The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-13
LIGHT PLANT FIRST
J. Holt Gates Wants to Com
mence With Arc Lights.
FIGURES ON POLICE FUND
Placing of HydrantS on North
Lawrence.

]. Holt Gates, the Chicago contractor
much talked about, who is going TO build
Wichita's new street railway, came TO
the council. He stated that it was his
wish to 20 over the line with the street
car committee today for a thorough in
vesGgation in which he should make
whatever statements he deemed neces-
sary. After such a trip he stated that he
would be willing and was ready 10 &C
ahead with the construction of the line
in the way the council should think the
better or might require. he stated 10 the
council that he thought it would be much
more convenient in several ways 10 allow
him to put in one hundred or one hundred
and fifty arc lights first This he thought
would give the city better light, thus ac-
commodating the citizens in one way and
the Company very largely in another
The weather and the difficulty in getting
material, he thought, would in a great
measure hinder the building of the track
end IL put down now much of it would
have TO be gone over again when The
spring opened up. Change of plans and
specifications also necessitated some de-
lay. In short, he asked TO be allowed @
go ahead with the construction OF the
light plant and follow IL with work on
the street railway.
He said he could get only about 100 tons
of the 72-pound rail here now, whereas it
would require 500 tons, and the remaining
400 tons he could not get until the first
of February. anyway. Mayor Ross sug-
! IL,
dred tons of rails on the ground as quick
~ as possible.
BY unanimous vote the council allowed
time for Mr.. Gates TO go over The system
with the street railway committee After
this the committee will make some rec
ommendation TO the council winch viii
probably be followed NJ any rate Mr..
Gates says he is ready 10 do whatever
the council insists but asked as a matter
of convenience TO be allowed TO put up
the light pant first.
THAT POLICE FUND.
Among other things. the council listened
10 a report from Mr.. Sutton. of the police
and prisons department. Mr.. Sutton read
the following, which was not signed by
any other members OF the committee, but
Dy pl1lSeiI as chairman.
Hon. Mayor and City Council-As chair
man of police and prison committee I will
say the prisons are in good order and /
believe the police are doing their duty
and working to the best interests of the
city and citizens generally. 1 find on pO-
lice clerks books for November 1G1 ar
rests, s232S5 fines. *2,5O45O forfeits. max
ing total of 81, 1875, being the largest
collection in the five months home rule.
Expenses for police salary, meals for
prisoners, and other necessary expenses,
81, 20665. leaving a net balance of Sl.53072
turned into city treasurer's hands / find
by police clerks books there has been
turned into city tressurers hands in five
months over expenses of running police
department s7,212.s Sc. In seventeen months
rule of the governors police commission
there was s., $50 turned into the city treas
urer's hands. Take SS,6J from S72l2S3
leaves Sc, 2.S3 more in five months than
the commission turned in in seventeen
months; and by figuring only a little if
we keep the same police twelve months,
making seventeen months OF home rule.
we viii have paid over to treasurer over
expenses s2i,479.55.
Now, Mr.. Mayor, I don't want 10 hint
at anything that will throw discredit on
any OF our townsmen. but I would like
to know what became OF that s2i AS. 50.
''WM. SUTTON, Chairman.
Council voted to pay the water company
cost OF labor for removing two hydrants
from some place in the city where they
are not used and placed on North Law
renee.