The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-11
CONTEST OF THE DAMS.
It Wasn't Settled By the Council
Last Night.
NATTER GOES OYER TO FRIDAY.
New City Officers Announced as An
tIcIpated by the "JourRnI.''


The council wrestled long and earn
estly with the dam question last night
and left it no nearer solution than they
were at the start The attorneys of the
opposing companies were present as well
as several of the we'll known people of
Topeka to talk for and against giving the
upper company an alternative contract
for 800 horse power.
The ball was opened by Judge Guth-
RE, who talked against giving the new
company a contract for power. Then
George M. Noble addressed the council.
81 look at this as a business prop
csition," said he. 81 would not let
contract for building and then do
thing that would hamper the contractor,
and prevent him from carrying out his
contract, and still that is what this coun-
Gil seems disposed to do. | very much
doubt whether these men have the
money to build this dam. People who
have money do not run around trying to
find dams to build. As city, we don't
want to do anything dishonorable, and
the council has already made one con-
tract and can not afford to make another
until that has expired"
P. G. Noel said: 81 don't think that
the city has any right to make a con-
tract with this new company while an
other is in force The credit of the city
will suffer from such action and you
gentlemen cannot afford to do it.'
Judge n. +. Handy said: 81 am sim
ply citizen and have no more interest in
one Of these companies than in the other.
Mr.. Bartholomew has my sympathy for
what they have tried to. But it seems to
me that these people who are asking for
this contract should be given an opportu-
nifty to build this dam if they want to.
The contract is only good after the other
has expired and l fail to see how the
granting of this contract can injure
them. l know little of the men
who are in this company but do know
one of them, Mr.. Sessions of Ionia,
Michigan, and I can truthfully say that
he could build the dam himself if he
were so disposed"
Judge Day, MIR. Downey, Mr.. Bartholo-
new and II. E. McAfee made speeches
Councilman Bradford made a long
speech in opposition to making con-
tract with the new company until the
contract with the Bartholomew company
expires He said that the legislature in
1898 had given to Samuel 7. Howe and
two other men franchise and
the right to cross the asylum grounds
but no franchise had been granted
to this company. He also said that con
gress had granted a franchise to a Col
Orado corporation but none to a Kansas
corporation such as this company is 81
shuold not object to granting this fran
chise If the city were released from the
other, but being bound by the other I
do not see how the city can consistently
give this contract to another company"
said he. sit is clear to my mind that the
upper dam company, as we call it, is
asking for these provisions and urging
the city council with all possible speed
to pass such ordinances as they desire,
that they may use them as a club to pre-
vent capital coming to the city, the very
thing that the people desire. Their
whole conduct, to me. is evidence of bad
faith, and dog in he-manger- policy.
! 81 think the time has come for the citi-
zens of Topeka to instruct their council
men what they want done in this matter.
If it is the will of the people of the city
that shall cast my vote to place in the
hands of rival company a club with
which to beat the life out of its COM
petitor, then l shall reluctantly obey. !
have been in favor of, and have said, that
if the upper dam company would allow
it's contract and ordinance to lie in the
hands of the council until the 4th day of
June, and if at that time the lower dam
company have not in good faith COM
menced operations. that then they should
have my vote and influence in procuring
every legal franchise that the city could
prudently give. In this, am satisfied
that am sustained by the taxpayers and
business men of this community"
Councilman Stephenson said that il
was not question of law, but a question
of whether the council can afford to &c
| back on its word. 81 am a taxpayer
said he, sand friend of both com panies
and l want to see the council do what il
to the best interests of the CITY, | have
heard this financial wind for six years
and l am tired of it. If some one viii
build dam, am for them, but do no
see what the council can do until the
other contract expires"
Councilman Skinner thought that the
old company had been given ample op-
portunity to build a dam, and had no
done so, and he was in favor of giving
the new company trial.
Councilman Bradford's motion to post
pone action until June was lost, only BIZ
and Stephenson voting for it
After some further discussion the
whole matter went over until next Fri
day evening.
NEW CITY OFFICERS