The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-12-23

Senator NIghswonger Has q
Bill Prepared Providing
For 0ne-Man Rule.
WILL PUSH IT IN LEGISLATURE
Law Permitting Reforms in Kansas
Municipalities to Be Urged by
Better Government League.

Kansas already has taken form. Tn1S
was one of the things proposed by the
Kansas Better Government League at
its organization meeting in Topeka re-
Gently. Senator Frank Nighswonger
of Wichita, where the active campaign
for the new form of city government
was begun in Kansas, already has
drafted bill for the optional form
of government and will offer it when
the legislature convenes. The bill was
introduced in the senate two years
ago and reported favorably by Senator
Nighswonger's committee and passed
by the senate. 1t was emasculated by
the house and then killed.
Senator Nighswonger has changed
his bill in a few particulars. The man
ager form can be adopted only by
vote OF the people and if adopted there
are to be five commissioners in cities
Of the first class and three in cities
of the second class. They are to re-
ceive nominal salaries and their duties
are limited to legislative matters.
These commissioners hire the city
manager and he hires all the city en-
ployees, discharges them when neces-
sary and transacts all of the business
of the city, sees to the water works
and light plants, keeps the streets,
sewers and sidewalks in repair, lets
the contracts for city work or does
the work with city employees. The
commissioners act only as board of
directors.
1.-The city manager" says the bill,
''shall be responsible for all the affairs
OF the city. He shall see that the laws
and ordinances are enforced. He shall
appoint and remove all the heads of
departments and all subordinate Off
GERS and employees of the city. All
appointments must be made by him on
merit and fitness alone. He shall pre-
pare and submit an annual budget to
the governing body and keep it fully
advised of the financial condition and
needs of the city"
x X x
Dies of rophobia.-Everet Mil
Ter, 26 years old, of Cherokee county,
died recently on Missouri, Kansas &
Texas train between Kansas City and
Parsons of hydrophobia A bulldog,
supposed to have been mad, attacked
and bit Mrs Miller at their home at
Star Valley last August. Miller went
to her rescue and beat off the dog
Mrs. Miller was bitten several times,
but she recovered after receiving med
ical treatment. Miller received a
scratch on the hand, but it was so
slight he gave it no attention. The
other day he went into commissions.
x x x
Cement Worker Crushed.-Louis
Sickles, 40 years old, workman en-
ployed by the lola Portland Cement
Company, was crushed to death in a
coal bin while at work in the plant at
lola.
His Injuries FataI.-Lee Johnson is
dead in an independence hospital as
the result of injuries received while
moving a house. He was caught be-
tween the coal box C. traction en-
CINE and the house.
Fire in HospitaI.-Fire caused a loss
of $4,000 at the Arkansas City hospital
recently, destroying portion of the
building, in which there were twenty
two rooms. Patients were removed
in great excitement
x
Manhattan Engineer KiIIed.-Fred
Walters, city engineer of Manhattan,
was killed and E. j. Walters was Sc
verely injured when a motor car they
were driving overturned two miles
north of Morganville the other morn
ing. Morganville is forty-four miles
northwest of Manhattan.
x K x
Woman Justice Quaiifies.-Mrs. Jen-
ME Gillet, who was recently elected
justice of the peace of Cherokee Town
ship, has qualified for the office and,
is ready to assume her duties. Mrs.
Gillet is the first woman justice in
Cherokee county.
Kansas Pioneer Dead.-Christian
Stiegtel of Westphalia, 81 years old,
died recently. He was a veteran of
the Civil War, serving with the Twen-
tieth Missouri Regiment. He had lived
in Anderson county thirty-six years.
Couple Welded Fifty Years.-Mr.
and Mrs. D. D. Ayers celebrated their
golden wedding at their home in Wa
mego recently. They were married in
Atchison County, Kansas, December 9,
1866.
* x x
Gets Federal Joh.@Oscar Smith of
Alma. county attorney of Wabaunsee
county. has been appointed a special
investigator of the Department of Jus
tice on the recommendation of Con-
gresham Doolittle. The place pays
$4,000.
X X
Shoots Father-ln-Eaw.-In a revol-
yer fight with his son-in-law, Floyd e.
Hart, A. L. Wright, a real estate
dealer. was shot and probably fatally
wounded at the Hart home in Emporia.
Officers say Hart shot in self defense.
No arrests have been made.
X X
U. S. Commissioner Quits.-Curtice
Sherman, for several years United
States commissioner at Wichita, has
resigned to enter the wholesale shoe
trade. His successor has not been