The Topeka state journal., 1898-10-22

ssfree Iist'' in Topeka the company as
serts is larger than it is in most cities
in which the water works systems are
operated by corporations.
Topeka pays the water company S14,-
500 per annum for hydrant rentals, at
rate of $50 per hydrant. There is a case
in court to determine whether the city
should pay hydrant rentals for a great
ar number than 800 and If the city loses
that case the annual hydrant rental
would amount to S15,S00 as there are
316 hydrants in use. The litigation ig
over those located in South Topeka ana
arises out of the annexation OF South
Topeka.
The city would save this hydrant
rental If the plant were owned by the
municipality but at the same time there
would be a loss of nearly $4,000 IN an
nual taxes. These taxes are now paLu 91l1-
in the city but for a time the company
paid the taxes in Topeka township
claiming that they should be palo
where the pumping station was located
The plans for new water WORKS nlaue @
by City Engineer Barnes PROVIDE 1oE Lie
following mains:
L so miles of "a inch pipe
O45 miles of 20 inch pipe
O.4S miles of 1S inch pipe.
O4O miles of 16 inch pipe
O6 miles of IA inch pipe.
329 miles of u inch pipe.
661 miles of 10 inch pipe.
1856 miles Of inch pipe.
2974 miles of 6 inch pipe.
Making a total Of 51.5 miles OF pipe.
The mains in use by the present water
company are as follows:
66 miles of Is inch pipe.
% miles of 16 inch pipe.
20 miles of IA inch pipe.
400 miles of II inch pipe.
4 90 miles of 10 inch pipe.
400 miles of 8 inch pipe.
u sc miles of inch pipe
IL 90 miles of inch pipe.
Malxing a total of 43.75 miles OF pipe.
The reason a system Of larger mains rs
,,rOIr{ded in the plans for the new water
works is because engineers claim Ina ID
tbe mains now in use are not or sum
Gent caUacity to furnish adequate nfe
nressure and sufficient water to reacn
All the additions. Five years ago lhe
city secretly made some tests TO oecSt
mine the amount of fire pressure ana II
was found that the pressure was 1a5
from being up to the standard requlHeo
by the ordinance. -.
The plan for new works provides Tor
a pumping station above tne aSy iUIl4
sewer and the present plant secures It's
water supply from the river above the
asylum sewer. -.
The new plans propose the use OF Two
pumps with a total capacity of 11,0OO O9O
gallons per "a hours. The plant now IN
1se has a capacity of 100000 gallons
at the station above the asylum ana an
additional capacity of 100000 gallons
at the old pumping station at the tooI o1
Topeka avenue.
There is a general impression that the
present company has a hrSC class puInp
ing station and good mains up to the
city. but inadequate mains on some
streets.
The water works question is not
simple one by any means and factor
in the complications is the large debt
carried by the present company the
bonded Indebtedness being much more
than the actual value of the plant. The
works originally represented something
like an investment of $1,000 That
company, composed of Joab Mulvane
and others, some years ago sold the
property at a good profit for $5OO,OOO to
the New York firm of Coffin & Stanton,
That firm built the new pumping sta
ton, the mains leading therefrom and
some extensions and then bonded the
works for a million two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. The total
amount put into the plant by Coffin q
Stanton by purchase and improvements
is variously given at from 100000 to
500 coo. The Indebtedness has since been
scaled down by receivership and re
organization to about SS00.0 If the
city purchased the present plant, 1t IS
understood that no Indebtedness would
be assumed.
manner. The polls will be open at .
o'clock in the morning and close at s
in the afternoon and the places viii be
ooT1r1iSSiOnPT of elections.