The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-20
BUY THE PLANTl
Ccontinued from First Page.l

deal. He says that he does not know
of city in the country of the popula-
ton of Topeka which ever had
chance to buy its water system for as
small a sum as 100000.
This engineer informs me that the
city can buy this plant, make all
necessary changes to put the plant in
good shape for the next ten years at
a total cost not to exceed 100000
was one of the people that thought we
would have to spend two or three hun
| in good shape. I know now, however,
that we could have all the fire pressure
we need and abundant power at the
plant, at very small expenditure.
cit may be possible that this engi-
neer will consent to make a statement
of the result of his Investigations, over
his own signature. He does not feel.
however, that he is called upon to
| stick his nose into our business. He
made his Investigations here through
friendship to some of our citizens who
asked him to look into the matter. He
is a hydraulic authority who is recog-
nized as one of the leaders in his pro-
fession. He recently received a fee of
$4,000 for making an inspection and
report on the condition of the san
Francisco, Cal, waterworks system. l
hope things can be arranged so that
this engineer will be able to make
public statement of his findings
1.-The council ought to reconsider
the matter at it's next meeting and buy
the plant Amy man who says the
price is unreasonable. don't know. He
talks from hearsay, and without
fact to back up his position. II the
council does not buy the plant, we
are simply UP against it, that's all. We
will have to suffer"
What Other Merchants Say.
Another prominent dry goods man.
Warren M. Crosby, said: II don't like
to talk about city council affairs, but
will say this: The council ought to
buy the plant at that price. There Is
no other way out of it. Some of these
councilmen seem to have very change
able minds, but they will have to come
around to it and buy the plant sooner
or later.
E. H. Crosby the third of the pro-
prietors of the trio of big dry goods
stores in Topeka, says:
81 believe in city ownership. The
citizens of Topeka have voted to buy
this plant. Then the insurance men
jumped out with their report criti-
cising the plant and made people sus-
ton IS how much revenue the plant
will pay. If it is profitable, the city
should buy it. The city can run it
Just as well as a corporation. 1t looks
to me as though the plant would be
q mighty good thing from a financial
standpoint. Their expenses can't be
very high, and the income must be
enormous. The city should do some
thing and do it quick. We are pay
ing out thousands of dollars every
year in excess premiHms, and there
is no promise of relief so long as the
present company continues to do bus
iness.'
J. W; Robinson. of the firm of Rob-
the council quit this ohilds play and
buy the plant? The people have given
their instructions, ana that is all the
council is supposed to do-follow out
instructions If any councilman
thinks the price is too high, he can
certainly justify himself in voting for
the purchase by merely remembering
that the people ordered him to vote
to buy the plant for s62O.Oo0."
Don't Lose More Time.
Ex-Councilman James Warner of the
Fifth ward: II think that since the
city has entered into an agreement to
OF Topeka have voted for it, that the
deal should be closed. 1 think that
$4,000 is too much. but it seems to be
the only way for the city to get pos
lot more loss of time
w. F. Roehr, OF the Roehr Music
company said: II favor going ahead
and buying the plant since an agree
menl has been entered into, and since
the people of Topeka have voted for
it. 1t is the thing to do
w. F. Schoch: Personally I do not
favor buying the plant at that price,
honorably get out of buying it, When
the city voted to accept the plant from
the company at the terms named, that
constituted a contract, and the city
must carry it OUT
+. J. Monaghan says: THE city will
get the worth of its money if 1t buys
this plant for 100000. Moreover. the
city is in a hopeless condition if it does
not buy the plant The people have
voted for city ownership, and the coun- |
Gil ought to carry out instructions"
Albert Parker, capitalist and ex-
mayor of Topeka, says: 1T beats me |
how the council could do what it did. !
The city, while 1 was mayor, made a |
fair and square trade with the wa<ar |
company. 1t was all agreed that the |
city would buy the plant for 100000. |
Now how on earth can the council go |
back on that trade? Is it a business |
like way to do?"
On the North Side.
Thomas Page: 81 think that the |
council made a serious mistake when |
it did not buy the waterworks plant the |
had voted to do. They knew that the |
people had agreed to take over the |
plant. 1t seems, too, that the sale of the |
works to the city will be the only way |
to clear up the whole tangle. We need |
better fire rates and better fire protec- /
ton, and to get these it would seem to |
be the wise thing for us to buy the |
plant. The figure may be too high, but |
the WnOlc III d OdO 1Il6SS anu
should be solved, and the purchase of |
the works is the solution. Then we |
can fix it up and get what we need and |
want
Otto Kuehne: 1.-The council should |
have gone ahead and bought the plant |
as it was instructed to. Our fire rates |
just now are something enormous and |
they will eat us up if they are continued |
in force. We can easily afford to pay |
the price asked, even though 1t may |
seem too big. for we shall soon make up |
the difference on savings on rates and |
on better fire protection. The city |
ought to get hold of the plant at once. |
The council should not have turned |
down the matter. but should have ia |
ken over the property"