The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-16
Commissioner Porter Files 1919
Request With WATSON Today.
He Follows Lead of Others
Asks ,2O%o Wage Increase.
HEALTH Dept NEEDS HEAVIEST
Estimated Cost of Keeping AL
legs Clean Next Year, S12,726.
Improvement Bill Includes
$4,000 Gage Lake Extension.

w. L. Porter, commissioner of parks
and public property, today presented
to W. H. WATSON, commissioner of
finance, his budget request for 1919.
The total of the general fund
asked for 1919, s4s, $3.50. is s7,s63.6O
over the total of the general fund
for 1918, which, was $40,776. Com
| missioner Porter says that the in
crease of almost $4,000 is practically
due entirely to the increasing of
salaries of members of his various de-
partments.
In suggesting this increase in salary
Porter adopted the same measures
taken by other commissioners for in
creasing salaries to enable employees
to continue in the service of the city
and still be able to meet the increased
/ cost of living expenses. The increase
suggested by Commissioner Porter will
approximate 20 per cent. Practically
all the commissioners have asked for
some increase. The percentage on
which this raise will be based will be
inoned out when all budgets are in
and the board has defirite figures to
work on.
ances, for the following departments:
| Dog officer, salary and miscellaneous
i 1915; health department, $17,130; de-
partment of food inspection. s6,566;
| department of plumbing inspection
! S1.460; the Burton Hill contract for
l
waste collection, and cleaning alleys.
| S12,726 plus an increase of 10 per cent
in wages, s1,272.60. making a total of
s13.99S.60. and public buildings,
$3.50. These departments enter into
the general fund and the total amount
i asked for in this fund is S4S.639.60.
Annual Cleanup $1,000.
! In connection with the department
for the collection Of trash and waste
is a request for $4,000 for the annual
Ispring cleanup. According to Com
missioner Porter there has never been
| enough money on hand to establish a
permanent force, after one of these
annual clean-ups, to work steadily in
cleaning up the city the year round.
The establishment of a permanent
force would in time result in the city
being kept cleaner and lower the ex-
pense entafled in these annual clean
ups. At the present time, Porter
says, men and wagons are hard to get
and cannot be held at work for the
city unless larger wages are paid
than have been paid in the past
Outside the general fund is a spe-
eial park fund for which Commission
Ter Porter asks $32,S00, which lacks
$50 of being $1,000 more than asked
for last year. Last year 9,000 was in
Guided in the special fund to be used
in the purchase of Ripley park. With
Ripley park paid for money which
went 10 make up the purchase price
of Ripley park will be used in the gen.
eral maintenance fund for keeping the
parks up to a higher standard which
was neglected to some extent in saving
the money to buy Ripley. For the gen.
,eral maintenance fund Porter asks
$4,000 Outside of the general up
keep expenses of the parks necessary
to keep them up to a high standard
Commissioner Porter contemplates
various improvements.
Improve Gage Lake.
Among the improvements SO badi.
{ needed and which will meet with uni
versal appreciation is a request TO
S $4,000 for improvement of the swim
: ming pool at Cages park.
5 The swimming pool at Gage grow
S in popularity with every additions
5 Improvement, Porter said. Porter ha
not stated what the new ideas will be
} Seats in the parks are badly needed
I A comfort station is suggested b.
: Commissioner Porter for Edgewoo'
, park. also one for North Topeka
? lights for all the parks, a doubtful
proposition from some" standpoints
= bath house for ChiIdren's park a
= $1,000; also another bath house 70
City park for which $1,000 is re
quested; tennis courts. stoves for pick
l nickers and drinking fountains to b
: placed in all the parks which are fea
: lures, the commissions says are yer
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