The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-08
THE MAY0RALTY.
The Coming Contest One of the
Most Important
In the History of the City of
Topeka.
EFFORTS TO DIVERT
The Real Issue, and to Drag in
Personalities.
The Situation as it Actually
Exists Today.
EFFORTS TO DIVERT

the people or Topeka ShOulQ NOT De
deceived about the issue in the forth
coming mayora1ty contest.
1t is not a personal question.
The fair and square issue is whether
the people of this city shall be, for its
water supply, at the mercy of a New
Jersey corporation, whose capital is ST.
500, 900 and whose bonded indebtedness
is $1,300,000, or total of $2,SOO,OOO in
obligations based on a property and
plant which can today be duplicated
for less than 100000.
These are the plain, unvarnished facts,
The records in the court house will
show that Topeka today is burdened
with water company which has obl1-
cations out for nearly ten times the
actual value of it's plant.
The issue means whether the water
consumers in this town shall have
water and plenty of it at a reasonable
figure, or have it at an eXorbitant
price and little or none of it in import
ant portions of the city, as a New Jer-
sey corporation shall dictate.
With the waterworks under the own
ership and control of the city, the fam
water, should pay at the most So and
other consumers in proportion. The
family which has no water service for
domestic or fire protection shall have
be lower and the service will be uni
versal in the settled portions of the
city.
These things can all be accomplished
and the city pay for the plant out of
the surplus that would be accumulated
from the proposed reduced rates. The
friends of the waterworks company are
doing their work in a quiet, smooth
manner. They had hoped to make the
cry of third term and cover up their
real purposes. They have secured some
honest and we'll meaning people to favor
their plans, while on the surface these
well meaning people are told that the
friends of the waterworks company are
really in favor of the city ownership
of the plant, or in favor of disposing
of it's plant to the city; and that the
fight on Frank Brooks is malicious.
The people of Topeka do not desire
to conf1scate the waterworks plant, but
the franchise expires in two years and
the city is entitled to purchase it at an
valuation. This valuation, of
course, would not under any circum-
stances exceed what the plant could be
duplicated for. If the company should
be unable to secure an extension of it's
franchise, it's next most important
move would be to have a friendly
mayor. or a weak mayor, who would
see that they secured more than the
value of the plant; thousands of dollars
more if possible.
ers of waterworks securities that they
have so much money involved, but that
should not be the misfortune of the wa
ter consumers of the city of Topeka
The Issue Not Personal.
The opposition to Mr. Drew has on
the surface up to this date pretended |
to be friendly to him and it was given
out by them even in the last few days
that the contest is entirely friendly.
The facts are the issue is not per-
sona1 one 1t is one which affects the |
people of Topeka, affects their pocket |
books, affects their property.
Mr.. Brooks, while not in business in |
the city of Topeka~now and not having |
been in successful business since he !
served the public in a county office, is |
has no malice toward him, but regards |
him as a gentleman who would, If elect |
ed be easily turned in a manner which |
would not be for the best interests of |
Topeka. In other words, he lacks that !
element we call force and backbone |
which is needed in the mayors chair, |
particularly during the next two years. |
When 1t was plainly stated in this |
paper last evening that Mr.. Brooks had |
himself as opposed to the |
city ownership of the water plant, the |
statement was made on the authority |
of one of the most reliable, most sue |
cessful and most responsible business !
men of the city, NJ. c. Holman.
last evening: 1.-TWO weeks ago last |
Monday Frank Brooks came to my |
store to see me about the mayoralty |
contest and at that time he told me |
city ownership of the water plant. His |
statement was plain and unequivocal. |
Why he has so suddenly experienced a !
change of heart is a matter that it is |
difficult to understand"
A Little History.
A review of the manner in which Mr..
Brooks entered the race for mayor may