The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-15
City of BeIIeYiIIe Finds Obstacle
to Municipal 0 Ownership.
Auditor Rufuses to Register
100000 Electric Light Bonds.
1T is UP TO COLEMAN,
Attorney General Will Have t.
Settle the Question.
D. Z. Wilson Tells About Re-
public County Politics.

4lxl1Es Et6puDAC county
has encountered an obstacle
in the way Of its proposed
municipal ownership OF the
electric light plant which
may Interfere seriously with
its plans. The $4,000 worth of nau-
nicipal bonds which the city proposes
10 issue are about $4,000 IN excess OF
the s per cent limit axed by law, and
d. I. Wilson, who brought the bonds
to Topeka today to secure their regis
tration, was turned down by the state
auditor.
BeIIeviue has an assessed valuation
CT $213. 600. The Is per cent limit
would be about $4,000 Already the
town has outstanding $4,000 IN bonds
which we're issued to construct city
waterworks. The additional $4,000
for ar electric light plant is nearly all
in excess OF the amount permitted by
law according to the understanding Of
the auditor.
Attorney General Coleman was not
IN the city and the question win have
70 be referred to him on his return.
His decision will be Anal. If he holds
that the bonds are in excess of the
limit, the city of Belleville will have to
wait a While for its city lighting plant.
Efr. Wilson, who brought the bonds
to Topeka IS city clerk of Belleville,
and is we'll known in state politics.
/ having been a candidate for the Re-
publican nomination for state auditor
| speaking of the difficulty about the
/ bonds.
II am still Of the opinion that we
can issue the $4,000 in bonds and
build our plant. It is my idea that the
1 law of 1903 in providing for a Is per
cent limit for bonds for constructing
municipal public utilities meant that
this 10 per cent should be in addition
10 all other outstanding bonds. ]
/ want to present that phase of the case
i n a or
It up.
IF we are allowed to go ahead with
| our plans, we will put in a municipal
lighting plant there IN Belleville which
VIII make our town the best lighted
one of It's size in the United States. II
viii be a thoroughly modern plant In
every respect. We will go into COM
mercial as well as street lighting
Concerning political conditions in his
section Of the state, Mr.. Wilson said:
Everything indicates that NJ. c.
Polly will be the next member of the
legislature from Republic county. The
Democrats have nominated H. NJ
! Boyd, the former Populist assistant
ad1utant general and Tom Charles, the
4 editor OF the Democratic paper in
Belleyflle, has bolted Boydss nomina
/ ton. Charles will support NJ. c. Polly
/ and SO will every other newspaper
published in our county. Charles has
/ not bOlted the whole ticket=only
| Polly. The Republican county ticket
is the strongest we have ever nomin-
ated. There is not a weak spot on it.
and the issues in the campaign are not
| centered on local affairs. It seems to
! be the general impression that the Re
publican county ticket will carry the
county by five or six hundred The
disafection, whatever there is, is due to
the fact that some people think the
railroads controlled the Republican
state convention The defeat of Crum-
/ mer for nomination for state auditor
was bitter dose, but his selection to
the Office of chairman of the state COM
mittee served to smooth that over
pretty well. I don't think, however
that the fight on the state ticket Will
| amount to much.
We have just had a very successful
county fair at Belleville. Eight thous-
and people attended yesterday. On
October 10 we are going to have the
Fifth district Woodmen there for their
annual logrolling. 1t promises to be
one of the big events of the season"