The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-22
May Change Tracks from Clay
to Buchanan.
VOTE is ONE-SIDED.
Only Three of Members Oppose
the Proposition.
Mrs. MyrOn White Makes SEN
satiOnal Speech.

| car Ordlnance-franchiSe was handed to
the Topeka Railway company by the
city council last night.
| According to F. C. Kelley, secretary
| treasurer of the street railway, the
company will not accept the ordinance
| as it stands until comforting with the
heads of the corporation in Chicago.
If these officials approve. work on
many miles Of extensions in this city
will commence at once and will be
completed within the next three years.
The business in connection with the
| franchise was conducted with alacrity
| last night. Mayor Green sounded his
gavel for work at o'clock and at
11:15 the final vote was registered in
| favor of the ordinance. The mayor
kept the council in constant action and
the meeting was not marred by imma-
terial speeches. and undue personal
slams.
How They Voted.
The final vote on the passage of the
ordinance was as follows: For the
ordinance: Blakely, Drew, Fink,
Hughes, Jordan, Lannan. Simpson and
Stanley. Against: Fraser. Howard
and Tandy. Absent: Miller. The two
changes were made last night by
Councilman Jordan, who voted for the
ordinance, and by Councilman Miller,
who was sick at his home and could
not attend the meeting. This broke up
the ranks of the insurgents" against
the ordinance and they lost easily.
Mr.. Jordan explained his vote last
night by saying that he had always
opposed the line on Buchanan street
and change on the Fifteenth street
line but his position on these two parts
of the ordinance had been defeated.
With the rest of the ordinance pending
and the people of his ward solidly for
its passag e he felt as though he should
vote for it and for progress in Topeka.
Mr.. Jordan spoke of the intentions of
the street railway to spend $500 in
the city and seemed anxious to have
them do it.
The meeting started out by petition
presented by George Bidders, secre-
tary of the Commercial club. The Pc
tition contained over 900 names. 1t
was stated by Mr.. Badders that 200 of
them had signed the remonstrance
petition under misrepresentation, forty
of them wanted the line right in front
of their house Aon Buchanan street and
the rest were all anxious for the
change. The petition was one of the
largest ever presented to the council.
Captain j. G. WATERS Final Protest.
Captain j. G. Waters arose at this
point and delivered his last Grafton to
the council against the franchise. He
was eloquent and convincing and was
received withs applause. He said in
part:
1.-THE Commercial club got out cir
the commission form and its main
argument was against the council be-
cause it had the right to give away (!
franchises. They told of what fran |
chiSe under the com mission form |
would mean and now they solicit petit |
tions to push this franchise through |
this council when the commission form |
of government is but three weeks away |
"Then believe that you have no |
right to pass on this franchise. The |
commission form takes effect after its |
election by the people and don't be- |
lieve that this council has the right to
to give the commission chance. There !
is no emergency in this franchise
why not wait until after the commits
sioners are elected? But if you do /
breed an injunction suit because the !
people won't stand for an action of this
kind. There is some reason for this
hurry-and we all know it. 1t looks
bad to the people of the city,
Attorney T. F. Doran of the street
railway, responded to the Waters ar
guments and said they did not apply
to the case on hand at this time. Mr..
Doran said the street railway was will
ing to accept the ordinance as passed +
by the council pay for it's publication
and do anything in order to get it set
tied at once in order that the material
might be ordered or the plans dropped 4
.one of the two.
Woman Makes a Good Speech.
Mrs. Myron White. one of the leaders
of the fight against the ordinance. and L
an enthusiastic woman who has been +
on hand constantly to protect the in
tereStS of the people of Buchanan 4
street." followed with one of the best II
speeches made in the council chamber
last night. Mrs. White took occasion
to fay the councilmen. who voted for
the ordinance. She said:
mot one of you councilmen who are
for this ordinance and who are run
ming for commissioners will receive our
votes, and not one of you will be back
oil oh
people of Buchanan street have any
thing to do with it. We will use our
influence against you"
In speaking of the action of George
secretary of the Commercial
club. in working up the petitions which
were handed to the council that even
ing, she said:
This petition was circulated over To-
peka on the Sabbath day. And in get
ting their names I can recite num-
Der of incidents where they gave the
signers wrong impression And we all
know that they even went out to the
Country club and had some of the
spooners out there put their names on
the petitions
Mr.. White, her husband, also made a
speech against the ordinance. He roast
ed George BadderS on the manner in
which he had secured names for the
petitions and the men he hired FOR this
purpose He said that the line was
forced upon the people by unjust meth
ids.
Must Pay for Pavement.
Councilman Blakely offered an amend
nent requiring the street railway to
oay over money for paving of Buchan-
IN street and widening the macadam
.oadway from Twenty first street out.
The amendment passed.
Councilman Howard amended with a
proposition to make the track on Clay
treet a single track with the neces-
airy switches and turnouts- It passed.
Councilman Tandy offered an amend
ra0uirinR the street railway to b