The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-16
Topeka Wants No More Dark
Street Corners This Week.
Thousands of Visitors Here
and the Arcs Failed.
MAYOR IS PEEvISH ABOUT IT
Executive Questioned Head of
the Departments Today.
Commissioner Newland Offers
No Relief to Topekans.

the city Of Topeka received last night
ana the night before is not calcu-
lated to make one enthusiastic over
municipal ownership with tnou-
sands of visitors here Topeka was q
city Of darkness last night.
And no improvement is promised.
Conditions cannot be helped.
Things like this are liable to happen
any time and it always will be that
way. Why. even at Niagara-"
But F. NJ Newland, city commis-
sioner of water and lighting. was then
interrupted by r. L. Cofran. mayor.
who had just found him.
Whats the matter with the
lights?" demanded the mayor. and
again the commissioner started to ex-
plain that nothing extraordinary was
the matter.
..The rain and the wind are to
blame. It cannot be helped" replied
the head of the lighting department.
Mayor Was Anxious.
Eyes, but when a lot of houses are
broken into and complaints against
my department are brought to me
and 1 reply, 1t cannot be helped,
am told there Is too blamed much of
that kind of business occurring" re-
piled the mayor.
I'VE got everything fixed up by IL
o'clock retorted Newland blandly
and with an air Of satisfaction.
why do you not do those things
in the day timer" the mayor shot back
at him.
I'VE do" insisted Newland.
But at the time people needed light
last night the streets were in dark
ness.
According to Mr.. Newland everytime
- Vxvjv, nv n
a rain her lights are to go gfimmering.
or rather they will not g1immer at all.
"You mean to say that a pole-line
can not be built and kept in repair 30
it will hold up against as little breeze
as there was last night" a reporter
for the State Journal asked Mr.. New
land.
That's the case with the amount of
money we have to spend" said the
commissioner.
Did you ask for an allowance In
your budget to provide For the up-keep
and depreciation OF tho pole-liness he
was asked.
NO" -.Ses
In preparing his bNaget Mr.. New
land made noSprQviean for Its pole
line up-keep. Yh1 in his
budget for nextsxl Hhpk64chfng the
subject 10 "a. 40 for eFfension of new
lines THERE'S also provision for re-,
But nothing to keep the old lines M
working order. 80
And Mr.. Newland says conditions
are as good as can reasonably be ex-
lpected-just as good as they are In any
city-and will be no better.
Mr.. Newland seems satisfied.
But are the people of Topeka salts.
fled with the kind of service given
last night, that's the question!
At 10 o'clock this morning the city
I:eIa {~Srv ,Iov o0l cd hVy4 -.
phone by State Journal reporter. E.
G.. Stahl. superintendent of the plant.
answered.
us Mr.. Newland there?" he was
asked.
NO"
Has he been there this morning."
NO"
HAS he telephoned to you this
morning."
NO"
Have you seen him this morning."
DO you know where he is?"
NO.
well, what was the matter with
the lights last night?"
Mr.. Stahl explained that there were
two open circuits''-one at Twelfth
and Clay streets and one near Lake
wood Park. The one at Twelfth and
Clay streets was caused by a light
| wire falling against a wire belonging
to the Edison company.
It was the opinion of Mr.. Stahl that
| the trouble at Lakewood Park was
caused by someone tampering with
| the wire" Mr.. Newland said that q
| limb Of a tree had fallen over the wire
there.
But these two "open circuits" ac-
count for darkness over only a part
of the city. Mayor Cofran says there
| were no lights burning on Topeka
| avenue as far as he could see in eth
er direction from his home, and Mr..
Cofran's residence is at the angle of
the street and if any lights were
| working anywhere on the street it is
probable he would have seen them.
Mr.. Stahl insists that the lights on
West Tenth street west Of Tyler
street were working all right all
night-says he was there and saw
them.
Persons living on West Tenth street
declare no lights were visible up to
the time they retired for the night.
IF they could not see them it was
their. own fault" declared Stahl
Topeka was in darkness several
nights while the state convention of
! the Kansas State Teachers associa-
ton was in session. Mr.. Newland
says the cause Of no lights now II the
same as 1t. was then. Since then he
has prepared his budget for next year