The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-18
THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
Large Consumers of Water Want New
Regulations.

Large consumers Of water who have
oeen enjoying special rate are Ilght-
ing the attempt of the city council ana
the board of waterWorSs trustees to
place them on a regular rate
The board Of trustees and the mem
berS of the council committee on
waterworlzs do not believe it wisdom to
permit Sny of the customers to re-
main on a special rate basis. A meter
rate with a sliding schedule depending
upon the amount Of cubic feet OF water
used per month is the proposition
which confronts all large consumers.
The old company played the favorite
act and gave to certain institutions
business and of other character either
special rate or cut the regular rate
by settling the bills for just one-half
their real amount.
There are just about six of these
large consumers who are ObJecting to
being placed on a straight meter basis;
they have been enjoying a special rate
heretofore" said Jesse Shaw, superin-
tendent of the waterworks." think it
would be unWiSe, however TO con-
tinue these special rates with the city
running the plant. You are apt to run
into a great deal of trouble in conse-
Quence. Council management and cor
poTati0n management are not on the
same basis and the council can not
well give special rates without running
demanding the same treatment. We have
got pretty equable sort of meter sys-
tenn now and it is better to not dis
criminate against any consumer.
Il believe we should treat every one
alike. I don't believe we should give
any special rates to anyone, though I
realize that it is pretty hard not to do
it," said Mayor w. H. Davis. There
is such an evident intention existing
to fight the rates which have been
that the whole ordinance Of rules and
regulations which include the rates
may be shelved until at some later
date. In the meantime the board Of
trustees will have to worry along with
the existing rates. Here another snag
apparently exists for it is claimed that
the board of trustees have no authority
| to enforce any rates at present since
no ordinance fixing rates has yet been
passed.
The feeling seems to be general
among the greater number Of the
councilmen that the question of rates,
/ if it is possible to do so, should be
/ deferred for period of a year in or
der that the experience which may be
4 gained in the interim may go towards
/ the formulation of new rates. Coun-
/ cilmen Horn and Simms are both pre-
pairing to fight the proposed rates if
! they are introduced in the council
] Monday evening upon recommendation
( from the council committee on water
/ works. SimmS represents a number of
/ the laundfynQe en- who come IN the 5000
cubic feet per month class and who
have their rate raised under the new
schedule. Simms has gotten together
a number of rate books from other
waterworks plants and will introduce
4 them to back up his fight. Some OF
| the larger laundry firms who use water
in excess of 5000 cubic feet are not
making a fight for their rates have
/ been reduced. At the same time that
/ Councilman Simms asks for a reduc-
ton he is taking the stand that the
minimum rate should be SO cents a
month. This is just double the mini
mum rate which the waterworks
committee agreedcto recommend to the
council.