The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-03
O'NEILL WANTS IT
Receiver OF Water. Company May
Buy the Plant.
Interested in Organization of
Company for That Purpose.
BACK FROM LINCOLN.
Mayor and Councilman Green
Learned Things.
Think City Should Lose No
Time in Closing Deal.

pekd water company Is iALeTeSteu III
the formation of a company which
has for it's object the purchase of the
water phnt provided the cOuncilmen
in the city council succeed in defeating
city ownership.
This is the company in which the
Continental Creamery people, John r.
Aiulvane and other capitalists are said
TO be interested.
Mr.. O'Neill refuses to say anything
about the scheme. When asked
whether or not he was not trying to
interest local capital in the PROPOSE
ton, he said:
Nothing at all has been done.
There is absolutely nothing to tell at
the present time
Haven't you talked to some To-
peka people about the plan?' was
asked.
''Oh, 1 may have mentioned it to
1T has been stated that you were
unable to secure promises OF any
financial assistance i'll the deal Is
that a fact2"
you can't believe everything you
hear stated said Mr.. O'Neill.
Mr.. O'Nein knows what sort OF a
business proposition it is to operate
the Topeka waterworks- he reahzes
that it is the biggest money maker IN
the city, and naturally he is interested
in getting control of the plant if the
city does not buy it.
The extreme Willingness of the pres
ent owners of the water plant to con-
1inue in charge of the property is one
of the things which makes it absurd
for the ObStructiOniStS in the councll
to claim that the plant doesn't pay
President Charles F. Street himself
has offered to pay all the interest on
the $4,000 in bonds, extend the
water mains and reduce rates, proV1d-
ed the city will accept a $1,000 a year
annual rental and allow him to con-
1inue to run the plant. Mr- street
knows that the plant is mighty good
thing, and if he should make a deal
with the city such as he has proposed.
he would clean up $4,000 every year
on the transaction
Return From Lincoln.
Mayor Bergundthal and Council
man William Green returned Wednes-
day from their trip to Lincoln, Neb.,
where they went to inspect the water
works system, which is there con-
1rolled by the city.
They found that the plant was built
by the city in 1885 at a cost of $450,-
600. and that the city was recently
offered Sligo 100 for it, and refused it.
The plant in Lincoln last year paid
1900 interest charge, spent $500
in extensions and improvements and
turned in $4,000 net revenue to the
city treasury. In addition to that il
furnished the city 615 fire hydrants
free of charge, and charged the fol-
lowing schedule of rates:
Less than 5000 gallons per day
per 1000 gallons -..-..15 cents
over 5000 gallons per day, per
l;ooS gallons .,-',.;..i,,' s.;,oo,. lS cents
Where bill equals $50 per annum
Where bin is between $40 and $50
In Topeka the meter rates are as
follows. without any reductions for
large bills:
1000 to 5000 gallons per day,
per 1000 gallons --..--30 cents
5000 to 10000 gallons per day
10000 to 10000 gallons per day
Upwards of 10000 gallons per day
10 cents
1t is evident that the Lincoln rates
are from One-half to tWo-thirds less
than they are in Topeka Besides that
Lincoln has SIS fire hydrants and SO
miles of mains while Topeka has 315
fire hydrants and AZ miles of mains
The Lincoln plant is actually in
ferior to the Topeka plant in pump
ing capacity. and it is unable to give
more than 100 pounds fire pressure
while in Topeka the pressure is from
11O to 120. The water mains in Lin
coin are generally smaller than in To-
peka-
The rest of the investigation has
simply confirmed Mayor BergundthaI
and Councilman Green in their opin-
ion that the city should buy the plant
at once.
The quicker we buy this plant the
better" said the mayor today. 1--WE
don't want to take any chances on
losing the opportunity to buy the
plant There ought to be no delay
in taking possession. Every month
the city delays it is losing money |
Let US take possession and get some
OF that $SS,OOO.00 year gross reve-
nue. which the plant is making
VIM Green expressed himself in A
similar manner. He said: I'VE oh
nation about the management of the
city plant at Lincoln. The peoDia
showed us around and showed us their
city, and their waterworks have
come back more than ever of the
opinion that if the Topeka CITY conn
ell does not buy this plant for $500
900, 1t Will miss a big bargain The
thing to do is to buy before the chance
gets away
Anonymous Attack
Thinly disguised as a commrDica
ton from the eight members of fhe
city council who have declared them
selves as being opposed to the nur
chase of the plant. the Topeka Cant
1al tbs morning prints lot of figures
based on j. w. O'NeilI'S report n, a
vain effort to prove that if the citv
should own the plant it would be
ruined financially.
1t is safe to say that about seven
OF the supposed eight mem bers OF the
council never saw the communicated
ana the one who fixed up and doc
tored the thing into shape seemed to |
be afraid to stand for his work He
Is quoted IN the Capitals article as be- |
ing "one of the councilmen who op- |