Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-07-29
As Others See Us

the Solomon Tribune last week ana
is reproduced here, not for criticism
but for the purpose of correction 1t
is also a good example of the way any
town will get the worst of it as soon
as it begins to knock itself:
ANENT WATER AND LIGHTS.
A special election was held at Wa
Keeney last week to decide whether
or not the city should increase its
bonded Indebtedness 81, 900 and take
up the outstanding warrants that
have been issued during the past
year because of the city water and
light plants failing to pay operating
expenses.
Wa-Keeney is county seat town
of 1 900 population, located $50 miles
west of Solomon. A year ago the
city put in water and light plant at
cost of S4O,00 As is generally the
case in matters of this kind, the es-
Inmates of the engineer were too low.
The $4,000 did not COMPLETE the
plant plant and d. part of the city is yet
Wa-Keeney> has about 140 light pa
irons and about 100 water patrons,
including the Union Pacific Ry. Co.,
which pays the city S75 per month
for water. Notwithstanding the lib
eral patronage received by the water
the city treasurer shows that the wa
ter fund is overdrawn more than
50, 500 and that the light fund is over
drawn over S3, 100, also that many
bills for material and supplies are
unpaid 1t was to take up this in
debtedness that the people were ask
ed to vote the $1,000 bonds. The
proposition was voted down, so the
city will continue to stamp it's war
rants, Not Paid for Want of Funds. :"
The above ought to convince any
one that Solomon can not support a
water and light plant, and it is hop
ed that the city officers will yet face
about and abandon the idea of worse
than throwing away 5000 of the
peoples money.
By way of explanation our readers
should know that the city of Solo
mon some years ago voted bonds for
the purpose of installing water and
light plant but the bonds were not
issued, presumably because of the
opposition of the city administration.
There was a change of administra-
tion recently and the matter of the
bond issue has been revived. The
Tribune opposes the issue, as it may
rightfully do, but in this instance, it
seems to us, the editor, Mr. w. L.
Olson, is unfair to the people of his
home town and unjust to Wa-Keeney,
perhaps unwittingly. In the first
place for first correction let us in
form the Tribune that Wa-Keeney
sum of 81, 1000 because our water and
light plants were not paying running
expenses. The plants were more
than paying operating expenses. The
people knew this and defeated the
issue. 1t is only fair to say, however
that the excess revenue was not suf-
ficient to extend the systems as fast
as desired; nor was it sufficient tc
build two miles of first class power
line and install second pump at q
cost of 81, 500 all in one year; nor was
it sufficient to build street and alley
crossings by the mile as Wa-Keeney
did last year. There is vast differ
ence between operating expenses
on the one hand, and construction
extension, equipment, and othel
public improvements on the other.
Second-The engineer was not con
suited as to the amount of the bone
issue. His estimates were not too
low. His task was to design watel
and light plants at cost within the
limit of the bond issue and to expenC
the money in such manner as woule
do the most good to the creates
number of people, and he succeeded
to surprising degree. The plant
he designed were completed within
his estimates and within the limit
of the bond issue. In fact, Wa
Keeney got more and better equip
ment for its $40, 900 than some othe
towns have since secured for nearl
double the sum. Contractors mad
extra favorable bids because the
realized that the funds were limited
An overfiowing treasury is not al
ways an unmixed blessing. Limite,
funds have a tendency to encourag
economy, as we all know by ex
perience. and very properly so.
Wa-Keeney has trifie less thaI
900 and it if true that part of thes
people are still without city water o
light, as a matter of choice, although
in reach of both and abundantly abl
to afford both A few others are no
within reach of the water and ligh
systems but undoubtedly will-be i
the near future. The Tribune Nigh
have said in all truth and cando