The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-18
Municipal Ownership the Only
Remedy in Sight.
WILL SUPPORT DREW.
Ex-COunciIman NetteIs Reviews
the WaterWOrks Situation.
Rev. C. MI. SheldOn's Prophetic
Utterances on City Ownership.

mayor. They know where he stands on
the waterworks question and they are
not ready to try any experiments. They
know that the issue in the coming pri-
mary is 1.-The people" against a New
Jersey corporation. and there is no dan
ger that they will be blinded by foolish
attempts to divert the issue.
A meeting was held in Zane's hall,
Quinton Heights, last night to discuss
the situation to be decided at next Sat
urday'S primaries.
Quinton Heights is in the "dry dis
trict'' and the speakers were to discuss
the question vital to the residents of
that community, the waterworks ques-
ton.
Chairman J. s. Warner said: 1--WE
are now on the eve of an election and
matters of interest, especially to resi-
dents of Martin & Dennis addition,
who have not been blessed with water
supply, will be discussed tonight.
Il owe an apology to the people living
in the dry district. I am a member of
the city council and was sent there by
the people living in this part of town
to further their interests. 1 have
worked to bring these things about
but there is a reason why all has not
been accomplished. We have with US
tonight a man who is familiar with
the water question from 1881 to the
present time and who knows proba bly,
more on the subject than any other
man in town. He studied the matter
while he was member of the council.
Mr. C. H. Nettels will explain later
why we have no water.
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon has spent
great deal of time studying the question
of municipal ownership and will speak
on that point
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon said: 1.-The
problem of our century is the problem
of the cities. There never was a time
when the cities were so important.
These questions will take time for solu-
ton. Cities grow SO fast that great
evils are the result. Men are studying
city life as they never studied it be-
fore. The magazines and papers are
filled with papers on these subjects
These questions are being studied for
the purpose of making things better.
There are certain municipal wrongs
centering around city government.
The men who form the government are
giving away to keen. sharp men priv
ilegeS belonging to the people. Certain
things necessary to the life of the COM
mon people should be furnished at a
less cost than they are furnished by
the private corporations. My opinion
is that light, water, city railways and
perhaps other necessities should be
owned by the people. There should be
no middleman's profits. The idea of
owning these different necessities is the
same, whether it be water, gas, street
railway or other plants. When owned
by the city it is cheaper for the people.
Philadelphia and Richmond, for in
stance, own their own gas plants and
where the private concerns charged
from $3.50 to SO. the price under the
present system is from So cents to 81.
Many of the towns of England and
Scotland own their own gas and water
works, and besides being cheaper it
makes a revenue for the city; for all
that is made above expenses is turned
into the city treasury instead of being
paid out in dividends. When owned by
the municipalities the service is i'm
proved and extended. This proves the
wisdom. for the improvement of the
service follows when the cities gain con-
troll.
Syracuse bought her own water
plant four years ago and did what was
never done by the private owners, ex-
tended the service. Toronto is ahead
of us by owning the water system Good
citizens should see that the whole town
lives together for the good of the town
and we must not allow partisan feeling
to interfere. 1 am not here because
am Republican. 1 vote for the man
I consider the best, whether he be Re
publican, Democrat, Populist or Pro-
hibitionist. If the candidate who has
shown by his course in the city council
that he would carry out the wishes of
the people was a Democrat 1 would be
here just the same. I choose men for
honesty and ability to perform what
the people want shall vote for Mr..
Drew for mayor"
Ex-Councilman C. H. Nettels said: "I
shall be happy to assist the voters in
reaching a clear view of the situation.
The city officials have charge of the city
affairs and have the right to say
whether poles, railways, etc, shall be
allowed to have use of the streets. I
think chief Of all municipal functions is
that of furnishing water. Wells have
been condemned and closed as being
sources of pollution. An effort was
made in 1881 to furnish the city with
water. To tell the story from that time
to the present day would take more
than one evening, but will give some
general facts.
"a private corporation in 1881 con-
tracted to furnish water to the city. To-
peka was then only a third as large
now. At that time Is miles of mains
with ten fire hydrants to the mile were
agreed upon and would afford reason
able fire protection and supply to the
people. 1t was contracted that Is miles
with 10 hydrants to the mile should be
added when needed The first $50
MIGRANTS were to cost 81, 600 per annum
and additional hydrants $50 per annum
until the number of 300 was reached
when all additional hydrants should be
free. The boom set in and large addi-
lions demanded extensions of the mains.
The water company took the stand that
they could not be forced to LAY more
than the Is miles of mains and the city
took the stand that if the hydrants
above the number of 300 were to be
free there must be additional mains
The water company refused to make the
extension and 10 years ago suit was
brought. 1t was found that the action
DTOuSAl was wrong ana dICer many
years of litigation the supreme court
dismissed the suit upon the improper
action. This was an unfortunate thing
but is liable to happen in all litigations.
In order to find relief the council tried
to patch up a truce and that the city
and the company should both yield GER
tain points but this failed. Then was
set in motion the machinery to acquire
the waterworks for the city. A law was
passed in 1897 to allow cities to acquire
waterworks. A petition signed by two
ffthS Of the voters brought about an
election to vote bonds for the purchas-
tng of the water plant. This carried