The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-11
MR.. KEMPF EXPLAINS.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NATURAL
GAS TROUBLE.
Cold Weather Increased the Demand
So That the Immediate supply Is
Not Sufficient-The Company Do
ing All 1t Can to Increase the
supply.

Superintendent Kempf of the natural
gas wells gives out a statement in re-
gard TO the short supply of gas which
has been a source of great annoyance
10 users of the fluid for the past few
days. Mr.. Kempf's letter is as follows:
Salt Lake City. Nov 10, 1886.
To the Editor of The Herald:
For tine past several days there has
been considerable talk as to the trouble
with the natural gas The facts in
the case are that since the cold wea Their
commenced the demand for natural
gas has increased so that the supply
is not sufficient.
On Oct 2S tae New American Gas
companys wells had so far failed in
pressure that they could only get gas
and engine with which they are sinking
deep we'll on which they have been
working for the past two months or
more. This we'll is now down TO a
depth of about 1900 feet and is flowing
no gas of any consequence. They are
still sinking this well in the hope Of
soon striking a. flow CT gas. Therefore,
since the 18th Of October there has been
no gas supplied by the New American
Gas company for Salt Lake city, all
the gas received here coming from
Driver & Co. S wells, of which there are
now two furnishing gas. One of the
wells, the Bryan" was struck about
Oct. 26. and showed a pressure of over
240 pounds. Tile other we'll, the John
son." was reopened Oct. 8, it having
choked up. When reopened it showed
a pressure cff215 pounds.
On Nov. Z, at 2 pm, when / was az
the wells, the eBryan" we'll showed 10
pounds and the johnson" we'll $50
pounds.
Mr. Driver stated in Sundays Trib-
une that the wells showed $50 pounds
and 200 pounds pressure Saturday
morning, and he could net understand
why there was no gas coming 10 the
city Mr.. Driver no doubt told Glle
truth about the wells, as enc Of them
had been choked off during the night
and no doubt had gained in pressure.
While there was and is a. pressure of
over 100 pounds on these wells, there
was from one and half to two pounds
at the most during Saturday at the
head of the pine line near tne wells,
when 1T took over six pounds pressure
at the head of the line before the cold
weather to drive sufficient gas through
the line for the city supply.
l told Mr.. Drake, who had charge of
Driver & Co.'S wells, that the city was
out of gas and for him TO turn more
gas into the pipe line. He said he
could not turn more gas into the line.
as it would ruin the wells, but he said
after a short time he thought he could
turn more in. These two wells were
being nursed along by Driver & Co. in
hopes that another we'll could be re-
opened on which they were working
last week. Failing TO reopen this we'll,
they have moved their machinery to
another we'll and are now trying to re-
open it.
1 now have the gas retort heated UP
to a working heat. and am making
some coal gas, and with the natural gas
we are receiving we are doing our
best to keep the city supplied.
There have been nearly 20 wells put
down in the gas fields. There are now
two flowing gas as stated above. Yours
very truly,
JOHN KEMPF JR.,
SupeTinl endent of Gas Wells