The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-09
THEY ABE AFTER
LEASES ON LAND
Every One Is Interested in The
Gas Question.
TO FORM STOCK COMPANY
Proposition Made by Men
From Chanute.
TO FORM STOCK COMPANY

The gas question is becoming very in
te-cstins to the people OF wichita and
me immediate vicinity. All these people
feel that il gas is found around here
il win be the making Of me city be
cause it viii furnish cheap fuel which is
SO much needed here to make this man
u1acturing city This question has been
discussed by the citizens Tor years. but
nothing has been accomplished.
Yesterday there were two men here
frem Chauute both of whom have had
much experience in the business o. Dor
Ing for gas and for oil They were: w
4 Thompson and Robert Oglesby. These
n.en are OF the opinion that there is gas
y est of the Flint Hills and that the
country and city would make great
mistake If an effort was not made TO find
it,
Mt Thompson said that ne was sure
that either gas or oil could be found
here. OF III least near here, ana he
thought would be the best thing the
citizens could do in expanding a little
money looking for it.
Il am not the state geologist, but
have had some experience" he said, and
it may De that there is gas or oil under
this city or in this vicinity"
1t is said that Mr.. Thompson and Mr..
oelesby came here with view of form
irg stock company. which, would bore
fer gas OF OF! or anything else which
might bee found, and because Of this
they were not given any great amount Of
encouragement The city has several
holes on the outskirts which have taught
4 lesson regarding stock company propo-
sitons.
The RACES q Co. proposition seems TO
please the majority OF the people, said
Hayor Mclean. and if they are willing
to carry cut the proposition, ] do not see
Why we. as a city, should object"
AS near as can be ascertaineG the pro-
T, sition seems 10 be this: The men from
Chanute want TO dig a hole and have
the city or stock company pay for it.
RACES & Co. viii dig until they find gas
OF oil ii they hnd either in sufficient
quantities the city. is TO pay them $1,000;
# they DO not the city pays them moth
Ing.
Mr. Stewart, who was named as trustee
n the ordinance which was passed at
the last meeting of the council said that
&c did not want such It franchise and
o, Jectco to it, but that there was no
use saving anything concerning his views
before the council on that night His
objections to the franchise are many
H said
.-There are several Objectionable feat
Uies in the fran hise and + could not ac-
oept it under any consideration as it now
stands. one Of these features is the pro
vision that in case the city fails to take
the eas wei off our hands by June
1903 we shah begin al once TO layNpipe 4
fnd have this city thoroughly piped by /
the first day of November next This is
probably The most serious objection, and /
any man who knows how hard it is to /
se cure iron pipe in large quantities viii (
aeree with me that 1t is indeed a serious /
objection ] doubt very much if it would +
Re possible to secure as large an amount /
of pipe ard have it on the ground in the I
five months intervening between June (
and November !. much less TO furnish 1
gas to the people.
Another Objectionable provision is the 1
provision that when three persons living /
in single block ask that gas De piped T
to them the request shall be granted.
TEis might result in a hardship i'm a
sCod many cases where there might be T
three property owners living on a block (
remote from others. 7 know nothing Of .
the men who are said to be here pro 4
posing to bore for gas If they can or 4
ganize a stock company. bar am in /
favor of the city owning the gas if there +
IS any found and 1 am not trying 10 make
any money out of it because I am inter /
essed in it,"
a conference has been called for this .
afternoon between the committee appoint (
ed by Mayor Mclean and others who
have shown an interest in the question. /
The general opinion Of the members Of +
the chamber Of commerce and others who /
are directly interested is that the CITY
should not give any stock company a
franchise, nor should the city vote bonds
for digging n prospect hole as has been
done in the past. r r. Allen is securing
leases on land around the city and IL
there is anything in opinion Of the ex-
perts that there is gas near the city the /
city viii have the benefit Of it,
It is said that there are several men
here representing eastern firms who are
trying TO set gas leases and that the
companies they represent are prepared TO .
here for either gas or OIL RACES & Co. .
have completed their work at WINFIELD
and are now ready 10 commence work .
here or MT some other place
Just what viii ha done b.- 49,, -