The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-15
new Gas RATE.
This Will Now Receive Attention
of City Council.
1t Includes a 30 Year Extension
of Franchise.
LINCOLN CLOSES A DEAL
Nebraska Capital will Get Gas
for S1.2O.
In Topeka Company Places
Figure at $1.25.
LINCOLN CLOSES DEAL

At the next meeting of the city
council, on July 1, it is expected that
the Excelsior Coke and Gas company
will come forward with a request for
new 30-year franchise, in exchange
for which they offer to reduce the
price of gas in Topeka to a fiat rate
of S125 per thousand for both fuel
and lighting, and to spend 100000
in extensions of the gas mains.
At present the price of gas is $1.65
for light, from S1.35 to $3.50 for fuel
alone, or for fuel and light together.
The consumption in Topeka is about
40, 900. 900 cubic feet year. The re-
duction of 80 4 cents would therefore
mean a saving to gas consumers of
about $13, 600 year. The plan OF the
gas company to s'gridiron the city
with mains would largely increase
consumption, and with every million
feet of increase in consumption the
cost of the manufacture of the gas is
reduced a fraction of a cent thus
Increasing the companys profits.
This promises to be the central
topic of discussion in the city council
and among the people of Topeka for
some months to come, and 1t is in
teresting to note the deal which has
/ just been closed between the gas com
pany at Lincoln, Neb-, and the city
council at that place. Conditions
there seem to be in many respects
similar to those in Topeka.
The rate in Lincoln has been
S1.46 e for Illuminating gas and SIPS
| for fuel gas. The people had been
clamoring for dollar gas, just as they
| have in Topeka. The gas company
| finally proposed to reduce the rates to
a fiat price of s1.25. The council
onered to allow the company to con-
/ ttnue to charge existing rates until
/ October l. after which the fat rate
should be $1.20. This offer the com
COST OF MAKING GAS.
The lawsuit in which the city is en-
gaged to enforce a dollar gas ordinance
about the cost of making gas in this
H. S, Morgan. secretary of the com
pany, testified that during the year 1909
the cost per 1000 cubic feet of making gas
of 1901 the cost was 1OO3o cents.
II r. e; Johnson, one Of the city,s expert
/ facilities the company should make gas
here at a cost of 72.so cents, and with
coke at present advanced prices the cost
E. W. Bemis. another expert for the
/ city. testified that the cost here should
prices 7412 cents.
All of these figures were on a basis OF
! 10,O0O,000 feet per year the city experts es-
innate that the cost would be reduced
| about cents per 1000.
The city claimed that the reason Nor
cams estimate was SO high was because
ne has included IN his estimate the fol-
| lowing:
l. An extravagant and unnecessary
| amount of fuel for the works, due to de-
| fective machinery
2. An extravagant and unnecessary
| amount of leakage and condensation, due
to faulty methods of manufacture.
| 3. An extravagant amount under the
| charge of maintenance which should
| have been charged to capital account.
f. An unnecessary expense in hauling
coal by wagon from the cars instead OF
by a switch track
1t was also claimed that by the expen-
diture of $3.50 the company could install
| machinery to preserve the ammonia
reducing the cost of the gas.
| According to the decision of Specia
| Master Robert J. Brock, appointed by tho
| federal court to take testimony, the city
| failed to establish its case. The specia
master held that the cost of making gas
in Topeka was really considerably more
than claimed by the gas company