The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-03-17

There is a possibility. not to say prob
ability, that the suit now pending ia the
district court in which the city Of To
peka is the plaintiff and the Water Sup
ply com pany is the defendant may be
dropped, by the Water Supply people
coming to terms peaceably and meeting
the conditions which the city claims it is
bound to meet under its contract The
suit IS one brought by order of the,. city
council to compel the Water Supply
company to extend its mains or forfeit
its charter and franchise. Ihe suit grew
out Of the Water company refusing to
comply with the orders of the city coun-
ell TO extend its mains to the Martin N
Dennis addition. and other suburbs in
need Of better fire protection and water
facilities
This case, after hanging IRE for two
years would come up AZ the next term Of
the district court.
Isl b. Isenhart. city attorney IillotsOn
and others Interested on the citys side,
claim the suit has reached a point where
by the Water Supply people must come
to terms or 60 out Of business. While
their statements may not seem strong, it
is generally admitted that the citys case
is about as well grounded as could be de-
sired. In the face of these facts and the
fact that extensive improvements are
contemplated by he Water supply COM
pany ia Topeka this spring and summer
among which the extension of mains is d
chief feature, the assumption is made
that this voluntary evidence of improv-
ed temper on the part of the WaterwOrks
company is a disposition to settle the
existing difficulties amicably-
For the larger part of the week j. "a.
HOwells of Chicago, the chief engineer
of the company which controls not alone
the Topeka service, but plants IN a dozen
western cities, has been at the u atlOnal
d "a q IA
specting the plant west of town and hmd-
ing out the needs Of the city ia the way
of extension Of mains. After looking
over the ground thoroughly lie left the
city last night, saying he would return
next Monday or Tuesday.
Silas Summerheld, the receiver Of the
Water Supply company, viii be in To-
peka next week. He has ordered a ser
les Of blueprints made showing the
whole city. the location of the present
water mains and the localities greatest ia
need of better service.
Jesse Shaw, the local manager Of the
water company, told a JOURNAL j reporter
today that while improvements are CON
templated beyond all doubt the exact
nature of them he does not know and
probably will not know until Receiver
Summerield and Engineer Howells ar
rive in Topeka next week.
~Wul the mains be extended TO the
Martin dC Dennis addition the reporter
asked.
"Ireally do not know Ut may be so,
but / have not been notified of i'll"
''Do you know whether it is the inten-
tion of Receiver Summerdeld to settle
the waterworks question out Of court9"
81 have not been advised as to that"
sit might be true, theng"
sal admit the possibility of it'll"
1t is said that the placing by Judge Ri
ner Of the federal court Of the Topeka
Water Supply Company in the hands Of
a receiver, casts an entirely new phase on
the waterwOrks case.
The staud-pipe, which played an im-
part part in city council affairs two years
ago, is not among the proposed improve
ments- Jesse Shaw says a tandpipe is
not needed, and he has always protested
against it. It was probably only intended
to- Doodle couucilmen with, for which
purpose it proved an iguominious dzzle.