The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-14
ONE MORE GAS co.
One to Be Organized by Local People
With 100000 Capital.

OEhC 10 ne organized Oy 1AOcAA ECOPAC
with 5000, 900 Capital.
Topeka is about to enjoy the expert
ence of fight for franchises in the city
council Last Monday evening a Kan
sas City man appeared with a franchise
which he asked the council to adopt,
giving him the right to erect gas plant
Next Monday evening A K. Rodgers, ex-
county treasurer, will appear before the
council and ask for a similar franchise.
Mr.. Rodgers has been working on the
scheme to organize gas company COM
posed entirely of Topeka people for
some time, and he now has the matter in
such shape that he is justified in asking
the council for franchise.
The company which Mr.. Rodgers rep
resents will probably have a capital
stock of 100000, though the amount
Rodgers says that it will be made up en-
tirely of Topeka people and Topeka cap
ital will be used.
"There is no reason" said he, "why all
these things should not be done at home.
If We can keep the money here it is the
thing to do, and that is why the company
is being organized. We went into the
telephone business and the plant was
built just as we promised, and the com
pany was composed entirely of Topeka
people, too.
''lf the council will give US the fran
chise we will pledge ourselves to furnish
all the gas the people want for dollar
thousand cubic feet Our plant will have
twice the capacity of the present plant
and of course We will expect to increase
the consumption of gas in Topeka. We
are in earnest about this and we will
build plant if the council will give US
the franchise because when Topeka peo-
pie can do a thing of this kind they
should be allowed to do it.
'Of course it is not reasonable to sup
pose that two new plants will be built,
for that is out of the question. l under
stand that this man from Kansas City is
only a promoter. We do not ask a
franchise for the purpose of selling out.
We will build the plant ourselves. and
there is no promoting about it. We will
have some of the best and wealthiest
m Gu in Topeka in our company, and we
will do just what we promise"
The franchise which is now being
| drawn is similar in many respects to
| that now being asked for by ]. R. Nc
Iivried of Kansas City. 1t provides for
dollar gas; for a bond that the work
viii be completed within a specified
time; for deposit to protect the city
from damages for tearing up the
street; for the commencing of work
as soon as the weather will permit thas
the plant shall be situated in the city
limits SO that it may be liable for taxa
ton in the city.
1t is known that several of the council
men will favor granting this company a
| franchise in preference to the Kansas
City concern and the committees report
on the McIlvried contract will probably
meet with more opposition than was an
ticipated.
1t will be fight between the two new
companies for franchise, and as both
plants can not be built, there is proba-
bility that it will be interesting. Coun-
Gilman Stephenson says that he is in
| favor of granting both companies fran
chises, and if this is done it would be a
race to see which could soonest get to
work.