The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-20
MORE LIGHT.
Mayor and Councilmen Visit st.
Joseph, Mo.
See a Model Plant in Full
Operation.
G REAT EQUIPMENT.
Has Competent and Business
Like Management.
People Would Mob Council If
They Talked Contract"


testimony to the effect that there is
at least one city lighting plant in the
country managed by a municipality
that is a model plant, we'll and sys-
tematicaIly managed, credit to the
city running it and demonstration
that a municipality can light its
streets for less than $500 per lamp.
per year, which is the proposition
which the Topeka Edison company is
now endeavoring to close with the
city on a contract basis.
In discussing the electric iight
proposition Mr. Myers, president of
the Edison company, has tried to ov-
erwhelm the mayor and the council
and the public including the editor OF
this paper with statistics to the erect
that municipal lighting plants ARE are
miserable failures. In the many cities
selected for attack Mr.. Myers stu
diously avoided reference to our
neighbor, st. Joseph.
The State Journal was not familiar
with the details Of the St. Joseph SIT
uation, but understood that it was
successful plant and was producing
the light. including interest and de-
probation and taxes lost, at a cost In
the neighborhood Of $4,000 per lamp,
per year.
Last week the writer wrote to his
St. Joseph News, and stated that he
was coming over there this week, for
his own personal satisfaction, to see
the ST. Joseph municipal electric
lighting plant and get in touch with
the facts and figures. Incidentally,
he wrote Mr.. Golding that he thought
that the mayor and a number of the
councilmen might like to go to St
Joseph, as the lighting question was
under discussion.
Mr.. Golding thereupon extended
very cordial invitation for the writer
to leone over" and bring the mayor
and as many of the councilmen as
would 20 and to come, as his guests.
Mayor Green said he could go
Wednesday. He called up all OF the
councilmen and asked them to go.
Mr.. Myers hearing of the trip, said
that unless the party was a private
one he thought he would go along.
so the. party which left Topeka yes
terday morning numbered Mayor
Green Councilmen Montgomery, Jor-
dan, Blakely and Tandy, L. r.. Myers
president Of the Topeka Edison COM
pany. and Frank p MacLennan, OF
The members of the party were
very cordially received at st. Joseph
by Mayor Spratt, Mr.. Goidlng ana
city Clerk Gates After an informa 1i
were taken in carriages to the city
electric light plant, where they re-
NAMED several hours. Here they
met w C. Stewart, superintendent OF
the plant and his assistants. Later
the Topeka visitors, the Two mayors
and SUPERINTENDENT Stewart were en-
tertained at luncheon by Mr. Goiolng
at the Metropole hotel. In the even
ing the party again visited the light
ing plant, saw the machinery IN
operation and the lights burning
OF
returned home at midnight, full OF
facts and figures and enthusiastic over
the municipal plant at st. Joseph, MI
Myers himself being compelled TO say
that it was a splendid plant, well ana
Systematically managed. He volun-
tarily gave this testimony and bore
witness of the facts to the mayor and
the councilmen. He could not help it;
the mayor and councilmen saw for
themselves.
The cost of the operation of the
plant for last year, according to the
official figures submitted by Mr.. Stew
art yesterday. varied from sz5.57 per
lamp per year according to the month
imum of $41.63, the former being in
August and the latter in December, the
average for the year being $39.34.
November was $34.S0.
Mr.. Stewart figures that the interest
ton, $3.50. lost taxes. $1.25. 1t thus
stands as follows:
Operation and maintenance per lamp. $50 "a
Depreciation ..............--.... SSS
Lost taxes ..--......-..-.... i-zo
Total . .....................s 54s7
That is. total per lamp. per year. s54.S.
The State Journal printed the ST.
Joseph figures last Monday as s53.S7.
The slight difference is due to the
average operating expenses for the
nd Ia
September last and those for the cal
endar year ending January 1
were $39.34.
The city of ST. Joseph has a very
liberal salary list. The superinten-
dent is paid $500 per year against
our salary of $1,000; the engineer re-
ceives s1.260 per year against our en-
gineer $50; there are two firemen at
$40 per month each against our two
f1remen of $50 each; there Is one
against our four trimmers (due to
old style Lamps at $3.50 each.
Mr. Stewart said: "Our trimmer
takes care of 566 lamps per month
and he has time to spare"
The st. Joseph lamps are trim
med twice a month while ours require
trimming once every night they burn
ST. Joseph's plant is in operation
all night and every night, even during
the full moon.
from the practical demonstration
made to the Topeka visitors yester-
day. that Topeka could produce her
lights at much less price per lamp
per year than st. Joseph does and
would require a much less investment,
and here are several reasons and the
facts
ST. Joseph voted $4,000 in bonds and
practically put in everything new, built
a new building. put in new engine.
new machinery and built in most SUBJ
stantial manner, adding a good deal for
ornamentation and surroundings that
Topeka would hardly contemplate at
present
St. Joseph used her old lines and
poles, some of the wires being Just as
good as they were eighteen years ago