The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-26
IT FAILS TO
FILL The BILL.
Proposed Water Rate Reduction
Is Disappointing.
In Material Points Little Cut Is
Made.
STRING TIED TO THEN.
Extension Features Hedged
Around With Provisos.
As a Campaign Document It Is
Failure.
TRING TIED TO THEN.
Mayor Parker Not Satisfied
With the Proposition,

Today the long expected new rata
schedule arrived from Charles F. Street.
president Of the Topeka water com
pany. 1t has been thought that this
schedule would be such a temptation TO
the people of the city that they would
rather want to give up the idea Of city
ownership.
However, the propositions are disap-
pointing. They are so cleverly drawn
that nearly everything of value which
the company offered has a string tied
to it. It is a document which seems to
be calculated for political effect.
The rates in a great many instances
are not as low as it was thought they
would be- In just the places where a
reduction would be of most benefit to
the bulk of the company's customers
there has been little or no reduction
The meter rate is reduced from >
cents, Az cents and Az cents on less
than 500 gallons a day to AZ cents. IL
was thought that the rate would be
made cents. as is called for in the 1897
rate ordinance There are very few
families in the city which use more
than 500 gallons d day. and evidently
the company is going TO hold the meter
rate on its smaller customers as high
as possible. Meanwhile the placing
city water has not before been used
is imperative.
This is only one example Of what has
been done throughout Where the cut
can be made without materially effect
ing the income Of the company, it has
been made without complaint. but little
of great value is offered % the
average customer
The proposition to extend the mains
at the direction of the mayor and coun-
ell is apparently worthless. and rests
entirely with the company still The
proposition made BY Mr.. Street is tied
up with three different provisos. one Of
which at least IS fatal to the avowed
i purpose of the proposal. Tt says that
fthe company shall not extend the mains
unless the revenues on the extension
shall equal at least per cent on the
cost of the extension How can anyone
tell what the revenue viii be until the
extension is built? OR what means viz
the city have of knowing whether per
cent is being earned2 Tt leaves the ex-
T tensions entirely at the option of the
company.
The whole document is made subject
to the condition that the ordinance un-
+ business is amended so that It Is salts
factory to the water company. This
1 means that the company shall be grant
/ ed a 20-year. self-renewing franchise
which is practically perpetual fran
chfse At least that is the infereuce
which would be drawn from this state
lment-
Mayor Parker said: The greatest OBJ
lection [ have is that the city is noE
i given any low rate on water for wash
4 ing the streets That is the thing which
we especially wanted, and what we es-
pecially need. Otherwise the proposi-
ton is about what L expected
CITY MUST PAY NEARLY $4,000.
tt. order to carry out the terms of tbs
propositions made by Mr. Street. the
/ city must at once pay the old south
+ Topeka rental claim. the exact amount
/ of which is not known, but Wnlcn Is
+ probably between $4,000 and $4,000 II
must also pay the $35, 900 hydrant rental
which it has refused to pay since the
water companys franchise expired
The South Topeka claim arises be
I cause Of a dispute over the interpretit-
/ ton of a contract The water company
franchise provides that all hydrants
over 300 shall be put in free OF charge
! When South Topeka was taken into To-
I peka it had Is hydrants which the com
pany had in there under contract with
! South Topeka That city being a part
of Topeka. and the Is hvdrants being
in excess of 300. Topeka claimed that Il
was not obliged to pay for them and
has since refused to do 50.
The original suit was filed in 1897. and
was for S536279 On October 10. 1900.
supplemental petition was fled asking
/ for S3111.76 more making a total q
! $8.474-55 In addition to this IS what
ever rentals may have accrued since
1900 which i probably about $1,000
/ This makes a total OF about SllVy1 Ine
suit involving the legality Of this claim
Z is still pending in the federal court.
The following is the closing portion Of
Mr. Streets letter. which has the propo-
/ sftions concerning extension Of mains
+ purchase of the plant and renewal oE
I the franchise:
The company viii make such ex
f tensions of its mains and a such ioca-
tions as may be decided by the may0z
and council. provided. however. that II
I shall not be required to extend its mains
for a greater distance than six miles
during a period of one year from the
/ acceptance Of this proposition. nor for
+ 4 greater distance than two miles Tor
4 each succeeding year If the maximum
ed for during any one year, the city
thereof to require the water company
/ in any subsequent year to lay mains in
excess of Two miles per annum. pro-
/ Xided, also. that upon all extensions cR
/ mains ordered by the city. at least ten
hydrants per mile shall be established
and for any fraction of a. mile. pro-
portiOnate number of hydrants shah be
1 esta blished and provided also, that the
revenue upon said extensions derived
from private consumers shah equal at
least five per cent on the cost Of said
extensions.
IF the city elects to purchase the
property at the coming election. the
company viii do everything in It's power
to expedite the transfer of the property
TO the city, subject 10 the existing fiTst
mortgage amounting to s270,o00- Tbs
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