The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-21
CITY HALL NEWS.
Operating Expenses Of City Will
Amount to Almost 100000.
Substantial Increase Over Main.
tenance Cost Last Year.
WATER COSTS MOST.
$4,000 Spent for Underground
Pipe Alone.
Other Items of Interest From
Other Items Of Interest From
the City Building.

1t is going to cost the city of Topeka
100000 to cover operating expenses of
| the last fiscal year. This is a rather
| bold guess and it might overestimate
| the expense but according to the rec
ords which are now pouring into the
| office of the city clerk it looks as though
] Topeka was never under such an enor-
nous expense
! Last year Q9O7-S) this city paid $159.-
| 915.09 for operation alone. This last
year has been much heavier and the
year to come will be the heaviest in
| history.
The increased cost in operation of
the city government does not mean that
| the city officials are careless with the
funds or that the money from the reve-
nues is being spent without thought or
without the careful guardian hand or
the city watchdogs but it means that
Topeka is commissioning in such
manner that even the street cleaning
force is added to each month for the
purpose of extending their good work
over the streets of this city.
! The operation of a city government IS
1 no small item. In fact under well
organized administration it is the big
gest problem to face-and the most ad-
| Vantageous to the people. The present
| administration has given the city more
pavement, more fire protection, better
police protection and better water and
| electric service than has ever been
given the city of Topeka in all past his
/ tory. This is what the people want for
their money and this is what they are
getting with the few thousand dollars
extra expense this year. 1t costs money
to go to sleep nights knowing that two
minutes after fire breaks out in your
home you are going to have ten fire
companies at your door-but it is the
cost that promotes rest and Satisfac-
ton.
The water department has been eat
ling away the funds this last fiscal year
ending February 29. 1909. The water
, department is undoubtedly the city's
, greatest expense-but here is the Sc
. cret of it all-the Topeka waterworks
) pay by revenue all of the expenses Of
> the department. The receipts of the
department for the last year have made
, the cost look like a very small item
7 and the city treasury has been swelleo
! beyond all past records.
! The biggest item in the operation OF
, the waterworks for the last year was
the cost of pipe. Almost $4,000 was
- spent for this equipment alone. In the
,, month of March, 1908. almost $4,000 was
= spent for this underground material
: The reason for this was the construc.
: ton of the double line of lead main:
; from the plant to the city. However
: no citizen will object to the expenditure
on such cause. It.ls miracle tina
the water mains did not break long ago
with this one single lead to the city
y 1.-The average Topekan shivers when III
= thinks of this one lone little Wate1
= main winding from the far away wa
= terworks to the city. The freight OF
this immense pipe netted the railroad
:, companies leading into the city almos
y Isle, 900. Freight rates reduced would re
lceive hearty support from this city.
The fire department last year drew
Il upon the city treasurer for $43, 9S6. 2
= This is over $500 heavier than last year
= However. $500 was spent for new hos
i during this time and this alone increas
=, RI q 6ra n
| tai. The pay roll of the fire depart
U ment constituted the main item. Tn
Z large number of big fires also caused
II big repair cost to the equipment.
y The police department has cost tn
i city 2S,67o.s6. The big hole in thi
n amount is due to the increased numbe
= of arrests-therefore the enormous cos
: in feeding prisoners. Over $4,000 wa
Z. tspent last year in feeding prisoner
n alone. To offset this expense the polio
IS department has turned in more fine
:; than at any other time in the histor
d LOT the city. Several months have pass
: led the $4,000 mark. Last year littl
s over $4,000 was turned into the treasur
this last fiscal year will exceed thi
3 by $4,000 at least.
The street and engineering depart
ment also the asphalt plant and thu
= city officer payrolls follow alons
y about the same as last year. The.
a have no receipts to turn to the city
- !, The engineering department has beef
increased on account of the paving
= sewer, bridge and city addition work
. But this has effected the pay rol
= only.
Thus it can be seen that the cit.
has spent considerable more none,
! in the last fiscal year than in the pre-
4 vious years but the receipts of tn
20 various departments mourning tn
,e cost have allowed a good margin TO
- future expenditures.
I'll Topeka is costing more money
~ and she is spending more with tn
" tax payers.
NJ Not long ago before a big fire tn
3 telephone and electric wires connect
1e ing the city with the waterwork
Sci were blown down and direct commu
> nication was cut off for the rest o
Is the night. A novice would be at los
to act if fire alarm was turned il
v but not the engineers at the pumping
m station. The fire alarm was SOUNDED
e. and the fire marshal sent word t
ne the pumping plant. Not an answe
of any kind could be obtained. Thu
the steamers and all hydrants within
number of blocks were opened witt
full force. The drain on the waite
1