The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-04
Topeka Competent to Run Ifs
Own Business.
THE NEW PROPOSITION
Edison Company Wants City
Poles and Wires.
Waters Says Water and LIGHT
Commissions Illegal.

morning about the proposition the
Edison company had made the light
committee of the Commercial club
and which was reported to the club
Friday night and accepted and en-
dorsed by the packed meeting of the
club by vote of 30 to 8. said:
Il would dislike very much to have
the impression go out to the general
public that the city OF Topeka is not
competent to run its own light plant
nor can 1t be trusted to enlarge and
successfully conduct that plant to
meet the growing needs of the city.
right in their estimate that they could
enlarge the. plant to 500 light capa-
city for $35, 900. As to the cost of COM
Quoting that plant I could not say
with any certainty.
Then there is another :. question
They say they will furnish magnetic,
4-ampere. Is or 80-volt street lights
Now will these lights furnish as great
an illumination as the old lights. II
will take an expert to- determine this.
"If the people vote down the light
plant bonds next Tuesday the only
chance to enlarge the light plant this
year to meet the pressing needs of the
city is lost, and there is no certainty
that the city and the Edison company
can agree on the terms of the lighting
contract. In case of a disagreement
then the city would have to get along
with $40 lights for another year. We
would repair the plant as best We
could and get along some way.
Another thing. The Edison com-
pany. is now furnishing 80 lights to
the city at $65 per year each. There
light plant could easily light these 50
additional lights now.
''The city's light plant, understand,
lis in fairly good shape. The engine is
as good as new and the outside wires
are in fine shape. The Edison com
pany a short time ago estimated that
this wire was worth $4,000 Just for old
junk. Now remember that the Edison
people are-to have the use of this
wire and our poles at this price they
have quoted"
From the mayors statements it
would appear that if Topeka accepts
the Edison company's proposition it
will- not only say to the world that
it is not capable of running its own
light plant, but it will turn over free
900 worth Of material This city will
either have to lease it's light plant or
conduct it for commercial purposes.
This city will have to take down its
$40 arc lights and store them or sell
them for old junk. In other words, at
ter the contract is made with the Edi-
SON people this city win have q $4,000
light plant on its hands and con-
tract with another plant to furnish all
the light it needs.
Mayor Green called attention to
Col. J. G. Waters statement last night
in which that attorney said that this
city was acting beyond authority OF
the state law in having commission
water plants. "The colonel did not
investigate the matter sthoroughly,,
declared Mayor Green, "'or he would
have known that the city is not be-
yond the law at ALL The state law
says that no city shall allow a com
mission to make contracts or pay out
money without first submitting this
commission proposition to the vote OF
the people of that city. We are
familiar with this point of the law.
The light and water commissioners of
this city have no power at all to make
any contracts nor pay out a cent of
money They merely recommend.
and the council acts always in the
matter. The commissioners adminis-
ter the business affairs of the light
and water plants under the control OF
the council and all their important
acts as regards these utilities must
first come before the council before
they are in force. These two COM
missions merely save the city council
a lot of business details and, OF
course, their information and advice
are valuable.
In conversation with the light COM
missioner the reporter learned that the
magnetic light proposed for this city
by the Edison company is q different
style of light than that now used here
and is cheaper of operation. 1t is in
a nature of an experiment in electric
lighting, and is now in use in only two
cities, ST. Joseph, Mo-. and Harrisburg.
Penn, And by the way, HARRISBURG,
Penn. is only paying SAT per year to
this company for similar lights. They
are, however, being Installed now in
many cities and are supposed to be as
strong as the present lights here.