The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-21
TO TRY FORESTER.
City Commissioners VIII De-
mand a Tree Trimming.
Old Forester Ordinance Nav BE
Dug Up fer Purpose.
IT'S GETTING SERIOUS.
Condition OF Unkept Trees At
tracts City's Attention
Almost Impossible to See Street
Lights at Night.
IT'S GETTING SERIOUS.

While the city purchasing agent
question was causing untold trouble at
the city hall a demure little ordinance
was nestled awav in the ordinance
books which provides thar the mayer
be the purchasing agent and attend to
the work Likewise while the city
officials are trying to decide what to
do with the badly trimmed trees over
the city, d complete ordinance provid-
ing for the office Of city forester is
resting innocently on the records.
Every city in the country with the
natural shade-shade that was en- the
spot before the city-has a city for
ester. His duty IS to surerinEend the
trimming planting and cuItfvating Of
all trees. In this manner the cityss
shade Is Uniform. the avenues are
lined with beautiful trees and there is
no trouble from broken limbs. dam
aged telephone and telegraph wires,
etc.
The long, untrinned limbs and
overhan ging branches of the trees
along the streets Of Topeka have be-
come such L nuisance that the city
commissioners feel thar something
must be done al once. It is needless
10 60 into details-this was done some
time ago through the columns of the
State Journal
At the next meeting Of the citv COM
brought before this body by Commits
sioner Miller for immediate action
The city electric light plant is having
endless troubles with overhangiug
limbs which interfere with the wires
and ground the current Not long ago
a crew Of men hunted for two DAYS and
two nights for j ground wire CT a
break-and it was finally found that Il
tree limb had rubbed loose the insJ1la-
ton and the current was being ground
s1 4-rvF, -
At the present time the city Is hav-
ing trouble with the trees on many
streets Because they hang 50 low it is
impossible to make the proper use Of
the electric lights The lights shine
straight down to the pavement and
cannot reflect cut along the street as
intended
People who want lights On their
street corners might as we'll dismiss the
idea until they trim down their trees
said Commissioner Miller this after
noon 1T is useless trying 10 install
lights when all they do is to form a
gathering place fer bugs in the sum
u1er tine. Il the streets are al so dark
II IS because the trees make them so"
Repeated warning have been sent out
over the city through the press but It
seems impossible to make the people
trim their trees. However with IN
ordinance in the city commission next
week making it a mfsdeueanor not to
lEL1Il Ellt- trees L4lC city VIII 4A1AlEE-O Z
marvellous change in remarkably
short time.
While this ordinance IS up for consid-
Grafton It Is possible that the city win
60 back through the ordinance books
to an ordinance passed by the city
council August Il 1906. when W II
Davis was mayor and J. H Squires city
clerk This ordinance created the office
of city forester but since that tine it
nas-lika most Of the other ordinances
been forgotten
For the Information Of the public the
Old ordinance, which reads as follows Is
reproduced
Ordinance Nc. 2712-Ar ordinance ere
5ting the office Of city forester of the
city Of Topeka. prescribing his duties
and fixing his salary.
Be It ordained by the mayor and coUu-
Ciluen OF the city Of Topeka:
City forester. term / That the Of
fee Of city forester of the city of To-
pexa IS hereby created. The term OF
said officer shall be for two wears and
until his SUCCESSOR is appointed and
qualified The term of Office OF the per