The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-02
FAITH IN ROGERS.
City Council DenOunce Charges
f Against Engineer.
BEST Engineer in History OF
Topeka" They Say.
ASKED INVESTIGATION
But Council Took Rogers for
His Word and Refused.
Other Business by City Alder
men Last Night.

| government have taken occasion to
make a number of serious charges
against the engineering department of
the city. The charges were not laid up
sgainst the city engineer personally
hut they were a criticism against the
present form of city government.
In letter to the council last night
City Engineer Rogers demanded that
the council make an investigation of
! his department and see for themselves
the cause for this list of charges-if
there were any.
| His letter TO the council is an ex
| ample of the good faith of Topeka's
tity engineer. John Rogers is I'M
6oubtedly one of the best engineers
l who ever took the city Office and it is
only through the efforts of his friends
that he has been induced to remain in
office instead of accepting other tempt
Jig positions that have been offered
him. The city councilmen and officials
! have always admitted that John Rog-
! ers was a valuable wheel in the city
| n achine but last night they had a
hance to make their views public and
they couldn't say enough good things
about the city engineer.
The result of the bouquet shower
was that the Rogers letter was ordered
70 the records of the city master
niece of action as we'll as literature and
I. fiat refusal from the council to make
! any klnu VI dn luNSSllSdllOH, they IS-
sarding the department as being
handled in a very satisfactory manner.
Mr.. Rogers Letter.
! The Rogers letter to the council
| should have been addressed to the
public as we'll and reads as follows:
ION behalf of the engineering de-
partment, I beg leave to call your at
tention to the unfavorable comments
| that have been given publicity during
the campaign for the change in form of
city government now drawing to
close.
an few days the people will ac-
cept the verdict of the ballot and the
traitors will have forgotten their text
but in this case the evil men do is not
if TERED with their bones
when such statements that under
competent administration of the
city's affairs a saving of SO per cent in
the letting of contracts for public
work could have been effected and
the city inspectors are a lot of figure
eads wholly incompetent and only
given places to maintain a political
organization are allowed to pass I'M
refuteti. after being spread broadcast
from the stump the thinking public
! who have heard such declarations
must consider that there is some merit
in the statements.
eff indeed a saving of so per cent
could have been made in the letting of
our public work, then I am incompe-
tent for the position [ hold and the
mayor and councilmen are 'particlpi
criminis' in a fragrant waste of public
funds and the good of the service de-
n:ands our wholesale dismissal from
the service of the city.
In behalf of the inspectors of the
department as we'll as myself 1 re-
quest a most rigid examination of
their work and if any are found want
ing in the essentials that make a
competent inspector they will at once
be removed and the burden of the
censure be borne by those deserving
it and not the innocent be made to
suffer as is the case when the whole
class are held up to ridicule and de-
rision.
II wish to state that great care is
made in the selection of inspectors
and not man is placed uI.on the pay
rolls without the sanction ana appro-
val of the mayor and there is not one
among them that does not value his
character and good name far above
the months stipend handed out 20
them.
81 deem it the privilege of every
citizen, the duty of every taxpayer
and the official obligation of every
city officer to report to the mayor and
council and the head of each depart
ment any and all neglect of duty eth
er in omission or commission on the
part of all city employees ard I prom
Use on behalf of your honorable body
| as well as myself that a full and
complete investigation will be given
to all such charges.
! Hoping that your honorable body
J can speedily grant the courtesies here
in prayed fcr we await your pleasure
The changing of the name of Will
| low Park. to ST. Francis Park. the
| trouble which has aroused the whole
western part of the city, was given a
hard blow by the city council at their
monthly meeting last night. The
council took the Detitions-from the
Willow side of the fence and from the
| st. Francis-and referred them all
back to the park board. After a brief
debate it was suggested that the
petitions be sent to the streets and
walks committee of the city council,
| but the board received the burden.
When a petition goes to a COM
mittee of this sort or is referred back
to board it means that there is moth
| ing doing for some time at least. The
city council is a great machine NOV
| ing slowly and it is liable to pass up
| a few cogs like the Willow Park
proposition where a bunch of people
| have been aroused and prejudiced
over very minor manner. The city
councilmen are authority for the
statements that they are getting tired
| of this continual wrangling over the
changing of name.
councilman Drew was the most
popular councilman last night in his
vote on the park proposition-and he
was the only councilman who dared
make known his real thoughts on the
matter. While the council was fuss
! ing over the destination of the
petitions Mr.. Drew arose in his chair
and with a disguised tone he roared:
| Il move that this bunch of stuff be
filed" To file a matter in the city
! council means to kill it and right
| down in his heart every councilman
| felt the same.
| But it is an assured fact that there
will be no change in name. Council
man Hughes brought up the rear
guard last night by making known a
| petition with 400 names which asked
Z hot ba 0f ia he