The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-19
Twelve Miles an Hour Limit for
Bicycles and Motorcycles.
Regulation Applies Only to Bust
ness District.
OUTSIDE IT'S Is MILES.
Heavy Fine Provided for Reck-
less Riders.
New Ordinance to Protect Trees
Is introduced.

Hereafter any person who rides on
| Kansas avenue on a bicycle or motor
cycle faster than IL miles an hour will
be subject to q fine, so reads the mucn
revised bicycle and motorcycle ordl-
nance which came up for its final pass
age at the meeting of the city councli
held last night. Where this limit Will
apply will be on Kansas avenue be-.
tween Gordon street and Tenth avenue:
on Sixth avenue between Monroe and
Van Buren, streets. and on Thirteenth
street between Buchanan and Lane
streets. On all other streets in the city
the limit placed is IL miles In case OF
an accident it will be the duty OF q
person to stop upon request and give
his name and address and offer assist
ance An offender of this stipulation
will be subject to fine of from 500 TO
$1e0. Councilman Simpson thought this
fine entirely too heavy but the council
considered that this is too serious a
proposition to consider lightly and the
fine remained at the figure mentioned
Recently there has been considerable
complaint in regard to boys riding on
the sidewalks much to the inconven-
fence of pedestrians. The ordinance
provides a fine of from 81 to $40 for this
offense.
Street car traffic has during the last
few months been considerably delayed
by the unnecessary blocking of streets
by railway trains. Those persons Nv
ing in the portions of the city where the
street car service has been made irreg-
ular by these delays have been lodging
numerous complaints. This has re-
suited in the framing of an ordinance
intended to regulate steam railway
traffic in the city. 1t provides that all
tracks shall be kept free and unob-
structed in order that traffic may not
be interfered with. except in case of
necessary off and on loading. This
ordinance will be Particularly interest
v.la Il
in the hands of the judiciary committee
for further consideration.
An ordinance which had already been
looked upon favorably by the council
came before that body for reconSidera-
ton 1t was intended as a means of
protection of the trees of the city, and
provided tht no individual or corpora
ton shall attach electric light or other
wires to trees within the city limits
and to make it unlawful to cut or trim
trees on private property without the
consent of the owner, and also provided
that in case the tree was not on private
property it could not be cut or trim
med without the consent of the mayor
and council. Councilman Tandy, who
the ordinance, decided that
it would facilitate matters if this pow
err be vested in the mayor alone, as
otherwise a special meeting of the
council might have to be called before |
a tree could be trimmed. The suggest |
ed change was made and section one
read in its entirety. Councilman |
Hughes asked of Superintendent Good |
rich of the electric light plant if the |
city would not be offenders if this ordi- |
nance went into effect. The latter de-
clared that the city would be the most |
fragrant violator as it has many guy
ropes in use and these are included in
the ordinance. He asserted that the
wiring was no more harmful to a tree
than would be the fastening of a ham
mock to it. The next section provided |
that a man cannot trim trees on the
parking in front of his home without
the consent of the mayor and council.
There was considerable objection in re-
gard to this point and the ordinance
was finally resubmitted to the streets
and walks committee for further con-
The bonds of Jesse Shaw. superin-
-endent. and F. L. Stevens, cashier, of
he waterworks department, were re-
luced from $1,000 to $4,000.
Bids for the supplying of coal for
he ensuing year were opened and the
mayor instructed to draw up a con-
ract with the lowest bidder, the To-
0eka Cold Storage Fuel and Ice Co.
The prices submitted were: Slack,
$50; wash slack. $3.50; nut $3.50;
Jump 1882. These prices are looked
sfactory.
A resolution was passed ordering
0urbin and Burt contractors who are
putting in sewer No. 80 to remove
thin three days pile of dirt from