The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-09

commission form of government in the
cities above the $4,000 class is affected
the salaries made according to the
population. The city officials have not
looked the laws up carefully as yet on
account of the unofficial reports but
these matters will receive due atten-
tion in the future.
During the late fires the water de-
partment has been giving a pressure
OF 1000 gallons to the minute or s.
100000 gallons in "a hours. This is an
immense amount of water-but it
could be increased wonderfully if the
big engine at the pump house was only
lowered to a nearer level of the water
and keep thus keeping the engines
from the great suction work and the
constant pounding.
The city engineer has practically
finished his estimates for the 1909
pavement and he will report to the
council Thursday night-this report
being final The last-twenty-five or so
blocks are now being finished but the
first thirty-five have been made public.
There are only f1fty-four cities in
the United States that took out more
building permits last year than To-
peka. This is a marvellous record
when it is taken into consideration
that Topeka is 111th in size in the
United States. These figures were re-
ceived by Mayor Green from Wash
ington and they represent the sub
stantial growth of the city during this
last year. With the exception of
Kansas City, Topeka is the only city
in the state that is shown on the
statistical record. There were $951,
402 worth of building permits taken
out at the Office of the fire marshal
during the past year. Such cities as
Des Moines and Davenport, Iowa, fell
far below the Topeka record in their
building permit record. Nashville,
nh
cities of this class barely kept their
record above that made by Topeka.
In truth there is not another city
mentioned in the records the size of
building growth. To those who won
der how the city has grown in
population in the last year or so, this
record will tell the story. When
kind there will surely be some evil
dence in the census records to keep
pace with the buildings. Last year
the big month was August when al
most $150,000 worth of building per-
nits were taken out-that is buildings
amounting to this much were granted.
The permits did not pay the city such
a sum. Many of the municipalities
the entrance of Topeka into such
rank and file of cities and still be able
to hold such position.
The primary election is over Out
this does not decrease the work of
the election commissioner to any great
extent. This morning the prepara-
tions for the regular spring election
were commenced and work along this
line will continue right up to the time
when the final election returns have
been canvassed.
There are a number of people who
did not vote at the late primaries.
This does not make any difference as
far as the coming election is con-
cerned. A primary registration is as
good as an election registration any
day. However, it must be remem-
bered that change in residence VIII
kill a vote unless a new registration
is made. And if change OF residence
is made by a person who voted at the
primaries they must register again for
the spring election. Registration VIII
be conducted just the same as for
merIy. These little points have been
a constant bother to the average
voter who has not had time to wade
through the long list of primary laws
and their amendments. At the com
ing election special care should be
taken to insure a correct idea or the
coming vote because the voting ma
chimes will probably be in use for the
frs+ time and the voters in the city
will have to do away with their old
time methods of pencil and a string
together with board, tent ana
table full of judges, clerks and other
red tape followers.