The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-07
CITY HALL NEWS.
Ex-City Attorney Explains De-
lay in City Cases.
On Account of Circumstances
Cases Have Been Continued.
WILL COST $4,000
Addition to Melan Bridge Sur
prises City Officials.
Other Items of Interest From
City Building.
WILL COST $4,000.

in laying the blame of the cost and
| delay of the city VS.. Gilmore case
| upon F. c. Drenning. former city at
torney, Mr.. Dreaming has written a
letter to the State Journal explaining
| the whole secret of the case and ex-
| onerating himself from such a charge.
| The letter written. by Mr.. Dreaming
| explaining the cause of the cost and
| delay is as follows:
| To the Editor of the State Journal:
1 In an article which appeared in Sat-
urday's evening State Journal, I am
charged with allowing the sewer
| graft cases to drag and piling up the
| costs. This article does me a great
| injustice. Again and again I have
| begged the court to try the case of
| Gilmore VS.. city, and the case has been
| set for trial andscontinued four sue
cessive times over my earnest protest.
| First at the Septemb Der, 1908, term
this case with others was continued
on account of the crowded condition
| of the docket. In February, 1909, it
was continued upon motion, support
| fought desperately for delay. The case
was set in April, 1909, and we were
ready for trial, having subpoenaed all
| our witnesses.
When the case was called for trial,
Gilmore then fled his motion for fur
Their delay, stating in his affidavits that
| his attorneys had withdrawn from the
case and he was without counsel to try
| the case for him: After introducing
evidence on behalf of the city and full
argument for an immediate trial, the
court postponed the case until May 26,
then to June 1. 1909. Last Tuesday
| we began the trial and empanelled
eleven jurymen, and on wednesday
| morning Judge A. w. Dana was suf-
fering from a nervous breakdown, due
| to overwork, and was compelled to
discharge the jury and continue the
case.
/ have been more anxious to try
| these sewer cases than any other cases
have ever had. because of their great
| Importance. and I am sick at heart
over these delays. Besides, I do not
| get a cent until the cases are tried
The extra costs due to these delays
could not be avoided and are the usual
| legal charges. And no one at the city
| hall regrets the expense more than I.
| The expert engineers have never been
here an hour until the very morning of
the day when the case fas called or the
| trial actually begun. Yours truly.
F. G. DRBNNING.
A surprise was sprung at the city
hall this morning when City Engineer
Rogers came into the office of the city
clerk with the plans and specifications
for the two new proposed arches on
the south end of the Melan bridge.
These arches will cost according to the
estimates of Mr.. Rogers approximate
ly $4,000. This is far above any of the
dreams of the city officials and tax
payers.
Green gave one groan of despair and
said he had nothing to say. It will be
up to the people of the city to say now
if the council give a favorable YER
dict on the matter Mayor Green had
planned to have the estimate brought
before the council and then call a spe-
cial election to vote bonds for the con-
struction of the increased waterway at
once. What will be done now is up to
the members of the city council to-
cost it is very likely that they will
change their minds in hurry.
The big cost in widening the river at
the point where the Melan bridge
crosses the river is in excavation. 1t
will cost almost $4,000 alone to make
hits part of the work complete. 1t
will be necessary to widen the river
clear up past the city park to the Rock
Island bridge. This is a mammoth I'M
dertaking and is the bulk of the cost.
In explaining the reason for his Sc
lection of two 70 foot spans instead Of
the one span Mr.. Rogers gave the fol-
lowing reasons: Two spans will give. a
clearer waterway. Two spans will be
less expensive. Two spans will be in
harmony with the rest of the bridge
construction. Two spans have been APP
proved by the drainage board, the
county commissioners and their en-
gineers.
If an auctioneer wishes to come to
Topeka and tell of the qualities of
high grade stock he is free to make
his appearance and the city will not
ask him for any license. This is the
chief measure in ordinance drawn
up by the city attorney today. 1t
tonight. 1t has been customary for
different live stock associations to
hold exhibitions in Topeka. These
exhibitions always draw big crowds
However. when they imported an
auctioneer the city took advantage of
the foreign material and struck the
organization for the big tax. This
will be done away with tonight.
Elmhurst sewer will be brought be-
fore the city council tonight and 1t is
very probable that they will be ap-
proved and sent through with rush.
The boosters behind E1mhurst are
working hard for the modern i'm
provements in their addition and the
city realizes the value of the assess
ment.
One of the deputy clerks in the of
fee of the city clerk paid her milk
license the other day-it amounted to
exactly three cents. This three
cents caused the city treasurer to go
over the whole set of books in his
office and transfer the sum to the
proper fund. 1t also made 1t neces-
sary for an excessive amount of red
tape in the Office of the city clerk.
Taken in all this three cents prob
ably made three hours of work for
the city officials. 1t is a crime to
mention milk license" around the
city hall.
We wish to thank our friends and