The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-28
AN 0. X. ON THE GAS.
Professor Mcfarland Says Air Isn't
Pumped Into Mains.

Prof David F. Netherlands analysis
OF the natural gas that Is being fur
nished the Topeka consumers. which
Nyas read before the gas committee O.
the Topeka Commercial club Friday af
ternoon, asserts that the trouble in the
gas situation is more Of the quantity
OF the supply than the quality of it.
The following is the report and ana.
lysis as read by Major T. J. Anderson
secretary of the club:
Two samples were taken from q
stove tap in room 70 of the Glenwood
hotel No 1 was collected at $3.50 D.
m, December p. and No. the next
morning, December %. at o'clock
lowing the gas to run for a consider
able time to assure absolute freedom
from air in the pipe For the same
reason the sample was kept in air-free
ed a pressure of IL inches, both in the
evening and in the morning.
Discussion on Results.
F1rst-Air in the gas?
The first thing of notice in the ana
lyses is the amount of oxygen. Since
mixed with natural gas would show an
increase in the percentage of the oxy-
gen in the gas. This percentage is uni
fornly low in the samples examined
and agrees well with all tests made on
the gas from the pipe line at former
times. Therefore there is no evidence
OF any mixing of air with the gas and
none has been observed in the past.
The amount of oxygen found is not
above that commonly found in natural
gas from the wells.
Second-Heat value Of gas.
The chief heat-producing constituents
of the gas is methane or marsh gas.
The analyses show a large percentage of
this in the samples. The amount found
represents nearly the average amount
for the field from which the gas is ia
ken. 1t is much higher than the amount
found in the gas from some other parts
of the state and the gas Is therefore a
better gas. higher in heat value than
these other gases. At the same time
the percentage of methane is lower
than that found in the gas two years
ago. There is pretty close agreement
with the samples analysed on Decem-
Der IL, one year ago. In general the
amount of methane is quite as high
as could be expected under the condi-
lions in which the gas is furnished
Other heat-producing constituents In
natural gas are: etane, hydrogen, Gle
fines and carbon monoxide- These are
nominally very low IN Kansas gases
and excepting the very small quantities
found in sample No. l, they are en-
tirely absent from these samples.
Third-General conclusions.
The gas is and has been so far as
known, free from any large quantity
of air. The quality of the gas is as
good as could be expected from a sup
ply coming from an extended district
Containing gas of various composition.
The quality varies from day to day oW-
ing to the different location furnishing
~. At the same time the average COM
position from day to day Is nearly the
same Samples from the Inherent
points on the pipe line show remarkable
agreement The gas is not quite SO
good as it was in the first year that
il was supplied through the pipe line
Trouble in the use of the gas Is due |
to an insufficient pressure IN |
the large cities farthest away from the
source of supply and from an evident |
desire on the part Of the Kansas Nat
ural Gas company to attempt to supply
more gas than they have facilities Tor
1t Is more question or
quantity than 1t Is quality.
IN a letter from Professor MCFARLAND, |
after the analyses were made, ne says, |
relative to moisture often found IN !
natural gas:
1.-THE moisture determination Is really |
OF little Importance and the only rea-
son that I wished to make 1T was that |
II IS a common statement about town !