The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-08
Secures Land for Station at
Foot of Van Buren,.
AN OFFER TO HELP.
Claim It Would Give City Add
ed Fire Pressure.
Proposed Improvement Would
Cost About 100000.


pany applied for a franchise to build an
independent water system in Topeka,
for the purpose of supplying their plant
with water, and in compensation for
which they offer to put in at their pow
er house at 722 Van Buren, street a high
pressure pump of 1000 gallons minute
capacity to be used in case of emer-
gency to supply additional water for
fire protection to the city water mains.
This Improvement will cost, it is esti
mated, about SIC, O00 The Edison COM
pany has already secured land at the
foot of Van Buren, street for the pur-
pose of locating wells there which will
supply as much water as was supplied
by the Harrison street pumping sta
Z ton. A pump located at the wells viii
force the water into a reservoir of 1O0-
900 gallons capacity at the power house
at Seventh and Van Buren,, where the
high pressure pump will be located. In
case of emergency, it is proposed that
the company pump from this reservoir
into the city mains.
The company asks permission from
the city to lay from the power house to
the foot of Van Buren, street system
of water mains capable of sustaining
pressure of $50 pounds; the work to be
done under the inspection of the city
engineer, and in accordance with plans
to be approved by the city council. The
city from injury while the system is
being installed, and the compensation
clause is as follows:
1.-THE compensation to the city for this
grant shall be the right of the city fire
department chief to call on said COM
pany for such assistance as the pump
ing plant of said company is capable
of rendering during a fire of such I'M
usual proportions that same might be
caleld an emergency, and the company
shall at its own expense make and
maintain such connections to the city
water mains as will enable it to render
such assistance in time of need. to the
full extent of the capacity OF its pump
ing station, and such service to the city
is to be given entirely at the expense of
said Edison Electric Illuminating COM
pany as compensation for the privileges
granted hereby"
The proposed franchise ordinance was
not read In full to the city council last
night, but was referred without discus
sion to the streets and walks committee
The ordinance was introduced by Coun-
Gilman C. V. Wolf, but he stated that
he knew nothing whatever about it, ex-
cept that he had been asked to intro
duee it.
C. r. Maunsell. manager of the Edi-
son company, says in explanation of his
proposed franchise:
What we want is the means to pro-
tect ourselves and our customers in
time Of emergency. After the flood our
plant was greatly handicapped by lack
of water. We had to haul what water
was necessary in barrels, and we don't
want to get caught in that fix again.
We cannot afford to take the risk of
shutting down our plant.
Il can't see why there should be any
opposition to our plan, although I know
that the city council is always inclined
to be suspicious of requests from cor
porations.
eve will locate our wells at the foot
Of R11ran street and will he ah1R
to get as much water there as they
used to get at the Harrison street
pumping station The large pump
which we will locate at the power
benefit of the city. With that pump
we expect to be able to help the city
give high pressure in case of a serious
fire. We do not expect to turn in and
pump every time there is fire, or so
long as the pumps at the city pumping
station are able to give the kind of
pressure they are giving now But
whenever called upon by the fire mar
shall we will be ready to respond.
I'VE realize that we have centralized
our interests at Seventh and Van
Buren,, and we want the best possible
protection against fire. We are sur
rounded by barns and infiammable
buildings. Though it may not be gem
orally known, we have a little fire com
pany of our own there at our power
house at the present time. with several
large reservoirs of water which we
could use in emergency. We have a
fire drill in which our employees have
been taught to participate Every few
days l turn in an alarm, and every
man must get to his place and be ready |
to fight fire. In that way we have
sought to provide against any emerg-
ency which might arise. This new
plan of ours would give us better IA
cilities5 for protecting ourselves. At
the same time it would be valuable
auxiliary to the city fire department"
There will probably be objections
raised to the Edison plan, as Mr..
Maunsell has anticipated. Some will
probably claim that since the city is
about to get possession of the water
works, it should not allow one of it's
best customers to escape by putting in
it's own Independent system of water
works
It will also be claimed, probably, that
the city has no assurance that the
Edison company will be in a position
to be of any real assistance, and that
the city has no authority to direct the
management of the plant or the install
lation of a system which would be
suited to the city's needs in case of
emergency
Nevertheless, the plan seems to be
fair one. and IL carried out might at
some future time be of great value to
the city. Had the city been able to
call on such assistance during the flood
1t would not have been quite SO much
at the mercy of a fire.
ANOTHER BIG BILL.
The report of the ways and means
committee favoring the construction of
a 81, coo bridge across the Shunganunga
on East Eighth street was adopted. A
representative of East Eighth street
people was present and stated that a
he do 70 fa1 10