The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-17
TO SPENDLARGE sum
Gas Company Purchased
Eight Miles of Pipe
LINE IN THE WEST SIDE
North End People viii Get
Better Service

Within the next three months the
wichita Gas. Electric Light and Power
company will spend in the neighborhood
OF 800 VOe in extending and enIarging their
gas mains, the addition of retorts in
their plant and a new boiler in the power
house. Yesterday notice was received
that six miles OF cast iron pipe had been
ordered and a previous notice stated
that two miles was ready for shipment.
making a total OF eight miles of pipe TO
be laid in Wichita this summer. The
pipe varies from four TO eight inches il
diameter and the eight miles Will re-
quire fifteen fat cars 10 carry it, and it
represents an expenditure OF $4,000. II
costs cents per foot 10 dig the trenches
making $3.50. 1t Will require that much
more to lay and connect the pipes and
the couplings Will cost nearly 5000 more,
making a total of SIS ,000 to be expended
in extending and charging the present
mains, both Tor labor and material.
At present the West Side has no gas
connections, but before the Douglas ave-
nue. pavement is completed six-inch
main will be laid to the corner of Seneca
and Douglas avenues and extensions Of
smaller mains viii reach all sections of
the West Side.
An eight-inch main viii be laid on
North Lawrence avenue TO Elm street
and the north end OF the city viii have
nothing smaller than Iour-inch mains III
any section. while the general rule Will
be the six-inch pipes The system will
be cross-connected at Elm street. Ninth
and Thirteenth streets The cross-town
lines will be laid from Waco to ST. Fran
els avenues an each OF the three streets.
thus giving an equal circulation and
pressure which insures satisfactory serv-
ice.
An order has been placed with fac
tory for a bench of eight retorts for the
gas plant The contract calls for this to
be installed before October I. but the
manufacturers believe they can install
it before the first of September When
this is in running order the capacity Of
the gas plant will be increased 80 per
cent.
lew boiler has been ordered for the
power plant boiler room. The company
now has five boilers making steam for
the engines but within few months an
other will be added They have three
boilers of $50 horse power each and two
of 100 horse power The new boiler will
add $50 horse power to the present ca
pacity.
The addition of the bench of retorts in
the gas plant will necessitate the removal
of the superintendent's Office. An office
and testing room for the citys gas in
spector will be built beside the meter
room on Waco avenue which will be
much more convenient TO the public
These improvements and additions were
made necessary on account Of the in
creased business Of the company. Their
full capacity is now nearly taken and
the demand for gas stoves and lights has
increased so that the company must
make provision to take care of their Gus
toners. Many West Side people have
asked for gas service and it will be given
them as soon as the mains can BE- laid.
The new mains ard cross connections in
the north end viii give consumers in
that section of the city much better ser
vic