The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-19

TEL
would be day or two before any
could be made.
Asked if this wouldn't put the citi-
zens in a pretty bad fix in case of a
| breakdown or failure on the part OF
his company, with the weather be-
low zero, with no way to get gas and
no way to use coal on account of the
gas fixtures he simply replied that no
such disaster had been anticipated by
his company He said that the Ex-
celsfor plant could not manufacture
enough gas to supply the city with as
much gas as his company was giving,
even if it ran all the time at its full
| capacity. The cost he said, would be
enormous.
Citizens Are Indignant.
Many were the EXPLANATIONS of in
dignation heard this morning regarding
| the failure of the Gas company to carry
out its promises to the people to furnish
| needed. General ]. W. F. Hughes,
Major T. ]. Anderson, Judge c. E. Foote
and Mayor William Green, and about
every other citizen of the city who uses
gas, declared that it is an outrage to
have city depending so important
thing as heat and light at the mercy
of careless corporation. Many of
these gentlemen said no temporiZing
should be INDUCED in by the city. The
company should be made to live up to
its contract or have its franchise re-
voked.
The HeIianthus club had an informal
dance last night in Hudson'S hall and
informal 1t was, too. 1t was cold IN
the building that the dancers were
compelled to wear their street attire
and the Home, Sweet Home, waltz was
played after two or three attempts to
keep warm dancing had failed.
H. cff a n
at all places where gas was used for
heat, lights or cooking there was weep
ing and wailing and the language of
those who were paying for tho las Sc
vice was clear cut and emphatic.
Special Council Meeting Called.
A call was sent out by Mayor VIM.
Green this afternoon notifying the
members of the city council that a
special session of the council is called
for this evening to discuss relief meas
ures in connection with the natural
gas situation.
It's nothing short Of criminal"
said Mayor Green. 1.-The gas COM
pany should make some definite ex-
from time to time that the gas pres
sure would be better. First it's the
tenth and then it's the twentieth. If
they don't know when it's going to
be better then they should come right
out and say SO. and if they do know
exactly what's the trouble, they should
tell that. The people have a right to
know. The gas company should make
a clear cut definite statement and not
offer any more promises. The situa-
ton is a desperate one. If this con-
tinues and a real cold snap should
come we are apt to have an epidemic
of pneumonia.
"At our house we did not experience
any trouble. The gas pressure was
low but by turning our burners wide
open we managed to keep comfortably
warm. But on the West Side the peo-
pie are suffering. This talk that the |
gas isn't costing as much because the |
pressure is weaker is all poppycock. I |
shall call in Mr.. Treleavan, the mana |
ger of the gas company, and have |
him make some sort of reliable state
ment to me. At the meeting of the |
council Mr.. Dreaming, city attorney |
will present some advice to the coun-
ell as to what course to pursue. Here |
the gas company is attaching new GUS |
toners daily. taking out hundred i
permits every month for new work. |
This is wrong when it can't supply the /
people that are on the lines already"
Company Might Charge $1.25 for Gas.
The city attorney was called into
conference with the mayor this morn
ing. II don't see that there is much
to do under the ordinance franchise
said the city attorney. "It was passed |
with whoop and hurrah by some
Of the councilmen who were working
rather than the city. The only thing /
that can be done is to force them to
gas and of course for
hat they can charge the $1.25 per
thousand cubic feet. I fought against
his franchise at the time but under
suise of watch this city grow some /
IF the members of the council rushed |
t through. Let them come up and
explain now"
1--WE ought to have some definite
statement" said the mayor. $50 that
We can know whether to go back to Il
oal. People are complaining on all
ides."
This is certainly bad for the babies,''
aid Councilman c. E. Jordan. Moth
rs cannot warm water for them and
n a hundred little ways the babies of
topeka will suffer cruelty
East of Kansas avenue the gas pres
ure was little better than that on
he west side. The east side is close
0 the main feed line and the pressure
eemed CORRESPONDENCE stronger. In
ONE localities, however, on the east
ide there was considerable complaint
IN one side of the street the pressure
eemed to remain uniformly strong
lille right across and about one block
way the families were shivering with
old and muttering imprecautions be- q.
ause they could not induce the flames
l gas stove or the furnace to leap
igher. /
Merchants Used TaIlow Dips. 1
Merchants on West Sixth avenue and t
Vest Eighth avenue and in fact all Of
he suburban grocer and butcher shops
n the west side were in sorry straits l
ldeed last evening. The gas lights
-ere burning SO low that they were t
seless and the wires of the Edison t
Electric company vent wrong so that j
ley could not resort to electricity to 6
lspel the dark. Tallow candles were
rought out from hiding places and put S
n the counters and in the show win /
ows and the merchants did business q
y these until closing up time at and 7
30 in the evening. h