The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-16
THE STREET RAILWAY.
Shall City Sue or Try for Immediate
Extensions?

One of the important matters before
the city commission is in connection
with the extensions of the city railway
and the forfeiture of bond for $4,000
executed by the railway company three
years ago.
This bond provided that by March
1913 seven certain extensions should be
made by the railway company OF
these seven four have been built and
the lines put in operation, three have
not been made and for one of these
three there seems to be no demand.
The question before the commission
is shall the city sue on the bond and
endeavor to recover all it can, or shall
it try to effect compromise by getting
needed extensions, more than those re-
quired by the bond itself. The State
Journal hopes that the commissioners
will do what is best for the city and
secure, if possible. what the people
most want. In this connection 1T
seems as if nothing could be gained
by hasty action on the part of the city
in bringing suit, for the city has ample
time. two years in which to BRING SUM-
should it so decide.
Would it not be better to first ascer-
tain what may be agreed upon between
the city and the company, in lieu OF a
suit. Then if the city railway company
declines to do what the city deems
best the SUIT may De Drought
The three extensions uncompleted re
as follows:
On Clay street between Third and
Tenth. a proposed crosstown line, the
building of which might be decidedly
more unpopular than its abandonment
The proposed extension on Kansas
avenue from Eighteenth to Twenty
first street, which is decidedly deslr-
able and needed
The third proposed extension, not
built according to the bond, is on
West Eighth street from Clay to
Summit street. This is a line needed
by the rapidly building up of the
territory involved and is a part of
line in the direction of Gage park.
1t would be about a mile in length,
but would still leave the railway line
about a mile from the park itself
Several of the commissioners have in
dictated that they believe a line should
be built immedia tely for the other
mile. entirely through to the park, and
possibly this could be brought
about
Albert Patten, of the Railway COM
pany, said today that if the city
brought suit upon the bond. work upon
the extensions would be tied up as the
company would proceed to defend it
self and litigations would delay ex-
tensions. that the company had been
building extensions and paving tracks
would not proceed on an extension and
fight suit concerning it at the same
time: that two years delay might be
involved.
Ordinarily when bond is not COM
piled with the thing to do is to bring
suit. In the present situation, and on
the face of the contract, technically it
might appear proper for the city to
at once commence suit. Practically,
that does not seem to be the best thing
to do Immediately because there is a
prospect in sight of the city securing
more than the bond required in the
way of needed extensions: that is an
immediate extension to Gage park.
As more than half of the extensions
were completed according to the bond
il is thought that the city under no
circumstances could secure a judgment
for as much as half the bond: or say
as much as 81 800. The estimated cost |
of the extension from Clay street to |
Summit avenue, about one mile, is S22, !