The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-02
LIGHTS WENT OUT.
Topeka Business Houses Left in
Darkness Saturday Evening.

THAT is a fine all wool ulster said the
clerk in a clothing store Saturday night
as he was exhibiting an overcoat TO a
What is the coIor?'' asked the man and
just then the electric lights went out and
left the store in complete darkness
''Nubian black said the clerk who was
not at all disconnected. You can see for
yourself that it is as black as EGYPT, SO
black that you can not see It
There was trouble at the electric light
plant and the Kansas avenue circuit was
shut off. 1t did not last long, less than
business house was left in the darkness.
At Greenwald's clothing store two men
their accounts and the bookkeeper was
looking through the ledger when the
lights went out. There was one candle
in the drawer that the mice had failed
TO find and by the aid Of that the &C
rest of the dark period business was done
by candle light.
rners were looking over the latest music
when the lights went out The salesman
played Just as The Lights Went OUT
and several more customers came in to
The proprietor of a book store said he
suffered no Inconvenience for he had THE
Light of Asia and would try to do bus
told the people in the store to remain that
he had bag OF feathers and they We're
At the Continental clothing store a
the lights vanished. Another customer
was trying on a suit. They all had to
sit down and tell ghost stories until the
lights came on. The boot black kept on
working just the same but used backing
on pair of yellow shoes and found out
the mistake when the lights came on
At the city prison the jailer was just
booking a trampwhen all was darkness.
away toward the cell room. The tramp
objected and scuffle ensued. The jailer
grabbed a policemen instead of the tramp.
At the Palace clothing store the crowd
waited and told stories until the lights
came on and resumed business At the
Western Union telegraph office the in
operators had to guess at what they were
writing on the blanks.
At ChaSe'S shoe store No. shoes were
fiteed on No. feet by candle light but
woman refused to have her shoes fitted
until the hghts came on 50 she would be
sure and get nothing larger than a four
Dan Clements rushed across the street
to drug store and grabbed lamp that
did service behind the big blue jar in the
window, rushed back and sold a suit of
clothes, but two people that wanted over
coats escaped.
The worst mistake was made at groc-
cry store when salesman sold 20 pounds
of salt for dollar and the customer said
it would not sweeten coffee at all.
Monday morning the merchants who use
electric lights received the following cir
TO our Friends and Patrons:
We feel that we owe all our customers
this expression of our sincere regret at
the failure of lights Saturday even
We have been laboring under great dis
advantages during the extensive improve
ments which have been making to in
sure the best possible service to our
friends
The industrial situation has greatly de-
layed delivery of machinery which was
contracted in ample season
An additional engine (number siX) con-
tracted for delivery August 10th and not
yet here, can not be counted upon before
November 10th. 1t is not expected, how
ever, that any failure of service will oc-
cur. as temporary arrangements have
been made for increased power.
Kindly bear in mind that during night
and day service for twelve years. this
second occasion
an apology for entire failure of current
for a few minutes.
EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING
COMPANY,
c. r. MaunselI. Supt.