The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-19
City Council Adopts the Right
Extension Plans.
Votes for the Construction of
Permanent Approach.
NEW EDISON MEASURE.
One Is introduced with a Max
imum Schedule.
A Busy Session of the City
Fathers.
NEW EDISON MEASURE.

One Edison franchise was killed by
the council Tuesday night, and anoth-
er one to take its place was immedi-
ately introduced. The council will not
be out of employment for a while, even
though the waterworks question may
be disposed of temporarily.
The new Edison franchise complies
with some of the requirements of the
council. schedule of rates is pro-
vided. for one thing, and the minimum
bill TO be rendered for incandescent
light is cut to 81 per month instead of
$50 during the six months from April
to October. The proposed rate sche-
dule follows:
Incandescent lights; Is cents per l.,
600 watt hours
Power; Is cents per 1000 watt hours.
Arc lights; u cents per 1000 watt
hours.
Heat; 10 cents per 1000 pounds OF
water condensed.
1t is now up to the council to say
whether these maximum charges are
satisfactory
One of the things which several
members of the council insisted strong
" upon was a 20-year franchise in
stead of one for 80 years. The new
franchise, however, is for 80 years.
The council also wanted it fixed so
that the company would be obliged to
give electric service to anyone within
400 feet of the existing lines who might
apply for the same. The new franchise
makes the provisions entirely useless |
10 accomplish the objects intended
There was quite fight over the |
place where the ordinance should be |
referred for consideration. The ordin- |
ance has many friends in the streets |
and walks committee, and so there was |
a big pull to get the franchise INTO |
that committee, and the effort sue |
ceeded. Anything which any corpora |
ton indicates it wants, a majority of |
the city council will always favor. This
is one of the standing rules of the |
present city council.
William Green thought that the pro- |
posed franchise should be divided up |
as follows: sections relating to streets |
and right of way to the streets and |
walks committee: sections relating to |
finances to the ways and means; sec
tions involving legal proposition to the |
judiciary.
c. K. Holiday. however, wanted the |
whole business sent to the streets and |
walks committee. The chances are that /
the streets and walks committee will |
be very mild in its amendments and al
terations, and will promptly send the
franchise back with favorable report.
That VIII help insure its passage.
On Mr.. Green's proposition to send the
matter to three different committees
so that all the members of the council
might have Il chance to make sugges-
tions on it, the vote was as follows:
AyesaKutz, Ryder. Griley, Green.
Noes-Holiday. Neil. Howe, Sinner,
Swendson, Hughes. 90.
On a tie vote, the proposition was lost, |
and the council then voted unanimously
to send II to the streets and walks COM
mittee as the corporation wanted.
1t is expected that the Edison COM
pany will very shortly be fixed up with
new franchise. 1t does not take the
mill now in operation at the CITY hall
long to grind them out. Franchises are
cheap They do not cost the city a
cent When a corporation wants to sell
its plant to the city, it is the proper
thing now to compel that company to
take an extension of franchise instead,
as was done in the waterworkS case.
Vote on Bridge Proposition.
No serious opposition developed to the
passage of the ordinance authorizing
November for the purpose of voting
bonds to build two new spans at the
north end of the Melan bridge, and the
council decided that the two spans
style. to correspond with the present
structure.
City Engineer McCabe's estimate on
this kind of a bridge was S24. 295. IS, and |
the peopel will be called upon to vote |
that amount of 20 years, per cent
bonds.
There were a number of other esti-
mates and plans for bridges submitted |
but the Melan plans won in a walk
The estimates were as follows:
1. For a lattice truss, riveted, oak
floor. tubular pier bridge. $4,000
?. For a through girder. tubular
8. For a through girder, tubular
pier, one pier instead of double piers,
4, For two through plate girder,
steel concrete floor, paved, $4,000.
5. For a Melan bridge, $24,295.S5.
The estimate on the cost of the
Melan structure also included the ex-
pense of replacing the cap stones on