
tract was captured by MCGUIRE & stan
ton OF Leavenworth who made the low
est bid on the proposition-their bid
being $22, 416.0S or almost $4,000 less
than the estimates made by the city
engineer. The next lowest bidder was
from W. W. Cook & Son of Junction
CITY, who gave a bid of $21 ,044.O3. These
bids were far below the other two bids
which came from, w. w. Gilmore of
Topeka and the American Light & Wa
ter company of Kansas City. Mo.
The city officials were much pleased
over the bid, saying that it was at least
$4,000 less than was expected by the en-
gfneer. This contract completes ser
les Of paving and sewer contracts made
by the city this year that have dropped
thousands Of dollars below the esti-
mate of the city engineer. Naturally.
it is absolutely necessary that all BIDS
be below the bid of the city engineer
but nothing like this was expected.
nun. Der of the city officials took it upon
themselves to extend their congratula-
Sions to the contractors last night.
The city pay rolls were brought to
light last night at the council meet
ing and they were approved as passed
upon by the claims and accounts COM
mittee Saturday afternoon. Nothing
startling in the reports.
General Manager Hurley. of the San
ia Fe, sent a communication to the
council asking this honorable body to
get busy on the footbridge PROPOSE
ton submitted by the Santa Fe not
long ago. The Santa Fe asked the city
to construct a new $4,000 foot bridge
on their new bridge across the Kaw-|
a footbridge that would blend in artis
tic affect with the Santa Fe structure.
The matter was referred to the ways
and means committee who have been
unable to meet on account of the sick
ness of its members. The council last
night gave the city clerk authority
to send a communication to Mr.. Hur-
ley telling him of the will Of the mayor
and council. The city will not con-
still new. the paint not being worn
off. The city does not consider it ad-
visable to spend $4,000 on a new struc-
ture when the old one is new.
A communication from the residents
out near the intersection of Laural and
Fillmore avenues in Potwin object siren
uously to the use of this place as a
public dumping ground. They state
that old tin cans, rags, manure, etc,
are dumped here every day and the
district has been endangered since the
arrival of the deadly germ catchers
The matter was given to the commit
tee on health and sanitation who will
run down the clues-also the bumpers
The trouble between the Independent
Telephone company and the city over
the repavirg of Jackson street after the
conduit laying was practically decided
last night when the telephone company
sent the city proposition whereby