The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-11
TO SECURE POWER
City Railway Trying to Purchase
Edison Plant.
This Fact Develops at City Coun-
ell Meeting.
HOT FOR HOLIDAY.
L. e. Myers Accuses Him of
Breach of Faith.
Says Gas Trust Trying to GObbIe
Electric Light.

endeavoring to buy a controlling in
terest in the Edison Illuminating COM
pany was developed last night at the
council meeting. The news was
sprung during clash between the in
terests of the Edison and the Con-
sumers companies, both of whom want
franchises. The statement to this eff
feet was given out by L. E. Myers,
vice president of the street railway
company, who was at the council
| meeting. Myers was fiery hot and ac-
cused Councilman Holiday of a
breach of confidence and attempting
to sandbag the Edison company into
a sale to Brady of the Excelsior Coke
and Gas company which also having
the Consumers franchise pending.
Myers claimed that Holiday had been
| told in confidence that the Edison
company considered selling out to the
street railway company and then ap-
prised Brady of the fact so that the
latter could come and bulIdoze the
sale and purchase the plant at his own
| figure, or prevent railway company
| from getting loans. Myers intinated
that the street railway company would
be held up by Brady and that the lat
| ter would come and buy the street
railway at a nominal price leaving the
original promoters high and dry.
|
discussion over the two franchises. L.
E. Myers said:
Mr.. Myers Warns Up.
II think I can straighten out this
whole matter in a few minutes. This
franchise of the Consumers is not in
| they don't introduce their franchise
in good faith. This is the way it is.
/ The street railway company is large
user of power and has no power
house; For weeks and weeks we have
been interesting eastern capital in a
proposition to buy the Edison plant in
| order to get that power house. The
deal was practically negotiated and
| the papers are about to be signed.
Several months ago I called Mr..
Holiday to Chicago to consult with
him about it. I did SO because he was
the only close friend I had in the
Icouncil. He pledged me by everything
that was sacred that he would respect
my confidence. I told him then of the
negotiations pending and explained
that 1 did not feel justified In telling
in the proposition unless the Edison
company got a franchise. He said,
Go ahead. 1 will see to it that it will
be all right
He sits right down and writes to Mr..
Brady in New York. sdr. Brady who is
head of the gas trust and has been try
ing for long time to buy the Edison
| w nen 6OlllQdy lOlQ MINI ElaI
the sale of the plant is under way, what
does he do? He said, 7 will have Hol-
liday introduce this ordinance. That
will scare the capital back of the street
railways proposition and 1t will back
out. Then the plant Will fall into my
lap at my own price and will also con-
troll the street railway, for the contract
with the Edison company expires with
the first of next May and then it will
be an electric railway company with
out electricity
Mr.. Nipps Asks a Question.
81 want to ask you," interposed Ccun-
Gilman Nipps, when did you see Holli-
day last about this matter?"
| Several weeks ago; about tive
weeks came the reply.
well, 1 want to tell you that Mr..
Holiday told me in confidence about
his proposed franchise several weeks
before your several weeks" returned
Nipps.
"Mr. Brady wrote to Mr.. Wilder and
said, Why didn't you let me have u
chance at this? You talked to me first;
sell it to me.''' replied Myers.
when was this?'' asked Councilman
Nipps.
Mr. Myers. -'Mr. Wilder said, It's too
late. It's too far gone. We have gone
too far along with these other people.
It was on my promise that everything
| would be all right and after had got
the assurance from Mr.. Holiday that
i
feel that my trust has been betrayed.
1 feel like fool standing here now be-
fore those gentlemen
"Well, want to tell you,'' returned
Nipps, tthat Mr.. Holiday told me in
confidence about his franchise several
weeks before your several weeks and
don't believe that he has violated any
I confidence"
Not in Good Faith.
Myers continued: ST say that they
/ don't introduce this ordinance in good
faith. When Brady hears that other
parties are negotiating he says, TIL
scare them off the nest And he intro
ing to buy enough stock to insure US
power house Here we have a street
railway 80 miles long without a power
house That's the situation. gentlemen.
That's the purpose of this ordinance
introduced by Holiday who violated my
confidence. It's simply introduced to
sandbag the Edison plant into selling to
Brady.
sIt hurts me to say these things about
Holiday, but couldn't sit here and see
these things go on. The whole business
is simply a scheme on the part Of Brady
to get monopoly on the heating, light
ing and street railway interests of the
city,
Holiday Makes Denial.
When Meyers concluded, Holiday
said: 81 am much surprised to see
this attack from my good friend
in for this sort of thing from all
lalong the line. As soon as a man gets
iup and works for the best interests Of
the town he is apt to step on some
body's toes and then he gets hurt.
These things are not right. Naey are
not fair. 1 don't see why they should
jump on me when 1 happened to have
- ---- r1s>