The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-09
He Asks Commissioners New
land for a Statement.
Questions if Experts RECON-
mendatiOns Were Followed.
.NEWLAND TELLS HIS SIDE OF IT
He Blames Dry Weather for
the Water Famine.
Two More Buildings Make
Complaints to City.

Mayor ]. E. House today asked
Frank NJ. Newland, commissioner of
water and lights, if the water depart
ment has followed recommendation
made last spring by Wyncoop Kier-
stead, water plant expert, who made
a survey of the Topeka pumping plant
and its resources and urged that
measures that would alleviate the
water shortage permanently be put in
effect
Il would be pleased to see a state
ment from the water department as
to whether the recommendations have
been followed" said the mayor, and.
if not, why not"
The mayors statement was given
out in the formh of an interview after
he had received additional complaints
today of poor water pressure. Among
the business firms declaring that the
pressure is not sufficient to furnish
water adequately on the top floors of
their buildings are the National hotel
and the Central National bank build
ing owners.
Newland Makes Statement.
New1and this afternoon told the
State Journal that the Kierstead
recommendations had been followed
| to- the letter ''as far as we have gone
The water commissioner said that the
written recommendations filed in his
office by Kierstead have been fully
carried out> but further recommend-
ations supposed to be forthcoming
from the expert have not been sub
mitted
Newland asserted that the low wa
ter stage over the state" is response
BILE for the poor pressure. A new
well at the plant, he said, would be
! brought in this afternoon or tomor-
row and this, he thought, would re-
| lieve conditions. He asserted that ma
lrta -.
carry adequate pressure and lays the
whole situation to a water, famine
The city commission became
alarmed over the water situation in
Topeka early last spring said Mayor
House today las a result of this
feeling, Mr.. Wyncoop Kierstead was
| employed by the commission, acting
as a body, to go over the Topeka
water plant and lay down a plan for
| its extension and operation which
would permanently relieve the short
| age, Mr.. Kierstead, by the way, is one
of the best known experts in the lay
| ing out and operation of water plants
| in the west.
| Recommendations i'm Writing.
Mr.. Kierstead filed his recon-
mendations in writing and they are on
file in the water department. The
water department agreed to follow
| them Not being al. expert in the
| HldlleT Oh the operation OF water
plants, l have no means of knowing
| whether the department did so, but 1
assumed, and the other members of
| the commission assumed. that they
would be followed to the letter.
should be pleased to see a statement
| from the water department as to
whethe- they have been followed. ard.
| if not. why not"
| Since the unreliable state of the city
water pressure was pointed out by the
| State Journal January 2, city officials.
| business men and others have shown
considerable anxiety as to conditions.
They did not like to think of a serious
! fire breaking out for, with the pres
sure offered, to combat it, blaze of
sure offered to com bat it. a blaze OF
I irto serious disaster, as serious as have
been experienced by other cities in
/ the last few months.