The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-03
LONG SQUABBLE ENDS
Controversy Over City Railway Exten-
sions Settled Harmoniously

With a few minor changes, the
agreement between the city commits
sioners and the street railway COM
pany, announced first in the State
Journal, was agreed to when an or
dfnance covering the entire situation
was presented to the commission.
The commissioners with Manager
Albert Patten and T. F. Doran, attor-
ney for the railway company, went
over the ordinance from end to end,
and worked out all the details. There
remains yet to be settled only the mat
ter of a new bond in lieu of the bond
that is now pending.
A change in the former program to
give the railway company until May
81, 1914, to complete the South Tope-
ka extension, on account of the neceS-
sity of building a new bridge across
the Shunganunga, was granted by the
commission. The extensions and the
time on which they must be completed
under the present agreement, are as
follows:
From Sixth and West streets south
to Eighth street and thence west to
Summit avenue by December 81, 1918.
From Eighteenth and Kansas ave-
nue. south to Twenty-first street by
May 81, 1914.
From Tenth and Morris avenues to
Gage park by way of Tenth street, by
December 81, 1916.
ten offers a replica Of the present
bond. City Attorney W. G. Ralston
urged the commission to demand an
indemnity bond on which the entire
bond could be collected in the event
that the railway company failed in
any particular to complete the terms
of the franchise. But Mr.. Patten de-
clares he will not give such a bond,
and several of the commissioners de-
clare they believe a new bond iden-
teal to the old one, except that it will
take in the Gage park extension, is
only fair.
The liability under the present bond
is only for the uncompleted extern :
sions in the city that are taken care |
of under a new bond. The street rail-
way company throws in long line to |
Gage park which also must be COM |
pleted within the time specified or /
the bond will be forfeited. This bond |
Mr.. Patten is willing to give, but he /
declares he is unwilling to give bond |
which, in full might be forfeited i'll |
the event that any small particular of
the franchise was not carried out.
Considerable sentiment both for and |
against the acceptance of the present
is being expressed in the
city. Those who have been working
for the Gage park extension feel that
the railway company has won its
tight, and that the city has gained |
The extensions promised in |
the next ten months are only those
provided for in the original contract, ,
while the Gage park line, about which |
so much has been said. is hardly more |
than a dream of the future, that Por- |
ter, for example, says he hopes he |
may live to see built. In the meantime |
the park must remain for the benefit !
of those who have vehicles and there |
fore can go out, or for the hardy ones
who are able to walk from the end of
one of the present car lines
The ordinance as presented gives
the city the right to string wires along
the company's poles for municipal
lighting, and provides for the repay
ment of property owners for paving
where such paving is replaced when |
the street car tracks are Laid 1t con-
talns the customary provisions and !
gives the construction company the |
privilege of excavating where neces- |
sary to lay its tracks.
Mr.. Patten declared today that he
already has given orders for steel to |
be hauled out on Eighth street, and
will begin work at once. He expects
20 have the line completed in four
although he has six months
be incident to the installation of the
switch at Sixth and West streets.
which will have to be built especially
or the place. Otherwise the line
night be in operation considerably
sooner.
An arrangement whereby the city
md the railway company will jointly
0uild a bridge across the Shunganunga
IN Kansas avenue is expected to be
cached.
AS regards the new service Mr.. Pat
en- declares he has not had time to
work it all out. He expects, however,
o run the present West Eighth street
.ars the same as they are being run
low except that instead of going to
ootwin they will turn south at Sixth
md West streets and go out over the
new extension. He will place three
ars on the new Eighth street line
he line going from Eighth and Clay
through the city and back to Eighth
md Summit-and expects to give the
extension a 15-minute service
As soon as present improvements on
he Asylum line are completed he says
lie expects to improve the service
here, perhaps giving the Asylum 10
minute service all the way out. 1t will
rive Sixth street an excellent service.
In South Topeka Mr.. Patten says
lie does not intend to take the cars
IF the present loop from Kansas ave
Tue to Topeka avenue, but does not
NOW just how he will arrange the
ervice there. He may send one car
round the loop and the next across
he Shunganunga. or he may arrange
schedule so to give both places a
5-minute service This is vet to be