The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-24
NOTFAIR THEY SAY
MotorcyclistsWant an Ordinance
of Their Own.
Claim That Automobile Regula-
lions Don't Apply.
THIS LAW DOESN'T FIT
Engineers Not Protected by the
Eight Hour Statute.
Silencing Of Fire Bell Brings
Storm Of Protests.
THIS LAW DOESN'T FIT

The camp OF the motorcyclists is
bee onling turbulent and the indications
are that tho riders of the noise
mechfhes will turn out in full foce at
the meeting of the city council on Mon
day evening, July 2. That apparently
ever ending age limit question will
come up for consideration. but this
time it will be strictly as applying to
riders of motorcycles. Then there is
the objection that these men raise to
having to paying over dollar to the
automobile licensing board. Council
man Simpson is preparing separate
ordinance TO apply only to motorcyclists
will be remedied. There are at least
four or five riders of these machines in
Topeka who are under 16 years of age.
The contention among the motorcycle
element is that their cycles are more
r. anagaable than are automobiles and
are so constructed that an operator
can dodge in and out among a crowd
of PEOPLE at will.
ter said: The point is that the boy
Under 16 lacks discretion. 1t isn't that
q boy hasn't the ability but he hasn't
the power to act quickly and wisely
OF the people and not of the individual
boy. The council is making rules that
will apply to everyone.
Councilman Simpson in speaking with
q,
Oprosite viewpoint. Mayor Green,
said he. thinks the motorcycle a ter
rible thing. but there have been no &C
cidents recorded in Topeka and there
are 40 machines in the city. / don [
believe that you could take 40 horses or
bicycles ard end With the same record.
A motorcycle can dodge
An amendment to the latest automo-
lille ordinance came up for discussion
at a meeting last nigh: of the 5udicla
committee of The city council when
| placed motorcycles under the same rul-
| ings as automobiles, and stipulated
| front and rear lights. and also that all
| kicycIists should be required 90 carry
at least one light from the period from
one hour after sunset tc one hour peiorg
sunrise. No objection W!iI pc ralsSts
| bv the motorcyclists in regard to the
| question Of lights as they are as much
| for their own safety as anything eIse'
! 1t was tn, opinion of Mr.. NJ. r. Hard
he illuminated. This amendment was
| Lid asfIe in consideration of the fact
| that Councilman Simpson is preparing
an ordnance.
| ON account Of communication from
the labor commissioner an extra engl-
naer was employed at the WaterWorks
| nIant in order to be sure that the eight
| hour law was being computed WITH
| A. the meeting of the council on Mon
Gax, evening an ordinance came ur
which was designed to fix the salary
| of a third engineer. Several OIL IN
| councilmen asserted that the law dld
uo+ emily TO engineers so City Attorney
| Ralston was asked to give his opinion
| on the subject. He presented 1t last
night in the form of a document to the
| judiciary Committee of the council He
Iointed out that the supreme court
91d other courts had passed on the
nat+er and mis- decision was as fol-
irU,e. In view Cf the foregoing decision
an, of the opinion that chapter ia
| sessions laws of 1891. known as the
| eight hour day labor law, has no APP
nTcation to engineers employed in the
reiye, a monthly salary for their ser
| city waterworks department VINO re-
vices.
The question of siIencing the fire
| balI is likely to be heard from again.
! Remonstrances have started to come
| in and when the bell actually ceases
IN ring after the first of August it is
not at all unlikely that they will come
| in thick and fast. 1t often taxes
| people some time to realize tnaI
| something has happened, and this
will undoubtedly be the case in con-
| failure to arouse the people in case
of fire. Said Mayor Green: Il never
| could see any harm in that bell I've
never heard of any trouble coming
from a crowd at a fire. At any rate
| the f1remen have a clever way of ap-
Darentlv unintentionally shifting the
hose around so that it is turned on
| the crowd" 1t was Councilman
Stanleys opinion that the new reso-
luton would be of but short duration
r,I,7or is af1oat in city hall cir