The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-20
TO TRIM THE TREES
c t Commissioners Planning
Immediate Action.
Overhangfng Limbs Becoming a
Nuisance in Streets.
HAVE CITY FORESTER.
May Hire Force for Scientific
and Systematic Work.
Bring Agricultural Forestry De-
partment to Topeka.
HAVE CITY FORESTER.

After watching for years and years
the frantic and almost useless efforts
of the city council to force the people
! of the city to trim their trees, the city
| board OF commissioners has decided to
take radical action on the matter and
enforce the city ordinances at once.
The matter has not been brought be-
fore the board in a formal manner, but
is being considered seriously by Com
missioner Miller. To begin operations
by appointing city forester and trim
the Topeka forests in a systematic
manner to the advantage of the growth
OF the trees and the beauty of the city,
is the plan on foot at this time.
NJ. P. Miller is commissioner of wa
terworks and electric lights on the city
commission. The need of city tree
trimmer or someone who is acquaint-
ed with the work to carry on branch
cutting war has been placed before Mr..
! Miller by the electric light situation in
Topeka.
The trees in the streets and avenues
in Topeka have become so large and
bulky and spreading that on some
streets the effect of the electric arc
lights is almost totally killed The
lights shine straight down to the pave
| Dent below them. but on account of the
overhanging branches of nearby trees
| and the general condition of the limbs
from one street corner to another, the
Eghts-tley serve as corner lights
| and are a favorite gathering place of
bugs, winged animals and other things.
The city council in past years has
tried to enforce the tree trimming or
dinance. But people have either post
poned the operation until their trees
We're broken and snapped with the wind
or else they have allowed them to grow
as they please with little respect to
beauty or cause of effect.
It has been the duty of the street
commissic ner to cut out all dangerous
limbs and cut down dead trees if the
property owners failed to do it-and
charge the expense up to the property.
But it would take a street commission
er year with his present force to at
tempt such a task as is now staring
the city in the face
May Hire Men for Work.
To make Topeka beautiful, by placing
on the payroll of the city a few men
whose duties it would be to go over the
city and trim the trees according to ex-
pert knowledge on the subject and keep
these trees in condition at the expense
of the property owners. is the plan pro-
posed.
In many cities in the east city for
ester has gang of men whose duties
keep them with the trees at all times.
The trees are trimmed and cut and
cared for along scientific and sySte-
matte hnes-and the result is apparent
In Buffalo, New York, this system Is
carried out to such an extent that a
person is liable to arrest if he touches
one of his own trees. The city realizes
the value of the trees and protects
them. That Buffalo is one OF the most
beautiful cities in the country is con-
ceded by all.
Topeka is especially fortunate as
western city to have such wide avenues,
bordered with double lines of tall mas
sive trees. Almost every street and av-
enue in the city is shaded. To protect
these trees and cultivate them is the
only source of their permanency.
And in Topeka the trees do not only
iced the trimming for their own health
and the beauty of the streets but on ac-
count of their wild growth it is abso-
lutely necessary for the use of the arc
lights on street corners. All of the old
style lights which were formerly placed
high in the air on tall double poles
have been taken down and hung low on
wires. This was necessary on account
of the tree growth.
Now the trees have grown so low that
the only way to light up the territory
is to set the lights down on the pave
ment This is not only foolish but i'm
practical. To trim the trees is ulti-
matum.
1t has been suggested several times
that the students in the department in
Iege be brought to Topeka for re-
search and practical work. In several
eastern cities the agricultural college
students in this work are taken to the
cities and under competent trainers
they are turned loose on the city trees.
To protect the trees. the Eeauty OF
the city, the OVerhanglng electric ana
telephone wires and the street lights, |
the people of Topeka must trim their