The Topeka state journal., 1899-06-14
WHAT WILL IT BE?
Gas Company Decides to Reduce
Topeka Rates.
How Much? Is the All 1mpor-
tant Question.
BE DISAPPOINTMENT
Unless the City Is Given Dollar
Gas.
Col. C. *. Holiday Talks About
Per Cent.
e DISAPPOINTMENT

The Topeka Gas company has de-
cided on a reduction in the gas rates
in Topeka.
Col c. K. Holiday, who has just
returned from New York city where he
consulted with the present owners of
the Topeka plant, announced positively
today that a reduction in the rates
would be made. He stated that the
exact amount of the reduction had not
been decided upon. but that it would
be utterly impossible for the Gas COM
pany to put in a dollar rate at this
time.
THE company is now earning three
per cent on its investment" said Col.
Holiday. THE books of the company
will show this to be an absolute fact.
For this reason reduction to a dollar
rate is at this time utter impossi-
bility.''
The representatives of the Gas com
pany in this city are waiting for GER
tain information from the east, and as
soon as this is received a conference
with Mayor Drew will be arranged.
Later the matter will be submitted to
the city council
Col. Holiday would not state today
the possible extent of the reduction to
be granted Topeka consumers. He
simply said that it had not been de-
cided upon, but that it would be as
great as the best interests of the COM
pany would allow.
Whatever action the Gas company
may take voluntarily toward a reduc-
tion of rates in this city will be apprec-
lated by the consumers, but any rate
in excess of a dollar rate will not be
satisfactory. The company can not
hope to enlarge it's trade by a slight re-
ductiOn, whereas it is conceded that a
dollar rate would at least double the
present consumption.
For this reason the Gas company may
feel assured that the inauguration of
dollar rate would be a paying move in
the end. In the face of this assurance
1t is bad business policy to take a step
that will give the Topeka consumers
but slight benefit and at the same time
reduce its earnings without hope of
having them advanced byincreased con-
sumption.
present extortionate price of gas will
work a. benefit to consumers, but the
hundreds of Topeka people who would
be glad to use gas for both fuel and il
Illuminating purposes at a dollar rate
Will remain unsecured as customers of
the company.
If the Gas company goes before the
council and agrees to make partial
reduction now and a reduction to one
dollar as soon as the recuperation from
the expenses attendant upon the i'm
ProVements on the plant is complete.
with considerable faith But for the
company to simply declare a slight re-
duction without holding out any definite
hopes LOT doIlar rate, after 1t has
been the understanding all along since
the promise of reduced rates was made
to the council that a dollar rate would
be established, will simply increase the
antagonism of the Topeka people to the
company, an antagonism which is the
result of many years of unjust gas
rates.
The city council, with the best in
terests of Topeka at heart, should hold
out for dollar gas, if not at this time
a some definite future time If COM
panies in other cities, possessing no bet
ter facilities than the Topeka Gas COM
pany, can manufacture and supply gas
to consumers at a dollar rate. it is ri
diculous for the Topeka company to
declare that it is unable to do the same
thing.