Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-20
Kansas Cities to Run
Coal and Wood Yards

htn.-NIN hdnSdS CITY
has already established a municipal
wood and coal yard, and the cities
generally will demand of the Legis-
lature meeting next winter that they
receive authority to handle wood
and coal for the benefit of the poor
people of the community.
Wood and coal dealers of Law
renee failed TO take care of the poor
people of the community properly.
There were charges of profiteering
on the part of both farmers with
wood and coal dealers in the sale of
small lots of fuel.
So the city officials rented vacant
lots and went out into the country
where wood could be purchased. in
reasonable lots at fairly good figures.
Then they hired men who were out
OF work temporarily TO cut the wood
1t has been sold al cost in small
lots, and the operation of the wood
yard has done much to allay the
suffering in Lawrence on account of
the fuel shortage.
If public sentiment were not in the
condition it is at the present time,
the city officials who established the
coal and wood yard could be ousted
from office and given fines and Jail
sentences for exceeding the author
ity of city officials. The coal and
wood dealers do not dare to insti-
tute these proceedings, and the gen.
eral public is not going TO do it.
But the lack of authority has
caused the Kansas League OF Mu-
inequalities to lay plans for a deter
mined effort to get the municipal
coal and wood yards from the Leg
islature. Some of the cities lodged
the operation OF the laws by permit
ting organizations to arrange wood
and coal yards to supply the poor.
The cities would contribute TO the
organization as Il charity, and thus
indirectly handle the work.
At its annual meeting the league
which includes the city officials OF
almost every city of more than 1000
population in Kansas, worked out
the plans for the fight for the pass
age of the enabling act that would
permit them to supply fuel to the
citizens during the winter months
and ice IN the summer. And in con-
nection with the same law there
will be a provision that will permit
the esta blishment of municipal food
kitchens and authority for the pur-
chase of staple articles of food in
quantities for distribution at cost "a
the people of any community.
1T is the duty OF the cities OF
Kansas TO see that the residents
within their limits are properly
warmed and fed, as it is the duty "a
see that the citizens have an ample
supply of good water, with proper
sanitary arrangement to preserve
health and comfort" said the an
nouncement of the league. There
fore, il has been determined that
this organization, acting for the cities
of the state, will make every effort
to obtain the passage OF an enabling
act from the next Legislature which
will permit the cities TO open mu.
nicipal fuel yards, municipal ice
plants, municipal markets and mu.
nicipal kitchens, for the general ben.
eft of the citizens of their communi.
ties"
Kansas cities now have the right
10 build, buy and operate their owT
water and sewage systems, electric
light and gas plants and street rail.
ways. Under an Interpretation ot
the constitution of the state by the
courts, il is held that these are eX,
ira municipal activities, and tha'
the cities are limited to owning anC
operating only the municipal utilitie.
specifically named in the law, anC
cannot operate utilities generally
simply because authority is granted
to operate a few.