The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-18
Rickenbacher Park Proposition
Accepted by Council.
Deed Turned Over to City When
$50 Lots Are Sold.
WANTS NEW STEAMER
Chief Wilmarth Made a Number
of Recommendations.
Other Matters of Importance
Brought Out Last Night.

Tie Rickenbacher park proposition
has been accepted at last and Mayor
Green has been authorized to enter into
a contract tor the Is acres of wooded
land lying south of Twenty-frst street
and east of Quincy.
This matter has been a stumbling
block for some time and when offered
last night a hot fight was anticipated.
1t seems that the contract calls for
the nondelivery of the deed until $50
lots are sold near the park by the own
err This looked bad to the councilmen
at first who thought that the owner
was making an advertising agency out
| of the city.
| 1t was made clear later in the dis
cussion that the city would not have to
\ sold and it was expected that they
would be sold this summer. Mr.. Tandy
| offered an amendment to the contract
making it necessary for the lots to be
sold by April 1. 1910. This was not
looked upon with much favor by the
other councilmen and Mr.. Tandy was
forced to see his substitute fall by the
wayside.
The discussion over the park was long
and tedious and the end came as a re-
lief to the Wornout aldermen.
Chief Wilmarth, of the fire depart
ment, made his general recommends
tons to the council last night. They
were read with much interest and they
constitute an immense amount of in
vestigation on the part of the fire chief.
One of the most important recommen-
dationS outside of the new men and
clerks together with fire alarm boxes
explained in the State Journal Satur-
Cay evening the fire marshal asks for
a new first size Ahrene fire engine to
be placed at headquarters. The old en-
CINE would be shifted to North Topeka
and q new wagon would be purchased to
accompany the new machine. This
would give the city three fire steamers.
The recommendation of the fire mar
shall will give the city ample fire pro-
tection-just what is needed.
Last night the councilmen were in a
critical mood and a large number of
or dinances which had been passed upon
by first one committee and then another
were torn into ShredS and thrown back
to the original committees with orders
to "get busy The automobile ordin-
ance had too many critics. There We're
resolutions, amendments and ordin-
ances covering the same points and it
was fired back to the police committee
for boiling water The milk ordinance
which caused so much misery and woe
was killed again and it looks worse
than ever. Mayor Green found defect
at once and his eagle eye started the
rumbling wheels of the band wagon.
Councilman Miller took advantage OF
the weak point in the walls and charg-
ed with full force against them He
brought out some good points and re-
treated with colors flying. Mr.. Miller
is a. great supporter of the common peo-
pie City Attorney Ralston admitted
that the ordinance was not perfect. 1t
was brought out clearly last night that
the big milk companies We're well rep
resented by lawyers at the meeting
when the new ordinance was drafted.
According to the present ordinance
when a little boy or girl distributes
milk to the neighbors he or she will
have to have tag and number to-
gether with the name of the COW and
the barn hanging on his or her back.
This would be inspiring and the coun-
ell decided to revise the ordinance.
However, beyond the whole matter the
in view If the corporations are favor
ed it will be because the public health
will be benefited thereby.
The song birds are still in danger
on account of the slow progress of the
ordinance protecting them. An ordin-
ance has to pass through a hundred
hands before it is passed and during
this time the good effect is lost. Last
night the song bird ordinance was up
for the final reading. 1t was referred
back because the names of the song
birds were not given. 1t looks as though
the English sparrows will be the only
bird in danger.
A communication came to the coun-
Gil last night from George Skene, the
owner of Skene's park. Mr.. Skene OBJ
jected to the interference of the police
in Sunday ball playing on his grounds
and asked that the city league be al
lowed to continue it's playing at this
place. In his letter Mr.. Skene pointed
out that ministers all over the city had
spoken to him concerning the value of
the different athletic accommodations
on his grounds and they approved very
heartily the sane-holding that they
were all valuable to mind and body. 1t
was also proved that no profane Ian
guage or immoral conduct was allowed
in the park. The council referred the
matter to a committee and will wait
for results A commission form would
have taken it up and settled it in short
time.
The newspaper reporters who were
promised swivel chairs at the last
meeting of the council sat on their old
fashioned stools last night and listened
with heavy hearts to the squeak of the
chairs occupied by the councilmen. To
sit four hours in one place and listen to
every word-good, bad or otherwise
spoken by the councilrnen, is small
task-even in the kind of a chair that
the reporters don't get.
Echoes from the overflow of the East
side spillway are coming in thick and
fast. Last night w. j. Baldwin, who
conducts a harness store at 120 East
Sixth avenue, sent in bill to the city
asking for $25-he claimed that he lost
harness to that amount. In connection
with this bill he placed a singing con-
demnation on the construction of the
spil1way itself. 1t must be remembered
that the overflow of Biddle creek
caused the flooding Of this side of the
city last Friday.
Gradually the bad results from the
inadequacy of the Topeka sewers are
reaching the ears Of the city council
Every daV there is a. cOn1pIaint rising