The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-25
Board Evidently Generous.

BOdFQ 1IVlueIltly NreHeIOuSs
This means that the. school board has
paid to the Edison company from Au-
gust 25, 1909, to May 1, 1910, $133.45 more
than would have been paid if the board
had been paying for lighting according
to the cent rate provided for in the
franchise of the company. And these
figures do not include the cost of light
ing the ward schools outside of the
high school buildings, which is being
paid for at the same 10 cent rate.
Y, lille this other expense amounts to
comparatively little per month at the
same time the total overcharge for
lighting the buildings will swell the un-
necessary money given out by the
board to such proportions that an in
vestigation and attempt to get the legal
rebate may follow. Electric lighting
has been installed in the ward schools
only about year.
However, at present Mr.. Cuthbirt
would only say that he intended to
look up the matter and learn what
could be done about it. He made this
statement when he was told of the
overcharge by a State Journal reporter.
Mr.. Dreaming said he learned of the
situation through a personal matter.
He wished to know how much the city
was being saved by the cent rate for
lighting the school buildings, as he
wished to use the information in his
coming campaign for county attorney.
Accordingly he went to Mr.. Stewart,
clerk of the school board, and asked TO
see the bills for lighting the schools
and then learned of that no benefit had
been received by the new franchise Of
This franchise and the cent rate
therein granted, was secured largely
through Mr.. Drenning's efforts when he
became city attorney in 1905.
Hadn't Heard of 1t.
Together with j.. w. Robinson and
others Mr.. Dreaming secured from the
Edison people while their new fran
cnise was pending a reasonable sche-
dule of rates for commercial lighting
and heating, and then drew the new
franchise which grants the cent rate
for lighting public buildings and the
city school buildings.
THE school board has been paying
the Edison company twice the rate
which their franchise calls for. l hold
that if that franchise was accepted bv
the Edison people from the time it was
accepted it would affect all contracts
held by that company with other par
ties.
Il do not understand why the school
board lid not take advantage of this"
Mr.. SWendSOn, who was on the coun-
Gil when the franchise was passed,
said:
Il do not remember anything about
the franchise you speak of. If you
quote me at all say that the matter
was not brought to my attention and
that I have not Investigated it. Mr..
Anderson, the chairman of the finance
committee, has not called the commit
tee together, according to my know
edge since L have been member of
the body. 1 think he audits the bills
and makes a report which is accepted
as a committee report
Mr.. Nicholson said: THAT matter is
news to me. 1 never heard of the .
cont rate you mention. l think, if that
rate is in effect we ought to be enti-
tied to the rebate which would be ac-
crued.''
L don't know anything about the
matter" said Mr.. Cuthbirt, but 1 am
going to look it up this afternoon and
see what can be done about it,"