The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-19

But the railway. company will pay this
expense-this leaves my department
with balance instead of a deficit
THE superintendent of the electric
light plant did not estimate the ex-
penseS in Mr.. Miller's department cor
rectIy last year and the extra lights in
the city brought out his shortage The
great white way was another expense
Unforeseen by the commissioners in
making the budget
The Stotts' deficit is still more mis-
leading. He was not a city commits
sioner when the budget was made. He
did not have anything to do with the
estimates The city crematory was
new and no one knew what to figure on
maintenance and receipts Stotts en-
tered office with only $50 in his fund
It was a case of either closing down the
crematOry or calling for additional
funds The commissioners in a body
decided to keep it in operation. In the
Stotts sanitary department the cpl
demic of smallpox was Unforeseen and
unexpected The city hired physicians,
nurses, guards and in a prompt ener-
getic manner put down the disease. A
number of years ago the city suffered
an epidemic not half as serious and it
cost several times the amount expend-
ed this summer. Stotts is not to be
blamed
Miller Calls 1t Politics.
Com missioner Miller said: THE ar
ticle is so mislea ding and its political
intent so clear that it hardly deserves
an answer Speaking for myself I
Will say that 1 can show that the light
department could not be operated
within the budget for the following
seasons:
'.First-The eight hour law com
PEELED me to employ an extra fireman
Second-The new superintendent
found that many poles had to be re-
placed in order to avoid serious acct
dent and protect the city.
''Third-It was absolutely necessary
TO overhaul the line wires by soldering
all joints because we We're losing pow
er and could not have added to the
number of lamps without doing So
Il defy anyone to show any extrava-
Sance or carelessness in expending the
money used to operate the plat AS
TO the expenses incurred in maintain
ing the white way and the cost of
connecting il with the plant the com
as a body voted to grant
the petition and the indirect way in
charging that against me is at once
small and contemplate.
There is only one question that the
taxpayers ought to consider and that
is. was il necessary to do the things
that caused the additional expendi-
lures and did the city get value re-
eeived. As far as my department is
concerned, / can answer yes and in
vite inspection"
A Slap at Tandy.
Here Commissioner Miller spoke of
the loss of $4,000 to the city when the
Fillmore street bridge fell down due
to the carelessness of the engineering
department under Commissioner
Tandy. Miller continued.
1T seems to me that the writer of
the article was very careful not to
mention the fact that in the depart
ment reported ahead of the game, ex-
penses incurred that cost the taxpayers
return. Again I invite the closest in
spection of the management of the
citys business under my charge"
What Stotts Has to say.
Commissioner Stotts said:
Charity prompts me to refer to the
story published in the morning paper,
nasmuch as it referred to me, as mis-
leading, but the expression is too mild
% suit the occasion In the first place.
he budget under which I have worked
was prepared by my pred ecessor and a
arge amount Of it spent before I was
elected. The largest deficit occurred
n the operation of the crematOry and
ny predecessor was in no way to blame
Tor this. for the plant had just been
completed and there was no way to
plant might have been closed. of
course. but that would have exposed
he city to an epidemic of diseases Of
LII kinds resulting from the accumu- |
atoms Of refuse and filth
Every resident of Topeka will re- |
member an epidemic of smallpox |
which might have resulted in a fed |
raj quarantine and the complete de- |