The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-01
LIGHT. HEAT AND POWER
The Council Seeks to Give Away Some
thing for Almost Nothing.

A concession to the city has been
| made by the Edison Electric Illum-
mating company
In consideration of the granting of
an invaluable franchise the company
has agreed to light the melan bridge!
When 1t was suggested that the
company could well afford to light all
the city buildings free of charge as
rights which the city is comforting
upon it, the management of the COM
pany threw up its hands, and declared
that 1T would be utterly impossible to
think of such a thing.
Inc streets and walks committee of
course gave the company everything
1T asked for Monday night. The sched-
ule of rates which the company itself
changes whatever. The maximum
charges are as follows:
Incandescent light, 10 cents per
kiloWatt.
Power, 8 cents
Arc light, II cents.
Heat, IS cents per 1000 pounds of
water condensed.
The committee agreed to allow the
company to put it's wires across the
melan bridge, and it was this valuable
rlght which induced the company to
make It's proposition to light the bridge
free OF charge. The city has a light
ing pant or its own, and the question
why it does not light the bridge itself
might suggest itself
why not get some auditorium, city
building and Kansas avenue light free
from the Edison company?
Another concession of the company
was this provision which the committee
has recommended:
And current for light and power
shali pc FURNISHED to any customer who
may apply for the same when such
customer is located within 100 feet of
any pole and wire line established and
maintained by said company
II the council committee had a de-
sire 10 protect the people of the city,
1t would realize that a 100 foot extern
sion or wires on either side of the COM
pany's main leads means nothing 1t
would not oblige the company to ex-
tend a single line more than to the
houses on the street where the poles
are set. If a man down at the corner
of a street block from the pole line
wanted to use electric lights, he could
not get a wire to his house unless the
company voluntarily put it in. It is
merely another concession to make the
citizens think that the council is doing
it's duty.
Here is another provision, which is
drawn up in imitation Of "conces-
sion' to the city:
THE current so supplied to be of a
KIND and character to meet the need
of the customer so far as practicable,
and any expense of transforming such
current, if Transforming is practicable,
shall be paid by the customer, and the
Sdlu coHlpdny Snau supply a "A nOuf
service upon it's lines wherever the
same is required and paid for by any
customer, at the reasonable and legal
rate therefor
This provision seems to be caIcula-
ted to sOoth DIR. L. A. Ryder and other
councilmen who have wanted the small
user of power protected in some way.
Most of the time, people over in North
Topeka have been unable to get any
thing. The new section is hedged about
with provisions and limitations.
The proposition which was made to
the committee by the business men of
the city was rejected "for the present
The council committee simply passed
over it. Perhaps the council will look
at the. proposition as worthy of more
serious consideration.
Several cOuncilmen who rather hope
that some day the city electric light
plant may be dismantled and the whole
business of the street lighting turned
over to the Edison company, had pro-
vision inserted in the franchise which
gives the city the inestimable right to
enter into a contract with the company
for street lighting.
The franchise is not passed yet but
the indications are that pretty nearly
everything the company wants WI be
granted. 1t will come before the city
council next Monday night.
The company should be treated fair
ly, but it is the business of the council
to protect the city and the public and
make a good contract for the city and
the public.