The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-08
Council May Let People Decide
About Waterworks.
Members Now Talk Of Submit
ting Proposition to Buy.
TAKE IT BACK.
City Fathers Suggest Reconsid.
GRAFTON Of Hasty Action.
Attorney Spencer is as Mysteri-
GUS as Ever.

mere Is q cO1iS1QeIdDle SeHlaIAeAlA
among the members of the city council
to reconsider the vote by which the peo-
pie of Topeka were deprived of an op-
portunity to express their approval or
dfsapproval of the proposition of the
Topeka Water company to sell its plant
for $500. 900.
The councilmen seem to be beginning
to realize that what Topeka wants is
not a law suit, dragging along for five
or ten years, and costing thousands of
dollars a year. but possession OF the
waterworks as soon as possible.
Councilman Blanch voted in favor of
rejecting the. plan to submit the $620,00
proposition to the people. This morning
he said to reporter for the State
Journal:
II would be willing to vote for a re-
consideration of the question. l voted
against it because I believed that $780,
900 was more than the city ought to pay.
But if the people went to pay it, all
right 1t would do no harm to give them
a chance to vote, if that is what thew
want: | am opposed to litigation. and
voted that way. My plan would be to
come back at the company with a
counter proposition of some Sort
Councilman Neil voted against sub
mitting the $620,0 offer to vote He
said this morning:
works for 100000, would be willing to
give them a chance to do SO. 1 always
try to do what the people want
Councilman Wolf. who stood with
Blanch and Neil on the s620.00O propo-
SitiOn said:
II guess that s62O,0OO is about the
best offer we could expect from the wa
ter company. If the thing should come
up again, might vote to reconsider.
don't like lawsuits better than anybody
else. What 1 would like to do would
be to submit to a popular vote to cues
ton of whether we would vote $620,00t
bonds to buy the plant. or renew the
franchise with a reduction of rates"
Councilmen Griley and Weber insist
that the action of the council was right
because if they had voted to submit the
proposition to the people it would have
been defeated and much time lost.
Councilman Weber said: Il look upOI
this whole business as a scheme to beai
city ownership If the proposition
should be submitted to the city it would
be defeated, and that is exactly wha,
the water company wants. Then they
would have the city right where they
want it, and a new franchise would be
granted"
City Attorney Spencer this morning
denied the report that the city would
bring its suit for possession of the wa
ter plant in the state supreme court
He said: ct don't know where we will
bring the suit. It has not been settled
AS far as I am concerned, the public
won't know where that suit will be
commenced until it is fled
Mayor Parker was pretty thoroughly
disgusted with the action of the council
in refusing to allow the people to vote
on the 100000 proposition. He said this
morning:
i've come to the end of my string
I'm done I don't propose to do an,
more to try to secure a compromise OF
this case. 1 believe I have done all
can. 1 have secured for the city al
offer from the water company to take
practically 100000 for their plant. The
other $40, 900 is for improvements which
while we have been haggling about thu
price. If a man should offer to sell ms
a buggy for $780, and while I was try
ing to decide whether 10 buy or not
he should have the buggy vanished a
cost of $40, would expect to pay tha
SO in addition to the $50. That woult
be only fair and right.
II don't care whether the council re
sibility is with them now. I have dom
my part. / have worked harder OF
| this matter than on anything else sine,
1 came into the Office of mayor, and i
| the council does not see fit to take III
| the proposition which was presented
| to it. all right.
Il don't want it understood that
am advocating voting this $500. 900 il
bonds. My position in the matter i
| well known, think I would prefer t
l
| and let the company keep the plan1
| But the people want city ownership
| and I think the con Dany has made
| fair proposition / think the peopl
| should be given a chance to vote on il
| That was what the council had to de
| eide, whether they would let the peopl
| decide it plunge the city into a law
suit, and they chose the lawsuit.
Il am confident as a result of my In
vestigations that this plant of the waite
| company is worth $500, 600 easy. I be
lieve that it will pay fair rate of in
terest on $500, 900 investment If tt
franchise question was settled, the com
pany could sell its plant in tie cit
for $500. 600 to some other compan,
! should it desire to do so. And the
| there are all those Improvements whic
have been made and are being mad,