The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-26
STOP AT NOTHING
Eight Members Of City Council
Drive Another Peg.
Force a Resolution Through the
City Council.
THE MAYOR is IGNORED
Members OF Coterie Are Named
on Committees.
Determined to PreventPurchase
of Water Plant.
Conspiracy to Defeat VIII of
People Moves Smoothly.

At n:40 Tuesday night, after all the
business before the city council had
been cleaned up and adjournment was
about to be taken, the eight repudia-
tors in the city council exploded their
secret mine which seems to be intend
ed to destroy forever all hope of city
ownership of waterworks.
A long resolution was read by Coun-
Gilman c. K. Holiday, naming two
committees composed exclusively of
counci1men who We're opposed to car
rying out the city's agreement and de-
sire to purchase, for the ostensible pur-
pose of building a waterworks system
for Topeka.
The real result will be to throw the
city of Topeka into a life and death
grapple with the Topeka Water COM
pany, and bring on unending litigation.
It seems to be the result of the num-
erous secret and star-chamber sessions
of the majority of the council.
1t was sprung in a hurry to foreStaH
the rising indignation of the people Of
Topeka and to defeat any further dis
cussion advice from the business
men and others having the best inter-
eStS of the city at heart. If 1t were not
such serious matter for the city, it
would be really funny to recollect the
attitude of c. K. Holiday who photest-
ed so strongly against what he claim
ed as an effort to cram down the
! throat of the council'' a resolution to
carry out the will of the people and
buy the plant.
The long resolution was hastily read,
efforts to refer it to committee We're
promptly voted down, and the only
satisfaction which the friends of city
ownership obtained was that of putting
the eight repudiators three times on
record.
70
the waterworks committee was voted
down A motion to lay the resolution
on the table was voted down and the
resolution itself was carried, the coun-
cilmen lining up on each proposition
For city ownership-Green, Howe,
Swendson, NelliS-
Against city ownership-Kutz, Ryder,
Griley, Holiday, Neil, Rice, Sinner,
Hughes.
Councilman Holiday said in support
of his motion I'VE have done the best
we could for the city. There will be
no trouble to get the necessary 1egis-
Iation. 1t was a mere accident that
we did not get that legislation from
the last legislature. AS to the fran
chise of the present company, nobody
chise. Mr.. Street does not believe it.
Your attorney. Mr.. Mcfarland, does
not believe it. Even if the city
bought the plant, it could not make
y
spring. I think we can undoubtedly
fix up this present plan in two, three
or four months so that we can go
ahead with the work. Any question
about the franchise can be settled
by that time"
Councilman Green then said: This
is a very long resolution, and some of
us have never heard it before. L move
that it be referred to the waterworks
committee for consideration"
The vote by roll-call was promptly
taken, and resulted as above stated
Councilman Swendson said: Il want
to express my condemnation of this
reputation of the will of the people.
want to get these men on record
again. and therefore 1 move to lay
the resolution on the table.
Another roll-call, with the same re-
Councilman Ryder: "I want to i'm
press upon this council that this is no
snap judgment. Two committees are
provided for. We want serious in
vestigation of the question"
Councilman Green: Let me call the
attention of the council to one tnlng:
every member of the two committees
provided for is opposed to the purchase
of the plant. 1t gives no one else any
show at all"
Councilman Swendson: 1.-The constitu-
ton of these committees brands this
scheme as unfair. Mr.. Holiday knows
it is unfair. He can't deny it.
Councilman Holiday: I'VE nave
made the city engineer anu city dllOI
ney a part of each committee. 1 don't
know how they stand in the matter
Councilman Green: '"Tl1is whole thing
is absolutely unfair. 1t was fixed up
in secret meetings, and the people VINO
have introduced it were afraid to let 1t
have publicity. They were afraid or
the public"
statement: Before the council takes
action on this resolution, I want to
make a little statement which l want
to go in the records. 1 wish the
stenographer would take this down:
City Attorney Spencer desired 1t en-
tered of record that in his judgment II
the mayor and council do not carry out
the purchase of the water plant, then
immediate steps should be taken to
contest the claim of the water company
that they have or will have an exten-
sion Of franchise rights in case the city
does not purchase, instead of delaying
the question for months without de-
termination of this question.
The final vote on the passage of the
resolution was then taken with the re-
suit as stated, and the council ad-
journed-
Star Chamber Resolution.
The resolution in full as adopted by
the council is as follows:
Whereas, 1t is just and right that
the people of any community should
have good, pure and wholesome water
for domestic purposes, and adequate
fire protection at first cost; and
Whereas. The people of Topeka
voted 100000 in bonds to purchase
the Topeka Water company's plant,
under certain conditions; and
Whereas: At the time of the voting
posed that the plant of said company
was in first class condition and the