The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-04

gratified to be able to present for youl
| consideration the following new pro-
position from that company, which II
| favorably recommends:
Topeka. Kan, April 3. 1908.-Messrs
Pierce, Matthews and Moeser, Commit
tee Topeka Commercial Club.-Gentle-
| men: Responding to your inquiry
| whether the Edison company desired
to submit another bid for street light
Ing. it offers the following PROPOSE
| tion:
| :" This company will furnish 400 OF
| more magnetic 4-ampere 70 to 80-volt
| street lights, all night and every night
| service, for period of ten years at
| fifty dollars ($5O per lamp per year
| the city to grant the company the use
of its present poles and wires. the COM
| pany to make all necessary renewals,
| improvements and extensions at its
own cost. At the end of said period
the company will turn over to the city
/ the then existing pole lines and wires
at the actual cost of said renewals,
betterments and extensions, less de-
| probation thereon, said depreciation
| to be fixed by a board of appraisers
| consisting of three competent persons,
/ one to be selected by the city, one by
| the company, and these two to select
| the third.
1--WE hereby agree and bind our
selves to submit this proposition to
| the mayor and council upon their re-
|
| the city of Topeka in accordance with
| the terms hereof. Respectfully sub
| mitted.
THE Topeka EDISON COMPANY.
Il E. Myers, President.
I'VE think the price offered by the
Edison company is as low or lower
than the service can be performed by
| the city itself; furthermore the city
| will be relieved of all responsibility
and risk in the operation of a plant
and also from the necessity of issuing
further bonds.
The lowest claimed cost of perform
ing a like service in the city of, ST.
Joseph with greater number or
lamps, was $53.37 last year, but it is
shown by the report of expert account
ants who recently audited the city's
books that the actual cost was $62.s9.
The city of Detroit, with a large mod
ern plant, producing almost $500
lights, has been unable to operate for
less than $52.87 per lamp. An exami-
nation of a report showing the cost
of street lighting in almost all the
cities of the United States where the
lighting is done under contract uni
formly shows much higher charges
than the Edison company now offers
to accept, and this is equally true of
all cities lighted under municipal op-
Grafton.
"In view of these facts we take
pleasure in submitting this proposition
to the club for it's consideration.
Respectfully submitted. (signed)
ROBERT PIERCE.
GEO. H MATTHEW'S,
GEO. E. MOESER.'
The one-sided discussion was started
by President Jensen when he said:
Gentlemen you have heard the report,
what shall we do with it?''
81 should like to say few words in
behalf of our report said Robert
Pierce, chairman of the committee.
After holding a number of conferences
with the management of the Topeka
Edison company we We're able to Sc
cure the proposition which I have just
read to you. And I want to say that
I think that it is a fair offer and one
that the city should accept. After
studying all of the available figures
am of the opinion that the offer made
by the Edison company is as low as
they can possibly make lit and run
their plant at a profit and I do not
think that the city can furnish light
at these figures.
est Joseph has tried it and we have
found that their lights cost them $3.50
their figures indicate that the actual
cost is $62.69. Detroit city lighting
costs $52.S7 and as far as we have
been able to learn the price offered
Topeka by the Topeka Edison COM
pany is the lowest price paid by any
city in the United States for street
lighting.
tious in our work, have visited the city
plant in ST. Joseph and made our
figures from the best authority obtain
able We have conferred with Messrs.
Stewart and Freeman, both recognized
as experts on the city lighting propo-
sition and feel that our report is a
fair one from all standpoints. Our
price on poles has been criticised but
7 odr hot
feet in height with eight inch tops
can be bought at $3.75. the purchaser
has an inside price on the committee.
As taxpayer 1 feel that when we are
offered a contract such as the Edison
company has made us that it is our
duty to accept it,
Mr.. Mathews Remarks.
G. H Mathews, another member of
the conference committee said: Our
work and our report has been criticised
from various sources but 1 like 1t for
it serves to bring out all of the facts.
We have worked industriously to get
the results which we have obtained
and 1 feel that the figures are accurate
and a fair basis upon which to work.
ST. Joseph rebuilt an old plant just as
we have planned to do and installed
the most modern machinery.
''The best that they have been
able to do is to furnish lights ac-
cording to their own figures is $62 a
lamp per year. Their books also in
dicate that it has cost them $164.60
per lamp for additional lamps which
have been located in the outskirts of
the city Taking these figures as a
basis upon which to work it would
cost Topeka s27,323 to take care of
the extensions planned at this time
though your committee has allowed
$4,000 for this item.
''Our estimate has been severely
criticised and Is said to be too high,
the pole question being particularly
referred to. We have allowed for but
500 poles, vet the ST. Joseph expert
says that the plant in that city will
require 1000 poles within the next
year to replace poles which have
been in the ground but three years