The Topeka state journal., 1911-07-18
City Commissioners Grew Sus-
piciOus OF Oil Franchise.
Discovered That president" of
Company Was an Agent"
TOOK BACK ACTION.
A New Franchise Altogether
viii Be Prepared.
City Hopes to Have Matter
Signed up This Week.

On the discovery that the man whs
has been posing as president of the
so-called Topeka Fuel Oil company was
simply an agent OF an oil supply firm
and had no authority to obtain fran
chise in Topeka, the city commission
ers have called a halt on the PROPOSE
ton to supply the city with oil for fuel
Not until Monday afternoon did the
commissioners allow their suspicious to
hold back the ordinance that had been
prepared and was ready for the final
signatures. Then they called officials
of the Kansas City firm thGt had the
original matter in hand and they de-
MED giving D. w. Lewis, who has been
working out the plan in Topeka, any
authority to sign or obtain a franchise
in his name.
Furthermore it was discovered by the
board of city commissioners that tha
D. w. Lewis who has been heralded as
president of the Topeka Fuel Oil COM
pany'' was simply an agent for q pri-
vate heating system concern In Kan
sas City.
The original franchise drawn up in
Topeka was prepared for w. M. Chen
owith of Kansas City who was sup
posed to be the head Of the oil con-
Germ that desired an entrance into To-
peka. When the franchise ordinance
was first presented to the city commits
sioners it was under his name
Then mysteriously the name "Cheno-
with was scratched from the ordi-
nance and I'D. W. Lewis inserted.
The commissioners paid no attention
to the change and continued 70 do bus
mess with Lewis. Lewis appeared be-
fore the board a number Of times in
black shirt, belt1ess trousers md a big
chew of tobacco. This began to arouse
the officials.
Thev had been dealing with white
collars and smooth talk so long that
fnancier in d black shirt made them
look closer
Finally before the board Of commits
sioners Monday morning the commits
sioners placed D. w. Lewis under q
series of rapid fire questions and -
was noticed at that time that IN MS
answers he failed to give the correct
| information.
This led the board to investigate and
they got into communication with the
| Kansas City office at once.
Now the commissioners have dftched
the old ordinance-franchise prepared
for Lewis and have made new pro-
position with the firm in Kansas City,
| leaving Lewis out of it. His position as
president of the Topeka Fuel-Ou COM
pany'' doesn't have any effect on the
| Topeka officials hereafter
It is suspected by the commissioners
that Lewis attempted to secure the
franchise under his name and then
with everything tucked away under his
belt he could hold up the Kansas City
firm to purchase it from him.
The franchise now prepared calls for
a preliminary cost of 800 for the fran
chise rights. Then the company shall
paw the city per cent of the gross re-
ceipts. The cost of fuel-oil to consuTn-
ers will be arranged SO that tho COM
pany will make a profit of 10 cents a
barrel to consumers using thirty bar
rels or more and 10 cents a barrel TO
those using less than thirty barrels.
According to the statements from the
! officials of the Kansas City company
| the franchise is satisfactory to them
They have taken the matter under con-
sideration and viii report back to tho
commissioners at the end Of the week.
Then if the matters can be arranged
| the actual work on the laying of the
| pipe lines and the construction of the
plant will begin Immediately.