The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-09
THE EDISON FRANCHISE
President MuIvane Makes Statement
Concerning Company's Position


To the Editor of the State Journal:
The old franchise of the Edison COM
pany allowed it to charge ~ cents per
16 candle power per hour for light,
which is the same as 80 cents per 1000
watts or $500 per thousand feet of gas.
The present franchise which we are
asking of the city cuts this maximum
charge down to q of a cent per 16 can
die power per hour, which is the same
as 10 cents per thousand watts or S1.50
per thousand feet for gas. This is, as
you see, a reduction of fifty per cent
which we now offer. Kansas City is Is
cents. We are as low as any of the
large cities and lower than the most
of them.
| Our arc light rates are lower than
the average and much lower than most
! large cities. such as Brooklyn, New
York, and the cities of New England.
Our power rates are so low and sat
isfactory that we have today demand
for 200 horse power more than we can
supply. New manufacturers and bust
ness enterprises which Topeka needs,
want power and must have it or go
elsewhere. We have asked for a fran
chise that will enable US to go on to the
market with bonds to sell and get
money which we wish to put into our
plant to expand it and supply the de-
mand, and unless such franchise is
granted we cannot and will not attempt
to enlarge our plant. 1t is up to the
city council to decide, as we have Of
fered all that we can offer, and L say
this with all Difference to others who
are under misapprehension as to what
we are able to do.
Persons unfamiliar with a business
are liable to make demands which no
company could grant. AS to giving free
lighting to the city, every business man
knows without discussion that If he
gives away a part of his product, he
L, 90 oil
and if his living and profits come out
of what is left to sell, the price must
be increased upon this residue over
what it would have been if all were sold
and none given away, and the cost of
the product is increased to the pur-
chaser by just the amount given away
So that it is clearly true that any free
lighting given the city would enhance
the cost of light and power to each GUS
toner, to the extent of what was SO
given away, thus taxing the users of
electric light and power, for the light
given to the city for which light all
the people should pay. The CONNER |
cial club is beating about spending |
money advertising and working to in |
duce men with money and manufactur- |
ing enterprises to come to Topeka
What encoura cement have outside /
people and enterprises to come here, If
the demand of those now here for cheap |
power cannot be met and the home peo-
pie who are willing to provide fSr Such |
demand are prevented by the city gov
eminent from doing so? Cheap natural
gas invites them to southeast Kansas
as well as the local coal there.
There is good deal of pratt
tie about favoring and encouraging
home people to invest their money
here. A gas franchise has just been
granted to a New York millionaire;
how much free city lighting is he to
do? He is the competitor of the Ed
ison company in the lighting business.
A concession of 16 2-3 per cent was
NT,1 \ 1
son company offers a so per cent re-
duction- of maximum, also a 16 2-3 per
cent reduction in the minimum charge
and it never charged the maximum of
l II cents it had under the old fran
chise.
There is more to be gained by and
to the city by giving US the franchise
we ask, so that we can command
furnish cheap power and secure
growth in manufacturing and the adj
dition of new capital and property,
and thus lower the rate of taxation by
of capital business and prop
erty.
The other policy will at once stop
Dur growth and drive away what we
have.
Knockers never built up a city
Jealousy and persecution of ca pital,
and especially home capital, will not
build UP a city. Any newspaper of a
city needs to be quite sure of its
ground before it opposes its own peo-
Pies efforts and enterprise or lends
support to this kind of knocking.
Capital and enterprise are in de-
nand In other cities if not in Topeka |
Fhe law limits the profits of this bust
less to 10 per cent on the capital in
'ested, therefore any attempt to fur
her load it down would paraIyze it.
70 meet the present and increasing
lemand upon us for power and light
We will need to spend within the next
wo years, as it now seems, 100000,
more or less. 1t takes several months
o plan for and install such improve
nents. Men with enterprise are now
waiting an answer from us as to
whether we will be able to supply
hem.
1t is up to the city council to an
wer, yes or no.
JOAB MULVANE,
President.
Topeka, Kas., Nov. 9, 1904.