The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-17
Hawkes. Says There Are No
Funds for Rotary Home.
Maintenance Impossible Under
Law, Is His Opinion.
4 EMPTY VICTORY FOR CLUBS
Levy Must Be Used on
the Poor Farm.
Commissioners Have Funds To
Complete Building.

After the proposed county munich
pal home is built there will be no
money available for its maintenance.
according to an opinion rendered by
Judge S. N. Hawkes., assistant attor-
ney general, to the Shawnee county
commissioners today. Judge Hawkes.
has recommended that Hugh Fisher,
county attorney, and George McDer-
mott, one of the counsel for the Ro-
tary club and Shawnee County Medi-
cal society, go before the supreme
whether the county can maintain the
home near Topeka which the Rotary
club and medical society have insisted
upon.
Judge Hawkes. bases his decision
on the ruling of the supreme court
which places the county municipal
home and the county poor farm as
two separate institutions. The legis-
lature has created a special fund for
the maintenance of the poor on the
poor farm and provides a one mill
levy for the purpose. Money for the
maintenance of the home on the poor
farm which the county commissioners
intend to build will come from this
fund.
Nothing for Other Home.
But, Judge Hawkes. holds, none of
maintenance of the other home which
will be built with the $4,000 in bonds
voted by the people, as the court
holds this home can be no part of
the poor farm. The general revenue
fund is looked upon as the only ave-
nue. of escape for the new municipal
home and this fund is always badly
depleted. Should it be decided money
could be taken from this fund. a new
levy for that purpose would be neces-
sary, thus placing on the taxpayers
the price of two homes and the main
tenance of two homes.
The county commissioners are pro-
ceeding as rapidly as possible in pre-
pairing to continue the work of build
ing a home for the poor on the poor
farm. Today. an application was filed
in the district court to appoint board
Of appraisers to appraise the value of
the ia acres on the poor farm. The
court granted the application and ap-
pointed c. L. Mitchell. Fred Morns and
Andrew Scott as members of the board.
The work of appraising began today.
The county may. under the law,
erect building on the poor farm not
to exceed $4,000, less the appraised
value Of the land. This money must
necessarily be raised by taxation now
that the $4,000 bond issue must I'M
der the supreme courts ruling. be
used to build home near the city.
The commissioners will use the
foundation erected at the poor farm
before the supreme courts ruling and
as it is probable the farm will be ap-
praised at at least 800 an acre, 1t will
leave S3S,600 to build the home. The
architects plan for the original home
will be carried out as nearly as posi-
BILE. However. 1t will be necessary to
leave a portion of the interior unfin-
ished. The original contract called
for an expenditure of $43,413.
l. K. Bowers & Son, contractor
who built the foundation, were given
$5,94s.56 for the work done on the
building up until the time an injunc-
ton was issued. This money came
out of the county's judgment fund
New contracts must be let for the
building as soon as the appraisers fin
ish their work.