The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-08
lis PREPARING
AN ORDINANCE
City Is TO Regulate Price and
Quality of Artificial Gas.
HAVE A GAS INSPECTOR
Who Will Test Quality of Gas
and All Meters.
HAVE A GAS INSPECTOR

City Attorney Helm is preparing an
ordinance looking toward the regulation
of the price and quality of artificial gas
In this city. At the council meeting Mon
dsy night a resolution was introduced
instructing the city attorney to do this
work and he is being assisted by several
Of the councilmen.
The supreme court of the United States
has held that a city may regulate the
price of artificial gas if the price decided
on is a reasonable one and they may also
establish regulations regarding the quail
ity of the gas. The decision also holds
that this may be done even after the
has been operating under it.
Several towns have passed ordinances
regulating the price of gas and its quail
ity, but have experienced some difficulty
il. a fight in the courts The city Off
Gals who are back of this plan here be-
lieve that they will experience little diff
Guilty in securing a lower price for the
Wichita consumers.
Commodore Nelson, of the Wichita
Railroad and Light company, asked for
franchise TO lay pipes and sell artificial
gas to the citizens of Wichita. He stated
to the council that he would sell the first
quality of gas for SIPS per thousand cubic
feet. He stated that he could manufac-
ture and sell it at this price and it would
h vet oil i,,x-1
of this country enjoy even lower prices
than this.
There have been some complaints of
poor gas and poor pressure this winter
and it is planned that a new office shall
be created but at little or no extra ex-
pense to the city. The city electrician
would be the gas inspector. This would
add little to his labors and the cost of
establishing this department would
amount to but few dollars.
Each day the inspector would test the
gas furnished to the city by the best tests
provided in the country and he is to keep
a record of the same. If the quality of
gas falls below a certain standard for
three consecutive days. the consumer
will pay the proportional rate. from the
best quality is sold at s1.25 per thousand,
hut falls below this quality twenty per
cent. the consumer would pay 81 per
thousand for his gas.
The gas meters are also to be tested
by the city's gas inspector, if the ordi-
nance is passed. When a new consumer
asks for gas connections the company
sends a meter to the gas inspector. who
tests ii a sufficient time to see that ii
works properly and closes it with.a seal
provided by the city. The meter cannot
be opened without another inspection and
the breaking of the seal will call for an
other inspection.
If a consumer and the gas company
has reason to believe that a gas meter
is not working right, either may call for
the inspector who will test the meter in
the presence of the consumer and a rep
resentative of the company. If a meter
gets out of order it is repaired and re-
tested by the inspector.
The provisions of the ordinance as it
is being prepared are taken from the
ordinances in other cities where this ques-
ton has been settled. The ordinance will
be prepared and presented TO the council
about the first of March.