The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-25

| snip than where the iFancIl5eS are owned
by corporations.
This. however, depends on the citizens
Of Wichita entirely. If they vote the
bonds. the city Will own the franchise
and the gas wells. If the bond PROPOSE
ton does not carry, the councilmen and
business men favor the granting Of a
franchise to a private corporation and let
them bring the gas 10 Wichita. ANY way
to get gas or oil in Wichita, and at the
earliest possible date.
It was suggested that a committee Of
councilmen go TO Winfield this week and
! investigate the matter. c,ext Monday
night viii be the regular council meet
ing and the proposition to call a special
| election viii come up at that time. 1t
/ was thought best that \ committee Of
| councilmen go to Winfield and look over
the ground before the election should be
I called. Mayor Mclean appointed c. l..
! Davidson. J. Giles Smith and James Bur
1 ton special committee to 60 10 Winfield
| and take a look at the gas wei. Quite
a number Of business men also announced
| their intention Of going to Winfield with
the councilmen and seeing the gas well
! for themselves. There viii be quite
! delegation of Wichita city officials and
business men in Winfield some day this
week The special committee viii meet
today and decide what day they will visit
Winfield and the gas Well, and they VIII
also have some further conference with
RACES & Co.
Mr.. Graham yesterday stated to the
Chamber Of Commerce directors that if
their proposition was accepted at once his
company was prepared tc go to work at
Wichita by the first of the year. They
have submitted number Of propositions
to cities in this section Of the state and
some have shown disposition TO take
up lhe matter. Wichita, BY the action
of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday,
has taken a step farther than any other
point and the first work after the com
pletion Of the Winfield well is to be done
here If the proposition is accepted.
Speaking of the matter after the meet
ing, Mayor Mclean said:
This is the best proposition that could
be made b. any outside company. Every
thing : in favor OF the city or any private
corporation that may take up the matter.
We have only the expense of the special
election to vote bonds If the company
does not find gas or oil. we win not have
TO pay them, and their contract says they
must fRd gas or oil il they have TO
keep digging all summer When they
find the gas and 1t is of sufficient quantity
and the test shows 1t and the people are
satisfied, then we will accept the well
and pay over the money
If the citizens Of Wichita de not want
the city to own the wen, let them say
~. H.,
bonds do not carry, a company VIII be
formed the same day to take up the mat
ter and the money viii be subscribed to
put up the bond to pay this firm if gas
or oil is found Then. the company win
ask for "a franchise to sell their products
In this city.
There is not a man in this city who
would not give $4,000 for that hole in
the ground if there was half a million
cubic feet Of gas coming out of it every /
day. II would pay Handsomely and /
would go into this thing today If nee |
essary. but 1 have no doubt that the |
bonds win carry by large majority"
The Commercial club held meeting I
Yesterday afternoon and after a thorough |
discussion of the gas well at Winfield /
ana the proposition submitted to this |
city decided to send their secretary, Mr.. |
II. J.. Resting, to Winfield to look over
the field before the club takes any def
nife action. The meeting was largely at
tended. by the members Of the club and
much enthusiasm was shown Not a
member but fully realized the Importance
Of this discovery of gas SO close to Wich-
ita Some of the members had investi-
gated the matter on their own account
and believed that there was gas and oil
IS be had within a few miles of Wichita.
-ne club members. always working for
the advancement of Wichitas interests,
want TO do everything in their power
to buDd Wichita and they know that the
thing necessary is cheap fuel. and natu-
raj gas is about the only thing that viii
make cheap fuel in this section of the
country.
SIR c. G Cohn, when seen after the
meeting. said:
This discovery Of natural gas at Win
field presages much for our own city We
are getting closer and closer to the gas
belt and I am in hopes of finding gas
d oil shortly within a few miles OF Wich-
tia. The Commercial club as a body,
md myself personally. will push any
fair proposition to bring cheap fuel to
Wichita It is a requirement for our
business prosperity ana the continuation
II cur increasing business. We must
nave gas or oil to build up our manu-
'actories and get new ones. I viii do all
p my power TO get gas close at home
md. if this is impossible. to pipe it from
iome NEARBY point.
Il consider this proposition Of RACES
: Co. q most reasonable one. They take
~ of the risk We do not have to pay
hem unless they give Us the goods
Their offering TO drn for gas and oil
nd being willing TO do this and not
skiing pay until they hnd either. seems
@ ne % be q very fair proposition TO
Tie city. Tt also appears 10 me that these
nen must be too good business men to
hink of making such = proposition unless
hey were sure Of their ground I feel
ure that there IS gas under Wichita
nd Z know these men must De Of the
anne opinion or they would not make
uch an offer to The city Myself nnd ]
IRE Commercial club viii work for any
easonable rlan for dHiuug for gas or
III and getting IL TO Wichita
Several Wichita people visited Winfield
unday and looked az the well The drill
ad reached "a depth of 5lo feet when the
as producing sand was found. The force
? the escaping gas threw mud and water
hirty feet. After the first eruption the
.oll was lighted and the hre spoutcd TWEEN
r feet high and the blaze was as large
S a barrel The casing Of the well had