The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-19
CHANGE IT NOW.
Electric Light Commission to
Be Named Soon.
Ordinance Providing for Com
mission Agreed Upon.
MAYOR GREEN READY.
Anxious to Let the Pe0pl,
Know at Once.
Will Appoint Men Who Will
Command Respect.

Before April the city electric light
plant will be out of the management
of the council and in the hands of three
prominent business men of the city
1t will be away from political domina-
ton and under the control of wise
and conservative business management.
The people have been demanding that
the municipal plant be given a fair
show and the council is going to see
that the electric light plant gets it.
A meeting of the gas and electric
lights committee of the council was
called this afternoon at o'clock to
consider the ordinance introduced Mon
day evening which provides for the Gre
alton of a board Of trustees. Several
suggestions were made in the form of
amendments to the proposed ordinance.
The ordinance was drafted almost
word for word from the ordinance which
created the board of waterworks trus-
tees leaving out the sections referring
to rates and accordingly it provided
for the appointment of the members
of the board on August 1, 1908.
This time will be changed to read to
a date to accord with the time which
will be selected prior to April z, proba-
bly, April 1. AS in the case of the
waterworks department the electric
light plant will be in charge of three
men, one of whom has had mechanical
training and experience. Coupled with
this the men must be prominent in the
business life of the city and the me-
chanical man of the number must be
experienced in electric nghting-it was
proposed that this last qualification
should not be strictly adhered to for
it is difficult to secure prominent bust
ness men who have had wide expert
ence in electric lighting.
The first appointments Will be made
for the following length Of terms; One
trustee for eight months, the second
for sixteen months and the third for
two years. After this the trustees will
be appointed each for two years; this
will provide for the appointment of one
trustee each year, always leaving two
of the board experienced men who have
had at least one year of service.
The board of waterworks trustees get
| $50 a year, it is simply a self-sacrffcfnS
| job, and the same sort of pay will be
! provided for the board Of trustees OF
| the electric light plant. The board of
| trustees Of the waterworks seem to like
| it for they spend more time at the wa
| terworks office than they do anywhere
| else.
| There is no graft in it either-so that
| politicians won't banker after it.
| The regular meeting. of the council
will be held on April 6, but special
session of the council will be called be-
fore that time to act on the recon-
mendations of the gas and electric
| lights committee.
| at am very anxious to make the ap-
pointment Of the trustees so that the
| people may know what kind Of men will
| disburse their money before they vote
on these bonds,'' said Mayor Green. Il
| believe that some people who might be
| opposed to bonds would on learning
| that the plant has been placed in the
| hands Of reliable business men for OPP
| Grafton. feel kindly to the contin-
ued operation of the plant and the bond
| issue.
| 'I intend to appoint men who will
| command the respect of the city, men
of integrity and ability. OF course it
wouldn't do to appoint men who are
opposed to municipal ownership be-
cause they would not take kindly to
such an appointment.
st think that a certain definite
amount of money should be set aside
each year by the council for the
operation of the plant and the trustees
, should be told that they are to keep
within this amount and if possible
build up a surplus, making the best
| showing possible and giving them a
chance to make a record. This would
give them some independence from
the council, for they will have to be
divorced from the council as far as
possible in order to get the best re-
| SUITS
Have you had any men in mind as
trustees?" was asked.
3Well, yes, but I wouldn't care to
give out the names of those whom
have thought of in connection with
the place The men must be selected
with reference to their ability to work
together and to bring out harmonious
results