The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-14
WILL Rush THE METERS
City 10 Try to Put All Water Users on.
Same Basis.

The feelings of suspense of the board
OF WaSerworks trustees who have been
grldlroned by the fat rate water con
sumers because Of the high rate for
sprinkling lawns were relieved last ev-
enlng when they learned the outcome
OF the meeting between the consumers
committee and the waterworks' com
mittee of the council.
The committee passed a resolution
last evening which is to be embodied
into an ordinance calling upon the
BOARD or WaterWorkS' trustees to in
stall meters as expeditiously as posi-
Die and to dispose of meters to Gus
toners where necessary upon an in
stallment basis, permitting them to pay
monthly for the meters. As this is just
what the trustees are attempting to do
and have been doing, there is nothing
particularly new come out of the row
which threatened for a time to assume
large proportions.
Since the trustees have made the rule
to place a meter on every connection
OF new consumer and wherever a
ehange is made in the plumbing. the
time has been less than eight months
so that the consumers of water under
the present method of the board are
gong over to a meter basis at the
rate of about 400 year. There are
1000 consumers of water on a fiat rate.
The changes made in plumbing are in
basis so that meters are being Install
ed now at a rate of almost two each
day.
Horace Hall. of the consumers COM
mittee, wished to have a time limit in
serted, giving the board Of trustees I'M
til January i. to force every fiat rate
consumer to a meter basis.
1t would be Impossible to do that.
We haven't got enough plumbers and
pipe filters in town to make that
change in that length of time said
Councilman Howe We would have
to import workmen into the city and
then doubt whether We could get the
connections all made by the first of the
year.
We'll, 1 don't want to be disorimi-
mated against" said Mr.. Hall.
Il don't want to be put on a fiat
rate and have my neighbor next door
on a meter basis. It's not right, it's
not fair and we don't propose to stand
for 1t. We will raise $500 or $500 if
necessary to bring this matter into the
courts and have equity established
Mr.. Hall finally aequiesced to letting
the resolution go through without a
time limit for placing meters on all
connections. Topeka has the highest
meter rates Of any town" said Judge
G. E. Foote. It have written to all of
them and they are all lower"
q think you will find that in most
Of those cases a tax is levied in add
ton to meet the running expenses. We
are self sustaining" said Councilman
Green. We'll, maybe that's so,' said
Judge Foote.
A reduction of the water rates will
probably be made next year. G. E.
Jewell stated yesterday that he con-
sidered that it would probably be pos
sible to make reduction.
I'VE hope to have $4,000 feet of ex-
tension under ground by the first of
next year. said Mr.. Jewell, speaking
of the improvements under way Six
thousand feet of new extensions are
already laid"
+ on the nIanf
since it has come under municipal
ownership aggregate in value upwards
of $4,000. All of this has come out
/ of the revenue from the plant and the
Indebtedness discharged as 1t has been
1T won't take long at the rate we
are going to have the entire city cover
ed with water mains When this is
done we can devote the money which
has been expended in improvements
to reducing the running expenses of
the plant and will be able to make a
cut In the water rates" said Mr. Jew
ell, who is member of the board of
water works trustees.
At this time at an expense of $4,000
the board is installing ten large steam
er hydrants, which are being put IN al
alternate corners at every street inter
section from Crane street on Kansas
avenue to Tenth and Kansas avenues
The steamer hydrants have larger
barrel than the ordinary sized hydrant
and the steamer does not have to pun
the water out of the hydrant; the bar
rel is large enough to permit 1t to flow
freely for this reason the pressure
that can be secured with steamer will
be corresponding increased. As a
matter of fire protection it is of the
utmost Importance, These hydrants
have been Installed as far as Sixth and
Kansas avenues and by Thursday of
next week the ten will all be in place
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