The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-19
DOWN co RATES. WORKSCON. Game
Water Company the Charge AGAINST vo,,.
Reduction July l. Woman Promotar
Cut Meter Only Warrant Has Ren
From 10 to Is Per Cent. Her Arrest
TASK is HARD ONE HEAD OF CONCERN
Expert mas been Making Make Steel Cars
New Schedule. at $1O,OOO.OOO
VIII 80 just the An Investor of
Same His Money Back
Cut for Meter Users Only Varies
From 10 to Is Per Cent.
TASK is A HARD ONE.
Expert Has Been Making the
New Schedule.
Extensions Will Go on just the
Same.
Down go the water rates.

Down go the water rates.
Effective with July the board of
waterworks trustees will introduce a
new schedule of water rates for those
having meters, the fiat rates remaining
undisturbed.
The reductions win vary from 10 to Is
per cent. depending upon the amount
of water consumed, the greater reduc-
tion will be made to those who use a
small supply of water and will grade off
to the heavy consumers where there is
not so much profit to the city. The big
plants which use thousands of gallons
of water daily will probably not have
the rate on which they are based dis
turbed-lf any reduction is made it will
be very light. I'VE are barely making
a profit on this class and if we should
cut it ten per cent we would be fur
nishing the water at COST" said a mem
ber Of the board Of waterworks trus-
tees. THE adoption of a new schedule
is matter of considerable worry. 1t
takes an expert mathematician to work
out the rates so that they will be fair
to all, and as a matter of fact we have
one of the best mathematicians in the
city right now engaged in preparing
the new schedule. 1t has been worked
over several times already and it is
not entirely satisfactory yet. If you
are not careful you make it a matter
Of economy for a man on a meter to
waste water, for by letting his water
run he can get into another class where
it would be cheaper for him than if he
consumed a less amount of water. The
meter rates are based upon the water
consumed, each class being fixed by
number of gallons used. It is a trouble
some question. We worked over the
present schedule a long time before we
got adjusted and the rates were never
what We wanted them; they were not
exactly fair to all, but 1T was the best
we could do. We hope to get sched-
ule that will satisfy ALL We have been
working on this of and on during the
past four months and We are just be-
ginning to see the light"
In the time that the city has had the
waterworks plant it has expended $70,-
AHA in the way Of betterments to the
ments at the plant and has now the
construction OF an. eighteen inch feed
main to the city andSthe twelve inch
main leading down Seventh street to
the heart Of the city which will cost
around about $4,000 more. On top of
this it now has announced a reduction
in rates. ~
This will affect 1888 people, for out Of
4,481 services there are that many on
a meter basis. The city is rapidly go
ing over to a meter basis, for while 3SS
new taps were connected this last year
have been installed, showing that 1S9
have substituted a meter for a fiat
rate. Whenever any change Is made in
service the board requires, if the
customer has been on a fiat rate, the
installation of meter.
Receipts of the Plant.
1--WE are pleased to report" says the
board in it's annual report to the
council, that the receipts were in ad-
van Of "a q n O.
year, showing a gradual increase in
and reverses." The report
covers the fiscal year ending with
April 1st, 1908.
In that time the total receipts
amounted to $91,094.94. of which
vices and $24,949.23 from fiat rate
services. The total operating ex-
penses amounted to $27,362.56 out of
which was paid salaries amounting to
$4,23S.75, wages $S,2O3.97 and fuel
costing $6,97O.65. This leaves a sur
ness, but this does not make any pro-
vision for interest charges which
amounts in round numbers to about
$4,000 for improvements. During the
year about five miles of new main was
laid consisting of 1861 feet Of four
inch main, 15,432 Of six inch main
and 800 feet of twelve inch main.
The daily capacity of the pumping
plant, actual consumption, was 1885,
O91 gallons and the total for. the year
ran up close to billion gallons. My,
how Topekans love water!s-
The plant uses up on an average
s1h tons of coal day to put life in
the pumps.
should the reduction in meter rates
average ten per cent it will mean that
the revenues to the department will
be cut by about $500 annually.
The record each year Of the plants
operation seems to prove it to be more
and more a bonanza for the city. In
1906 the interest on the investment al
lowing for a depreciation rate Of two
per cent and also deducting interest
on the bond issue amounted to about
4.25 per cent. During 1907 it had
Jumped to As per cent. This interest
will provide finally for sinking fund
to retire the bonded Indebtedness
hanging over the plant and amount
ing to about $62O,000. If this interest
rate can be maintained in twenty five
years the bonds will have all been
paid off, the plant bettered in every
wav and rates on a basis that will
compare favorably with other cities.
: The board of waterworks commits
sioners who have handled the affairs
of the plant so ably are: F. M, New
land. C. E. Jewell and Charles Moeser
together with Jesse Shaw, the superin-
tendent and his efficient employees.
Death of Mrs. NJ. Brown.
Emporia, Kan, May 19.-Mrs. Ma
linda Brown. wife of the late Solomon
G. Brown, died unexpectedly of heart
failure, a few minutes after IL O'Clock,
at her home, 1O7 South Commercial
street Mrs. Brown was one of the
oldest residents of Lyon county, hav-
ing lived here continuously since No
vember. 1855.