The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-30
A TALE OF
TWO CITIES.
Comparisons Between Lincoln,
Neb., and Topeka,
Brought Out by Talk With
Visiting Councilmen.
OWNS WATERWORKS.
Neighboring Capital Pays Much
Less For Water.
Think Their Street Car Service
Much Superior.

Lincoln has the best of Topeka in
just two things said Mayor H. ]. VIM
nett. of Lincoln, Neb 1--WE have muni-
cipal ownership of waterworzs, and we
have street car system which makes
the Topeka line look rather poor to US
According to the statement of the
members of the Lincoln city council, and
James Tyler, water commissioner, the
municipal waterworkS at Lincoln charge
Sc year for the same service for which
the citizen of Topeka is required to pay
from $25 to $50. The city of Lincoln has
never had a private corporation in con-
troll of it's water supply. 1t built its own
plant in 1883 and has spent in the origi-
nal plant and in all improvements and
extensions, a grand total of $297, 900. The
Lincoln water plant has so miles of
mains.
Comparisons with the extortionare
charges of the Topeka Water company
are odious The Topeka Water COM
pany owns A miles of mains. and de-
mands about 100000 from the city as
the price of the plant. The city has Of
fered to pay over 100000 for the plant,
which is 500, 900 more than the Lincoln
Waterworks cost.
Topeka has 81 miles of street rail-
ways, and Lincoln has "A miles The
cars in Lincoln are about twice the size
of the Topeka cars, the track is all of
extra heavy L rails, laid on oak ties in
a concrete roadbed. And the Lincoln
company is making money. Lincoln has
a population only three or four thouS-
and larger than Topeka The patrons
of the Lincoln street cars are not COM
monty obliged to stand up and hang to
the straps in order to ride on the cars
The visit of the city officials of Lin
coin to Topeka, which commenced yes
terday afternoon, and ended at 1880 to-
day, was a very interesting and import
I, Of fIre.
Lincoln people came here for several
purposes. They want to investigate the
steam heating plant owned by the Ed1-
son company. They wanted to see the
Melan bridge They wanted to look into
the paving question. They wanted to hnd
out how much it costs Topeka to run
the city electric light plant. All of these
things, and many Others, were thorough
ly investigated by the visiting officials
Those who composed the party from
Nebraska were as follows: Mayor H
J. Winnett, City Engineer George Cam
pen, Water Commissioner James Tyler,
I. L. Lyman, president of the city coun-
ell and councilman from the Seventh
ward; Councilman William Lawlor, Sec
ond ward; H. G. Powell and G. w.
Spears, Third ward; William Albers and
w. c. F'rampton, Fifth ward; A H.
Hutton, Fourth ward; Callen Thompson
and w. 1. Fryer, Sixth ward These
gentlemen We're accompanied by G. E
Hathaway, editor of the Lincoln Even
ing Post.
Wednesday afternoon, the visiting Off
cialS were met at the train by Mayor
Parker City Attorney Spencer, City
Clerk Squires, Major T. J. Anderson,
Ralph Brigham, and most of the To-
peka councilmen. Part of the delega-
ton from Nebraska walked over from
the Union Pacific depot, in order to in
spect the Melan bridge. The rest were
taken to the Tnroop hotel in carriages.
On account of the political crowds in.
town the hotels the south side of
the river were unable to provide accom-
modations for the thirteen visitors, and
so it was necessary to send them all
back to North Topeka and quarter them
in the Union Pacific hotel.
Wednesday evening the whole party
took in the Midwinter exposition. This
morning part of the delegation visited
the Santa Fe shops. Part went to the
city electric light plant, and part visit
ed the Edison heating establishment. At
Mayor Parker's office, and went to the
state house which was visited for near
ly three hours. Most of the party
climbed to the top of the dome.
Lincoln is considering an application
for a franchise from its street railway
company to produce steam heat on the
same plan as is followed here by the
Edison company. The city council
wanted to find out how much of a per
cent it could demand from the COM
pany, and it has been practically decid-
ed by the council, during it's visit here,
to grant a franchise to the company at
Lincoln.
Lincoln also has voted bonds for a
municipal electric lighting plant But
when the bonds were voted the private
company made a voluntary cut in the
rates which was so deep that the city
has decided to allow the municipal own
ership scheme to rest a while.
In the matter of pavements, Topeka
has by far the best of Lincoln, and it |
also is much better lighted Topeka has
"a miles of pavement, and Lincoln has
only % miles. Topeka also has a city |
hall and Auditorium which was the sub |
iect of much admiration from the Lin |
colnites.
The mayor of Lincoln, H. J. Winnett, |
with the accent on the last syllable, |
please, is a doctor. and is said to be |
one of the best in the state of Ne |
braska- He is a Republican, as are all |
but two of the members of the Lincoln |
city council None of the Democrats |
came to Topeka. Lincoln does not have |
much factienal fighting in the council. |
The only rock upon which Lincoln |
councilnen split is concerning the |
financial policy of the city. Lincoln
has been in as bad shape financially
as Topeka is. but it is gradually pulling
out of the hole
In Lincoln they limit the amount of
paving each year by setting aside a
certain amount of money which the city |
will spend for paving street intersec-
tions. When this sum is exhausted the
paving for the year stops. In that way
the excessive drain the city funds
for paving intersections is avoided.
G. E. Hathaway, who is now the ed
in Kansas, and is familiar with Topeka
T1a Jo |