The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-24
DOLLAR GAS.
Topeka Is Waiting to Have
Promises Redeemed.
Company Pledged Itself to Re-
duce Rates.
HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
Now Announced That Expenses
Have Been Great.
Consequently Reduction Can
Not Be Made.
CITY COUNCIL ACTIVE.
Fifteen Months Ago That Body
Suspended Operations.
Done to Give Gas Company
Chance to Redeem Pledges.
No More Time to Delude the
People by Promises.
Consequently Reduction Can
Not Be Made.
CITY COUNCIL ACTIVE.
Fifteen Months Ago That Body
Suspended Operations.
Done to Give Gas Company
Chance to Redeem Pledges.
No More Time to Delude the
People by Promises.

One year and three months ago the
Topeka Gas company through Anthony
N Brady of New York, announced to
the city council that if left undisturbed
by that body for the space of u months
it would make a satisfactory reduction
IN gas rates in Topeka The council
was at that time considering the advis-
ability of forcing a reduction in the
rates.
Twelve months time was asked for
the reason that improvements extend
ing over that period had been planned
for the plant in this city.
Three months over the requested time
have now elapsed, the greater part of
the improvements at the plant have
been completed. and no move has been
announced by the company looking to a
reduction in the price of gas. Further
than this. it looks as if nothing is to be
done, at least in the immediate future
Col. c. K. Holiday, formerly presi-
dent of the company before the plant
was purchased by the gas trust. and
probably better acquainted with its ar
fairs than any man in Topeka, states
now that because OF the improve
ments, which the company gave the
city council to understand were to be
made with a view of furnishing gas to
the residents of Topeka at a lower rate,
1T would be impossible for the company
TO think of a reduction in gas rates al
the present time He said that the new
holder, which has been entirely conf
pleted with q capacity double that of
the old one, cost $50 900 in round num-
bers, and that the system of purif1ca-
tion, now being put in, and the repair
and extension of the mains. now in
progress. would add an expense Of sew
eral thousand dollars more.
For this reason, Col. Holiday stated,
the company was not now making
profit on its investment, and 1T would
be altogether out of the question to
expect it to make a reduction in gas
rates.
If the Topeka Gas company has for
gotten its promise, the city council has
not. That body is just as anxious at
the present time to see a\reduction in
gas rates as it was a year ago. The
letters of Mr.. Holiday, attorney for the
company. and Anthony n. Brady of
New York. president of the company,
in which the promise was made. are
both on file in the office of the city en-
gineer. and in neither is time asked for
casioned by the improvements. It is
simply asked that the council withhold
action until the improvements are COM
pleted, and this the council has done
The letter or Mr.. Holiday was writ
ten on February Z, 1898. and that por-
tion in which a reduction in gas rates
as promised reads as follows:
The owners of the Gas company in
sist that the price of gas in Topeka can
not be reduced at the present time
They hope, however, that they will be
encouraged by the council to go on with
their long delayed improvements which
when completed, the price of gas will
be so reduced that neither the council
or the people will have cause to COM
plain
Mr.. Brady's letter was written just
a week later, on February IA. and was
presented to the council by Mr.. HoIli-
day at the regular monthly meeting on
Nj MaTCl I. lS9S follows
New York City,
Mr. Chas. K. Holiday, Jr.
After conversing with you at Chi
cago on Thursday, the 10th instant,
relative to the gas situation at Topeka
L desire to state and 1 wish you would
so inform your honorable mayor and
council, that the owners of the Topeka
plant would like to be placed in a posi-
ton where we would feel justified in
going ahead with our contemplated i'm
provements in your city. 1 am unable
to understand why the present gas COM
pany should be so persistently attacked
by the local authorities
We invested our money in your citv
An good faith, and expect to hold and
Improve our property and meet all re-
qulrements. But we think we should
be given an opportunity to act. and
snow what we are willing to do. If the
honorable mayor and council will kind
~ suspend all action and give us l.
months in which to place our plant in
increased consumption. we are satisfied
Ihey VIII have no cause for complaint
On the other hand, if the honora BILE
mayor and council desire to purchase
our works for the use and benefit of the
city ana gas consumers, we will still
entertain proposition to sell to the
city.
We can not. however. agree to the
ldea advanced that a municipality has
the right to arbitrarily reduce the price
OF gas any more than it has the right
10 reduce the price Of any commodity
y ours very truly
(SlSned) ANTHONY N BRADY
For the Owners
OF tne gas company to now ask ad-
ditional time in which to recover from
the expense of making the irnprove-
ments, as indicated by the statements
of Col Holiday. is unreasonabIe If
causes suspicion as to the earnestness
or the promise made the city council
The gas company might as we'll real
1ze that Topeka gas consumers must be
granted lower rates on the product. The
agitation which set the municipal ma
chinery to working Is months ago is
again manifesting itself and unless