The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-23
City Commissioners Are Ser
iOus in the Trimming Plea.
Ordinance Requiring Quick Ac-
tion Passed This Morning.
UNDER SUPERVISION.
Com missiOners Holman and Mil.
Ter to Conduct All Work.
Other Actions Before City Board
of Commissioners Today.


If you don't grab a knife and saw
and trim your trees at once you will
be subject to fine of from So to SIS.
This is an advance warning and if ia
ken in due time will save lots of trou-
BILE. This morning before the board of
city commissioners, Commissioner Hol-
man introduced an ordinance of this
kind. But this ordinance will take at
least three days to travel through the
commission and then it is printed in
the official city paper, the State Journal.
After that it is a law.
Thus, the people Of Topeka have I'M
til the latter part of this week to trim
their trees and get them in good order
before they are required to do so by
the laW-and an e6ict from the police
court
This tree trimming proposition has
been aired through these columns for
such length of time that it is I'M
necessary to state just why the city
commissioners have introduced an or
dinance of this kind. But in a few
words it might be said that this order
will come out both because it is an
absolute necessity and because it is for
the benefit of the beauty of the city.
The constant trouble with the over
hanging limbs on the part of the cleo
trio light department has created
demand for an ordinance of this kind.
With the trees in such condition as
they are at this time the full benefit
of the electric lights cannot be Secur-
ed. To make safe the electric light
wires, give more range to the street are
lamps, to beautify the streets, and to
carry ON systematic forestry system
in Topeka. is the plan of the city board
Of commissioners.
The trimming of the treets will be
under the superE ision of Commissioners
Miller and Holman. The ordinance in
troduced this morning reads as follows:
1T is hereby made the duty of the
owner of any premises AUDITING on any
street or avenue of this city to cut and
trim all trees or shrubbery growing in
the parkings between the sidewalks and
driveways of the streets and avenues
and all trees or Shrubbery growing on
any part OF said premises and adjacent
to the sidewalks, streets or avenues, in
such manner that the boughs or limbs
thereof shall not obstruct free and con-
venient travel along the sidewalks.
streets and avenues; and shall not OBJ
struct the passage of light from the
electric street lamp; and when said
premises shall be occupied by some 9TH
err person than the owner, it shall be
the duty of the said occupant to cut
and trim the tees and shrubbery in
the same manner hereintofore required
of the owner; said cutting and trim
ming shall be done under the super
vision and direction and to the salts
faction of the commissioner of water
works and street lighting and the com
missioner of parks and public improve
nents. Any occupant or owner who
shall refuse or neglect to cu. and trim
trees ard shrubbery as herelntofore
provided after receiving five days no.
tice from The city authorities to do SO
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemea-
nor and upon conviction thereof fined
not less than So and more than $25''
The Kenwood matter came to an end
this morning when the city commits
sion decided to appoint board of
appraisers and begin the assessment
against the Kenwood lots for the curb
ing and guttering of this section of
the city
The city council called for estimates
and prepared plans on this work and
then turned the matter over to the city
commissioners. But the commission
ers have been delaying the final ac-
ton, fearing that the city should not
spend 100000 for its share in this
work.
1t was decided at the meeting this
morning that the work was for the
benefit of the city and it was author
| lied. This means that the whole Ken
wood tract will be graded, curbed and
guttered-an improvement amounting
| to thousands of dollars
Each commissioner was sent a box
of cigars after the order passed.
The famous street car ordinance
| fought over by the old city council
was dug out and passed by the city
commissioners this morning. This is
the ordinance that has been heralded
| in the State Journal so many times as
a final action to curb the loose man.
ner in which the street railway has
| lived up to the terms of its franchise.
| The ordinance passed today makes
| it misdemeanor for the street rail-
way to violate any of the sections of
| the franchise and will be final deci-
sion on the continual trouble between
the city and the railway over certain
sections of the franchise.
The hauling of freight cars through
the streets, the removal of unused
| tracks, the duties of conductors in
calling out streets. the paving exca-
walton and cleaning of the right OF
way, and several other valuable Sec
tions are included in the ordinance.
| The much talked of proposition to
refund the existing outstanding bond
| ed Indebtedness of the city of about
| $4,000. which bore an interest of :
per cent, due July Is. 1910, and then
execute bonds bearing a denomination
| of $1,000, due July Is, 1880, bearing
an interest of 4 per cent, came up be-
fore the board of commissioners in
| the shape of an ordinance for it's first
reading this morning 1t will be
passed later.