The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-15

wagon has been built and is in running
order. Chief Eaton has a new accom-
mediation for the people Of the city. If
any OF the citizens of Topeka wake up
in the middle of the night and discover
burglars in the house the only thing
necessary Is to call up the police sta
ton No. 4S and give the still alarm
\ motor cycle man viii start his ma
chine at once and before Mr. Burglar
can escape from the premises the little
arrow on wheels viii be at the gate
with the bag The chief Of police Is
promising lots OF things nowadays
is due to appear in a few weeks-also
since It IS apparent that a new patrol
wagon barn viii haxe to be built by the
city The Old one viii not be large
enough for the new wagon and it would
be impossible to swing the harness on
any other vehicle. The new barn and
horses will be the next police appro-
priatiou.
Since the big line Of talk about bet
ter fire protection in Topeka many
cities over the Union have taken Jp the
discussion and some of the arguments
presented are good-others are weak
and almost foolish. One OF the cities
Of New Jersey has disbauded the fire
engines and depends absolutely upon
the high pressure system It is said
that the steamer is not needed and the
members of the city council have
agreed unanimously to retire from ac-
tive service the fire steamers except
when called upon by the chief. Another
city IN the east of New England has
sold its fire engines and engine houses
realizing enough out of the sale to paw
for a good part Of its new high pressure
system Still another city has intro
dueed the high pressure trial and the
engines are maintained for fear the
new idea will not work out to the de-
sired satisfaction MiuneapoIf has not
paid any attention 20 any Of the new
systems It stfH uses its old water
main and steamer system but as a
safeguard to high pressure in the mains
It has installed eleven shutoff gates TO
the mile and if a water main should
break during a fire one Of the shutof
gates could be turned at once and the
pressure continued without any trou-
bic whatever
Several Of the Topeka aldermen are
taking over = new plan Of street car
passenger service just brought to light
through outside sources This plan
would meet with the general approval
OF the people of the city and II Is
deemed advisable to allow the sugges-
ton to come before the city council in
the form Of d resolution anyway. The
bill would provide that no more passen-
gers be allowed on car than may OBJ
tain seats in addition TO one person to
every three square feet Of aisle and
platform space. not taking into account
any platform from which passengers
are barred Each car must carry in
prominent place a card indicating the
maximum number Of passengers that
may be carried and for violations a fire
of from SIS to SIS may be imposed for
each passenger carried over the maxi
mum capacity of the car. This would
do away with the continual croWding
Of cars and the Inconvenience result
ing from such a source The Topeka
street railway has been doing fairly
good work this winter In the establish
ment of extra cars on their crowded
lines but there are still a number Of
crowded lines and hours
A petition for the largest sewer in To-
peka Is being circulated today II the
petition Is accepted and the sewer IS
constructed it viii be the biggest sewer
in the city ard viii run from the new
addition to the city. EImhurst, to the
Kansas river The cost Of this I'M
mense sewer viii probably reach 500,
00a- Tt can not be constructed for Iess'