The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-11
DAVIS IS RIGHT.
People Wouldn't Have Light
Plant abandoned.
COuncFlmen Appear Rather Cold
on Proposition.
NOW IN BAD SHAPE.
Repairs Of a Radical Nature
Are Needed.
City Has OutgrOwn the Capacity
Of Establishment.
NOW IN BAD SHAPE.

- HE trouble Is that the people
wouldn't listen to It, said
Mayor w H. Davis last even
ing at a joint committee
meeting of the ways and
means and gas and electric
light committees when someone sug-
gested that the electric light plant
should be dismantled and abandoned.
You are perfectly correct, Mr.. May
or. the people won't listen to a step
backward Even though the superin-
tendent Of the electric light plant says
that One-tlird Of the lamps viii be out
of service by the first Of January and
that the plant will have to be recon
structed within a year, the people Of
the city believe that the plant should
lie brought up to date, equipped in a
manner to give good service and con-
tinue to supply electric current for the
street lights.
There was entirely too much talk on
the part OF the cOuncilmen last evening
of abandoning the plant and contract
ing service with the Edison company
The councilmen evidently have forgot
ten the kind of service that the city
was getting from private corporations
before the municipal electrict light
plant was built. 1t was not so much a
question Of cost which led the city into
the pastures OF municipal lighting Is it
was the miserable service that the city
was then getting.
If the council wants to bark back
to old times all that 1t wants to do is
to abandon the city electric light plant
and sign contract with the Edison
company. Maybe they will get it at
price which Will be as cheap as the
city can manufacture It at, but just as
sure as history repeats itself when the
fear OF competition Is removed the
service which the city viii get will
continue to deteriorate.
This Is not intended as a criticism
directed at the Edison company. 1t
would be Just as true of any other
electric light plant. History has a way
of repeating itself and when a COM
binafiOn Of circumstances reoccur
people have a habit Of acting just the
same Way-and corporations also.
There is considerable agitation over
the united States from cities which
have had a long time experience with
corporations for change to municipal
ownership Of their electric lighting
systems. Probably the Topeka cOun-
cflmen have overlooked this.
Even 90 reliable q councilman as
William Green, it IS regretted to state,
went wrong last evening.
In answer to the remark made by
themayor which heads this article, Mr..
Green said: I'VE shouldn't listen to the
bankers. we should do what is best for
the city. AS far as am concerned II
&c can be demonstrated that we can
get our lights cheaper from the Edison
company than it is costing US now to
run our plant. am not afraid to say
that I would be for It. We are here
to do what IS best for the city"
+'Rinety-nine out of one hundred
electric light plants run by corporations
are run cheaper than municipal plants, "
said Councilman SWendson.
There is no question about it, ]
have always been against municipal
ownership" said Mayor Davis.
We can't abandon this plant
though" said Councilman Swendson
I'VE have not come TO the place where
we can afford to throw all the machine
~ away for old junk The plant has
got to be fixed up in some way and re-
paired"
The upshot of the joint committee
meeting last night was the passage OF
a resolution asking for bids from the
Edison company on q basis of 500 lamps
and on a basis of 1000 lamps
They left the consideration Of voting
bonds and the repair Of the plant over
until they receive the bids from the
Edison company. The bids in way are