The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-19
EXPERTS OPINION
VIM. SchmitendOrf Says He Has
Been Misrepresented.
Thinks Waterworks Can Fur
nfsh Good Pressure.
E.B.COWGILL'S CHARGE
Accuses Water Company of VIII
fully Delaying Repairs.
Says Plant Can Quickly Be Put
in Good Shape.
E.B.COWGILL'S CHARGE

MY position in this waterworks dis
cussion has been misrepresented by the
morning paper. L believe the Topeka
plant is a good one; with a few hundred
dollars repairs on it's pumps it can give I
as good pressure as it did before the |
ood."-William Schmitendorf, superin
tendent OF the Santa Fe railway water
service.
The Capital is dead wrong in it's po-
sition on this waterworks matter When |
a few comparatively inexpensive repairs |
are made, the pressure will be as good |
as ever."-E B. Cowgirl, editor of the
Kansas Farmer
Mr.. Cowgirl and Mr.. Schmitendorf are
the two engineers who, at the request
of the city council examined the water |
works pumping station and wells on the |
22d Of last January.
In their report at that time they as
serted positively that the pumping sta |
ton is in first class condition, except |
for the slippage in the pumps, which can
easily be remedied.
Today, in conversation with a State
Journal reporter, both Mr.. Schmitendorf
and Mr.. Cowgirl reaffirmed this opinion.
Mr.. Cowgirl accuses the water COM
pany of bad faith in not making the
repairs as rapidly as they might have
done, and Mr.. Schmitendorf concurs in
this opinion. They both think that the
repairs might have been completed
within a few weeks, had the water COM
pany not tried to delay the repairs until
it had transferred the water plant to
the city The cost of the repairs will
probably not exceed $1,000. It seems to
have been the purpose of the water
company to throw this burden on the
city instead of bearing 1t itself
CRIMINAL NEGLECT?
If these charges can be sustained, it
would tend to give the insurance COM
money by the Saturday fire a good
ground for a damage suit against the
water company.
If it can be shown that the company
knew that it was unable to give ade-
quate fire pressure, and was simply try
Ing to struggle along until it could I'M
load its plant on the city, when it
might, by the expenditure of a few hun
dred dollars have remedied this condi-
ton, then there is cause for unbounded
censure for the head officers of the water
company who ordered such course
President Street and Receiver OMEN
have at all times insisted that they
would make all needed repairs, and were
making these repairs as rapidly as pos
sible.
E. B. COWGILL'S STATEMENT.
f. B. Cowgirl, who with VIM. Schmit-
tendorf, examined the water plant on
January p has had experience with
engineering and hydraulics all his life,
and understands the business. He said
today:
THE Capital is dead wrong in its
position on this waterworks matter
said Mr.. Cowgirl. 1T seems to me the
height of folly for the city, after
spending years in negotiations for the
purchase Of the waterW OrkS, to talk
of throwing over the result of all these
negotiations which will be secured
within a comparatively few days.
1--WE are in the grip of corporation
which proposes to make all the money
out of the city it can. It will not spend
any money it can help. It would prob
ably not take any special pains to inn
prove the water service, in spite of the
fact that we had fire the other night
which caused almost thcee-fourths as
much damage the whole waterWO rkS
plant is worth.
Il assert positively that it is my opin-
ion that when the pumps at the pump
! ing station are repacked, the valves re-
neWed, and the plungerS smoothed Off,
we will have just as good water pres
sure here in Topeka as we ever have
had. Why hasn't the water company
done this before? Well, I'll tell you.
The water company thought that it
could slide along without making these
repairs, and save few hundred dollars
That is just the kind of a corporation
we have to deal with They patched
up the plant after the flood, aud thought
they could make it do until they were
ready to transfer the plant to the city.
Having failed in this, 1 believe that
they will now go ahead and make the
repairs necessary and give the city the
kind of pressure it needs.
1.-The packing for these pumps is
made right here in Topeka by r. L.
Cofran He has recently completed the
packing rings for one of the pumps.
The cost of this packing was about $500.
The company will now have to take
out the piston, send it down to Mr..
Cofran for a few days, renew the valves
and put in the new packing. The pump
will then do as good work as it has
done at all. The same thing should
then be done to the other pump. 1t will
be necessary to take each pump out
of service for a few days, and it will
doubtless cost the water company some
money That is the part which they
have been trying to avoid
''I do not accuse Mr.. Shaw of acting
| in bad faith with the city. l have the
greatest confidence in him, and don't
believe he would lie for the water com
pany, or anybody else. But we are
dealing with a corporation that would
get the best of US if it could, and the
sooner we own the waterworks our
selves, the better; provided, of course.
that they are put into good condition.
VIM. SCHMITENDORF TALKS.
William Schmitendorf said today: 1T
seems that an effort has been made to
make it appear that am fighting this
city ownership project. I want to say
that I concur fully in all Mr.. Cowgirl
says about this matter.
1.-The pumps at the Topeka Water
/ companys pumping station are good
ones, and with proper treatment have
many years of service in them yet. The
repairs which should have been made
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