The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-07
GAME OF POLITICS
Contractor Richie Declares War
on City Officials.
Says Tandy Is Playing Hard in
the Limelight.
"FULTON is NO GOOD.
Richie Claims City Engineer Is
Almost Worthless.
Paving May Be Stopped in To-
peka for Some Time.


was no more fitted for the office of city
engineer than newspaper reporter
and would eventually lose the city
thousands of dollars, John Ritchie, paw
ing contractor, made a grand march
leaving an angry mob of city officials
in his path.
1t was the boldest stand against the
city commissioners ever taken by a
private citizen and Contractor Richie
not only distributed his sentiments
freely among the city hall officials but
he told the commissioners face to face
what ideas he had on the question.
Il am getting tired of this political
game" said Mr.. Richie. "Tandy is
using politics around town with the
paving and sidewalk contractors as the
goats. He is bringing up hardships
against US with no other reason than
that of making a record as city COM
missioner
In connection with his sentiments on
the official position held by w. F. Full
ton, city engineer, Mr. Richie was ricn
with his adjectives and his descriptive
phrases.
Takes Shot at Fulton.
HE doesn't know what he is doing
about half the time. He is no more
fitted for that job than you are. (He
was talking to the reporter who does
know the difference between a curb
and a gutter, but that is about alb
Just mark my 'word-this man Fulton
will lose the city thousands of dollars
and the sooner the people find it out
the better
Mr.. Richie was on the war path for
sure. As soon as he had told those in
the first lobby what he thought about
Tandy and Fulton he assembled the
stairs and met Mr.. Tandy coming
down. The sight of the big "Abra ham
Lincoln of the city commission didn't
dampen his spirits in the least. Beck
oning the commissioner into his office
he opened fire with all batteries and
for some time the two men exchanged
the time of the day, mutual courtesies
and a few other little business matters
matters that could not be placed in
print
The whole trouble originated when
Commissioner Tandy introduced
| through the city commission a reso-
/ luton holding back from the paving
| contractors the sum of SO a day for
! all the time since the time of their
contracts expired. Paving Contractors
| Richie and GilfilIan were required to
forfeit SO a day since the first of
January and the first of December
| respectively Sidewalk Contra ctor
! Gilmore was fined SIS a day since
January 1.
Big Sum Against Richie.
! Mr.. Richie signed a contract with
B
! by January 1, or he would pay the
above mentioned forfeit. Up to date
Ritchie would have to forfeit $3.50.
He has seven blocks of paving to fin
| ish which will take about two months
| thus meaning about $4,000 for him.
This clause has always been in the
contracts but it has never meant any
| thing" said Mr. Richie in explana-
| ton. I'VE would never make such a
| low bid if we had figured on that We
| had the worst weather IN a OF
year and we could not possibly finish
| the work on time. Besides labor was
scarce, and we met all kinds of set
| backs. The city does not offer any
premium for getting the work out
| earlier than stated by the contract
| and 1 know that they cannot collect
| anything as a forfeit. But they have
held up our estimates and our pay
| ments-and what can we do? They
have us where we can do nothing but
grin and bear it,
Then comes Richie with the state
ment that Commissioner Tandy is
playing politics.
Before the election Tandy came to
me one day and said that he would
see that Fulton did not hold up these
estimates on u.s." said Richie. HE
told me this on the street. Since then
he has been elected to office and he
turns right around and does the thing
himself-just a game of politics can
see through it all now"
Tandy Answers Back.
In answer to this Mr.. Tandy said:
IT saw Richie and told him that il
Fulton was holding up the estimates
without orders from the mayor and
council I would see to it that it was
not done. 1 never gave any promises
of any kind. Richie signed the con-
tract knowing that this forfeit was
there and he will have to take the
consequences. We are here to carry
out the contracts and if the contrac-
tors leave the streets open all fall an6
winter and block traffic they will have
to suffer for it. We are not going tc
have any more of this kind of business
in Topeka.
eff these contractors are going tc
talk like this will get into the game.
threatened Mr. Tandy. ct will ge
into it good and hard and they will
sweat blood. 1 am tired of this slack
: work-a few more statements like thi!
and things will Dick up
City Engineer Fulton was not sur
prised at the statement made bv Con
tractor John Ritchie.
Ever since I have been in office
have checked up these fellows ant
kept them right up to date in every
thing and they are feeling the effects,
= said Mr.. Fulton. "In past years the,
: please-and when we tighten tn
: screws they holler.''
J. 81 VIII Stop Work''-Ritchie.
Contractor Richie, who still ha
1 seven blocks of pavement to finish, de
, clared this morning that he was no
= going to finish them.
''If we are not going to get paid 70
our work there is no use to work." h
said. eff have to lose more none
on this paving-and I have lost abou
$500 up to date-I will just throN
up the work altogether. They haven
> allowed me a thing for last month
They won't come out and inspect m
work-and still they think that I ar
/ going to keep on laying pavement
l They will be mistaken
2 It is hard to tell what this war wi
!, develop into. 1t is very probable tina
Richie will refuse to continue hi