The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-12
Why Topeka Should Be Given
Equal Advantages.
A POPULAR RATE
Sure to Make the Article Itself
Popular.
Facts and Figures With Few
Fancies For the Reader.
IReprinted from state Journal, June
%, 1898


What about that dollar gas?
The gas company of Topeka has not
vet announced its promised reductions
from the exorbitant rates still paid by
the people Of this city. That the COM
pany itself has known for long time
that the rates are excessive. is shown
by their agreement over a year ago to
reduce the gas rates as soon as certain
Improvements were made
Four months beyond the years time
asked for making these Improvements
have gone by and stiI Topeka IS with
out 81 gas. Recent expressions mace
bv cftv authorities have shown that 81
gas was the understanding the rate
would be-
In his written communication to the
council a year ago last February, the
president Of the gas company said, re-
ferring to the inprovements.w when these
are completed the price of gas viii De
so reduced that neither the council nor
the people will have Cause to complain
If the gas company will make a pop
ular rate for its product It Will pop
ulaTize gas and it viii go INTO the
houses of hundreds of families who are
now kept from using this great article
for light and fuel because the price
makes it prOhiDitive-
With gas at 81 the majority of the
families in the city can afford to use
it, rather than submit to the dangers
and annoyances of gasoline.
The State Journal refers to the gas
rates in force in Topeka as exorbitant
because 1t has authentic figures from
many cities In different portions of the
United States which show that in the
price the citizens of Topeka pay for gas
they are woefuIly imposed upon
The price of gas in this city Is $Lbo
per thousand feet where used as fuel
in gas stoves, the rate is S150; and
where used in gas engines. the rate IS
$1-s5. These rates are simply beyond
reason.
,Phe city Of st. Joseph. No, pays 800
per thousand for light or fuel. Why
should Topeka pay $l-65 for light and
$3.50 for fuel?
The city of Evansville, Indiana, which
is somewhat larger than Topeka, pays
$1.O0 for gas for light and 80 cents for
gas for fuel purposes. Why should To-
pel1a pay 60 Der cent more for gas than
EVansville2
Peoria, Ill. town about the size Of
Topeka, Al. 900. pays S100 for gas for
light and only rs cents per thousand for
fuel Why should the capital city of
Kansas Day from so to 100 per cent
more than Peoria?
Racine. Wis, a city of 25.OO0, pays
$l-O0 per thousand for fuel and S1-z0 per
thousand for light
Cincinnati, Ohio. has $100 gas and is
figuring on a big reduction.
In St Louis the rate for the larger
consumers for fuel purposes is down to
so cents
In Terre Haute. Ind. a city of about
30. 000 the gas rate is so cents for light
and from Is cents 10 30 cents for fuel.
In Dubuque. Iowa, 10000 people, the
gas rate for fuel is slOO
In GAINESVILLE. Ohio, a city of 25,O00
the gas rate is S1-00 for light or fuel
In Springfield. III, a city of 5000
people, the rate is S1.oO for light or fuel
In Lynn, Mass, city of 5000. the
rate IS S1.O0 for light or fuel
In Lowell, Mass. the rate is s1-00 for
light or fuel
In Saginaw. Mich, a city Of $4,000.
the rate Is S1.o0 for fuel.
In Dayton. Ohio. city of 5000, the
rate is $LO0 for light or fuel
In Columbus. Ohio. the rate is S1O0
for light or fuel
In Grand Rapids, MichA the rate is
$L00 for light or fuel.
In Hartford. Conn, the rate is S1OO
for light and fuel
In Fort Scott Kas.. a city less than
half the size Of Topeka the rate is sl.O9
for fuel In Fort Scott there is some
natural gas, but none in paying guam
titles.
In Bloomington. I'll, about half the
size Of Topeka. the rate is S10O for
IN Bay City. Mich. the rate is s1Oo
for fuel
In Atehison. Kas.. half the size of
Topeka. the rate is $1.121s for fuel
In Leavenworth. Kas. the rate for
fuel is S1.OO.
The rates quoted above are in every
instance for manufactured gas and not
natural gas In fact in none of the
above named towns is there any nat
ural gas. with the exception of Fort
Scott and three Ohio towns-Zanes-
Filles Dayton and Columbus. The pres
6nce or absence of natural gas seams
20 cut no figure in the price ana III
TACT lower rates are charged for manu-
factured gas in some of the cites
above named where no natural gas
exists
In many cities the rate Is lust the
same for manufactured gas for either
light or fuel In a number Of cities
there IS a difference in the charge. q
for fuel s--'''i