The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-29

! DEOdu ana lar seeing enough TO l0DA
| forward . 0 years They must be able
/ to perceive what the needs Of the city
Will probably be in years to come and
| they must make extensions with that
/ in view. The WaterWOrks system is
( like the trunk of a tree with its many
management must not put down a
small size pipe in its extensions in a
/ certain locality il the chances are that
( in the future the city will grow IN that
/ direction. For If the small pipe is
/ laid down it must be later taken up
and a larger size main put down
/ This means additional expense which
should not have been encountered.
| The large main should be down in the
I first place. If the large main is not
/ put down we have a choke already
and If committee from the council IS
| left in charge and the management
varies from time to time we will have
any number OF these chOkes over the
entire town.
Better Water Pressure.
AT the present time there is suffi-
cient water pressure for ordinary pur-
poses but when in addition we have to
/ furnish a fire pressure it is not ade-
quate to meet the demands. There
are two methods which have been por-
posed by Mr.. Street. The one is to
make several tests extending over a
period of time of the wells at the
Harrison street station and discover If
| they are absolutely pure and in that
event to partially re-equip that plant
and thus secure the additional pres
sure and the other is to erect a reser-
Votr out at the plant west of the city.
The latter is the one favored By Mr..
Street and also his hydraulic engineer
and which appeals to me as being the
best The reservoir could be con-
structed at a cost approximately of
$500 with a capacity sufficient to
supply the city for three or four
days. centrifugal pump electrically
driven would work night and day fill
ing that reservoir. When the need
arose all it would be necessary to do
would be to let it down to the pumps
at the plant through the force of graV-
1ty and the pumps would simply have
to force it through the mains. This
relieves the pumps of cOnSidera Die
work, the work of pumping the water
out OF the river If we do not con-
struct something of this nature we
viii be forced to drive an additional
well at the plant west of the city be-
Gent
THE matter of meters is a. large
subject. The city will no doubt have
to adopt such a system. It produces
saving which cannot be secured in any
other way; it will decrease the pump
age one-third. [ believe that the
meters should be sold to the citizens
on the inStalIment plan. There is no
question but the citizen should pay
for them as a water meter is different
from gas or electric meter in this
way, by carelessness you can permit
the water meter to became frozen and
break, such cannot occur with a gas
or electric meter.
Unless the city makes the citizen la
bic for the breakage by making him as
sumo the cost OF the purchase it will be
continually called upon to make good
the negligence of some patron.
Some of the best attorneys in the city
and also for that matter Mr.. Howe states
that the city can not tax itself, that is
to say it cannot pay itself for hydrant
rentals If this is true I don't see where
Mr.. Howe's objection that the law is
unjust when it provides that no extern
sions shall be made unless sufficient
agreements will have been received
from along the line of the proposed ex-
tension so that the revenue from the
proposed extension viii amply justify
such an extension will hold If the city
does not collect hydrant rental the peo-
pie in the outlying districts which have
no hydrants win not be paying for FIRE 4
protection which they are not securing.
Laws Governing Use of Water.
THE council will doubtless have to
pass some rigid laws governing the use
of water As an individual it has more
or less difficulty in securing compliance
TO laws but as city II can make its
policemen look after and enforce its sta
tutes. Fines win have to be provided
in case compliance is not secured. Ger
tain hours when water can be used for
varying purposes must be established
and the law regarding the use of water
during fire pressure is on must be rigid
ly enforced.
AT the expiration of this quarter the
city will have in the neighborhood of
81, 600 surplus which can be expended on
improvements and extensions of the
plant. This surplus will be increased
and is highly necessary for the city to
secure these funds by taking the plant
out of politics. The law should be sub
mitted to a vote of the people. believe
that the expense could be cut down to
a minimum. I believe that there are
enough public spirited men in the city
who are willing to serve on the election
boards without pay. This has been done
formerly. 1t would bring. the expense
down to a small figure