The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-12

| service commission, stated before the
| commission his stand on the question
that has divided the two bodies and
| threatened to overthrow the harmony
purported to exist at city hall. The
ambiguity of the statute book as to
| whether Or not a civil service APP
| pointee can be removed without charge
| is lamentable. F. G. Dreaming claims
| the honor of compiling the statute
/ book. but lays the blame of ambiguity
! upon the shoulders of Kansas City
| attorney.
| I'VE are here" said Mr. Kutz, Ito
ask that the civil service board and
the city commission come to a definite
| agreement. The law is meagre and
| hard to construe. Two conflicting
of a civil service appOintee expires with
the term of the board who appointed
him. and that he cannot be removed
without cause.
The question was rehashed for the
dozenth time. The new development
is the discovery that most of the MEM
bers of the police force were appoint
ed without a certified list being sub
mitted to the city commission. This
is in direct violation of the municipal
law.
Ex-Mayor Billiard, who was at the
city hall today, explains the failure to
find record of the proceedings as fol-
lows:
IF the names were not turned over
to the city clerk, it was simply an ov-
ersight There was never a man APP
pointed who had not been named by
the civil service commission. The first
year of my administration my duties
were new to me, and 1 occasionally
made mistakes, of course. Law states
that the names should be submitted to
the commission. Perhaps they were
not. In every case, however, they were
submitted to me-
Mrs. Della Sayre, police matron, was
appointed before her name was APPROX
ed The discovery that the appoint
ments at the police station are appar-
emily illegal will. in Mayor Cofrans
opinion. smooth the difficulties of the
new board to a marked degree.
ut will be plain sailing very soon,'
he asserted
Create Job for Frank Snyder.
The ordinance creating the office of
city commissioner of public health
and sanitation was passed yesterday
by the board. This morning Com
missioner Porter appointed j. Frank
Snyder to fill the position. Mr.. Sny
der has had experience in city af-
fairs, is conversant with conditions at
the crematory, and met with the APP
prevail of the commission He was
sworn in today. Mr.. Snyder's name
had been mentioned in connection
with the office of superintendent of
streets, to be vacated April 10 by FUR
man Baker. That office, however,
has been given to L. r. Lane, who
has been employed by the street de-
partment for one year.
The purchase of the pulmotor life
saving machine was approved by the
commission this morning. The fire
men have been instructed how to
operate the machine in connection
with resuscitating persons electrocut-
ed or overcome by smoke. Ordinance
providing for sewer district number
35 was passed. The $1,000 bond of
j. Culmer McGi1l. city physician, was
accepted. William H. Essig, naval re-
cruiting officer, was sworn in as spe-
cial policeman. Communication from
E. A Austin, declaring that the high
death rate in Topeka was largely due
to esca ping sewer gas, was read and
referred to Commissioner Tandy. Mr.. |
Austin declares the law does not pro-
vide for investigation of the condition
of the sewers, and asks that they be
examined at once.
The commission met in the office
of the city attorney. The council
chamber was crowded with so appli-
cants for civil service appointments
Examinations will continue this aft
ernoon, and papers graded the first
of next week.