The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-03
CHEAPER GAS.
Dollar Franchise Granted by
the City Council
New Company Proposes to Build
an 100000 Plant.
A FORFEIT OF $1,000.
Money Must Be Deposited Before
Formal Acceptance.
l FORFEIT OF $1,000.

Topeka may have dollar gas after all
The gas trust refused to keep it's prom
Use to the city. 1t was repeatedly urged
to do so. The city council has given a
franchise to a new company that pro-
poses not only to furnish dollar gas
but within five years after the plant is
in operation obIigates itself to furnish
it for 80 cents.
The franchise was given to Mr.. W. J.
Faulkner Of Chicago Monday. evening
under these conditions. The franchise
also provides that the city shall have
a share of the profits.
AS was anticipated there was prac-
against the adoption of the ordinance
being cast by Councilman J. W. F.
Hughes of the Sixth ward.
Mr.. Faulkner is given 80 days to ac-
cept the ordinance and he must deposit
with the city $1,000 as an evidence of
good faith, the money to be forfeited if
the plant is not built.
He says that ne will now organize
a company and incorporate under the
laws of Kansas. He expects to build
a plant to cost $500, 900 but before any
thing is done toward the construction
a canvass of the city will be made to
secure subscribers.
The ordinance was read by sections
and no one offered any objection until
deposit of $1,000 was reached when
Councilman Hughes said:
4 move to make the deposit s., 900 in
stead of $1,000. A franchise in Topeka
is surely worth something and I think
that the company ouA ht to be willing
to put up that much for a guarantee"
Councilman Roundtree-We put in
the $1,000 cash deposit to satisfy some
of the members who objected to the
ordinance. Mr.. Faulkner proposed to
give a. $4,000 and the cash deposit was
substituted.
Councilman Mergan-If Mr. Faulkner
intends to do right by the city let us
encourage him. It means money to
every gas user in the city if he builds
this plant and he ought to be encour-
aged.
Only Counci1men Hughes and Willard
voted for the amendment. The or
dinance was then adopted, Councilman
Hughes voting in the negative.
The schedule of rStes under the new
franchise is as follows:
Gas lighting and cOOking-For first
two years, 90 per thousand cubic feet;
for next three years, 95 cents per thou
sand cubic feet; for remainder of term,
80 cents per thousand cubic feet.
Heating and power-A maximum of
so cents per thousand cubic feet
Electric current-S1 rs a month a
minimum charge for a 16 candle power
lamp; $40 of one cent per hour for a
Is candle power lamp; IA cents per
hOur for a % candle power lamp; 81
per month for 1000 candle power arc to
1890 a. m; $1,000 per month for 1000
candle power arc all night; So 90 per
month, minimum for power, cents
per Kilo Watt hour up to 400 600 Watt
hours month, and for each additional
100000 Watt hours drop p cent until 4
cents are reached for 100000 or more
Watt hours a month.
Mr.. Faulkner said today:
No more unanimous expression of
the needs of the people could be ex-
pected than that made by the council
at its meeting last night when all the
councilmen but one voted the passage
OF the gas and electric franchise for the
new company and the one exception
was simply a desire for a, larger deposit
because of the value of such a conces-
sion.
Our company will be Immediately
organized, the best engineering talent
employed and a model plant will soon
be in course of erection. The action of
the council is an emphatic expression
OF the wants of the whole population
Of Topeka"