The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-18
I'M FIGHTING MOOD
Mayor Hanna Says Clay Center
Is Determined.
Will Own City Light Plant or
know Why.
THE EFFIGY BUSINESS.
Says That People DO Not APP
prove Act.
Nothing Personal Against At
tOrney General Coleman.

- F Coleman & williams insist
upon fighting this thing out to
a finish, I feel sure that the
city of Clay Center will be able
to take care OF itself"
This is the statement made
on Friday afternoon by Mayor George
Hanna of Clay Center concerning the
city ownership fight IN which Clay
Center is engaged. Mayor Hanna was
in Topeka to attend meeting OF the
Attorney General Coleman was
hanged in effigy at Clay Center a few
days ago because he allowed his own
law Arm to use the. name of the state
in an injunction suit to prevent the
letting of contracts for a city cleo
trio light plant BY this move the
state is compelled to pay the costs
whichever way the case goes.
People in Clay Center don't ap-
prove of that hanging business" said
Mayor Hanna, and yet 1t seems to be
generally admitted that It expressed
the sentiment of the people. I heard
about it while was eating breakfast,
and telephoned the city marshal, to
take the dummy down But before he
got there, Mr. Robinson, a prominent
merchant, cut it down, and burned it
up. I don't know who hung the efigy,
but 1 am informed that 1t was the
work of men, and taxpayers.
I'VE have no desire. as a city, to
prosecute anybody. but if the electric
light company continues its present
method of warfare, we viii night back.
We have our lawyers at work pre-
pairing the papers in three cases
against the Williamson company The
first case will be an custer suit
brought on the ground that the COM
pany has violated state laws by dis
eliminating in prices for light It has
charged some customers 125k cents
and some Is cents for exactly the
same service.
Another suit will be for the pur-
pose of recovering $1,000 in cash and
interest for ten years, amounting to
about $1,000. This $1,000 was given
to the Williamson company 10 years
ago by the city council Of Clay Cen
ter out OF city funds at the time the
Williamson dam was washed out It
was purely for sympathy. and was
given in spite of the opinion Of sew
eral lawyers, who said it was illegal.
! c. c. Coleman, who was then city at
torney, told the couneil that the gift
was legal. and the council acted upon
his authority There Is no doubt in
the world that We car. recover that
money.
I'VE will also bring suit for $4,000
excess charges on the city's electric
light bill. The company agreed in its
franchise to furnish the city with
2,000 candle power lights for street
lighting. The city has been paying
$50 a year for these lights ever since
the company commenced to do bust
ness. We have learned that the lights
furnished are only 1000 candle power,
and we believe that we are entitled to
recover half of the money we have
paid the company for light
I'VE will not file these suits until
we find out whether Coleman & Will
liams attorneys for the light com
pany are going to follow up their
/ fight on the city. II they do, we be-
lieve that it is out duty to the people
of the city to make as good a fight
as we can
ct have nothing personal against
Mr.. Coleman or Mr.. Williams, and the
trouble at Clay Center should not be
allowed to en- bitter personal feelings
among our citizens. We. are all on
speaking terms SO far. though there's
no doubt that things have been pretty
/ hot up there for some time. We are
going to have city ownership of the
electric light plant. and the fight
which the electric light company is
making now seems only for the pur-
pose Of delay"