The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-17
RATE WILL STAND
Minimum Meter Charge for
Water to Be % Cents.
City Council Declines to Approve
Proposed Increase.
NO "SALOON" HERE.
Councilman Hughes Shes at Use
Even for Coffee.
Controversy With Laundrles
Over Meter Charges.

The minimum meter rate OF 20 cents
for water service will not be raised 10
40 cents. as was proposed by the
board of waterwOrks trustees. Inc
council committee on waterworks met
last evening to discuss the new rules
and regulations which have been
drawn up by the board of trustees
The work was not entirely completed
and the committee will meet Satur-
dav evening to pass finally upon the
entire ordinance as it is proposed TO
60 into effect.
A number of changes were made in
the verbiage of the proposed Ordi-
nance Int aside from this the only
thing of importance which came up
was the matter of a change from the
minimum rate. Councilman j. W f.
Hughes member of the committee
occupied a greater portion of the lime
light. He fought against the raise in
the minimum meter rate, and also
fought in the interests of the esthetio
as applies to the use OF elegant IAN
guage. In the list of business estab-
lishments on a fiat rate occur the
words lice cream saloon" coffee
saloon" "billiard saloon" The nom
enclature has been taken from
somewhat antiquated list, and Coun-
Gilman Hughes was Immediately on
his feet to protest against the use of
saloon" in connection with the above
81 think we should call them by some
other names; I don't think that we
ought to have the word saloon APP
pear here at all I am doing this in
the interest of the aesthetic" said
Councilman Hughes. Saloon" was
stricken from the list.
Combating the attempt to raise the
minimum rate from % cents to 20
cents, Councilman Hughes said; en-
stead of lowering the rate to the large
consumers and raising the minimum
on the small think you should 90
the other way. These small consum-
ers are poor and can't afford to have
their rate raised. The people own this
7yaterWOrks now and it should be run
in the interests of the people. When
the company owned this plant there
wasn't any talk of raising this min
imum but now that the city owns it
You start in to raise on the poor peo-
pie You have raised the salaries of
the employees of the department. and
now If you raise this minimum rate
the people will want to know why you
raised the salaries. The increase will
only bring in a few hundred dollars
more anyway during year and it is
not enough to count towards any
thing 1t means, however, quite
dlIerence TO some of the people who
are going to pay for this water"
There are only 256 customers who
nay under 40 cents a month based on a
% minimum and about half of these are
paying IS cents. so that the raise will
only mean cents a month more" said
Frank Newland of the board of trus-
tees The % cents a month does not
pay us for going out and reading the
meter. making out bills and then col
Letting. For that reason we favored
making small raise. enough to cover
the cost
The committee finally decided to let
the. minimum rate remain.
IT0m6lea With Tarr1rrTvfos
Ihe committee now faces trouble with
the laundries in the city The laundry
men are large users of city water. Some
of these have been ENJOYING snecfaI
rates, not specified in the usual rate.
Others are paying the straight rates
which are given in the rate book. Some
OIL lhe laundry men want the city to
MAINTAIN this special rate and give
them the advantage of it. In three In
stances the meter rate to large con
suners has been raised. in eleven in
stances 1T has been lowered and in
elgnt others the rate remains the same
The raise catches some of the Iaundries.
Councilman Simms Of the Gem laundry
being one Of these.
The rates have been raised to con
sumers using from 5000 to 10 600 cubic
feet per month IA cents Der ]. 900 cubic
Ieet 3lla cents Is the new rate. The
rate has also been raised to consumers
using from 10000 to 25.000 and from %
600 to 10000 cubic feet-peF month
r. NJ. Cockrell of the White Star
laundry. and Councilman Sfmms ap-
peared before the meeting last evening
and threatened tOdiscontinue the use of
city water unless a reduction is made
from the proposed rate. They stated
their intention Of putting in a private
pumping plant. They have written to
other cities and secured statements of
the rates in effect there These thew
viii produce at the council meeting
Monday night in a fight for the rate
they are insisting upon. Councilman
Simms said: THE rate is too high for
us. We can't do business under that
rate and make money We will be
forced to put in our own pumping
plant. The town of Emporia has bet
ter rate than Topeka has. 7 am going
TO produce few Of these rates Monday
evening"
II think we ought to have reduc-
non and not raise" said Cockreu.
We don't want to go into this. gen
tiemen without knowing where we are
coming out at; start in on this and
nave a deficiency face as. If we fine
lhal We are coming out all right we viii
make q reduction" said Newland.
Wait and find out first how you arc
coming out before you make a raise oil
change in the rates" said Cockren
Don't make a change until YOU hn6
out"
We can make a reduction all right
II you want to have the Waterwor<s
department issue bonds like they are
cong In Lincoln. Neb., and some Oi
these other towns where thew have
made big reductiOns.' said Councilman
1Feen- Its just a question as to how
you want to pay for this. II YOU wan
us 70 make big reductions right away
at the first we can do it If Won want ID
stand for a bond ISSUE
Emporia-N Varrensburg Game.
EmpOria, Nov. 1.-THE line t7r, for -.