The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-08
FOR CHEAPER GAS
City Council Passes a Natural
Gas Franchise.
Continental Gas Company Sc
cures the Concession.
END OF A BITTER FIGHT
Ways and Means Committee Fa-
vOrs Rohrer Ordinance.
Its Champion Prevents Its
Passage Through Pique.

At 1880 this morning, the city council
meeting in special session finished up the
contest for a franchise to pipe natural
gas to Topeka by passing the franchise
ordinance of the Continental Gas & Oil
company by a vote of to 4. and de-
feating the S. B. Rohrer franchise ordi-
nance by vote of 6 for and 5 against
Seven votes were necessary for the pas
sage.
Rohrer would have been granted
franchise had he not stated to the coun-
ell that he did not want one if the coun-
Gil gave one to the Continental COM
pany. The council took him at his word.
and turned down his ordinance. after
passing the Continental franchise.
The vote on the Continental franchise
was as follows: For-Blossom, Griley,
Snyder, Wolf, Weber. Tincher and Shi-
mer %; against-Kutz, Neil, Nellis and
Swendson, "a.
The vote on the Rohrer franchise was:
For-Kutz, NeilL Nellis. Weber, Sinner,
Tincher, 90; against-Blossom Griley,
Snyder, Wolf, Swendson, 90.
The fight was one of the most inter
esting and spirited which ever TOOK
place in the council chamber. Council
man Swendson led the fight for the
ROhrer franchise, and did his part we'll
He could have PASSED the Rohrer fran
chise by voting for it, but was so piqued
by the result of the vote on the Cont
mental franchise that he voted mo- on
the passage of the measure for which he
had made such gallant fight. John
Curran, secretary of the Continental
company, SAID after the council meet
ing:
I thought we were going to lose out
in our fight, but since we did not, we
will go ahead and carry out our plans.
Our $1,000 guarantee will be put up at
once. We will commence to secure our
right of way for the pipe line. Money
for the enterprise viii be secured by
bonding the company. but it will not
ia Ike such d large sum as people general
ly believe. l am not prepared to give
out a statement of our plans, but 1 can
say they are much more extensive than
merely covering the Topeka field. We
will cinch this first, and then start in
on the rest of our project
I'VE have 5000 acres of land leased
five miles from Chanute, with two gas
wells, and three others being drilled.
Any one of the wells will furnish enough
gas for the city of Topeka. We expect
to conduct extensive prospecting opera
tons between here and Chanute,in hopes
of finding gas closer to Topeka. We will
add largely to our gas leases.
While the council was hearing the
Rohrer franchise read, Mr.. Rohrer and
his friends left the council chamber.
What are you going to do about
this % was asked by a State Journal re-
porter of Mr.. Rohrer as the latter was
leaving.
Just as 1 told the council would do
said Mr. Rohrer whose disappointment
was manifest in his voice. "A man who
would take an ordinance when another
one just like it has been passed is
man who would buy or sell. I'm not
that kind of a man. And" added Mr.
Rohrer significantly, I've had chance
to do just that thing"
FIGHT IN THE COMMITTEE.
Councilman Swendson's plan was to
smother the Continental franchise in the
ways and means committee, and bring
in from that committee favorable re
port on the Rohrer franchise. He
thought he could keep the Continental
franchise from appearing at all before
the council or at least stifie it until the
Rohrer franchise could get first consid-
Grafton, and thus run a good chance of
freezing out the Continental people alto
gether.
AS far as the committee was concern
ed, Swendsons plan was successful.
The committee commenced work on the
franchises after thrashing over the tax
levy question, and it was IL o'clock be-
fore the committee voted on the ques-
ton Swendson, Nellis and Neil voted
to recommend the Rohrer franchise for
passage, and Griey and Blossom voted
against it. By the same vote, the Con-
tinental franchise was laid on the ia
BILE.
COUNCIL MET AT IL P NJ.
A call for special council meeting
signed by Councilmen Tincher Sinner.
Weber, Snyder, Kutz and Wolf had
been put into the mayors hands dur