The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-26
FOR A LONG TIME.
Business Men Call Attention to
Light Proposition.
Proposition Calls for a Long
Term of Years.
ON WRONG THEORY.
City Would Not Get Benefits of
Improved Machinery.
Registration Is Showing a
Gratifying Increase.

Even the friends of the Edison COM
pany believe that 20, Is or 10 year con-
tract at $55 per lamp is a bad bust
ness contract for the city to tie up
with in lighting it's streets The Edison
company is trying to get a 20 year con-
tract.
With the constant improvements that
are being made in electrical construc-
ton $55 per lamp at this time may look
like 800 per lamp does today, ten years
from now. Five years is a good long
time" said one prominent business
man today in speaking of this feature
of the electrical light situation.
Those who are opposed to the city
electric lighting proposition. however,
may have the satisfaction of knowing
that they are trying to play the city
into the hands of the Edison company's
contract plan. The present city plant
is inadequate to furnish the city with
all of the light that is needed. 1t is
up to the citizens of Topeka to i'm
prove their plant add more lights and
reduce the cost by installation Of new
machinery of the latest type.
On Friday evening at 10 o'clock reg
istration for the election on April Z will
close. Those who desire to express
themselves on the electric light ques-
ton as we'll as to who shall represent
them as councilmen will have to reg
lister by that time. Failure to vote at
the last election or removal in resi-
dence since the election last spring,
even if the vote was cast necessitates
new registration.
Five clerks are employed at the Of
flee of the commissioner of elections,
at the Auditorium, handling the regis
tration. 1t is estimated that about 800
registered yesterday but this does not
take account of the large number who
called to inquire about their standing
and whose registration was intact.
They are coming from all parts OF
the city today said c. H. Titus, COM
missioner of elections. Previously they
Second ward with a number from the
Fourth. A lot Of the women are get
ting out and they average up well
along with the men as to number.
81 am heartily in favor of the city
lighting plan,' said A. B. Whiting of
the Whiting Paint and Glass COM
pany and a heavy tax payer. II don't
know of anything that I would so
willingly support. I haven't made a
thorough canvass as to the sentiment,
but the number of taxpayers that L
have talked with are without excep
ton for it. / have not found any
one yet who was opposed to the issue.
The way the commission of the wat
erworks plant has managed that util-
ity has been exceedingly satisfactory
to me and 1 trust that the commits
sion of the electric light plant will
manage the electric light plant as
well. 1 am sure they will do it for
they are some of our best business
men. A lots of money can be saved
to the tax payers of the city by put
ting this city plant under commits
sion and rebuilding it like it should
be built
ct haven't found any opposition
and 1 have talked with lots of men"
said c. E. Jewell, members of the
waterworks board of trustees and
who manages the Jewell estate, one
of the largest in the city. Though
they are opposed to bond issues as a
general thing, in this instance they
are for it. They think that the com
mission is going to run the plant
right, in a business manner. I be-
lieve that the bonds will carry. Per-
sonally, I think the commission ap-
Hackney is an especially good man.
When he goes into anything he goes
into it for all that he is worth"
ST have never engaged in any talk
with anyone about it, said M. Snat-
finger. But 1 am in favor of the
city owning and controlling all of the
public utilities I am in favor of the
city owning its waterworks and its
electric light plant. On general
principles I believe in municipal own
ership. I am decidedly for this bond
issue. I think if the plant is proper
ly managed that we can do as we'll
with it as we did with the water
works. We have some splendid men
On the electric light board and they
should do we'll. 1 believe the whole
thing will work out all right
'1 am for it, said D. H. Forbes,
of the Forbes Hardware company.
That's all I have got to say. I have
not engaged in any prolonged discus
sion and don't know what the senti-
ment is
A contract with the Edison COM
pany is not going to reduce the taxes
At $55 per lamp, which the Edison
company is offering, and for 500
lamps, the number proposed to be
installed, the city of Topeka will be
paying the Edison company $3.50
a year for light with nothing to show
for the money that they expended at
the expiration of the contract Is it
more economical to pay out this
amount of money or to invest a GER
tain sum in proposed improvements
of the city plant, taking advantage Of
the latest advances in electrical ma
chinery and have something to show
in the way of plant for your expen-
diture of money in addition to your
service of light? This is one of the
questions that confronts the voter
1