The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-03
Mayor Green Makes Startling
Charges Against Engineer.
Says He Is Careless in His City
Duties.
HAD TO BE CHECKED.
Mayor Claims Rogers Could
Not Be Trusted in Work.
Fire Has Been Sm0uldering for
Some Time.

SOulo lluc.
The fire at the city hall which has
been smouIdering for two years under
John P Rogers, city engineer, finally
broke out in all its fierceness today
and according to statements made by
Mayor Green and checked up in the
office of the engineer and in the
claims and accounts committee be-
hind closed doors. Mr.. Rogers has
proved himself a careless and in
efficient official.
1t has been stated by the mayor
that for the last two years the paw
ing estimates, sewer propositions, etc.
which are under the direct super
vision of the engineer, have been
handled in a careless manner by Mr..
Rogers and not until a week ago
when mistake amounting to
thousands of dollars was found, did
the officials decide that some radical
steps must be taken to correct the
errors of the past and those whlch
might come in the future.
'It has been necessary to check
over all of his estimates, to turn them
down and refer them back to his Of
fee, to even up the payments with
the paving contractors by deducting
money from their other work and to
watch Mr.. Rogers very closely said
Mayor Green this morning in speak
ing of the affair after it had leaked
out and was placed before him.
"I can say that we have been as
patient with him as possible and we
have always tried to correct the mis-
takes, save the city from extra ex-
pense and then bring them up 10 the
engineer and tell them that he must
do better or this matter would be
made public. I have called John in
off
him of the mistakes. I have warned
him of the outcome and have even
talked severe to him but it has been
of no avail. His Office records have
been neglected, the city has narrowly
escaped paying out vast amount of
money which could not be accounted
for except through his carelessness
and we can not stand to have things
cared for in this manner"
The paving and sewer work in To-
peka has never been SO heavy as this
year. The work in the Office of the
city engineer has crowded Mr. Rogers
until it has been almost impossible
for him to attend to it all. In lieu
of this the mayor relieved him of the
disposal of the street dirt from paving
excavation and turned it all over to
Street Commissioner Snyder and As
sistant Engineer Fulton.
Didn't Visit Inspectors.
ST can't figure out what John has
heen doing with his time continued
the mayor this afternoon. Il found
{ ut not long ago that he had not been
visiting his inspectors for months. l
ordered him to see them
once every day. The records in the
office were not kept up during that
| me and I could not and can not un-
1erstand it. Furthermore I have not
/ cen able to depend upon his word.
He would tell me that he would at
tend to certain thing and then would
r OF do it. 1t has placed me in an en-
Darrassing position because many
times 1 have gone over some of the
ground myself, I have driven around
own to look at the work"
The last breath of air to blow on
the fame and cause it to break out
came not long ago when it was found
that Mr.. Rogers had made "doub-
ling back" on his estimates On the
Kansas avenue paving near the Shun-
ganunga bridge and paid to Mr
$500 that did not belong to him.
There are many other instances of
this kind stated the mayor. eve
lave found in checking over his esti-
mates that a contractor at one time
received STAT for piece of work that
he had never turned over a shovel to
co. 1t was all caused by the careless
less of Mr.. Rogers who would sign
rhe estimates in his office without max
ing any Investigations"
found that Mr.. Rogers had failed to
give the proper profiles on the Elm
hurst sewer and as result 1t has
been necessary for the city to pay out
to, the contractors one dollar yard
more than the estimates or a total of
8 500 for this one job. I can we'll say
that through his work the engineering
department has given me more trouble
han any department In the city ad-
Committee Works on Tangle.
The claims and accounts committee
Of the city council has done all in its
power to straighten out matters and
the chairman, Councilman c. E. Jor-
dan, together with other members of
the committee have refrained from
making any mention of the trouble. |
The city officials who are all very |
good friends of the city engineer have |
tried to straighten out the mistakes |
themselves and still keep the !
city from losing money. 1t was stated |
by one of the city officials today that |
it was only through the great popu- |
Iarity of the city engineer that these |
facts had not leaked out before.
Il think that it will be necessary to !
go over all of the records kept by the |
engineering office since Mr.. Rogers |
came in," said Mayor Green. 81 do
not accuse Mr.. Rogers of being dis
honest and I do not think that he is
but we must know whether or not |
the city is loser on all these thou
sands of dollars spent for improve
ments during the last few years."
1T is we'll. known fact that the
streets in Topeka are in a deplorable
is, the streets recent
ly paved said one of the city Off
cials today. THE city engineer has
given 1.-The contractors their final es-
Inmates and they have been paid for
the work before they had finished
their work. 1t is always the rule to
give a man the money as fast as he