The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-14
BROUGHT TO TIME
Ex- mayor T. w. Harrison's Con-
test With Gas Company
Forces Endorsement ssPaid I'm
der Protest. to Be Made.
EXPECTS TO RECOVER.
Says the Company viii Have to
Refund Excess.
Councilman BergundthaI Tells
People to Pay just 81.

L
terms yesterday to the gas company in
regard to his July gas bill, and the
gas company was forced to permit Mr.
Harrison to indorse on the face OF the
bill Paid under protest, as far as
affecting the rate since July TO-
At first the gas company refused to
receipt Mr. Harrison's bill indorsed in
this way. It also refused to accept Mr.
HarrisOns tender of the rate provided
in the dollar gas ordinance. But when
it found out that Mr. Harrison meant
business. and that it would not do to
allow the Impression to get out that the
company would fail to collect a bill,
it accepted Mr. Harrisons proviso in
very humble manner.
Il did not refuse to pay my gas BILL
said Mr.. Harrison today, but I refused
to pay it without having it Endorsed as
paid under protest The man who
came to collect from me said that he
had no authority to indorse bills in
that way So lie Went away without
his money The next day another man
came to see NE He argued with me
for some time on the question. I
offered hirA the alternative Of accepting
the dollar rate, indorsing the bill as
paid under protest. and letting the bill
go uncOllected He said that everybody
was paying their gas bills this month;
that even Mayor Hughes and the cOun-
cilmen were paying their gas bills. But
/ told him that made no difference to
me.
Since this matter is in the United
States courts. there is no telling how
long it viii stay there. If people sirnp-
~ continue TO pay the old rate with
out protest, The company does not care
how long the litigation is pending.
When the case is finally decided the
court may make a ruling that all bills
paid under protest must be refunded.
I am inclined to believe that unless the
y 80 i l1.---
recovered. even If the ordinance is held
to be valid"
Councilman ". S. Berguadthal, who
is the author of the dollar gas ordi-
nance, has somp valuable suggestions
to make to the people of the city in
regard to the enforcement Of the gas
ordinance. He says:
My advice to the people of Topeka
who use gas is to refuse to pay their
August bills, provided the bills are pre-
scented at the old rate, as they certain
" will be- The city is enjoIned from
enforcing the dollar rate. but what is
people simply refuse to pay the old
rate2 VIII they try to shut off the gas
from the cOnsun er's place Of business
or residence2 / guess not. The con-
sumner could get an injunction against
that sort of thing very quickly.
If the people of the city will simply
all stay together. and hatly refuse to
pay bills at the old rate. the company
will not be so calm and deliberate il
regard to its pending litigation against
the city. What does the company care
about the hearing Of that injunction
suit, so long as the citizens continue to
pay their gas bills at the old rate? The
gas company is getting its old-time
revenue, and has no reason for hasten
ing the hearing CT the suit. But If the
people refuse to contribute to the rum
ming expenses of the plant, then the
shoe will begin 10 pinch them
4 am glad to see men like Colonel
Harrison taking a determined stand
against the gas company so early in
the fight 1t means that people are
willing to do their part in securing the
prompt enforcement Of the dollar gas
ordinance"
The gas company was foxy enough
to fail to present it's July bill against
the city for payment The bill Will
doubtless be put in at the end of Au-
gust An attempt will no doubt be
N ade to combine the cost of the gas
for July with the cost for August so
that the council will be in doubt as to
whether the bill should be allowed or
rejected BY asking for a separate
statement of the two months, the COM
mittee on claims and accounts would
be in a position to turn down the Au-
gust bill. and allowed the July bill. If
such action should be deemed wise.