The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-20
were NOT HEARD
Many TOpekans Attend Meeting
of City Commission.
No Action Taken on Taximeter
and Paving Ordinances.

Several Topeka citizens with certain
burdens Of eloquence on their chests,
attended the regular meeting of the
city commission this morning-and
left without opportunity TO unburden
themselves.
The particular topics on which the
Topekans were all loaded up, and
which it was presumed were TO be-
come topics for open discussion this
morning, were the new taximeter or
.dinance and the report of he ap-
praisers on the establishment of new
grade in the alley between Kansas
avenue and Quincy street, running
from Tenth avenue t. Eleventh street
The commission forestalled comment
on both propositions
Confer Behind Closed Doors.
The new taximeter ordinance was
-the subject of a conference behind
closed doors, commencing at 9 o'clock
this morning, between Mayor CorWine,
Commissioners McGiffert, Stanfield,
and Stevens. and City Attorney O'Neil.
The conference lasted till after 10
o'clock. AT $3.50 o'clock, the sched-
uled hour of the commission meeting,
the audience commenced to assem- BILE.
When the commissioners emerged
from the conference and went into
regular session, they proceeded first to
reading to the ordinance on Novem-
Der 26. This having been done, the
ordinance, with the revisions which
were a result of the conference, was
placed on first reading. Since first
reading consists only of the reading
of the title of the ordinance there was
little nutrition therein. The commits
sion then passed to the next order Of
busiu ess, which consisted of referring
TO the commissioner on streets and
for the paving of alleys. There were
both men and women present who
are interested in the taXimeter ordi-
nance. They sat blankly but hopefully
On until final adjournment came.
The report of the appraisers who were
appointed to determine the benefits
and damages resulting from changing
the established grade of the alley par
aleling Kansas avenue, between KAN
sas avenue and Quincy street, running
from Tenth avenue to Eleventh street,
was read.
Another Surprise.
Here there was another surprise
for those who had gathered 10 dis
cuss the report with the city officials.
The appraisers reported it as their
opinion that since the alley was de
signed to serve the abutting property,
and therefore was a local affair, there
should be no damages or benefits
charged to the city. whatever ''Tak-
stances" the report read, I'VE think |
no damages or benefits should be al
lowed to any of the property owners
in this block on account of such
change OF grade"
The report explained that the to-
Biography of tn ground and the grade |
of the streets cOmpels a compromise
grade.
Then it was developed. to the as
Constituent OF at least one commits |
sioner. as well as the assembled pop
ulace, that this is no time for the dis |
cussion Of the report. A date must be !
set, and advertised three consecutive |
days in the official city paper, for a |
hearing at which protests or appro- !
baton may be expressed by the prop
erty holders concerned, as regards the |
report. The date was set for |
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon, December
p. and another talking point was
swept away.
Park Contract Discussed.
The only person present who had |
the cars of the commission was a rep |
resentattve of the Garfield Park Oper- !
ating & Amusement company, who |
had come to. protest against the in I
corporation in its contract for the next |
five years of a cause which would |
permit the city to cancel the contract |
at will. other changes in the contract |
granting the amusement concession to |
the company for Garfield park were |
agreeable 10 the company The
changes include the giving of a bond |
by the company insuring the city
against loss or damage as a result of
accident on any of the apparatus in
use, which bond met the approval of
the company. and payment of the
usual license fee for the operation of
a dance hall at the park, if it is oper-'
ated as a public dance hall.
The disag reement as to the cancella-
ton clause was not ironed out today,
and the contract went over for further
i consideration at a later date.