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.
HALTER GOES OYER TO FRIDAY.


tIcfpated by the Journal"
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 well 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 n. Noble addressed the council.
81 look at this AS a business prop
osition," said he. 81 would not let a
contract for building and then do a
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. l 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 a 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 an action and you
| gentlemen cannot afford to do it."
Judge N. F. 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 opportu-
nifty to build this dam if they want to.
The contract is only good after the other
has expired, and fail to see how the
! granting of this contract can injure
them. I know little of the men
who are in this company but do know
one of them, Mr.. Sessions of Ionia,
Michigan, and l can truthfully say that
he could build the dam himself if he
were so disposed"
Judge Day, Mr.. Downey, Mr.. Bartholo-
NEW and H. E. McAfee made speeches.
Councilman Bradford made a long
speech in opposition to making a 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 I. Howe and
two other men a franchise and
the right to cross the asylum grounds
but no franchise had been granted
to this company. He also said that con-
/
! 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
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-the- maRger- 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 a rival company club with
which to beat the life out of its COM
petitor, then l shall reluctantly obey I
have been in favor of, and have said, that
if the upper dam company would allow
its 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 it
was not question of law, but question
of whether the council Can afford to go
back on its word. 81 am taxpayer"
said he, ''and friend of both COMPANIES.
J and l want to see the council do what is
to the best interests of the city. l have
heard this financial wind for six years.
and am tired of it. If some one will
build dam, am for them, but I do not
see what the council can do until the
other contract expires"
Councilman Skinner thought that the
old company had been given ample OPP
portunity to build dam, and had not
done so, and he was in favor of giving
the new company a trial.
Councilman Bradtord's motion to post
pone action until June was lost, only he
and Stephenson voting for it,
After some further discussion the
whole matter went over until next Fri
day evening.