Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-04
GAS COMPANY REGULATIONS.
OBJECTIONS TO PROPOSED CHANGES
IN INSPECTION LAW.
Will Vigorously Contest Any Attempt
of the City to Supervise Gas sup
ply-HearinE Before Coun-
ell Committee Yesterday.

The gas committee of the upper house OF
the city counsel met yesterday afternoon
to consider the proposed ordinance regulat-
ing gas affairs. The city was represented
by Aldermen Eyssell, Wyne ana Jewell
City Counselor Middlebrook and Inspector
Mcclure. while the Kansas City, Missouri.
Gas Company's interests were looked AFTER
by Hugh MCGOWAN and Attorney Charles
Small. At the beginning of the hearing
some little amusement resulted from the
reading of the following communication
filed with the papers in the case:
To the Upper House Council.
Having noted that the city mas no" IN
its employ Il gas Inspector TO inspect tne
quality of gas furnished to the Guy, "oula
it not be well to create the once OF vino
inspector TO pass upon me KIM With vi ihe
Company? OTTO KNAPP"
Attorney Small favored this suggestion
and briefly stated the company's objections
to the proposed measure as iolloWs: .
'First-It allows the inspector access 10
its works to examine machinery ana meth
DDS of making gas, an obJectlonaple icaluIe
for the reason that some of the appliances
are of u secret nature and should not DE
examined by any person. as their Vhlud
consists in the method of making the gas
being unknown to the public, and narrow
minded. contentious inspectors could make
/ great deal of trouble and annoyance 70
the company without resulting sooo 10 lhe
public.
"Second-The 92lA per cent clause Is Oh.
jected to for the reason that the result
it is intended to produce could De GDtalheu
by requiring check burners TO De placeu ~
the gas MOBILES at the place OF consump-
ton.
'.Third-To make the required monthly
report to the inspector would put them 10
additional work and expense, ana again I'M
der section Is of ordinance No. COOS. being
the Kansas City. Missouri. Gas Company
franchise ordinance. they are only Obliged
to make semi-annual reports to the board
of public works and no monthly reports to
anyone.
chise ordinance, they are permitted TO smut
off the gas on a consumer fifteen DAYS IN
default of payment of a bill. This right
they contend is absolute, and the new
measure seeks to make the city Inspector
the judge as to whether they should shut
off the gas or not.
'.Fifth-The right of the city to make re-
pairs of street lamps, replace broken ones.
ETC., after failure of the company to do
such work. in twenty-four hours after no
tice. and to deduct the cost of same from
money which may be due the company by
the city. Is harsh and unreasonable; the
present remedy of not paying for any more
lamps than are properly furnished is suffi-
cient.
'Sixth-The appointment of two assist
ants for the gas inspector Is unnecessary
and they are unwilling to stand the eX-
pense and all they were willing to concede
without a struggle was one assistant. The
Objected oSiss ddet to. Thew ~ make mail another objection b ton
to section u. and say its provisions are in
conflict with section l of ordinance SO33.
the consolidation franchise. in that section
IL provides that the company shall pay
such expenses for inspection, salaries, ETC.,
as the auditing may direct,
whereas ordinance S33 does not leave it to
the auditing to fix the amount.
but provides that they shall pay such sums
for these purposes as the city has been OBJ
liged to pay, and no more"
Mr.. Small strongly commended for some
new regulations governing the gas ques-
ton. admitting that the company was, by
its franchise. compelled to furnish 22hs can
die power; that a majority of it's meters
sent out had registered about 2 per cent
visions.
Mr.. Mcclure agreed that this was the
case.
After referring to the peculiar topo-
graphical features of the city and the i'm
possibility of at all times maintaining uni
form pressure in all sections, the COM
pany proposed TO the committee that it
charge, all necessary apparatus for the
making of tests, and where it was found
that the pressure was below one and one
half or over four inches. put in check
burners and governors. The tests are to
be made by the city inspector, however.
and these appliances are to be furnished
only when such inspector, by actual test.
| putting in of the appliances.
The committee. after hearing briefly from
Mr.. Mcclure and asking a number of Ques-
items. adjourned the hearing to Il later day
yet to be named. 1t will be some time
prior to the submission of a report and
many changes are likely to be made in the
measure under consideration.