The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-23
AN OFFER TO BE MADE.
The Topeka Water Company Wor-
ried by the Agitation
FOR MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS HERE.

The COmpany's Offer of Compromise,
Not One Likely TO be Accepted-En-
eerTweeddaIe Drawing Up Plans
foe City Waite rWOrks.
City Engineer Tweeddale is busy pre-
pairing the plans for new waterworks for
the city.
At the last meeting of the city council
the engineer was instructed to prepare
plans for complete water system. The
purpose was to ascertain the cost of a
plant adequate to supply all the de-
mands of the city Then if the for
fixture of the franchise of the institu-
ton known as the Topeka Water com
pany can be secured after the repeated
violations of their contract with the city,
to take the necessary steps to secure a
plant which shall belong only to the city.
This position of tho council will be
endorsed by the citizens.
The plans now being drawn up on
template taking the water from the river
just below the old pumping station at
the foot of Harrison street. The water
will be taken direct from the river by
means of points driven into the river
bed. A purifier is to be put in, large
enough to purify all the water which
enters the mains, and no water will BE-
used, even in case of fire, which is not
submitted to this purifying process.
The mains are to be larger than the
old system, the principal feeder to be "a
inches in diameter, while in the old sys-
tenn it is but 10. Careful attention has
also been paid to the equal distribution
of the water. City Engineer Tweeddale
says that the greatest defect in the pres
! RI a r0rinaino1 al Z
are too small
! The new plans contemplate the cree
ton of a large stand pipe, thing the
present company promised to build and
| did not. 1t would be erected at the cor
ner of Western avenue and Huntoon
street, or where Taylor and Western
avenue merge into one street. This pipe
would insure adequate pressure on al
occasions.
1t will require some time for the com
pletion of the plans and an estimate o
the cost of building the new system car
! be made. Meanwhile the people of th'
city will anxiously await the result of thu
| controversy with the old water company
They Hear the Protests.
All these preparations and the protest
of the people have aroused the officer
of the Topeka Water company. So MI
Summerfeld, receiver of the company
came to Topeka post haste. He. in com
pany with the secretary, visited the mayo
and the members of the committee O.
water works of the council. He begged
that the council would desist He had
proposition and sought the council to b
patient and hear it
The water company will probably sub
nit its proposition to the council at tn
next meeting.
1t will propose to extend its waite
mains into the suburbs if the city wi
agree to pay $50 for the use of eac
hydrant put in. The point of contentio
with the water company has been owe
the extension of the mains and whethe
the city shall pay for the extension an
for the rent of the extra hydrants Their
is provision in the contract which sag
that the company shall furnish all owe
300 hydrants rent free They also pro
pose to dig large well. which will il
sure sufficient water for fire pressure.