The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-18
Receiver O'NeiII, of Water Com
pany, Returns to Topeka.
Saws That Plant Will Be Put in
Good Condition.
THEIR LAST CHANCE.
Opponents of Municipal Owner
ship See Another Opportunity.
Commercial Club will Discuss
the Question.

/ ]. w. O'Nein, received of the Topeka
Water company, returned to Topeka
Wednesday from the east where he has
been for six weeks. In speaking of the
present waterworks situation, Mr.
O'Neill said:
LAS near as can learn, this agita-
ton is a sort of final effort on the part
of the people who have opposed city
ownership throughout to break the deal
/ between the city and company. Some
| of the best posted men in the city have
informed me that the opponents of city
ownership, who fought the proposition
at the election, are now preparing to
play their last cards and prevent in
some way the transfer of the property.
THE water company is willing to
| continue the operation of the plant,
as far as that goes, but we know that
! as soon as we get the repairs on the
plant completed it will do the work ex-
pected of it. 1t is plenty big enough
for Topeka at present. The work of re-
pairs is being rushed as rapidly as pos
sible.''
1t is quite apparent that the impa-
thence and bitterness which is appear
! ing in the present fight on the water
company is in a measure due to the
activity of the people who have always
opposed city ownership. All the old
enemies of municipal ownership who
were showed under by the popular vote
in the waterworks election are crawl
ing out of the drifts and urging the
| city to do something desperate without
waiting to investigate.
1t is altogether probable, however,
that conservative action to protect the
city will be taken. The "fire-eaters"
will not dominate the action of the
city.
Friday night the Commercial club
| Will meet on call for special meeting.
A committee composed of John S.
Parks, w. l. Miller, A. Fassler, Willard
Hall and E. H Crosby will report on
the advisability of buying the water
works.
| give the water company a chance to
make good it's promise to put the plant
| in as good condition as 1t was before
| the food and will decide to have a
| careful examination made of the plant
| by expert hydraulic engineers.
| Nothing was done at the meeting of
the city council Wednesday night al
| though Councilman Howe had a resolu-
ton ready providing for the employ
nent of hydraulic engineer. It was
decided that it would be better to wait
until the Commercial club has made its
recommendation in the case before
taking any action.
| QUESTION OF FIRE STEAMERS.
to absolutely settle the existing diff
culties, and out of the tangle of con-
f1icting opinion the city will probably
get on the right track after a while.
One of the most common suggestions
| is that the city should buy one or more
| fire steamers at once, for the purpose
of pumping water at high pressure. The
chief objection to this move is that
steamers cost $1,000 apiece to begin
with In addition there will be the cost
| nf and the Ga l1TiQS of three or
four additional men, and the incidental
expenses of maintaining another piece
of apparatus in service.
! There is another objection. too,
which would have to be overcome. All
of the fire plugs in the city are fitted
with 2-inch openings. The steamer re
quires a four inch connection. The flre
plugs would have to be changed IL
steamers are to be put INTO genera d.
use The only way the old steamer IS
used is by connecting it by a slanese
to two Pinch streams.
The only way the city could get a
fire steamer now is to go In dent Ior IT,
and it is contrary to law for the CITY
to go in debt for it's floating expenses
| It seems likely. however, that as soon
as the money is in sight, the CITY
council will purchase a, new flre steam
or for use in the business part OF town.
It would give the city a little chance
for fighting a fire even If a water mann
should burst or some accident happen,
as happened last Saturday.
VIM. SCHMITTENDORF STATE
| MENT.
William Schmittendorf, superintend-
ient of the Santa Fe water service, mas
taken a hand in the controversy, ana
has made some criticisms OF the IoPehe'
MT Schmittendorf says that during
the Saturday fire the water company
did not ask the Santa F'e Tor help, az
though the Santa Fee could have aloeu
(N41r-
much higher than that OF the cl1y'
says Mr. Schmittendorf:
Stunt. Shaw of the city waterworks
saws that he telephoned to the Watcn-
man at the Santa Fe storehouse W nen
he found that the city plant could mol
give pressure, and asked him to notify
the Santa Fe pumping station 10 turn
in and help. Instead of doing this, the
Waterman through a misunderstanding
told them to shut off the connection
between the Santa Fe mains and the
: city mains. He then reported what ne
had done, and Mr.. Shaw corrected him.
telling him not to shut off connection
but to have the Santa F'e pumps turn
in and help. No reply was received to
the second message, nor did the Santa
Fe give the desired assistance.
The Santa Fe tried during the hooc
to give pressure for the city, and was
able to give only 314 pounds, so its
services are not very important.
Mr.. Schmittendorf also says thai
during the test of the fire pressure
made by the city authorities six weeks
ago the water company had the Santa
FSe mains shut off, so that the city
mains would show better pressure.
''I think the Santa Fe was partially
shut off that afternoon, except whe1
: trains came in to be watered," said Mr.
Shaw today. 81 was going out to the
humping station with the committee
E and l wanted to see what effect, i
any. this would have on the pressure
2 did not know the committee was go
5 ing to make any test Of fire pressure
AS nearly as can judge, it makes ;
difference of about 5 or 10 pounds il
E our pressure to carry the Santa Fee
Mr. Schmittendorf claimed that twelv
$ years ago the Santa F'e agreed to tax
water from the Topeka Water conpan,
provided the company would for 8
DAVIS show an ability to maintain 9